3) The World will Never be “Post” – The Supernaturality of the Gospel
You will notice that this message truths is about a message. It’s a sermon on a sermon. And so Peter’s sermon at Pentecost is very helpful both in content and in form. Because it’s essentially an exposition of Joel chapter 2. Within that exposition, of course, he includes exposition of other prophetic passages (cf. Psalm 16:24-28 and Psalm 110:34-35).
Clearly, Peter believes expository preaching is the way to go. But it’s not just a running commentary on the text. That’s not Peter’s brand of exposition.
In his exposition of Joel and the Psalms, Peter is giving us a hermeneutic – a way of reading and preaching the Scriptures ourselves. He is showing us that a) the Scriptures are living and active, and b) the Scriptures’ central testimony is the powerful good news of Jesus Christ!
Peter’s sermon at Pentecost, full of the Spirit – whose role it is to shine the spotlight on Christ and make repentant sinners more and more like Christ – is designed to place the risen Christ at the center of the living Scriptures.
Peter knows the only power he has at his disposal is the Holy Spirit working through the foolish message of the cross. And, brothers and sisters, the Holy Spirit working through the message and truths of the cross is the only power we have too.
The gospel is the only thing the New Testament calls power, in fact.
The post-everything world will not be transformed by inspirational proverbs, motivational speeches, or laws and commandments any more than anybody in any other age has been. The law cannot change a single heart. Similarly, your sermons with 7 practical steps cannot change a single heart.
Christianity is supernatural. We are not dealing with a life system, a religious code, a set of tips or instructions for more successful living and modified behavior. Because only the Gospel is power (Rom 1:16).
The good news of Jesus Christ is power outside of ourselves, in spite of ourselves, sourced in the Holy Spirit who is obliged and committed to furthering the glory of Jesus Christ through the proclamation of his life, death, and resurrection.
What our missional strategies and cultural philosophies could not do, the gospel of Jesus Christ could. Brothers and sisters, the gospel is the world’s only hope, and thus it is our only hope of changing the world.
No matter how far beyond Christian values or Christian thinking our age seems to get, it will never be beyond the power of the gospel.
This is why Paul says to the Corinthians, “I didn’t come to you in wisdom or eloquence. I resolved to know nothing among you but Christ and him crucified.” (1 Cor. 2:2)
The hope of glory is not a big church. The hope of glory is not a successful church. The hope of glory is Christ. And your little corner of the kingdom may not be going the way you have envisioned it to be, but Christ’s gospel will not return void. He will have his prize.
God’s plan may not be for your glory, but it is definitely for his own. The question is: Will that be enough for you? Are you content to trust the Holy Spirit working through the good news of Jesus Christ, to repent of your trusting in ministerial technique and pragmatic attraction, to, like Paul, know nothing among them but Christ and him crucified? If so, you will see where the real power is. Where the real glory is.
Therefore my heart is glad and my tongue rejoices. Moreover, my flesh will dwell in hope (Psalm 16:9)
He has made known the paths of life to us. Doesn’t that make your gladness full?
My full sermon at Shepherds 360 can be viewed at this link.
This article originally appeared here.
