It has been said that “the main thing is to keep the main thing the main thing.” In this message Kelly Salas shows that the gospel is the “main thing” and he glories in it as the greatest display of God’s love while being mankind’s greatest need.

Teaching Notes:

THE GOSPEL IS THE “MAIN THING”

POINT 1- …IT IS THE GREATEST THEME IN THE BIBLE

After Jesus was resurrected We are told in Luke 24:27  that

“..beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he interpreted to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself.”

And also in verse 44 “These are my words that I spoke to you while I was still with you, that everything written about me in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms must be fulfilled.”

Examples from beginning, middle and end of the bible.

From very early on in Genesis we hear the good news of the gospel being proclaimed.

“I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring; he(Jesus)shall bruise your head, and you(Satan) shall bruise his heel…”

Here we have the foretelling of the triumph of Jesus at the cross!

Colossians 2 speaks of this.  “13 And you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses,

14 by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross.

15 He disarmed the rulers and authorities and put them to open shame, by triumphing over them in him.”

Genesis 3:21 “And the LORD God made for Adam and for his wife garments of skins and clothed them.”

Here we have God shedding the blood of an animal in order to provide a covering for Adam and Eve. This act points to a greater shedding of blood that will not just cover but take away sins and provide a garment of righteousness.

We see this theme continuing in Genesis 22 with The offering of Isaac.

Next we can turn to the middle of our bibles and see that the theme is still Christ and the gospel.

Psalm 22 “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? Why are you so far from saving me, from the words of my groaning?…Yet you are Holy…16 For dogs encompass me; a company of evildoers encircles me; they have pierced my hands and feet-

17 I can count all my bones- they stare and gloat over me;

18 they divide my garments among them, and for my clothing they cast lots.”

In Psalm 16 we find the resurrection of Christ being foretold which is the heart of the gospel. “For you will not abandon my soul to Sheol, or let your holy one see corruption.” (Quoted in acts 2:27)

And next if we turn to the end of our bibles to Rev. 5 we find “9 And they sang a new song, saying, “Worthy are you to take the scroll and to open its seals, for you were slain, and by your blood you ransomed people for God from every tribe and language and people and nation,

10 and you have made them a kingdom and priests to our God, and they shall reign on the earth.” Revelation 5

POINT 2…..IT’S THE GREATEST DISPLAY OF LOVE

How amazing is the love that is spoken of in 1 John 4-“In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.”

“We love because he first loved us.” 1 John 4 Through understanding the greatest display of love we can come to love God and others more.

“Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends.”

Romans 5:7-8″For one will scarcely die for a righteous person-though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die-but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” the text goes on to say that we were enemies of God and saved from wrath through Jesus!

Ephesians 5:2 “And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.”

The Judge(John 5) dies for guilty criminals

POINT 3….IT IS MANKIND’S GREATEST NEED

1)All of mankind are spiritually dead and children of wrath before conversion.

“And you were dead in the trespasses and sins in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience-among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind.”

2)All are under the curse of the law

 ” For all who rely on works of the law are under a curse; for it is written, “Cursed be everyone who does not abide by all things written in the Book of the Law, and do them.” Now it is evident that no one is justified before God by the law, for “The righteous shall live by faith.” But the law is not of faith, rather “The one who does them shall live by them.” Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us-for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who is hanged on a tree”- so that in Christ Jesus the blessing of Abraham might come to the Gentiles, so that we might receive the promised Spirit through faith.” Galatians 3

APPLICATION

1) Desire the gospel to be the greatest theme(topic) of your life.

2) meditate on the gospel often for you will grow in love for God and love for others.

3)Know the gospel and proclaim it to all
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Please include the following statement on any distributed copy: By Kelly Salas. © Stone Bridge Ministries. Website: www.StoneBridgeMinistries.net