THE INTENSITY AND BURDEN OF THE GOSPEL

 

Romans 9:30-33; 10:1-4

Why did I title my message with the words? Intensity and Burden. Because that’s exactly what the gospel produces in the hearts of a redeemed child of God. Do we take that assignment of the gospel seriously? Have these two words become a guiding passion, for you, to pray for opportunities to share the Gospel? See! The intensity and burden for Paul was this truth! Paul expresses Israel’s failure to believe and understand. The saving faith that many of the Jews refused and ignored as they worked their own righteousness to attain salvation. The majority of Jews trusted in their own religious works for salvation. It’s tragic, because Paul says, “A majority of Israelites stumbled over the right means of salvation.” (v32)

 

Jesus exposed this religion as He rebuked the Pharisee’s and the Scribes. “But woe to you Pharisees! (The word woe is an exclamation of grief, denunciation, or distress.) For you tithe mint and rue and every herb, and neglect justice and the love of God. These you ought to have done, without neglecting the others. Woe to you Pharisees! For you love the best seat in the synagogues and greetings in the marketplaces. Woe to you! For you are like unmarked graves, and people walk over them without knowing it." One of the lawyers answered him, "Teacher, in saying these things you insult us also." And he said, "Woe to you lawyers also! For you load people with burdens hard to bear, and you yourselves do not touch the burdens with one of your fingers. Woe to you! For you build the tombs of the prophets whom your fathers killed. So you are witnesses and you consent to the deeds of your fathers, for they killed them, and you build their tombs. Therefore also the Wisdom of God said, 'I will send them prophets and apostles, some of whom they will kill and persecute,' so that the blood of all the prophets, shed from the foundation of the world, may be charged against this generation, from the blood of Abel to the blood of Zechariah, who perished between the altar and the sanctuary. Yes, I tell you, it will be required of this generation. Woe to you lawyers! For you have taken away the key of knowledge. You did not enter yourselves, and you hindered those who were entering." 

Luke 11:42-52

In Matthew’s gospel we read, “Then Jesus said to the crowds and to his disciples, “The scribes and the Pharisees sit on Moses' seat, so do and observe whatever they tell you, but not the works they do. For they preach, but do not practice. They tie up heavy burdens, hard to bear, and lay them on people's shoulders, but they themselves are not willing to move them with their finger. They do all their deeds to be seen by others. For they make their phylacteries broad and their fringes long, and they love the place of honor at feasts and the best seats in the synagogues and greetings in the marketplaces and being called rabbi by others. But you are not to be called rabbi, for you have one teacher, and you are all brothers.” Matt 23:1-8

 

Before pronouncing the woes, Jesus told His listeners to respect the scribes and Pharisees due to their position of authority. But not to emulate them, “for they do not practice what they preach.’ They tie up heavy, cumbersome loads and put them on other people’s shoulders, but they themselves are not willing to lift a finger to move them. The gospel has never been about you making yourself right or following the Law perfectly, the law was to expose our sin and demonstrate what God requires.

 

The gospel has never been about you making your

own path to the Kingdom.

 

According to Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life a poll was taken and 56% of all Evangelical Christians believe that there are many paths, other than faith in Christ, to God and eternal life. We would call this “pluralism” it’s the perspective that there are many ways to God is essentially one variant of universalism, the belief that ultimately all humans will be embraced by God and experience eternal life. One theological professor said, “When we experience people of other religions as good, moral people, it becomes increasingly difficult to entertain any notions other than multiple paths to God and salvation. When we encounter the plurality of the public square, it becomes almost second nature to believe that such plurality must exist with regards to truth and paths to eternal life. Moreover, when we look around us, many who are exclusive in their beliefs often appear to be arrogant and intolerant. Religious pluralists appear to be kind and accepting, and exhibit a tolerance needed for a pluralistic world. The reality of this sociocultural pluralism makes it difficult to maintain a belief in, and commitment to, Christ as the only way to God. Our context of multiplicity tends to undermine the long-held belief that salvation is found only in Jesus.”

This is the intensity and the burden for the true child of God as we see the apostle Peter standing before the religious/self-righteous elites. “Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them, "Rulers of the people and elders, if we are being examined today concerning a good deed done to a crippled man, by what means this man has been healed, let it be known to all of you and to all the people of Israel that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead—by him this man is standing before you well. This Jesus is the stone that was rejected by you, the builders, which has become the cornerstone. And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved." Acts 4:8-12. 

Whether it’s Judaism, Islam, Mormonism, Roman Catholicism, Jehovah Witness., Hinduism, Buddhism, or any other religious group in the world. They all have characteristics similar that have a moral compass that seeks to do well. But here is the problem and the burden that the child of God has for these lost worldview. The gospel has always been about God saving sinners because we are all guilty before Him every day, apart from Christ’s saving work. The gospel exposes the sinner and presents them as naked and lacking, which reveals our ruined state and our rebellion apart from Christ.

 

This is why Paul quotes the prophet Hosea

and the prophet Isaiah. (v25-v29)

 

The nation of Israel didn’t realize how amazingly patient God is over His people. What the prophet Isaiah was saying is that, “If God had not left a seed, a remnant, offspring, they would become like Sodom & Gomorrah.”

So! Whose righteousness matters then?

 

Answer! What the gospel of God alone demands. The gospel has never been about you making yourself better, or following after the Law perfectly. The gospel has never been about you winning favor with God or earning merits to attain the heavenly kingdom. The gospel has never been about you coming to God on your terms and in your strength. There may be multiple ways to climb a mountain that lead to God, but there is only one way that leads to eternal life. Jesus said, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” 

John 14:6. All other roads and paths lead to…… the judgement of God who will sentence that sinner to the eternal fire for all eternity. That’s the intensity and burden we carry!

 

The gospel has always been about God!

 

About an All-Mighty God who shows clemency and mercy, and extends grace to fallen sinners, for them to hear, and receive, the good news of the gospel. Isaiah penned these words so long ago as a reminder to flee from all your works righteousness. According to Isaiah the nation of Israel was ashamed of the suffering servant and they were offended by the rock. (v33a) (Taken from Isaiah 8:14; 28:16) Many are offended and ashamed of the Jesus of the Bible but what did Paul say in the opening of this letter? “I am under obligation both to Greeks and to barbarians, both to the wise and to the foolish. So I am eager to preach the gospel to you also who are in Rome. For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith for faith, as it is written, "The righteous shall live by faith." Romans 1:14-17. That’s why it says at the end of (v33b) “whoever believes in Him will not be put to shame.” The Jews then, and people today, have created…a god, a righteousness that suits them. But! This only deceives and leads to eternal destruction, because they think they deserve the Heaven they created.

 

This is no different in the church today!

 

I will work my way to glory; I will sign up, do this and that so that I win favor with God. But I want you to consider the works of the thief on the cross this morning. The only reason he was able to come because the Man in the middle said he could come. He didn’t do anything special to attain this eternal promise. He didn’t say the right words or do the right things. He wasn’t a member of a church or been baptized. He was criminal who deserved the just punishment for his crimes. The one thing that ushered this underserved sinner into the presence of a holy God is what Paul expresses at the (v33) “whoever believes in Him will not be put to shame.” Remember that exchange between the criminal and Jesus? “One of the criminals who were hanged railed at him, saying, "Are you not the Christ? Save yourself and us!" But the other rebuked him, saying, "Do you not fear God, since you are under the same sentence of condemnation? And we indeed justly, for we are receiving the due reward of our deeds; but this man has done nothing wrong." And he said, "Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom." And he said to him, "Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in Paradise." Luke 23:39-43. See what the Jews, and many in the church today fail to understand is that the Law convicts us….and grace redeems us. Paul said, “For since, in the wisdom of God, the world did not know God through wisdom, it pleased God through the folly of what we preach to save those who believe. For Jews demand signs and Greeks seek wisdom, but we preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and folly to Gentiles, but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. For the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men.” 1 Cor 1:21-25

As believers we seek after righteousness, His righteousness, 

even in the simplest of ways.

 

Seek His Presence………it’s a working out, whether spiritually or physically, requires showing up and leaning into His grace. As Paul said, “And be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith” Phil 3:9

 

Walk in the Spirit…….The Holy Spirit guides and convicts us to practice the fruits of the Spirit every day so we bear good fruit, this demonstrate our pursuit of righteousness to others. “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.” Gal 5:23

 

Invite Wisdom………..God places great value on wisdom, so much that He wants you to specifically ask for it. Proverb 9:10 says, “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is insight.”

 

Be Generous……… Jesus was the most generous person to ever walk the earth. His sacrifice on the cross for us clearly shows His giving nature. As His disciples, we too are called to be generous. Paul said, “And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up. So then, as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, and especially to those who are of the household of faith.” Gal 6:9-10

 

Don’t Be Short-sighted……. we are to be looking eternally, and not be distracted with what is before us.  Whether… it’s what happening in our country and around the globe with the recent attack on the Ukraine. Peter said. “For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with steadfastness, and steadfastness with godliness, and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love. For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they keep you from being ineffective or unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. For whoever lacks these qualities is so nearsighted that he is blind, having forgotten that he was cleansed from his former sins.” 2 Peter 1:5-9. Peter stated in his letter that if we pursue righteousness we won’t forget our salvation. The opposite is true! Short-sightedness and implied self-righteousness, and why it’s so important to avoid it.

 

This portion of Scripture that is before us expresses an intense burden that Paul had for the nation Israel as we read (10:1). Paul’s heart was heavy because he loved his kinsmen and his deepest desire that they would be saved.

 

This should be our heart today and

tomorrow and the next.

 

We live in a divided nation right now, more so these past two years. And what this nation needs the most is the gospel presented by a people/a church that have the intensity and the burden for lost sinners. I truly believe the church is complacent in this area of life and we need to rekindle that fire we once had. May this never be told to us Calvary family! “I know your works, your toil and your patient endurance, and how you cannot bear with those who are evil, but have tested those who call themselves apostles and are not, and found them to be false.  I know you are enduring patiently and bearing up for my name's sake, and you have not grown weary. But I have this against you, that you have abandoned the love you had at first. Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent, and do the works you did at first. If not, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place, unless you repent.” Rev 2:1-5

 

We who are His children should never look down on those who are apart from Christ. What this should do is place a heavy burden for lost souls to hear and respond to the gospel calling. The Greek word for “burden” means “an assigned task.” As God’s children we have been assigned this burdening task of the gospel.

 

It’s an unbearable load, though the Gospel

is not a crushing burden.

 

But it is an assigned task, and should become a governing passion in each of our lives, no matter what it cost us. “For you remember, brothers, our labor and toil: we worked night and day, that we might not be a burden to any of you, while we proclaimed to you the gospel of God.” 

1 Thess 2:9

 

Oswald Chambers said, “So long as there is a human being who does not know Jesus Christ, I am his debtor to serve him until he does.”

 

Charles Spurgeon said, “Have you no wish for others to be saved? Then you are not saved yourself. Be sure of that.”

 

This was Paul’s heart as he exposes the deception of our own hearts to the gospel. (Rom 10:1-4). The self-righteous man or woman sees the gospel of Christ for weak and feeble people. And they are right! The gospel is about God’s grace extended to weak people because they are weak. The weak child of God knows our boasting doesn’t come from me or you or our goodness……….but in Him. Something the nation of Israel and  many today miss. Let me close with this story by R C Sproul as he explains this weak grace, “A friend of mine went to Germany recently and asked if he could bring something back for me. I asked him to bring me some paperback copies of Perry Mason and Earl Stanley Gardner published in German. when he returned from Germany he brought me a bag full of Perry Mason books. I asked him what I owed him for the purchase. “You can’t pay me: it’s a gift,” he replied. He wanted to be gracious, but I wanted to pay my own way. It’s hard to rely on grace alone, because it is the end of boasting. We have no bragging rights. The only thing we can boast in is the perfection of the Redeemer.” As Paul says in (v4) “For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes.”