Getting The Gospel Right

Sunday, July 19, 2009 AM Sermon Outline

Text: Mark 8:27-38

Peter and disciples thought that they comprehended the Gospel, but they didn’t… Mark 8:27-33
· The disciples perverted the Gospel from being God centered and made it man centered [But turning and seeing his disciples, he rebuked Peter and said, “Get behind me, Satan! For you are not setting your mind on the things of God, but on the things of man.” Mark 8:33 (ESV)]
· We will spend a lifetime, actually an eternity comprehending and seeking to understand the Gospel and its’ implications… And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, {7} in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus. (Eph 2:6-7 NIV)

Getting The Gospel Right Means:
1) Jesus Is The Gospel – vs.34
2) Jesus Is Greater Gain (Than) – vs.34-36, 38
3) Jesus Solves Our Divine Need For Forgiveness – vs.37

Getting The Gospel Right Means:
1) Jesus Is The Gospel – vs.34
A) And calling the crowd to him with his disciples, he said to them, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. Mark 8:34 (ESV)
B) (Mat 13:44-46 NIV) "The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field. When a man found it, he hid it again, and then in his joy went and sold all he had and bought that field. {45} "Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant looking for fine pearls. {46} When he found one of great value, he went away and sold everything he had and bought it.

2) Jesus Is Greater Gain (Than)
A) Self – vs.34
• Possessing God’s will becomes our passion…
B) Pain – vs.34
• Loving God unconditionally becomes our passion…
• Though he slay me, yet will I hope in him… (Job 13:15 NIV)
C) Shame – vs.34, 38
• Christ redeemed us from the curse of the Law, having become a curse for us-- for it is written, "CURSED IS EVERYONE WHO HANGS ON A TREE"-- (Gal 3:13 NASB)
• Worried about what others think…
• Who are you going to offend – God or people? You are going to offend, the question is “Who?”
D) Control – vs.34-35 “follow me” &…
• Yielding control of our lives to Christ…
E) Possessions – vs.36
• When possessions become our focus they are idols…
• Idols enslave us…
• Still others, like seed sown among thorns, hear the word; {19} but the worries of this life, the deceitfulness of wealth and the desires for other things come in and choke the word, making it unfruitful. (Mark 4:18-19 NIV)

3) Jesus Solves Our Divine Need For Forgiveness – vs.37
Mark 8:37 (ESV) For what can a man give in return for his soul?
A) Forgiveness is a divine problem… Ps 51:4 – “Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight” We have offended God!
B) Our offense has been so egregious, having sinned and having broken our capacity to reflect the image of God… only God can restore that capacity…
C) Unpack the following verse… “Truly no man can ransom another, or give to God the price of his life, for the ransom of their life is costly and can never suffice, that he should live on forever and never see the pit… But God will ransom my soul from the power of Sheol, for he will receive me. Selah” Psalms 49:7-9, 15 (ESV)
D) Luke 5:17-26
• And the scribes and the Pharisees began to question, saying, “Who is this who speaks blasphemies? Who can forgive sins but God alone?” Luke 5:21 (ESV)