The Preacher of the Good News B

This position he was a servant's authority. He was sent by God's power.

He was separated, his message good news is, God's Christ others. Perhaps you're already involved in teaching Sunday school or leading a Bible study group or telling friends and family about Christ whenever you have a chance. Or maybe you'd like to start giving the gospel, but you're not sure whom to give it to or what to say. John MacArthur will help you think biblically about all of this today on grace to you as he continues his compelling study from Romans chapter 1, titled, and now for the good news, here's today's lesson now were going to see these seven verses and were going to watch the unfolding of the good news and there are basically seven aspects to it. Let's begin with the first one the preacher of the good news.

The preacher of the good news, I got called a unique man to be the major spokesman for the good news.

Verse one Paul remember him. Paul he was that man the preacher of the good news uniquely was committed to him the mysteries that which was hidden from the past generations and peoples and now revealed as he says in Ephesians 3 in Colossians chapter 1 he was God's keynote speaker for the heralding of the good news that remarkable Jew with Greek education and Roman citizenship.

That man with incredible abilities as a leader, a fighter, highly motivated, determined, articulate, brilliant, specially called and converted by God himself that matter completed three missionary journeys proclaiming the good news from Jerusalem to Macedonia and crisscrossing that territory. Paul that very unique servant who could do miracles, and yet could not rid himself of his own thorn in the flesh.

All who could break prisons to bits. As he did in Philippi. And yet, himself, was a prisoner Paul is the preacher and may I remind you that every preacher who's ever preached since has depended on Paul's sermons for his material 13 books of the New Testament. The legacy of this man through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. Now he tells us three things about himself. In verse one. First Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ. Secondly, the preacher of the gospel says not only am I a servant of Jesus Christ. But, called an apostle. The best rendering of the Greek is a called apostle a called apostle. The ideas that he was an apostle, not because he decided on his own, but because God decided, and effectually called him there is no human appointment here, by the way, the term apostle was first used by the Lord in Luke 613. He called his disciples, apostle Paul was called apostle by God quickly look with me just a moment at acts chapter 9, Paul was on his way to Damascus to persecute Christians the Lord stopped in his tracks landed in the ground blinded him and then there came a man by the name of Ananias who cared for them in verse 15 of acts nine the Lord said through Ananias the ball go thy way, for he is a chosen vessel under me to bear my name. He is a what chosen vessel wasn't his choice was God's choice 22nd chapter of acts.

Paul looks back and he remembers what Ananias told Ananias came to them, just as the spirit instructed him in chapter 9 he said to in verse 13, Brother Saul, receive your site in the same hour.

I looked up upon it and he said the God of our fathers hath chosen the that thou shouldest know his will and see that just one, and shouldest hear the voice of his mouth.

That being Christ, for thou shalt be his witness unto all men of what thou hast seen and heard. Look at chapter 26 verse 16 the Lord says rise and stand on my feet. For I have appeared under the for this purpose. Paul is recalling his testimony. I have appeared for the purpose of making the minister and a witness both of these things which thou seen, and of those things in which I will appear under the appeared of two more times delivering the from the people and from the Gentiles, and whom now I send it to open their eyes and turn them from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sin an inheritance among them who are sanctified by faith that is in me and then he says whereupon working a group. I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision.

I will be he was called an apostle affected first rent is 90 says wool is under me.

If I preach not the gospel. He says don't give me a reward. Don't give me an honor don't name a school after me or put a plaque on the wall or build a statue.

Pray for me. God has given me a task to do. I didn't ask for and if I mess up on a lot of trouble in Galatians 1. He said I am the servant called an apostle and he said God has placed me into this ministry.

He says in verse 10 of Galatians 1.

Do I seek the favor of men or of God, do I seek to please men for a fight yet. Please men, I should not be the servant of Christ, and he says I make known to you brother that the gospel which was preached by me is not after man.

For I neither received it of man, neither was I taught it, but by the revelation of Jesus Christ. He says my call was from Christ himself. I think that's a very important word that if you're going to represent the Lord Jesus Christ. You better know that he called you I would take one step forward. If I wasn't sure the God of placed me in the ministry. It's far beyond me.

Now, the term apostle loss which is translated back in Romans one as apostle means a sense one a commissioned one a dispatched one messenger and ambassador or an envoy, and by the way, in those days they called certain boats, apostolic boats and apostolic boats were not boats. It carried apostles. It had a secular use and apostolic boat was a cargo ship that was dispatched with a cargo for another city and so it meant anything dispatched or sent. And Paul is saying, I am sent but my being said is not a self made decision. You know that the term apostle appears 78 times in the New Testament and Varna where the majority of those times. Refer to the 12 and Paul who were specially sent specially sent as we cover the story of a dural black preacher.

He preached at little country church. He preached his heart out and was a humble and godly man and a young man came to preach one Sunday night was cocky, self-assured, thought he was more than those folks really deserved any preached it was apparent his attitude and when he was done dear old black preacher went up to him and said this young man was you sent or did you just went think maybe there's a lot of people wasn't said they just went, but Paul was sent and he knew it because God affirmed to have been reading the last two weeks. Book entitled the reformed pastor by Richard Baxter, written in 1650 the first hundred pages. He calls the clergy to task in Britain in 1650 and says to them before you keep preaching you better go back and find out if you're redeemed and he goes for 100 pages of that, you better be sure God has sent you. There is also an official sense in which we have to understand the word apostle and apostle was a very official office.

It had a broad sense. Everybody who bears the message of Christ to sent going all over and preach the gospel were all set well are apostles with a small lay in the New Testament lists various people who are apostles who are outside the 12, and Paul, but they're the ones with the A.

An official office.

If you are study the New Testament you find it, they had to be directly called by Jesus Christ that is directly and verbally and personally by him.

They had to have been eyewitnesses of Christ and his resurrection and Paul was because he saw him on the Damascus Road.

They were endowed with a special ability from the Holy Spirit in which they could write correctly. New Testament because Jesus made the promise to them of the spirit would come and live in them and lead them into all what truth and bring to remembrance everything he'd set. They also were given the ability to do signs and wonders, and mighty deeds and miracles which are called by the apostle Paul, the signs of an apostle and their office was not restricted to a local church nor to any short period of time, but they became the foundation on which all the history of the church is built so these unique 12+1 Matthias replacing Judas were the foundation they had to be called by Jesus himself that to be eyewitnesses of his resurrection they receive the Holy Spirit by which they could write the revelation and they could do signs and wonders, and mighty deeds in their office extended far beyond any local congregation and Paul was one of those very special special people, and he knew that God called on Jeremiah 23 it says there were some prophets who went but they never were sent and the people should never listen to them all beloved, I tell you there are so many prophets like that today who are out there talking.

What should not be listened to. They are damned prophets, false prophets and then there are those who never were sent. They just went. They have not the anointing of God on them and we are not to listen to them.

They have corrupted the church through all the centuries of its existence and continue to do so even now and so says Paul, I am a servant of Jesus Christ, called apostle and by the way he calls himself that the beginning of several other letters as well then thirdly and will stop at this point separated under the gospel of God.

107 basic can't serve God unless you separated can't be done as a rich rich idea.

The word separated is the idea of setting apart you go back into the understanding of the Old Testament of the 13th chapter. For example, of Exodus and you'll see that God wanted set apart under him, the firstborn of man, the firstborn of the beasts you go to numbers 50 and you'll see that God, one of the firstfruits of the crop. You go to numbers eight and see that God set apart the best of men consecrated the Levites to service you got.

Leviticus 20 and see that God took the whole nation of Israel, and according to Leviticus 2026.

He separated them from the other nations and sent this people is holy unto the Lord every one of those scriptures I just gave you separating of the man and the beast separating of the first fruit separating of the Levites in the separating of Israel in the Septuagint version. The Greek version uses the word offer rinsing and that is exactly the word used here.

It means separation in the fullest sense those animals and those firstborn sons were utterly separated.

The Lord, the firstfruits the same the Levites, the same the nation. The same that was to be no intermingling and Paul knew that once he was called an apostle, he was disconnected from the past.

By the way Pharisee meant a separated work in all his life to this point is adult like Paul had been a Pharisee separated unto the tradition of the Jews. Now he says I am if you will, a Pharisee separated unto the gospel of God. Good news no more of man's bad news in Galatians 115. He said when it please God, who separated me from my mother's womb and called me by his grace Paul was separated from his mother's womb on the road to Damascus. He was separated of the gospel of God, and they became a pastor the church in Antioch. In acts 13 to the Bible says the Holy Spirit said under them, separate me.

Paul and Barnabas and send them to the work I have for you separated me secret of his services that he was a bondslave. He utterly surrendered to the Lord. He was an apostle sent to carry the message and beloved.

He cut the court. I tell you, there are more people in gospel ministry who see little fruit and no power even though they may understand that there to be servants and they may have been called, but somewhere along the line they are unwilling to be separated, which look with me at one Scripture, the last one will look at for this time.

Second Timothy chapter 2. You remember the situation in second Timothy chapter 2 Timothy was a servant of the Lord, servant of Christ.

Timothy was an apostle small lay not one of the 12+ Paul, but nonetheless a messenger sent but Timothy had come to the point in his life where everything was coming apart elastic. You know what was happening to him. Well, just looking in this letter alone. You can find a lot of things verse six, chapter 1, I put the remembrance of the stir up the gift of God which is in the by the putting on of my hands. What you mean stir up the gift of God. What was the gift of God will a gift of God was the particular ability that he had for ministry. The preaching and the teaching and that was a gift of God given to him and it was confirmed to him by those who were knowledgeable and affirmed by the laying on of hands. In other words, he was getting lazy in the ministry just wasn't functioning, and then he says not only are you not functioning verse seven but God has not given us the spirit of timidity become timid instead of bold verse eight be not thou therefore ashamed of the testimony of our Lord. Now get this.

This is Timothy personally discipled by Paul gifted enough to have followed Paul as the pastor of the Ephesian church. This is Timothy, of whom Paul said to the Corinthians. I will send him to you to straighten you out because he will bring you in remembrance of all my ways. This was reproduction.

This was number one son and he is not functioning and he is timid and he is ashamed of the gospel and even of his association with Paul chapter 2 verse 15.

Be diligent to show yourself on the got a workman it needs not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. Apparently he wasn't even really doing his job with the word of God, but verse 16 says he was involved in profane and vain babblings hassling with philosophers verse 22 indicates that he probably was getting embroiled in some youthful lusts. Verse 23 that he was striving in foolish and unlearned questions. He lacked gentleness. In other words, the whole thing was coming apart. He had been sucked into the system and the word comes him in chapter 2 verse four Paul says this, Timothy.

If you forgotten that you're a soldier verse three. Have you forgotten that you're supposed to endure suffering as a good soldier and you remember this no man that fights the battle can entangle himself with the affairs of this life, you hear that what he say Timothy you cannot be caught in the lusts of this world. Timothy you cannot be caught in the philosophy of this world.

You cannot be caught and being ashamed of the gospel by the intimidation of this world. You cannot be caught in the easy come easy go society. You must be diligent to stir up the gift of God. Timothy, have you forgotten that you cannot entangle yourself with the affairs of this life. When you go into the ministry of Jesus Christ to cut the cord you sever.

That's the kind of man polis servant of Christ. But not just that called an apostle but not just that separated and he never got himself entangled with the affairs of this life unknown men go out of the ministry because they love money or possessions they couldn't cut the cord. They fell in the moral sin the world he heard them or they were more concerned about their reputation. So when they got an opportunity to speak, they made sure they never offended anybody in so doing, they offended God, for they were not separated.

One example he is to us.

His position, he was a servant's authority. He was sent by God's power. He was separated his message good news and good news that has come from God himself. Now you know the preacher was pretty father, thank you for speaking to my heart for refreshing again in my own soul what it is that I am to be because I know that this man is the example for he said, be followers of me as I am of Christ, may I to be a faithful servant understanding both the dignity and the humility of such service rendered, may I have that affirmation of being called, though not an apostle is the 12 and Paul yet is one sent building upon their foundation and may I father to be separated.

May I be disentangled from the affairs of this life.

May I not be lured by the weakness of the flesh to forgo the diligence study to rightly divide the word. May I not be lured by the world to be timid man not be were lured by the world to be ashamed of the Lord or of those who represent him, though they be prisoners. May I not slip to make my ministry a philosophical debate, and I not be lured by the lusts of unrighteousness. May I not find myself argumentative breeding strife, lacking gentleness, and some as the spirit of God. Set it to Timothy may be a good soldier knows that he cannot be entangled with the affairs of this life and I would pray that for all this. Your people. All of us fight the warfare. All of us are your servants.

All of us been called and sent to this world to be witnesses and all of us must be separated. Teach us what that means an application in our own lives, that we may carry the good news to the world literally dying from all the bad news and may there be many who hear that good news because we too have been faith in Christ name. This is grace to you with John MacArthur.

Thanks for being with us. John's current study is from Romans one and it's titled, and now for the good news along with teaching each day on the radio.

John also serves as Chancellor of the Masters University in seminary.

Well John we started this study from the book of Romans and we have to cut past the first word yet where Paul introduces himself Paul and that he's who you been talking about talk a bit about the importance of Paul. I know you've said frequently. He is your favorite character in Khyber role model in the whole New Testament.

Paul is my favorite character.

Biblical character apart from the Lord Jesus himself, and I think he has a dominant influence on my life because he is so much the featured person in the New Testament, starting with the book of acts all the way through the epistles you you you you just your following Paul half the book of acts, and then you got 13 epistles that he wrote so the so much of them there and all of it is so powerfully instructive and you might think that because he's an apostle of the Scripture writer and because he had a unique conversion on the Damascus Road and Jesus appeared him that time and other times as well that that he set apart from all of us in some special way.

But the fact of the matter is, Paul had a calling to preach the gospel. In fact, right at his conversion, he was told that he was going to be a delight to the Gentiles is that very reality that we share in common with him that our responsibility as believers is to preach the good news. Paul was a preacher of the good news.

And when I started the book of Romans, all those many years ago I couldn't get past Paul because setting up our understanding of Paul then literally becomes a model for all of us to follow, and I think we have the same responsibility we may not have the same authority as an apostle. Obviously we don't.

You as a believer may not feel that your is significant as say as a pastor or preacher or an evangelist or missionary, but all of us have the same calling all of us and that calling is to proclaim the good news of the gospel and where here is a ministry. Gracie was here to provide the resources they can make you effective in doing that in one of those resources is a relatively new book called good news, good news. It deals with how you can effectively preach the gospel proclaim the gospel speak the gospel to the people that you meet. The book covers the identity of Jesus. The only way to heaven.

Christ role as head of the church.

Many more things hundred 50 pages a hardback. It's a very helpful dose and a kind of megadose at that of the information the truth that you need to be effective in sharing the gospel to get a copy of good news from Grace to you and you can order it today. Yes, this book shows you what the Old Testament, the New Testament, and even Jesus himself said about his person and his work is a great resource to give to someone you been witnessing to to order John's book called good news get in touch today call our toll-free number 855 grace or go to our website Jide TY.org again to find out exactly who Jesus is and what he accomplished for sinners. Ask for John's book good news the gospel of Jesus Christ. Our number again 855 grace and our website Jide TY.org and when you're at Jide TY.org encourage you to read articles from John and the staff on the grace to you blog. Our recent series on contentment is especially relevant these days between social unrest in the covert, 19 pandemic you and you'll also find biblical insight on frequently abused verses of Scripture, parenting, social justice, sanctification any more topics. The blog is one of the numerous free Bible study resources that are available at TY.4 and if you don't already follow us on social media find us on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook. Just search for grace to you now for John MacArthur and the entire staff. I'm Phil Johnson. Thanks for tuning in today and be here tomorrow when John continues his series titled and now for the good news.

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