“The Heart of the Gospel”
Isaiah 52:13-53:12
Sermon Series: “The Gospel”
Introduction: There is a God-shaped hole in all of our hearts. We desire to know God. The question though is, “How can sinful human being know a righteous and holy God?” The answer is the gospel, and the heart of the gospel is what Jesus, the Son of God, did for us on the cross. Let’s look at His work on the cross.
The Heart of the Gospel: Jesus suffered and died as the substitute for sinners so that God was satisfied by His sacrifice and so that sinners can be saved.
(1) Sinfulness-Our Problem: All of us have sinned and gone our own way (Romans 3:23). We are guilty before a holy God. Our sin must be extremely horrible if it took Christ’s death to atone for it. We desperately need a Savior.
-I am a rebellious, ungodly sinner.
(2) Satisfaction-God’s Nature: (A) God is holy. (B) God is love. (C) God is the righteous Judge of the universe who must uphold His Law. (D) God punishes sin by pouring out His wrath. Because of His nature, God must deal with sin. However, He still loves us so He poured out His wrath on Himself in the person of God the Son so that sin was dealt with, but He still bestowed grace upon us (Romans 3:24-26).
-God deals with all sin, including mine.
(3) Substitution-God’s Solution: Only God could make an infinite sacrifice for the sins of the entire world. Only a man could be an actual substitute. So God came into the world and took on flesh to make the sacrifice. Jesus Christ is the God-Man who died in our place. God’s wrath was poured out on the Lord Jesus. He died the death that we deserved to die. God’s love is so amazingly wonderful that we cannot comprehend it.
-Jesus died for me, which is my only hope.
(4) Salvation-Our Benefit: We receive the benefits from God’s grace that we do not deserve because of what Christ did for us. Salvation must be a free gift because Christ fully paid the price (Ephesians 2:8-9, Romans 3:20). We can’t add to it. We can only receive Him (John 1:12).
-It is time for me to say yes to Jesus and receive His gracious gift of salvation.
Conclusion: How does this apply to our lives? How can we be sure that we are have met Jesus and become a Christian? Please answer these questions.
1. Is there a time in your life when you recognized that you are a sinner who is guilty before God? Yes_________ No____________ (Romans 3:23)
Are you genuinely sorry for those sins? Yes______ No_________ (2 Cor. 7:10)
Was there a time when you asked God to forgive you? Yes_____ No______ (1 John 1:9)
Did you repent of sin? Yes______ No______ (Acts 3:19)
Do you believe with all of your heart that Jesus is the Son of God, who is the only way to God, who died for your sins, and rose from the dead? Yes_____ No_____
Was there a time in your life when you called on the name of the Lord and by faith invited Christ into your life?
Yes______ No_______ (Romans 10:13)
Did you genuinely confess Him as Lord and give Him control of your life? Yes_____ No______ (Romans 10:9)
8. Is there fruit (good works that are evidence of change) in your life? Yes______ No______ (Matthew 7:20)
