THE GOSPEL AND DOCTRINES OF THE CHURCH PREACHED BY CHRIST IN THE FOUR GOSPELS PART-3 Pastor Art Watkins of Coden Bible Church (Coden, Alabama) April 18, 2019 ****THE KINGDOM OF GOD**** CHRIST Throughout his ministry Christ preached both the physical and spiritual kingdom of God. Luke 8:1: And it came to pass afterward, that he went throughout every city and village, preaching and shewing the glad tidings of the kingdom of God: and the twelve were with him, Matthew 6:33: But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. Matthew 8:11-12: And I say unto you, That many shall come from the east and west, (gentiles) and shall sit down with Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, in the kingdom of heaven. But the children of the kingdom shall be cast out into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. Luke 17:20-21: And when he was demanded of the Pharisees, when the kingdom of God should come, he answered them and said, The kingdom of God cometh not with observation: Neither shall they say, Lo here! or, lo there! for, behold, the kingdom of God is within you. The Pharisees in that day had the same problem that many dispensationalists have today; they thought the kingdom of God was physical only. But Jesus preached a spiritual kingdom of God that was inside of a man that did not come with observation like the physical. Matthew 12:28: But if I cast out devils by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God is come unto you. This is the spiritual kingdom of God that came when he came the first time. It is still here today and if you have been saved you have been translated into it according to Colossians 1:13. PAUL AND THE KINGDOM OF GOD Next to Jesus Christ Paul preached the kingdom of God more than anyone. Acts 14:22: Confirming the souls of the disciples, and exhorting them to continue in the faith, and that we must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God. Acts 19:8: And he went into the synagogue, and spake boldly for the space of three months, disputing and persuading the things concerning the kingdom of God. Acts 20:25:And now, behold, I know that ye all, among whom I have gone preaching the kingdom of God, shall see my face no more. Acts 28:23: And when they had appointed him a day, there came many to him into his lodging; to whom he expounded and testified the kingdom of God, persuading them concerning Jesus, both out of the law of Moses, and out of the prophets, from morning till evening. Acts 28:31: Preaching the kingdom of God, and teaching those things which concern the Lord Jesus Christ, with all confidence, no man forbidding him. Paul not only preached the kingdom of God but he also wrote about the Kingdom of God in his epistles. See Eph.5:5, Col.1:13, 1 Thess.2:12, Gal.5:21, 1 Cor. 6:9, 1 Cor.15:50, 2 Thess.1:5. Please note that Paul preached the Kingdom of God at the same time he preached the Gospel of Grace. In Acts 20:24-25 Paul said; But none of these things move me, neither count I my life dear unto myself, so that I might finish my course with joy, and the ministry, which I have received of the Lord Jesus, to testify the gospel of the grace of God. And now, behold, I know that ye all, among whom I have gone preaching the kingdom of God, shall see my face no more. When Paul preached the Gospel of the Grace of God (24) he also preached the Kingdom of God (25). The Kingdom of God is a part of the Gospel of Grace for a very good reason. The Kingdom of God is the inheritance we receive when we believe the Gospel of Grace. (Acts 26:18) ****THE NEW BIRTH**** CHRIST AND THE NEW BIRTH John 3:3-7: Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother's womb, and be born? Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again. Simply put the new birth is defined as your spirit little “s” is born of God’s Spirit capital “S” in verse 6. When your dead spirit is born of God’s Spirit it is regenerated and quickened and made alive. Jesus said you must be born again to see and to enter into the kingdom of God. This tells us that anyone who preached the kingdom of God had to preach the new birth for no one can enter into it without being born again. PAUL You just read where Paul preached the kingdom of God more than any apostle and if so then he had to preach the new birth. But he does not use the words new birth instead he uses the words regeneration of the Spirit in Titus 3:5 and the quickening of the Spirit in the Ephesians 2:1 and alive from the dead in Romans 6:13 which is exactly what the new birth is. He also alluded to the new birth in these verses: 1 Corinthians 4:15: For though ye have ten thousand instructors in Christ, yet have ye not many fathers: for in Christ Jesus I have begotten you through the gospel. Philemon 1:10: I beseech thee for my son Onesimus, whom I have begotten in my bonds: Galatians 4:28-29: Now we, brethren, as Isaac was, are the children of promise. But as then he that was born after the flesh persecuted him that was born after the Spirit, even so it is now. In Paul’s day the unbelieving Jews who were born of the flesh only persecuted believers who were born of the Spirit. See 1 Thess. 2:14. ****THE LAW OF GOD**** CHRIST AND THE LAW Matthew 5:17-18: Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil. For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled. There is a seeming contradiction between these verses and Ephesians 2:15. Matthew says he did not come to destroy the law but Ephesians 2:15 says he did. Ephesians 2:15: Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; for to make in himself of twain one new man, so making peace. How do we explain this seeming contradiction? The law he did not destroy was the Law of God that will never be destroyed. The law he destroyed was the Law of Moses and its ordinances concerning such things as; animal sacrifices, Sabbath days, holy days, dietary laws, temple worship, the priesthood etc. The Law of God is the 9 moral laws of the 10 commandments which have been in force since the beginning and will always be in force. PAUL AND THE LAW OF GOD Romans 7:12: Wherefore the law is holy, and the commandment holy, and just, and good. Romans 7:22: For I delight in the law of God after the inward man: Romans 7:25: I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin. Notice what Paul said about the law of God. ----In verse 12 he said it is holy, just and good. ----In verse 22 he said he delighted in the law of God. ----In verse 25 he served the law of God. And he also told us to keep the law of God: Romans 13:8-10: Owe no man any thing, but to love one another: for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law. For this, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not kill, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness, Thou shalt not covet; and if there be any other commandment, it is briefly comprehended in this saying, namely, thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. Love worketh no ill to his neighbour: therefore love is the fulfilling of the law. ****THE INDWELLING SPIRIT**** One of the great blessings of salvation is the indwelling Spirit of God. God puts his Spirit in every believer as a mark of ownership and to be their teacher, guide and Comforter. PAUL AND THE SPIRIT Galatians 4:6: And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father. Romans 8:9: But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his. 1 Corinthians 2:12: Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God. CHRIST AND THE SPIRIT John 14:16-18: And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever; Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you. I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you. John 14:26: But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you. John 15:26: But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me: John 16:7: Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you. John 16:13-14: Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come. He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and shall shew it unto you. Before Jesus left the world he promised those who believed on him that he would send the Spirit back into the world to dwell in them forever. And that the Spirit would be their teacher, guide and Comforter. This is one of the great blessings of the church that we enjoy today preached by Christ years before Paul was saved. ****GENTILE SALVATION**** Even though Jesus Christ was a minister of the circumcision he was a not a minister of the circumcision only, for he preached unto the gentiles. PAUL AND THE GENTILES 1 Timothy 3:16: And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory. Paul clearly says that Christ preached unto the gentiles and they believed on him during the time of the Four Gospels. CHRIST AND THE GENTILES Matthew 12:16-21: And charged them that they should not make him known: That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Esaias the prophet, saying, Behold my servant, whom I have chosen; my beloved, in whom my soul is well pleased: I will put my spirit upon him, and he shall shew judgment to the Gentiles. (Judgment here means truth - the truth of God, the gospel) He shall not strive, nor cry; neither shall any man hear his voice in the streets. A bruised reed shall he not break, and smoking flax shall he not quench, till he send forth judgment (Truth) unto victory. And in his name shall the Gentiles trust. This prophecy was fulfilled by the gentile multitudes coming to him from Idumea and beyond Jordan, and from Tyre and Sidon, as recorded by Mark 3:7-8. Christ went and preached to the gentiles years before Peter or Paul. They were the first fruits of the harvest of the gentiles that came later in Acts. It is no mystery that Christ would preach to them for it was prophesied by Isaiah that he would. See Isaiah 41:1-3 and Isaiah 49:6. Read also: Romans 15:8-12: Now I say that Jesus Christ was a minister of the circumcision for the truth of God, to confirm the promises madeunto the fathers: And that the Gentiles might glorify God for hismercy; as it is written, For this cause I will confess to thee among the Gentiles, and sing unto thy name. And again he saith, Rejoice, ye Gentiles, with his people. And again, Praise the Lord, all ye Gentiles; and laud him, all ye people. And again, Esaias saith, There shall be a root of Jesse, and he that shall rise to reign over the Gentiles; in him shall the Gentiles trust. Most dispensationalists stop reading after verse 8 and ignore verses 9-12 that clearly predicted that gentiles would believe on Christ along with the Jews. In these verses Paul quotes Psalms 18:49, Psalms 117:1, Deuteronomy 32:43. Isaiah 11:1, 10 showing again that it was prophesied that gentiles would believe on Christ with the Jews. Jesus Christ fulfilled verse 8 in person and fulfilled verses 9-12 by proxy; that is through Paul. Paul fulfilled the gentile ministry of Christ in his behalf according to Romans 15:16 and Acts 13:47. But it was Christ who first went and preached to them before Peter or Paul. ****THE MYSTERY OF THE RESURRECTION**** PAUL The coming of Christ and the resurrection of the dead was not a mystery. The mystery pertained to those alive when Jesus comes to raise the dead. Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 15:51: Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. The mystery is not Christ’s coming. The mystery is not the resurrection of the dead. The mystery according to Paul is: WE SHALL NOT ALL SLEEP. Some will sleep, that is die, but not all. He goes on to write in 1 Corinthians 15:53-55: For this corruptible (our bodies) must put on incorruption, and this mortal mustput on immortality. So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory. O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? Paul shows us that when Jesus comes two Old Testament prophesies will be fulfilled; he quotes Isaiah 25:8 and Hosea 13:14. When they said, O grave where is thy victory? that is a reference to the dead in Christ. They will be raised victorious over the grave. When they said, O death, where is thy sting? that is a reference to those who will be alive when Jesus comes. They will never experience the sting of death. They will be caught up without dying. The general belief at that time was that by the time the Lord came all saints would be dead, but the mystery is that some will be alive and will never die. This was a mystery for many years even though it was written down in the prophets. Christ said it years before Paul. CHRIST AND THE RESURRECTION After the death of Lazarus Jesus went to see him and it says: John 11:21-27: Then said Martha unto Jesus, Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother had not died. But I know, that even now, whatsoever thou wilt ask of God, God will give it thee. Jesus saith unto her, Thy brother shall rise again. Martha saith unto him, I know that he shall rise again in the resurrection at the last day. Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this? She saith unto him, Yea, Lord: I believe that thou art the Christ, the Son of God, which should come into the world. When Jesus told her that Lazarus would rise from the dead she said she knew he would rise again at the resurrection at the last day. She understood that dead saints will be raised from the dead when Jesus comes in the last day. But then Jesus said unto her: whosoever believeth in me shall never die. Beliveth thou this? When Jesus said he that believeth in me shall never die he was speaking of those alive when he comes in the last day. They will never die. They will never sleep. They are the ones who will say in that day: O death where is thy sting? It appears she did not understand this and it’s because it was still a mystery until God revealed it more clearly to Paul in 1 Corinthians 15. But the fact is, Jesus Christ said that those who are alive when he comes in the last day will never die years before Paul but Isaiah and Hosea said it 100’s of years before Christ or Paul! ****THE ABOLISHING OF THE LAW OF MOSES**** PAUL Paul reminds us that the Old Covenant Law of Moses has been taken away and abolished. Ephesians 2:15: Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; for to make in himself of twain one new man, so making peace; Colossians 2:14: Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross; Paul also reminds us that God made him a minister of the New Covenant. He wrote in 2 Corinthians 3:6-8: Who also hath made us able ministers of the new testament; not of the letter, (Old Covenant) but of the spirit: (New Covenant) for the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life. But if the ministration of death, written and engraven in stones, was glorious, (Old Covenant Law) so that the children of Israel could not stedfastly behold the face of Moses for the glory of his countenance; which glory was to be done away: How shall not the ministration of the spirit (New Covenant) be rather glorious? So according to Paul the Old Covenant Law would be abolished and replaced with a New Covenant and that God made him a minister of the New Covenant. CHRIST AND THE OLD COVENANT LAW Matthew 26:26-29: And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and blessed it, and brake it, and gave it to the disciples, and said, Take, eat; this is my body. And he took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, Drink ye all of it; For this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins. But I say unto you, I will not drink henceforth of this fruit of the vine, until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father's kingdom. This is the first Lord’s Supper and it’s the supper that commemorates the New Testament. He said, For this is my blood of the new testament. The Passover was the Old Covenant supper that commemorated their salvation from Egypt and the Lord’s Supper is the supper of the New Covenant that commemorates Christ’s body broken for us and his blood shed for us on the cross. According to Hebrews 9 the New Covenant took force when Jesus died and he is now the mediator and high priest of the New Covenant today. Hebrews 9:15-17: And for this cause he is the mediator of the new testament, that by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions that were under the first testament, they which are called might receive the promise of eternal inheritance. For where a testament is,there must also of necessity be the death of the testator. For a testament isof force after men are dead: otherwise it is of no strength at all while the testator liveth. Like all testaments the New Testament took force when Christ died and today he is the mediator and high priest of the New Testament. This is why we observe the Lord supper today for the new Covenant took force when Christ died. This is also why God made Paul a minister of the New Testament according to 2 Corinthians 3:6. If the New Covenant took force when Jesus died, what happened to the Old Covenant Law of Moses? It was taken out of the way. Hebrews 10:9-10 says: Then said he, Lo, I come to do thy will, O God. He taketh away the first, (Old Covenant Law) that he may establish the second. (New Covenant of Grace) By the which (New Covenant) will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. The death of Jesus Christ not only established a New Covenant of Grace but it took away the Old Covenant Law. When Jesus observed the Lord’s Supper with his apostles and made the announcement that he would shed his blood to establish a New Testament he was also saying the Old Testament Law would be done away with because the New is better than the Old. Paul said the Old Covenant Law was abolished and that God made him a minister of the New Testament, therefore the Old was taken out of the way and replaced with the New just like Jesus said it would when he observed the Lord’s Supper with his apostles in Matthew 26. Hebrews 8:6-7: But now (Present tense) hath he (Christ) obtained a more excellent ministry, by how much also he is the mediator of a better covenant, (Present tense) which was established upon better promises. For if that first covenant (Old) had been faultless, then should no place have been sought for the second. (New) ****THE RIGHTEOUSNESS OF GOD**** PAUL AND THE RIGHTEOUNESS OF GOD In Romans 3:10 Paul said, there is none righteous no not one. That brings up a major problem. No one can enter into the kingdom of God without righteousness. 1 Corinthians 6:9 says: Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? If the unrighteous shall not enter into the kingdom of God how can we enter into the kingdom of God if we are not righteous? God must give us his righteousness. Romans 3:21-22 says: But now the righteousness of Godwithout the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets; Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference: God gives us his own righteousness when we believe on Christ which makes it possible for us to enter into the kingdom of God. CHRIST AND THE RIGHTEOUNESS OF GOD In Matthew 5:20 Jesus said: For I say unto you, That except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven. The righteousness it takes to enter into the kingdom of God must exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees. What was their righteousness and what righteousness exceeds it? The answer is in Matthew 6:33 where Jesus said: But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. Notice the connection between the kingdom of God and the righteousness of God. They are connected here just like they are in 1 Corinthians 6:9. You must have the righteousness of God to enter into the kingdom of God. The righteousness of God is a perfect righteousness and it exceeds the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees which was of the law. Paul was a Pharisee and he had the righteousness of the law of Matthew 5:20 before he was saved but not the righteousness of God of Mathew 6:33. He wrote in Philippians 3:8-9: Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ, And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith: As a Pharisee he had the righteousness of the law, but not the righteousness of God. No one can enter the kingdom of God with the righteousness of the law. This is what Jesus meant when he said your righteousness must exceed or be different and better than the righteousness of the Pharisees. But when God saved Paul he gave him his very own righteousness which is by faith alone in Christ. From that moment on he counted the righteousness he had as a Pharisee as dung. Both Christ and Paul preached the righteousness of God as an absolute necessity to enter into the kingdom of God but they were not the first for Moses said that Abraham was counted righteous when he believed God in Genesis 15:6. (Next Part 4)