1 The Stewards of the Gospel

2 4:1 (ESV), This is how one should regard us, as servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God. Paul is one of the stewards of the mysteries of God. What is the mystery of God?

3 Eph 3:6, This mystery is that through the gospel the Gentiles are heir together with Israel, members together of one body, and sharer together in the promise in Christ Jesus.

4 The mystery is God will bring the Europeans, Africans, Asians and Jews together as one group through the gospel of Christ.

5 9:16, For if I preach the gospel, … v17 For if I do this of my own will, I have a reward, but if not of my own will, I am still entrusted with a stewardship. What is the gospel? The gospel is good news.

6 The gospel is Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners from the wrath of God. What is the bad news? The bad news is every sinner is wicked and because of their wickedness they are under the wrath of God.

7 Rm 1:18, the wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of men who suppress the truth of their wickednesss.

8 Rm 5:8-9, But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Since we have now been justified by his blood, how much more shall we be saved from his wrath through him.

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11 Rm 9:16, it does not depend on man’s desire or effort but on God’s mercy … v18, God has mercy on whom he wants to have mercy. God is sovereign and he will have mercy on whomever he wants to have mercy. It completely depends on God and not on our performances.

12 Rm 9:22, what if God, choosing to show his wrath and make his power known, the objects of his wrath whom he prepared for destruction? What if God did this to make the riches of his glory known to the objects of his mercy whom he prepared in advance for his glory – not only for the Jews but also for the Gentiles?

13 1 Tim 1:15 Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners of whom I am the worst. 16 But for that very reason I was shown mercy so that in me, the worst of sinners, Christ Jesus might display his immense patience as an example for those who would believe in him and receive eternal life.

14 What is Paul’s motivation for preaching the gospel? Paul’s experience of God’s mercy motivates him to share the gospel with others.

15 What motivates people to do things? We are motivated to do things for monetary reward. We are motivated to do things if they benefit our family/children. We are motivated to do things out of fear.

16 Some are motivated to do something when they experience injustice. A racist is someone who thinks that his race is better than another racial group.

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18 Racism started at Babel. The sinful people were proud and God broke them up into different language groups. God removed the curse of Babel at Pentecost by bringing all people groups together and forming them into one people through the gospel.

19 What is my motivation for sharing the gospel? My motivation for sharing the gospel is for racial reconciliation My motivation for sharing the gospel is that we are running out of time - we are 2000 years closer to Judgment Day.

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21 Oct 17th was the 25th Anniversary of the 1989 Loma Prieta Earthquake. It came suddenly at 5:04 pm with a magnitude of 6.9, it lasted only 15 seconds but it took 63 lives. If we had the warning 24 hours before the earthquake, the outcome could be different.

22 God has been warning human for thousands of years that they are under the wrath of God and one day everything be destroyed by a fire storm years ago, God sent his Son to reveal that Christ is the only one who can satisfy the wrath of God with his death and reconcile us to God.

23 Christ knew that many would reject him; He knew that only a few would believe in him, and yet he still came to save the few. Time is running out and for the sake of the few who would turn to Christ let us start sharing the gospel.