What is a gospel preacher?
1) Out of curiosity I ran a restricted Internet search on the words “gospel preacher.”
2) According to Google, there were 51,700 web sites that contained this specific terminology.
3) An unrestricted search turned up more than three million references.
4) I didn’t visit many of the web sites, but I did see enough to draw a tentative conclusion:
a) Gospel meeting terminology is generally associated with the churches of Christ.
b) It is not secret that within the churches of Christ we have “our own jargon.”
5) We use phrases, words and expressions that some others do not use.
6) This distinction exists and we might pause to ask why that is so.
7) Why are at least some of our expressions unique?
a) One big reason is that we strive to call Bible things by Bible names.
b) Since not every group does that, how we express spiritual truths is often distinctive.
8) We do not find “gospel preacher” in any passage or translation that I current know of.
a) We do, however, have something very similar.
b) Mt. 4:23 refers to “preaching the gospel.”
c) Acts 8:25 says apostles “preached the gospel.”
d) Rom. 1:15 has Paul saying he was ready to “preach the gospel.”
e) If a person “preaches the gospel” we might well refer to him as a “gospel preacher.”
f) If a man lays brick for his livelihood, he may rightfully refer to himself as a brick layer.
9) There is a word in the New Testament that is the basis for tonight’s lesson.
10) This word is a verb and it is spelled euangelizo.
11) Euangelizo meant “to bring, to announce good news, proclaim, preach.”
a) Prior to the New Testament era, secular writers used this term.
b) Oftentimes it was used to describe the proclamation of a military victory.
c) Some time ago President Bush was on an aircraft carrier.
d) He proclaimed the end to major hostilities in Iraq.
e) He “preached” (announced) what he considered to be good news.
12) When this word was used outside the New Testament, it did not always describe truth.
a) In the last 10 or so years we have heard a lot about “political spin.”
b) Politicians or corporate executives will take negative information and re-shape it to something good.
c) Sometimes the truth is exchanged for an outright lie and people present false information.
d) This word we are looking at sometimes described reports that were inaccurate.
e) A messenger would come back from the front lines of a battle.
f) People such as politicians a little something about this kind of message.
g) a the messenger said the people’s army was being slaughtered, that would be bad news.
h) Such news would not offer much of an incentive for others to step forward and fight.
i) Thus, messengers sometimes came and gave good news when the news was really bad.
j) They would say, “the war is going great, we need some more men to mop things up.”
k) Men would volunteer thinking they had an easy chance to come home as a hero.
l) Eventually people began to figure things out and realized that not all announcements were true.
13) About 200 years before Jesus entered into the world this word was still used and the meaning changed.
14) About 200 years before the New Testament was written, this word meant to announce good (and true) news.
WHEN WE LOOK AT THIS SINGLE WORD WE FIND THAT IT IS SCATTERED THROUGH THE NEW TESTAMENT. IT FIRST APPEARS IN MATTHEW AND EXTENDS ALL THE WAY TO THE BOOK OF REVELATION.
a) Jesus said the gospel is to be “preached” (tonight’s word) to the poor, Mt. 11:5.
b) A lot of things can be said (announced) to the poor.
c) If a family is living on a limited budged, they may receive an announcement about a utility increase.
d) If someone is barely getting by, an announcement may be made about higher priced gasoline.
e) If someone is depending upon a government agency, an announcement may say all help is ending.
2) Jesus said heaven wants the gospel announced to the poor.
3) Not long ago we looked at the word “gospel” and saw how this term means “good news.”
4) Christians have good news for anyone who would classify himself/herself as poor.
5) For the poor and for all others, the gospel is a message to be spread.
6) Not only is the gospel for all, it is something for each day we live.
a) In our lives we have certain things that are not suitable for each day.
b) Most of us have put away our winter coats and heavy gloves.
c) We do not take out a raincoat everyday.
d) God says taking the gospel into the world proper for each single day.
7) According to Acts 5:40, the apostles had been arrested and beaten.
8) Then they were released.
9) Some might be a little less inclined to continue preaching after being arrested and beaten.
10) Such was not the case with the men selected by Jesus.
11) Acts 5:42 – READ.
12) God’s gospel is appropriate for every culture, every person and every day of life.
a) In some ways the gospel reminds me of an evening newscast.
b) If you turn on the television at a particular time, we expect to see the news.
c) It may not always be the same person (people get sick or take vacations), but the news is on.
d) At 5 p.m. or whatever the regularly scheduled time, there is a regular broadcast.
e) God’s people took the gospel and they announced it on a regular basis; they spread it.
f) Acts 5:42 leaves no doubt about the distribution of divine truth.
13) As we look at this word we find it being used three chapters later in Acts 8:4.
a) Christians were scattered to various places; because of persecution, Christians left their homes.
b) If we have ever had to leave a home, we probably left something behind.
c) Maybe it was a swing set, a favorite plant or bush, etc.
d) Many times we have heard people say, “I wish I could take this with me.”
e) Christians took the gospel with them. They announced the good news before leaving home.
f) When they go to their new location, they continued to spread the word.
g) God’s gospel did not stay back in the city of Jerusalem.
h) When we become a Christian, the good news should become part of who we are.
i) When we “see the light” as we discussed this morning, the gospel is the pervading influence in our lives.
j) We have something to give to others, and we want to share what we have found.
14) Philip was a Christian and like others he had the good news (verse 12).
15) He was one of those who “preached” (announced) the message of hope.
16) He was a gospel preacher in every sense of the word.
a) Sometimes we find ourselves outside our normal environment.
b) We may be on vacation, off on a business trip, or even out of town because of a school function.
c) When we have these kinds of experiences, we may be focused on the purpose of the event.
d) That is understandable, but have we looked at these times in another way?
e) Have we ever considered how we can “preach the gospel” while we are away from home?
f) It can be done – look at Acts 8:25 – READ.
g) Here were men who were traveling and they found opportunities to announce the gospel.
h) Our opportunities to share the good news are not limited to a 10 mile radius of our home.
i) We can teach people that we might see only one time with our years on the earth.
j) Someone might think, “If I teach someone they will never worship where I worship.”
k) That very well may be true, but does that matter?
l) In this 8th chapter of Acts Philip baptized the eunuch.
m) It seems very doubtful these two men ever had an opportunity to worship together.
n) It is hard to believe they ever attended the same congregation together.
o) Yet, the Christian announced the good news to one who was not a Christian.
p) Just because we may never worship with someone does not mean we bypass an opportunity to teach them.
17) Consideration of this reminds us how we can travel in ways such as the Internet.
18) I have given information to Christians who were studying with someone via the Internet.
19) I along with others have corresponded with people in foreign countries.
20) In some cases people are taught the gospel by airmail, e-mail, electronic tracts, or something similar.
21) We want to announce the good news in our area and every place beyond.
22) With electronic tools like the Internet, much of the world is literally at our fingertips.
a) Another verse in Acts 8 that has a word is Acts 8:40.
b) There Luke says the gospel was announced in “all the cities.”
c) In reflecting upon this text we reminded of how easy it is to overlook certain communities.
d) If we have a community of 500 over here or 250 over there, it may not mean much to us.
e) We can focus on the largest places (in our case Goshen and Elkhart).
f) We have surrounding places (including country areas) where people live and they are lost.
g) Whether people live on 5 acres by themselves or in a community of a million, they need to hear.
23) A lot of people think that our announcing the gospel is a message of dread, fear, and no love.
24) That is not true. Acts 10:36 says correct announcing is a proclamation of “peace.”
a) We announce that the God of heaven wants a peaceful relationship with mankind.
b) If we are preaching the truth, we announce a message of reconciliation.
c) Man has broken God’s laws, but we have a message that is about pardon.
25) A lot of individuals think they can come to God any old way they want.
26) This also is not right.
27) Acts 14:15 is next on my list, and this verse will be read.
28) The word we are looking at is also in this text – READ.
a) When we announce the good news, part of the message says people must “turn.”
b) There are religious groups who tell people, “stay as you are.”
c) “God will accept you as you are.” These messages are news, but they are not the right news.
d) We must “turn” (repent, conform to the pattern found in the Scriptures).
e) There must be a conscious and continuing effort to live as the New Testament says.
f) Our world does not always like this part of the announcement.
g) We cannot have the promised peace without this change.
29) Why announce the good news of the gospel to others? It is God’s method of saving people.
30) Furthermore, God says those who do announce the good news have “beautiful feet” (Rom. 10:15).
a) Not long we considered whether we are a beautiful or an ugly Christian.
b) One quality that makes us beautiful in the eyes of God is announcing the good news.
c) Children sing about letting the light shine and not hiding it.
d) We do not want to hide the truth
e) Paul said in 1 Cor. 9:16, “woe to me if I preach not the gospel” (same word).
f) Imagine a man who knew of a coming disaster and didn’t warn anyone.
g) He would be faulted in multiple ways and rightly so.
h) We need to announce the good news and announce the right good news.
i) Gal. 1:8 has the word we are looking at.
j) There we find Paul saying it is not enough to announce a gospel.
k) We must announce the gospel given by God and no other.
l) Even if we had a gospel from an angel, it would be wrong to announce it.
31) The gospel we preach is “everlasting” (Rev. 14:6). This announcement will last until the end of time.
32) Previous announcers of the good news from the past are now gone for one reason or another.
33) If the world stands long enough, a day will come when I will no longer be an announcer.
34) Many things change, but announcing the gospel will be a job that lasts till the end of time.
35) God wants us to be part of His communications team in every way we can.
36) Have we made this commitment as a Christian?
37) Are we an announcer of the gospel?
38) We cannot do that unless we have first become a Christian.