1. The Gospel the Apostles Preached
The Gospel, Part C
The Gospel the Apostles Preached

2. Review (of Part A) Messiah = Christ = Anointed
Jews awaited two Messiahs
Messiah Ben Joseph – Suffering Servant
Messiah Ben David – Conquering King
Jesus was both (2 comings, not 2 kings)
“The” Messiah is always a king
Only kings ever called “the messiah”
Suffering Servant was a King (Zech. 9:9)
Conquering Messiah was a King (Ps. 2)

3. Review (of Part B) Jesus preached the Kingdom of God
Used 79 times in 68 chapters in synoptic Gospels
Main topic after Jesus rose (Acts 1:3)
Will be preached until the end (Matt. 24:14)
“Repent, for the Kingdom of God is at hand”
Was Jesus’ Gospel (Matt. 4:17; Mark 1:14-15; Luke 4:43)
Same Gospel for those he sent (Matt. 10:7; Luke 10:9)

4. Review of Part B (cont.) “Christ, the Son of God”
Begins Mark’s Gospel (Mark 1:1)
Purpose of John’s Gospel (Jn. 20:31)
Yet Jesus only wanted apostles to know (Matt. 16:20)
Demons tried to expose who he was (Luke 4:41)
Triggered the revealing of Suffering Servant (Matt. 16:16-21; Mark 8:29-31; Luke 9:20-22)
Got him killed (Matt. 26:63-66)

5. The Gospel the Apostles Preached
The Gospel, Part C
The Gospel the Apostles Preached

6. The Kingdom and the Christ
What is the difference between preaching the Kingdom of God and preaching “the Christ, the Son of God”?
Christ is the King; the Kingdom of God is his kingdom.

7. “Kingdom of God” Found 79 times in 68 chapters of synoptic Gospels
Found twice in John’s Gospel
Found 19 times from Acts to Revelation
This is 19 times in 171 chapters
Once every 9 chapters

8. “Christ” Found 35 times in synoptic Gospels Every other chapter
Found 471 times from John to Revelation
Roughly 2 ½ times per chapter

9. Moving from Kingdom to King
Jesus couldn’t let his Kingship be known
Apostles could

10. Witnesses

11. Witness: Central Role of the Twelve
“You will be my witnesses”( Acts 1:8)
“Witness to the resurrection” (Acts 1:22)
“We are all witnesses” (Acts 2:32)
“To this we are witnesses” (Acts 3:15)
Apostles testified with great power (Acts 4:33)
“We are witnesses to these things” (Acts 5:32)
Jesus appeared to chosen witnesses (Acts 10:40-41)

12. They are witnesses (Acts 13:31)
One more …
They are witnesses (Acts 13:31)

13. Resurrection Proves Jesus is Christ, the Son of God
Acts 2:32-36
Acts 13:32-38
Acts 17:31
Romans 1:1-4

14. Jesus is “the Christ, the Son of God”
Believe What?
Jesus is “the Christ, the Son of God”

15. The resurrection proves he is Christ and Lord
“This Jesus God raised up. Of that we are all witnesses. … Let all the house of Israel therefore know for certain that God has made him both Lord and Christ.” (Acts 2: 36,38, ESV) “Paul … set apart for the Gospel of God ... concerning his Son, who ... was declared to be the Son of God in power according to the Spirit of holiness by his resurrection from the dead.” (Rom. 1: 1,3,4, ESV)

16. (Matt 16:16-21; Mark 8:29-31; Luke 9:20-22)
The revelation of the Suffering Servant is given only to those who have received the revelation of the Conquering King
(Matt 16:16-21; Mark 8:29-31; Luke 9:20-22)

17. The teaching that Jesus died for our sins is given only to those who believe that he rose from the dead as Christ and Lord

18. What is that saving confession?
Romans 10:9-10
“If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved.”
Evangelicals use this as a proof text for the sinner’s prayer, where a lost person admits he is a sinner, then tells God he believes Jesus died for his sins. Is that really what this says, or is this addressing the wrong role of Jesus?
The saving confession is that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the Living God.
What is that saving confession?

19. That Jesus rose from the dead, and
“For by grace you have been saved through faith. This is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.” (Eph. 2:8-9)
Faith in what?
That Jesus rose from the dead, and
He is therefore “the Christ, the Son of God”

20. Did the Apostles Really Preach the Resurrection?

21. Emphasis on resurrection and on “Christ, the Son of God”
The Gospel of Christ
Emphasis on resurrection and on “Christ, the Son of God”
Acts 2:14-39
Acts 3:12-26
Acts 4:8-12
Acts 5:29-33
Acts 10:34-43
Acts 13:16-41
Acts 17:22-31
This last slide will take us 15 minutes. Want to wait till next week?