The Gospel In Summary

Introduction

It has been a while since we have seen Chip and Christie, and it’s good to see them. You all realize it’s been three years, right? I decided I was going to come here. They decided they’re getting out of town. And so it’s been about three years. Hard for me to believe, too. And we’ve missed you around here. In fact, you probably see some faces you don’t recognize. So you’ve had folks come and join us in the work here, so you all need to get to know them if they’re close to this group. And it’s good to see them here tonight. Scott emailed me about what songs he might need to lead in conjunction with this sermon tonight. And I couldn’t think of any off the top of my head because we’re really going to go in a lot of different places.

But what he decided to do actually works extremely well with the overall gist of what I’m doing tonight. Yes, we’re empty nesters, and it’s going to take some adjustment because Brett is gone, but never fear we have our two-year-old still at home, Tiberius the cat that I mentioned last week. And yes, he does need to be baptized, as I mentioned. Before Brett left, he and Sherry strong armed me and made me purchase a cat tower. You know, our toddler needs a playground. And you know, when you order one of those, it comes in a multitude of pieces. And so, Brett working every day, not able to help me. I had to construct the cat tower. And it’s just like, wow, what do you do with all of these pieces?

Well, you start with the foundation and you slowly build, you’ve seen the picture, you slowly build the cat tower. Well, I got about halfway up and realized that one very essential piece was missing. So then I had to reorder it again. And send that one, take it all apart, and get it ready to send back when the new one came. And so it was a long involved process. Well, what does this have to do with my lesson tonight? Christianity is about putting together a lot of little pieces and making sure that we get the whole construction correct. As Christians, we are building a life that is to be a glory to God. The writers of the New Testament, guided by the Holy Spirit, help us to put the pieces together by summarizing what they are saying as they give us a multitude of details.

I think all of us struggles with, all of us struggle with the fact that there is a lot to digest here. Even if you’re talking about just the new covenant, which represents, I guess, about a third of the Bible, that’s still a lot of information, and it’s really hard to memorize it all. And to call it all to mind. I mean, I’ll mention a verse, oh, yeah, I remember that verse. And somebody else misses the verse, oh, yeah, I haven’t thought about that one in a while. But all of this pertains to how we’re to live as a Christian. Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God. Matthew chapter 4 and verse 4. And Jesus made that statement, a quotation from Deuteronomy chapter 8, when he was facing the adversary and quoting Scripture to defeat him.

But one of the things that is done, I noticed in several places throughout the New Testament, is the author summarizes his thoughts. And I want tonight to look at several summary statements in the New Testament letters that give us a foundation for what it means to really be a Christian. And I have enlisted some of the men to help me as we’re going to be reading in the beginning a number of texts back to back to back to back. And so when you see initials next to some of these verses, that’s just so they’ll know when it’s their turn. I don’t mean that to be a distraction. I know what you’re going to do. Okay, I’ll go ahead and do it. Alright, who are all these guys?

1. Summary Statements: What It Means to Be a Christian

Scott Wiggington, Bobby Wood. You know, you figure it out. But don’t be distracted too much by that. Charles Coffee is first. But I want you to start with me in 2 Corinthians chapter 7 and verse 1. Here’s a summary statement. Therefore, having these promises bill up, okay, yes, it’s built on the foregoing context where he’s talking about coming out from the world and being separate and walking with God. I shall be their God and they shall be my people. He says, therefore, having these promises beloved. Okay, now, this summary statement. This is what it means to be a Christian. Let us cleanse ourselves from all defilement of flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God. Next passage, Romans chapter 13. Jerry. No, Charles. I even forgot my own initials.

I’m reading from New King James. And do this, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep. For now our salvation is nearer than when we first believed. The night is far spent. The day is at hand. Therefore, let us cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armor of light. Let us walk properly, as in the day, not in revelry or drunkenness. Not in lewdless lust, not in strife and envy. Put on the Lord Jesus Christ and make no provision for the flesh to fulfill its lusts.

Notice at the end of chapter 11, as he concludes with a statement of praise about God and who he is, in chapter 12 and verse 1, he’s saying, justification by faith. Here’s what it means in your life. And when he comes at the end of chapter 13, he’s encouraging these folks to wake up or to stay awake. Know the time. Know what it is that Christ calls you to do and to be. Behave a certain way, not in these things. And we know about these things carousing and drunkenness, sexual promiscuity and sensuality, but put on Christ. And so he sort of summarizes what he’s telling them in these two chapters about what it means to be justified by faith. Ephesians chapter 4. This is a summary statement that I meant to read two weeks ago when I was talking about the enemy’s plan, and part of his plan is to get us to harbor bitterness and hatred in our heart for our brothers.

And I talked about chapter 2 and chapter 3 of Ephesians, how we’ve been brought into one man, and he has abolished the enmity. Really, he comes to the summary of that in chapter 4, and he says, I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, entreat you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling with which you have been called. With all humility. That’s a lowly regard of oneself and a high estimate of God. With all humility or lowliness and gentleness, with patience, showing forbearance to one another in love, being diligent to preserve the unity of the Spirit and the bond of peace. And then this summary statement in chapter 5 and verse 1, after he’s given a number of admonitions about what it means that you have learned Christ, he says, Therefore, be imitators of God as beloved children, and walk in love, just as Christ also loved you and gave himself up for us.

An offering and a sacrifice to God is a fragrant aroma. We were talking this morning. What does Christ being lifted up? What does it mean? We’re to walk in love. Just as he did. Oh, Philippians 1 27. I forgot one. Philippians 1 27. I need to look at my own list. Philippians 1 and verse 27. Again, as he wants to summarize the conduct of a Christian, he says, conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or remain absent, I may hear of you. Okay, this is what we need to do, as we are loyal and dedicated to Christ, that you are standing firm in one spirit, with one mind, striving together for the faith of the gospel.

Colossians 3, 1 through 17. Therefore, if you have been raised up with Christ, keep seeking the things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on that are on earth, for you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is our life, is revealed, then you also will be revealed with him in glory. Therefore, consider the members of your earthly body as dead to immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and greed, which amounts to idolatry. For it is because of these things that the wrath of God will come upon the sons of disobedience, and in them you also once walked when you were living in them.

But now you also put them all aside anger, wrath, malice, slander, and abuse of speech from your mouth. Do not lie to one another, since you laid aside the old self with its evil practices, and put and have put on the new self who is being renewed to a true knowledge according to the image of the one who created him. A renewal in which there is no distinction between Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, scythian, slave, and free man, but Christ is all and in all. So as those who have been chosen of God, holy and beloved, put on a heart of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience, bearing with one another and forgiving each other. Whoever has a complaint against any one, just as the Lord forgave you, so also should you.

Beyond all these things, put on love, which is the perfect bond of unity. Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body and be thankful. Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you with all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, see singing with thankfulness in your hearts to God. Whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through him to God the Father. You know, while these things are said in many different ways throughout the New Testament, these passages cover a lot of the basis of what the New Testament is telling us about being a Christian. 1 Timothy 3 and verse 15.

He says, I write. Why have you written this entire epistle that involves qualifications for elders? That involves how women are to adorn themselves, that men are to pray in every place. Why have I written all of these things to you, Timothy? So that one may know how one ought to conduct himself in the household of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and support of the truth. Another summary in chapter 4 and verse 12, he tells Timothy, what does this mean in Timothy’s life? Let no one look down on your youthfulness, but rather in speech, conduct, love, faith, and purity. Show yourself an example of those who believe. Hebrews 6. Hebrews 6, 9 through 12. But beloved, we are convinced of better things concerning you and things that accompany salvation, though we are speaking in this way.

For God is not unjust so as to forget your work and the love which you have shown toward his name, and having ministered and in still ministering to the saints. And we desire that each one of you show the same diligence so as to realize the full assurance of hope until the end, so that you will not be sluggish, but imitators of those who through faith and patience inherit the promises. Book of James, start reading in verse 21. Therefore, putting aside all filthiness and all the remains, all that remains of wickedness, in humility, receive the word implanted, which is able to save your souls. But prove yourself doers of the word and not merely hearers who delude themselves. For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks at his natural face in a mirror.

And once he has looked at himself and gone away, he has immediately forgotten what kind of person he was. But one who looks intently at the perfect law, the law of liberty, and abides by it, not having become a forgetful hearer, but an effectful doer, this man will be blessed in what he does. For if anyone thinks himself to be religious, and yet does not bridle his tongue, but deceives his own heart, this man’s religion is worthless. Pure and undefiled religion in the sight of our God and Father is this to visit the orphans and widows and their distress and to keep oneself unstained by the world. I’m really enjoying this. First Peter chapter 3, verses 8 through 12. I’ve always loved how Peter summarizes this.

To sum up, he’s already giving us his partial summary of this epistle. To sum up, let all be harmonious, sympathetic, brotherly, kind-hearted, and humble in spirit, not returning evil for evil or insult for insult, but giving a blessing instead. For you were called for the very purpose that you might inherit a blessing. For let him who means to love life and see good days, refrain his tongue from evil, and his lips from speaking guile. And let him turn away from evil and do good. Let him seek peace and pursue it. For the eyes of the Lord are upon the righteous, and his ears attend to their prayer, but the face of the Lord is against those who do evil.

Both the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up. Therefore, since all these things will be dissolved, what man or persons ought you to be in holy, conduct and godliness, looking for and hastening the coming of the day of the God, because of which the heavens will be dissolved, being on fire, and the elements will melt with fervent heat. Nevertheless, we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells. Therefore, beloved, looking for these things, be diligent to be found by him in peace, without spot and blameless. Alright, so we’ve read some passages that summarize various sections of Scripture. Well, what are some of the benefits of having read all these passages together? I think they do several things for us that are important.

2. They Cause Us to Have a Big Picture Focus

Number one, they cause us to have a big picture focus. This is the big picture. This is what Christian living is all about as we go out there. I think sometimes as we meet week after week after week and we have Bible classes that are honed in on specific subjects or specific verses, we sometimes could perhaps lose sight of the bigger picture. I’m always trying when I teach, even in some little technical section of explanation about justification by faith, grace and works. I’m always trying to take something from that text and make it practical. What’s this mean as we walk out there and live out there? And these passages that summarize, give us a big picture focus. And that’s why I sort of like what Scott did here tonight with the singing, as he focused us on God and coming into the presence of an awesome God and the respect and reverence we need to have for him.

3. It Defines What Serving Christ Is All About

And then started singing about heaven, where the Lord’s people will come into the presence of God. And I love immortally arrayed and the things that we’re asking. Did you see what we were asking God? Wasn’t it assuring? Wasn’t it comforting as we were asking God to see us through to the end? Did you mean that? Were you thinking when you sang that song? More about that in a moment. But this helps us, these summaries, if you wrote these passages down, if you’ll look at them again, they give us a big picture focus so that we don’t get lost in the minutiae or get lost in the details. The second thing that it does for us as we look at all these passages tonight, it really defines what serving Christ is all about.

Did you see all of the references to the way we speak? The way we think. The way we think and how that eventuates in the things that we do or choose not to do. It defines what it means to be a servant of Christ. 1 Timothy chapter 4 and verse 12, that text, okay, be an example. And here’s the areas in which you need to be an example. Young people, that’s what it’s all about when you go to school tomorrow. I know you’re there to get an education, but the greater goal is to imitate Christ. To demonstrate love, to not be just like everybody else and go with the flow. But you’re striving to be something. In the way that you speak, in the way that you treat other people.

Look for that person that’s the outcast. Or maybe a person who’s not been good to you. Did you see that in 1 Peter chapter 3? Not returning insult for insult. You know, that’s sort of the way we operate. You insult me, I’m going to insult you. But instead of doing that, instead of returning evil for evil, give a blessing instead. Isn’t that easy to do? Is that your first reaction? Is that what most of the people in your school will do? No, they’re going to do the insult for insult, the evil for evil. But give a blessing instead to do good to someone who has treated you poorly? Or to give attention to someone just because you want to make their day a little bit better?

4. True Spiritual Growth Doesn't Just Happen

Christ acted on behalf of the unlovely. He died for sinners. Will we go out of our way to help the unlovely? To serve the unlovely, as he did. And so look at these summaries again and notice how they sort of summarize or define what it means to live as a Christian out in the world. And that leads me to this thought. That growing, we look at 2 Peter 3 sometimes, going on in the context that Steve was reading in the very last statement grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. What does it mean to grow? How do we grow? I get frustrated sometimes when I’m preaching lessons, particularly about the attitudes we need to have toward other people. We’ll sit here and we’ll say, Amen.

Agree, that’s a good point. Yeah, that’s right out of the scripture. That’s what the Bible says. But then something happens. Then there’s this conflict. There’s this disagreement. There’s this problem that arises. And it’s almost as if those passages have never been read. That they’ve never been heard. And all rules are off. It’s just reaction. And I’ll tell you why I think that is. Because true spiritual growth doesn’t just happen. It doesn’t just happen by coming into this building, you know, and we’re sort of taking the Bible and we’re reading along. I’m reading along. And we’re sort of rubbing the Bible on us. And that’s how we’re growing. Is that how we’re doing it? That’s not how it works. Did you read that passage in Colossians 3 with Jared?

Let the word richly dwell in you. How are you going to grow? Three things. Growth happens in the lives of active worshipers. That means we’re not here acting passively, which is sort of a misnomer. You can’t act passively. But if you just sit here and you let worship happen to you, if you’re not investing of your mind, remember what I said about this song, immortally arrayed? Did you realize that you were asking God for something? I think it was in verse 2. That he would see us through to that eternal shore and be immortally arrayed. Were you checked out? Come on. How many times when we sing songs? And I say this because it happens to me. We’re singing songs. Well, we sang songs this morning.

We sang songs last Sunday night and the Sunday night before that. And we just check out. That’s not active worship. I’m convinced that if we will invest ourselves in worship, that we will be diligent listeners, as many of you very much are. If we will be diligent worshipers in song, if we will be diligent in the prayers that are praying, making them our own, taking them to the throne of God. It will affect how we live out there. Let us be active worshipers. Growth happens in the lives of those who worship actively. They participate with their hearts and their minds. They participate with a view to change. Do you participate with a view to change? To improve and sharpen your focus as a Christian. These passages should shape our focus this week.

Second, growth happens in the lives of those who refuse to remain as they are right now. I think over a period of time we sort of level out and we get content. And that’s probably why we start not worshiping actively, but become passive and just start at letting it happen to us, and then hours or hours passes and we’re gone. But growth happens when I say there’s yet more to achieve and more to do. How are you doing on that speech thing? Didn’t Timothy know that he was supposed to be an example by the things that he said and his attitude? Didn’t he already know that? Wonder why Paul reminded him. I think sometimes when we read some of these passages, we ignore the context of who said it and who received it.

The initial recipient of 1 Timothy was Timothy. How are you behaving in the household of God, Timothy? Are you being an example to other people in your speech? How are you going to make your speech better? You ever have any moments where a word of profanity spells out? Maybe it’s not profanity, maybe it’s just sort of crude. Some exclamation, it gets out, and you’re going, oh, I probably really shouldn’t say that. Actually, I heard my dad say once, I shouldn’t say that word. I shouldn’t use that word. How are you going to fix that? Well, I’ll come to more assemblies. Well, it’s going to take more than that. You’re going to have to walk out of these doors and be determined. My speech is going to be pure.

I’m going to have no profanity this week. I’m going to eliminate profanity from my speech. The words that I speak, when I talk about somebody else, it’s going to be kind. There’s going to be a solid purpose to what I say about others. If it’s destructive, if it serves no purpose, I’m not going to say it. You’ve got to construct a plan for your speech. And the way you’re going to think. You know, we sang some sung some songs tonight about heaven. I’m going to spend some time this week, if we’re really going to grow, I’m going to spend some time this week thinking about heaven. And about God sitting upon his throne. How awesome he is. Growth happens when I refuse to be content with where I am right now.

5. These Summaries Are Designed to Deliver Us

And growth happens finally when you are convinced that God’s way is best. If you’re not convinced of that, you won’t do the work. You won’t make the changes. These passages should confirm that God’s way is best. So how exactly is growth going to happen? Well, it’s going to take some patience. We’re going to have to stick to it. And by all means, we’re going to have to pray to accomplish spiritual growth. And to make sure all of these attributes that we have read are a part of our lives. Well, these summaries, I’ve talked about the benefits. These summaries are designed to deliver us. Do we look at the New Testament as a book about deliverance? We talk about the scheme of redemption and salvation. Do you ever think about the term deliverance?

We were talking about the Israelites this morning in the wilderness. We talk about them being delivered from Egyptian bondage, unto something totally new and better, and ultimately, the ultimate goal was what? The land that flows with milk and honey, the promised land. That’s all a parallel spiritually to us. We were in the bondage of sin, and God delivered us unto a new and better life. That’s what we’ve been reading. This is the new and better life. But He has brought us to redemption from sin and that which enslaved us unto something better and ultimately to be in His presence. Far beyond what we can even imagine. So, how is it that we read these passages sometimes and we walk out there? We’re back to our old ways.

The devil doesn’t want you to spend too much time thinking about this. He wants to distract you from your duty, but not just your duty, your privilege to live as a Christian. A lot of us have good intentions, and that’s what preaching should promote in us. I’m going to do something, I’m going to take action. But do we take sufficient action once we walk out the doors to implement these things in our lives? I think what happens, and the reason why these things don’t become the reality we know that they should in our lives is because we walk out of here and immediately we start hearing another sermon. What do I mean by that? Not another preacher like me who’s preaching the exact opposite of what you’ve just heard today.

Conclusion

But our culture preaches a different message. We start listening to songs, not composed by the Holy Spirit. We turn on our televisions and start watching things that do not promote spiritual growth and development. And not that these things are necessarily immoral in and of themselves, but we become controlled by them. We begin listening to the wrong sermon and tuning out the sermon that calls us to a higher and better kind of living. The instruction of Scripture, I want to conclude with this tonight in Proverbs 3. So, how are we going to respond to these summaries as they challenge us about serving Christ? Do not be wise in your own eyes. What’s that about? I really don’t need this. It’s really not all that important. I’m going to map out my own strategy for living.

Pretty much just going to do what I’ve always done. Not going to make any real changes. It works. I’m good with it. Do not be wise in your own eyes. Fear the Lord and turn away from evil. So you can be miserable having to please an exacting God.

Verse 8. It will be healing to your body and refreshment to your bones. Growth happens in the lives of those who believe God’s way is best. That this is the wisdom that we need for our lives. It will be refreshment to your bones. It will be healing to your body. Well, that’s why we spend so much time in this place talking about this book. And that’s why we commend it to you. Because, as we said this morning, where else are you going to go? Where else can you find the message of salvation and refreshment and healing spiritually? What was that initial sermon, one of the early sermons that was preached in Acts chapter 3? Repent. Turn from these empty and vain and sinful ways. Repent and be converted.

Come to the Lord. And your sins will be blotted out or washed away. And then what? Times of refreshing will come from the presence of the Lord. And we need that. What are we going to need? Patience. There will be some missteps along the way. But we must persevere in spite of those missteps and occasional failure. And we need God helping us. We need to spend time in prayer so that we might accomplish this growth. And ultimately, as we have prayed, as we’ve asked God that He’ll bring us home to immortality. Here, there’s only mortality. We’re headed as the Lord’s people, as His servants who are striving to do these things. Don’t you think that God looks down from heaven as he sees his people, striving to be something, to develop better ways of thinking, better words in our speaking, better actions, serving actions, don’t you know that God looks down and glows over his people who strive to do right, to walk in love as Christ did because you believe he is real?

Because you believe that Jesus died upon a cross and that you’re here to be his servant. Think about that this week as you go about your activities. If you’re subject to the call of the gospel tonight, if you need to respond to the healing of your soul, won’t you come while we stand and say?