The Gospel in a Nutshell - Romans 1:2-4

The Gospel in a Nutshell
Romans 1:2-4
I.Introduction
A.The Good News had been promised before hand
i.God was going to act to rescue his people
ii.But how He would do so remained an impenetrable mystery (a rock hard nut)
B.Paul announces that the Nutcracker has come and that the meat of the nut is now exposed
II.The Gospel of God
A.Paul defines his calling and mission in terms of the Gospel of God
B.What is the Gospel?
i.The Gospel is not identical with the doctrine of Justification by Faith
ii.No one is saved by believing the doctrine of justification
C.The Gospel is the announcement about Jesus Christ and what God has done through him
III. The Gospel was Promised by the Prophets
A.God had revealed his purpose of salvation ahead of time
B.That message remained obscured and veiled in mystery
C.Those promises have now come to fruition in Jesus of Nazareth
IV. The Gospel Concerns Jesus Christ of the Seed of David
A.God's promise to David – a seed and an eternal and glorious throne
B.That Son of David was also the Seed of the Woman and the promised Seed of Abraham
C.He took on flesh in order to take up and heal mankind
V.Declared to be the Son of God by the Resurrection
A.A whole new world order has been established in Christ
B.How could Paul make such grand claims about Jesus of Nazareth?
i.Other so called Messiahs had come and their claims had come to nothing
ii.Why did the Church instead thrive and grow?
C.Paul's answer – the resurrection proves that Jesus is the Son of God
D.The Resurrection asserted strongly that this man Jesus is now Lord and Christ
E.This is the message that Paul was sent to preach
VI. Conclusion
A.This is why Paul was so excited by the Gospel
B.The Gospel nut has been cracked
C.It is only possible to rightly understand Christmas when we understand the Gospel