What is your attitude to the Gospel?

Sermon notes from Sunday 1 September 2019 am

Colossians 1 verses 1 – 14

As Paul tried to serve his master there was opposition.  There were enemies without and within.  Opposition to the gospel by preaching and being proclaimed.  A question to the apostle Paul today – “what is your attitude to the gospel?” 

He prized the gospel.  Something that he held in the highest esteem not merely let slip through his fingers.  The gospel is something we need to think highly of, something we do not want to see downgraded, brought down to the gutters.  Paul held the gospel in high esteem.  Romans 1 “Paul an apostle, separated unto the gospel of God.”  When he had this in his mind he thought back to his unsaved days.  He was a Pharisee which means separated.  He was separated unto Jewish rituals.  Something had happened though.  He was separated now unto the gospel of saving grace.  He now calls upon the God of heaven as his witness – Romans 1 verse 9.  “For God is my witness whom I serve with my spirit in the gospel of his son.”  Nothing was too much bother for Paul to bring the gospel to men and women.  We can be so preoccupied with lesser things that we forget about the gospel.  Paul took up the arguments of the Jewish leaders.  At one time “being defamed” was how he described himself.  “We have been made as the filth of the world, the offscouring of all things until now.”  The word “offscouring” is the image of taking the pot and scrapped it.  Those scrapings was how he was described – why – because he preached the gospel.  He defended the gospel however – “I am not ashamed of the gospel.”  When he heard the gospel as it came to Colosse he began to praise the God of heaven.  Romans 1 verse 17 “I am ready to preach the gospel unto you in Rome.”  To the Corinthians he said “I want to come to you and preach the gospel to you but also to reach the regions beyond.” 

When you asked Paul about the gospel it was very precious to him.  It is precious to anyone saved today.  Romans 15 verse 16 he brings something to the Gentile nation, something very precious.  This is the gospel of God.  There is a danger when we approach the gospel that we become very academic in our approach.  That we are not thrilled or moved to the depths of our being by the wonder of it all.  Acts 10 there we think of a man called Cornelius, a centurion, a man with great emptiness, full of religion, he is praying.  A devout man, well respected in the community, feeds the hungry and gives to the poor.  There is a void in his heart that is not filled, not saved by the grace of God.  When the angel comes down into his midst “Cornelius God has heard your prayers, here’s what you are to do, you are to send to Joppa for Peter, he will tell you words whereby you might be saved.”  Cornelius sent someone straight away.  On the fourth day Peter came.  That must have been 4 long days.  He knew there was something precious coming to him.  Chapter 10 verse 30 when Peter came there were people gathered in his house to hear the word of God.  So excited was Cornelius he invited his friends and family.  Here was a message that was coming.  Wouldn’t it be great if God heard your prayers and saved people?  Is that what you are looking forward to?  What was this message.  In Romans 1 we read “it was promised in the Old Testament scriptures concerning his son Jesus Christ which is the gospel.”

This gospel has to be presented.   Paul discussed baptism with believers in Corinth.  There were a few groups in Corinth, some followed Apollo while others followed Paul.  Paul said “For Christ did not send me to baptise but to preach the gospel not with wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should be made of no effect.”  He simply presented Christ and him crucified.  Paul said in Colossians the gospel is not dependent on man.  The gospel means good news.  We need to look to the presenter to present the gospel in way that is understood and clear.  Paul in Ephesians 6 verse 19 said “and for me, that utterance may be given to me, that I may open my mouth boldly and make known the mystery of the gospel.”  The mission is dependant on you and me as much as it is the preacher.  We always need to be careful that it is not the man we are looking to.  When the gospel is presented and the Holy Spirit comes with conviction then there will be conversions.

The power of the gospel.  When Cornelius heard the message it was precious to him.  Those people came along because they saw something in Cornelius.  They saw it working in Cornelius’ life.  They wanted something of that same power and working in their own lives.  We need to somehow catch a vision of that.  Will you pray to God that he will fill us afresh again?