Lesson 380 - Junior

Memory Verse

"How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him that bringeth good tidings, that publisheth peace" (Isaiah 52:7).

Notes

Proving Christ's Deity

p>There is something about Christianity that is different from all other religions in the world. There is power in it. Jesus was "declared to be the Son of God with power, . . . by the resurrection from the dead." He proved that He was divine by doing something that no one else had ever done, nor has done since. He said He would lay down His life, and then take it up again; and He did. He arose from the dead, in the body, and lives forever.

 

< p>Because Jesus has power, He can give power to others. The true follower of the Lord Jesus Christ has power to lie above sin. The desire to sin is taken out when a person confesses the sins he has committed and gives his heart to Jesus. Other religions teach people to live good lives, but give them no power to do what is taught. Jesus alone can give the power to overcome sin. That is why the Gospel of Jesus Christ is greater than any other religion.

 

A Servant of Christ

The Apostle Paul called himself a servant of Jesus Christ. Paul always had been very religious. He thought he worshiped God. He had diligently studied the Old Testament Scriptures, and he had even persecuted the Christians because he thought they dishonoured God by worshiping Jesus. But when, through a miracle, he was shown that Jesus was indeed the Son of God, the long-looked-for Messiah, he wholeheartedly became His servant. After that, he was willing to do anything Jesus wanted him to do. He had had a change of heart, not merely a change of mind. He felt himself so much a servant that he was willing to give his whole life to tell others about Jesus. He separated himself unto the Gospel, lived for the Gospel, and, in the end, died for the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

The Gospel in Old Times

After Paul understood what the Gospel is, he realised that it was not new in his time. After his heart was changed at salvation, he could understand that the Gospel had been preached in the Old Testament times too.

To preach the Lord Jesus Christ is the Gospel. Jesus said, "Your father Abraham rejoiced to see my day: and he saw it, and was glad" [JHN:8:56]). He had faith in Jesus, and was justified by that faith. "And the scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the heathen through faith, preached before the gospel unto Abraham, saying, In thee shall all nations be blessed" [GAL:3:8]).

The Prophet Isaiah predicted what the Gospel of Jesus Christ would be, writing the words that Jesus would use when He came: "The LORD hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound; . . . to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness" [ISA:61:1-3]).

The Gospel of Love

The Gospel of the Lord Jesus is good news. Jesus brought peace, mercy, joy, kindness. Heathen religions so often are a gospel of hate. Witch doctors will cruelly tear babies from their mother's arms and kill them to appease an angry god. Widows are sometimes burned to death with the body of their dead husband, or are forced to kill themselves so that their spirit may accompany that of their husband, according to the witch doctor's teaching. What cruelty and unhappiness is the part of those in heathen darkness!

The Prophet Isaiah said: "How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him that bringeth good tidings, that publisheth peace; that bringeth good tidings of good, that publisheth salvation" [ISA:52:7]). Think of the change in the lives of the heathen who have known only darkness and cruelty, and then hear that Jesus loves them and will give them happiness and love in their hearts, too. How beautiful to them must be the person who brings the message of salvation, the peace that Jesus said was to be to all people!

To All Men

The Apostle Paul said that thee would be people who would be obedient to the faith "among all nations, for his name" [ROM:1:5]). There are people in all nations who will be saved if someone goes to tell them about Jesus.

Sometimes people in Oriental countries think that Christianity is the religion of America. But Jesus did not live in America. Their country had not been discovered at the time He was on earth. But He told His followers to go into all the world to preach the Gospel. So, through the years, faithful missionaries went westward, and the first settlers went to America for religious freedom. Because of their Constitution is founded upon the principles of the Bible, Christianity spread throughout their land; and they in turn have sent missionaries to other countries. God has blessed this country for its Christian stand; but if the hearts of men continue to turn from Him as they have in recent years, God's judgment may fall upon them.

The Roman Christians

The Apostle Paul wrote to the Christians at Rome. Some were Jews, but there was also a Gentile church there. They had such strong faith in Jesus that people had heard of their faith throughout the known world. They were not afraid to let their light shine for Jesus. They wanted the world to know that Jesus saves from sin. It was their business in life.

Paul had written a letter, but he also wanted to visit them. He said it was a comfort to him to come together with other people who believed as he did. We can all gain spiritual strength by coming together and telling one another what the Lord has done for us.

Paul was their minister and missionary, and knew he would be a help to them in spiritual things. But he did not feel he knew everything. He felt that he could learn something from them, too.

Paul's Confidence in the Gospel

How the Apostle Paul loved the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ! He wanted to preach it in Rome, even though it meant he must suffer. Nothing stopped him in his pursuit to lift up the name of Jesus and tell men and women that they could be saved. He was not ashamed to tell men about Jesus, because he knew that they could be saved from their sins through that Name. Paul did not hesitate to tell them, "Ye must be born again." He knew that they could have a change of heart, that they would know when that change took place, and that salvation was for anyone who would pay the price to get it.

If we have had our sins forgiven and are enjoying the salvation of the Lord, we can speak with assurance. We can say as the Apostle John so many times said: "We know. . . ." We know we have passed from death unto life. We know we are new creatures in Christ Jesus. We know our sins are gone. We know that our Redeemer lives. We know that Jesus is coming again.

Our Walk by Faith

We are saved by faith and not by works. No good things that we do can win a place in Heaven for us. There is only one way to be saved: "The just shall live by faith." We must repent of our sins and believe that Jesus is the Son of God who can and does forgive. Good works will be the result of our being saved by faith.

Salvation is only the beginning of our walk by faith. Everything we get from God must come by faith. After we are saved (or justified by faith), we must seek for sanctification " and that comes by faith, too. It happens in an instant of time when we have consecrated our life more deeply to God than we ever did before, and then have believed that He answers our prayers.

When we are sick, we pray and believe Jesus heals us, and we receive healing for our bodies. Everything a Christian does should be done with the idea that Jesus is interested. "Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights" [JAM:1:17]). He loves to give good gifts to His children. But "without faith it is impossible to please him" [HEB:11:6]).

Today the Gospel is offered to us freely. We can accept it or reject it; we have our choice. But the time will come when those who have refused the Gospel will be punished. When Jesus will come again with His angels, He will take vengeance on them "that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ." But those who have given their heart to Him will enjoy everlasting life. The glory that has begun in our hearts here will grow and grow throughout all eternity.

Questions

1. What does the word "Gospel" means?

2. Name one way in which Christ proved His deity, as given in Romans 1.

3. How does the Gospel of Jesus Christ differ from other religions?

4. What did Isaiah say about the feet of him who bringeth good tidings?

5. For whom did Jesus mean the Gospel to be?

6. How much of himself did the Apostle Paul give to the Gospel?

7. How do we get things from God?