stephen R Harrison

Understanding the Gospel Message

Paul’s sermon in Acts 17:22-34 (read it) helps us to understand God as Creator, Father, and Judge. It also allows us to see our need for repentance from sin and salvation. 

“The God who made the world and everything in it is the Lord of heaven and earth and does not live in temples built by human hands. And he is not served by human hands, as if he needed anything. Rather, he himself gives everyone life and breath and everything else. From one man he made all the nations, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he marked out their appointed times in history and the boundaries of their lands. God did this so that they would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from any one of us. ‘For in him we live and move and have our being.’  As some of your own poets have said, ‘We are his offspring.’ Therefore since we are God’s offspring, we should not think that the divine being is like gold or silver or stone—an image made by human design and skill. In the past, God overlooked such ignorance, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent. For He has set a day when He will judge the world with justice by the man He has appointed. He has given proof of this to everyone by raising Him from the dead. When they heard about the resurrection of the dead, some of them sneered, but others said, “We want to hear you again on this subject. At that, Paul left the Council. Some of the people became followers of Paul and believed. Among them was Dionysius, a member of the Areopagus, also a woman named Damaris, and a number of others.”

Discuss each of these points found in bold in the Scripture above:

1. God is the Creator. He created us for His purposes. We are accountable to Him.
2. God is Father. He loves us and wants us to be His offspring (children).
3. God is Judge. He has a way for us to live and will one day judge the world for what they did with Jesus.
4. God wants people to seek Him, reach out for Him, and find Him.
5. God desires us to repent of our sins.
6. We must respond to the Gospel message of Jesus’ death and resurrection. 
7. Some will reject the Gospel.
8. Some will want to hear more about the Gospel.
9. Some will believe the Gospel.

Man is Sinful and Needs Salvation

Romans 3:23 and 6:23 are very important verses for understanding and communicating the Gospel message. 

“For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” –Romans 3:23

“For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” –Romans 6:23

People must know why they need to call on the name of the Lord (Romans 10:13). Mankind is sinful. Sin separates people from God, and they have a broken relationship with Him. People are unable to change their own lives and repair that relationship. God is holy and cannot overlook sin. He must punish and judge those who sin. People cannot earn forgiveness and need a Savior.

Discussion Questions:

1. Why do you think it’s important for people to see their sin and need for a Savior?
2. Why is it important for people to know they cannot earn forgiveness and salvation?