The Unstoppable Gospel | Drench Series

The Kingdom
*Thy Kingdom come on earth, as it is in Heaven
*The Gospel is God’s system of colonization
*Canada, a former colony of Britain; London, ON, Thames River, Victoria, BC, Cambridge, Bristol, language, legal system, parliamentary democracy and constitutional monarchy
*Colonization is a system of transferring the realities of one Kingdom to another. 

The Gospel
*The Gospel is the tool God uses to bring heaven to the earth
*It represents God’s wisdom to save men, redeem souls, and transform societies.
*The gospel is the goodnews that God, through the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ, offers forgiveness of sins and eternal life to all who believe in Him.
*The Gospel is not good advice but the good news – Tim Keller 

Acts 5:12-42 (ESV)
Many Signs and Wonders Done

12 Now many signs and wonders were regularly done among the people by the hands of the apostles. And they were all together in Solomon's Portico. 13 None of the rest dared join them, but the people held them in high esteem. 14 And more than ever believers were added to the Lord, multitudes of both men and women, 15 so that they even carried out the sick into the streets and laid them on cots and mats, that as Peter came by at least his shadow might fall on some of them. 16 The people also gathered from the towns around Jerusalem, bringing the sick and those afflicted with unclean spirits, and they were all healed.

The Apostles Arrested and Freed

17 But the high priest rose up, and all who were with him (that is, the party of the Sadducees), and filled with jealousy 18 they arrested the apostles and put them in the public prison. 19 But during the night an angel of the Lord opened the prison doors and brought them out, and said, 20 “Go and stand in the temple and speak to the people all the words of this Life.” 21 And when they heard this, they entered the temple at daybreak and began to teach.

Now when the high priest came, and those who were with him, they called together the council, all the senate of the people of Israel, and sent to the prison to have them brought. 22 But when the officers came, they did not find them in the prison, so they returned and reported, 23 “We found the prison securely locked and the guards standing at the doors, but when we opened them we found no one inside.” 24 Now when the captain of the temple and the chief priests heard these words, they were greatly perplexed about them, wondering what this would come to. 25 And someone came and told them, “Look! The men whom you put in prison are standing in the temple and teaching the people.” 26 Then the captain with the officers went and brought them, but not by force, for they were afraid of being stoned by the people.

27 And when they had brought them, they set them before the council. And the high priest questioned them, 28 saying, “We strictly charged you not to teach in this name, yet here you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching, and you intend to bring this man's blood upon us.” 29 But Peter and the apostles answered, “We must obey God rather than men. 30 The God of our fathers raised Jesus, whom you killed by hanging him on a tree. 31 God exalted him at his right hand as Leader and Savior, to give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins. 32 And we are witnesses to these things, and so is the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to those who obey him.”

33 When they heard this, they were enraged and wanted to kill them. 34 But a Pharisee in the council named Gamaliel, a teacher of the law held in honor by all the people, stood up and gave orders to put the men outside for a little while. 35 And he said to them, “Men of Israel, take care what you are about to do with these men. 36 For before these days Theudas rose up, claiming to be somebody, and a number of men, about four hundred, joined him. He was killed, and all who followed him were dispersed and came to nothing. 37 After him Judas the Galilean rose up in the days of the census and drew away some of the people after him. He too perished, and all who followed him were scattered. 38 So in the present case I tell you, keep away from these men and let them alone, for if this plan or this undertaking is of man, it will fail; 39 but if it is of God, you will not be able to overthrow them. You might even be found opposing God!” So they took his advice, 40 and when they had called in the apostles, they beat them and charged them not to speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go. 41 Then they left the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer dishonor for the name. 42 And every day, in the temple and from house to house, they did not cease teaching and preaching that the Christ is Jesus.

*God’s power on display
*God’s word cannot be chained
*Faith that thrives in the face of persecution

The Gospel CANNOT be stopped.

 Acts 9:3-5 He went on his way until he came near Damascus. All at once he saw a light from heaven shining around him. 4 He fell to the ground. Then he heard a voice say, “Saul, Saul, why are you working so hard against Me?” Saul answered, “Who are You, Lord?” He said, “I am Jesus, the One Whom you are working against. YOU HURT YOURSELF BY TRYING TO HURT ME

Exodus 1:12 But the more the Egyptians OPPRESSED them, the more the Israelites MULTIPLIED and SPREAD, and the more alarmed the Egyptians became.

Matt 16:18 And I tell you that you are Peter. On this rock I will build My church. The powers of hell will NOT be able to have power over My church.

5 REASONS WHY THE GOSPEL IS UNSTOPPABLE

The Gospel is Gracious

Eph 2:8 “For it is by GRACE you have been saved, through faith, and this not from yourselves, it is the GIFT of God, NOT BY WORKS, so that no one can boast”

*Remember the thief on the cross? That was grace at its best.
*Add anything to the gospel, and you subtract from its truth
*Bottomline: The gospel frees us from striving and invites us to rest in Christ’s finished works.

The Gospel reveals God’s love

John 3:16 “ For God so LOVED the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever BELIEVES in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”

Rom 5:8 ”But God demonstrates his own LOVE for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us”.

Eph 2:4-5 But because of his great LOVE for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us ALIVE with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions, it is by grace you have been saved.

*Love was the motivation of God’s redemptive work
*God’s love was/is not because of our righteousness, it is inspite of our sins.

The Gospel is the Wisdom of God

I Cor 1:21 For since in the WISDOM of God the world through its wisdom did not know him, God was pleased through the foolishness of what was preached to save those who BELIEVE. 

 Eph 3:10 His intent was that now, through the CHURCH, the manifold WISDOM of God should be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly realms,

1 Cor 2:7-8 No, we declare God’s WISDOM, a mystery that has been hidden and that God destined for our glory before time began. 8 None of the rulers of this age understood it, for if they had, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.

Only God’s wisdom could satisfy both His justice and His mercy – through the Cross, sin was punished, but men were forgiven!!!

“The Cross is the greatest exhibition of divine wisdom the world has ever seen” – Charles Spurgeon
Bottomline: God’s wisdom revealed through the Gospel can get to the most complex unbeliever

The Gospel is Light

2 Cor 4: 6 It was God Who said, “The light will shine in darkness.” He is the One Who made His light shine in our hearts. This brings us the light of knowing God’s shining-greatness which is seen in Christ’s face.

John 8: 12 Jesus spoke to all the people, saying, “I am the Light of the world. Anyone who follows Me will not walk in darkness. He will have the Light of Life.”

2 Cor 4:4 The eyes of those who do not believe are made blind by Satan who is the god of this world. He does not want the light of the Good News to shine in their hearts. This Good News shines as the shining-greatness of Christ. Christ is as God is.

*You don’t see only because you have eyes, you see because there is light!
*The gospel illuminates darkened hearts and opens blinded eyes
*In Medicine, blindness is defined as “No light perception”
Psalm 36:9 For with you is the fountain of life, in your light we see light”
Psalm 119: 130 The entrance of Your Word gives LIGHT

The Gospel is Power

Rom 1:16 For I am not ashamed of the GOSPEL, because it is the POWER of God that brings SALVATION to everyone who BELIEVES: first to the Jew, then to the Gentile.

Luke 5:17 Now it happened on a certain day, as He was TEACHING, that there were Pharisees and teachers of the law sitting by, who had come out of every town of Galilee, Judea, and Jerusalem. And the POWER of the Lord was present to HEAL them.

2 Cor 5:17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new

The gospel is not just a message, it is the full revelation of God’s character in action

The gospel has the power to save, heal, deliver, liberate, and transform.

The Gospel not only reveals what God does, but also who He is.

The Gospel doesn’t just inform – it transforms. It is not advice to live better, but power to live anew!!!

Conclusion

These revelations should birth confidence in us.
We have a powerful, gracious, loving, illuminating, and wise tool with which we can colonize our sphere.
It is called THE GOSPEL.

Declaration 

I HAVE A WEAPON
IT IS FULL OF GRACE
IT WAS BIRTHED BY LOVE
IT IS FULL OF WISDOM
IT ILLUMINATES
IT IS POWERFUL
IT IS THE GOSPEL
I BELIEVE THE GOSPEL
I LIVE BY THE GOSPEL
I SHARE THE GOSPEL
GLOWRAYYYYYY!!!!