The author of that article stated that the way the gospel is presented today does not match the gospel presentations we find in the book of Acts. I thought this a rather provocative statement so I decided to go through the book of Acts and see how the apostles presented the gospel. We have sermons (2, 10, 17 et al) and summaries. Here are the summary statements of their preaching:
5:42 And daily in the temple, and in every house, they ceased not to teach and preach Jesus Christ. They were teaching that “Jesus is the Christ.”
8:5 Then Philip went down to the city of Samaria, and preached Christ unto them. The literal word order is, “preached to them the Christ.” Both in Jerusalem and in Samaria the message was “Jesus is the promised Christ.”
8:12 But when they believed Philip preaching the things concerning the kingdom of God, and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women.
This is one of the most intriguing statements: the things concerning the kingdom of God, and the name of Jesus Christ. His message was obviously about the kingdom of God and Jesus. But, “the things concerning…the name of Jesus”?
8:35 Then Philip opened his mouth, and began at the same scripture, and preached unto him Jesus.
36 And as they went on their way, they came unto a certain water: and the eunuch said, See, here is water; what doth hinder me to be baptized?
37 And Philip said, If thou believest with all thine heart, thou mayest. And he answered and said, I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God [In the Greek the response is, I believe the Son of God to be Jesus Christ].
This is one of my favorite passages in Acts! Then Philip opened his mouth, and began at the same scripture, and preached unto him Jesus. His message was not about heaven, or forgiveness, or justification by faith – he told this man about Jesus. Several things are evident:
(1) he took the man through the Old Testament prophecies of the coming Messiah and how Jesus fulfilled them in his life, ministry, death and resurrection – Jesus is the Christ.
(2) clearly, he mentioned baptism as the required response
(3) and he obviously declared that Jesus is the Son of God
An interesting feature of apostolic preaching – Philip was so intent on telling him about Jesus that the man had to ask if he could be baptized! When you go through the Book of Acts you find several instances of this. Perhaps we are so interested in the invitation/response that we do not tell them enough about Jesus.
9:20 And straightway he preached Christ in the synagogues, that he is the Son of God. This is a summary of Paul’s first preaching – Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God.
9:22 But Saul increased the more in strength, and confounded the Jews which dwelt at Damascus, proving that this is very Christ. Paul moved on but his message was the same, This is the Christ.
11:20 And some of them were men of Cyprus and Cyrene, which, when they were come to Antioch, spoke unto the Grecians, preaching the Lord Jesus.
17:1 Now when they had passed through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, where was a synagogue of the Jews:
2 And Paul, as his manner was, went in unto them, and three sabbath days reasoned with them out of the scriptures,
3 Opening and alleging, that Christ must needs have suffered, and risen again from the dead; and that this Jesus, whom I preach unto you, is Christ.
Here is another wonderful summary of the apostolic preaching: The Scriptures (Old Testament) say the Christ had to suffer (die) and rise again; and this Jesus that I am talking about is the Christ. The Jews stumbled over Jesus dying on the cross – How in the world could he be Messiah? So Paul said, the Bible says he would die and that he would rise again. This is the closest to our emphasis on “Jesus died for your sins” but that does not seem to be the thrust here. His message was, “Jesus is the Christ.” They complained, “Oh yeah, how can that be, he died.” He explained, “The Scriptures say Christ would suffer (death) and be raised from the dead.”
17:6 And when they found them not, they drew Jason and certain brethren unto the rulers of the city, crying, These that have turned the world upside down are come hither also;
7 Whom Jason hath received: and these all do contrary to the decrees of Caesar, saying that there is another king, Jesus.
Does this help explain “the things concerning the kingdom of God?” Jesus is the Christ, he is the Son of God, and he is the King, the Lord…
18:28 For he [Apollos] mightily convinced the Jews, publicly, showing by the scriptures that Jesus was Christ.
19:8 And he [Paul] went into the synagogue, and spoke boldly for the space of three months, disputing and persuading the things concerning the kingdom of God. I would like to have his notes or find these messages on youtube!
20:25 And now, behold, I know that ye all, among whom I have gone preaching the kingdom of God, shall see my face no more. His message was the kingdom of God and Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God
24:24 And after certain days, when Felix came with his wife Drusilla, who was a Jewess, he sent for Paul, and heard him concerning the faith in Christ.
25 And as he reasoned of righteousness, temperance, and judgment to come…
Paul was asked specifically to explain this faith in Christ. We expect to read, “Heaven is a free gift…” But no, “he reasoned of righteousness, self-control, and judgment to come.” Boy, did Paul get it wrong! His message to this seeker is NOT seeker sensitive: You need to live right, you need to control your passions, there is a judgment coming and you will stand before Jesus!! “Felix trembled.” He scared the man, but not enough…
28:23 And when they had appointed him a day, there came many to him into his lodging; to whom he expounded and testified the kingdom of God, persuading them concerning Jesus, both out of the law of Moses, and the prophets, from morning till evening.
“He expounded and testified the kingdom” - he set forth the kingdom in an orderly way, “both out of the law of Moses, and the prophets.” In other words, he went through the Scriptures (the Old Testament) and showed what it says about the kingdom and how this is fulfilled in Jesus – “persuading them concerning Jesus.”
28:30 And Paul dwelt two whole years in his own hired house, and received all that came in unto him,
31 Preaching the kingdom of God, and teaching those things which concern the Lord Jesus Christ, with all confidence, no man forbidding him.
Again, the kingdom of God and “teaching those things which concern the Lord Jesus Christ.” I sure wish we could order the CDs!
There does appear to be a difference in how the gospel is presented. Our focus is: “heaven is a free gift” or “salvation is free.” So we preach salvation. The preaching in the book of Acts emphasizes Jesus and the kingdom of God. They so emphasized Jesus that they had to be asked, What shall we do? What must I do to be saved? Can I be baptized? Read their sermons.
What does this mean? I think I need to change the way I present the gospel. Instead of telling people all about heaven and salvation, I need to preach Jesus. He is the Christ, the Son of God, the King, the promised Savior, the one who has been raised from the dead and who is coming again, the Judge of all. Using the Gospels more to tell of his life and ministry.
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