GN
The Good News We
Should Never Outgrow
Colossians 1:21–23, NLT
Last Week: Who Do You Say I Am?
This Week: The Gospel
A reflection on what matters most
What comes to mind when you hear the words "the Gospel"?
When was the last time we reflected on its significance? Is it only a message for those far from God? Only relevant for salvation?
God. Our. Sins. Paying. Everyone. Life.
THE GOSPEL
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God
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Sins
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Everyone
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Life
GN
The Good News We
Should Never Outgrow
Colossians 1:21–23, NLT
SCRIPTURE — TODAY’S TEXT
Colossians 1:21–23
21 This includes you who were once far away from God. You were his enemies, separated from him by your evil thoughts and actions. 22 Yet now he has reconciled you to himself through the death of Christ in his physical body. As a result, he has brought you into his own presence, and you are holy and blameless as you stand before him without a single fault. 23 But you must continue to believe this truth and stand firmly in it. Don’t drift away from the assurance you received when you heard the Good News. The Good News has been preached all over the world, and I, Paul, have been appointed as God’s servant to proclaim it.
CONTEXT — CHRIST’S SUPREMACY
Colossians 1:19–20
19 For God in all his fullness was pleased to live in Christ, 20 and through him God reconciled everything to himself. He made peace with everything in heaven and on earth by means of Christ’s blood on the cross.
A
The Gospel Begins with God
Jesus was, is, and will always be fully God and fully man. The full essence of divinity is seen in Christ (Colossians 2:9), and through Him, God reconciled everything to Himself (2 Corinthians 5:18; Ephesians 1:10).
SCRIPTURE
John 1:18
18 No one has ever seen God. But the unique One, who is himself God, is near to the Father’s heart. He has revealed God to us.
A
The Gospel Begins with God
Jesus alone could accomplish God’s redemptive plan, establishing peace with God through His blood on the cross (Ephesians 2:13–14).
B
Our Sin
"You were his enemies, separated from him by your evil thoughts and actions." (Colossians 1:21)
Why were we separated? Because of our sin — our very nature.
SCRIPTURE
Ephesians 2:3
3 All of us used to live that way, following the passionate desires and inclinations of our sinful nature. By our very nature we were subject to God’s anger, just like everyone else.
SCRIPTURE
1 John 1:8–10
8 If we claim we have no sin, we are only fooling ourselves and not living in the truth. 9 But if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness. 10 If we claim we have not sinned, we are calling God a liar and showing that his word has no place in our hearts.
C
Paid in Full
Christ is the mediator between God and man.
SCRIPTURE
Romans 3:23–25
23 For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard. 24 Yet God, in his grace, freely makes us right in his sight. He did this through Christ Jesus when he freed us from the penalty for our sins. 25 For God presented Jesus as the sacrifice for sin. People are made right with God when they believe that Jesus sacrificed his life, shedding his blood.
C
Paid in Full
Jesus gave His physical body and His blood to bring us into right relationship with God. The cross is empty because He conquered death. Because of what Jesus gave, we’ve been given full access to draw near to God — that’s the beauty of reconciliation.
D
Everyone
John 3:16 says "whoever believes in Him." Jesus died for the sin of the world, but only those who place their trust in Christ receive eternal life.
The Gospel is an invitation to all, and the access given must be met with confession, surrender, and repentance.
SCRIPTURE
1 Peter 2:10 (cf. Hosea 1:6, 9: 2:23)
10 Once you had no identity as a people; now you are God’s people. Once you received no mercy; now you have received God’s mercy.
SCRIPTURE — TODAY’S TEXT
Colossians 1:22
22 Yet now he has reconciled you to himself through the death of Christ in his physical body. As a result, he has brought you into his own presence, and you are holy and blameless as you stand before him without a single fault.
POINT E
Life
E
Maturity Doesn’t Change the Gospel
Depth of theological knowledge doesn’t change it. Your assignment in the Kingdom doesn’t change it. We don’t change the Gospel — because the Gospel is the Good News about Jesus Christ, and this message is the power to save, believer and non-believer alike.
SCRIPTURE — TODAY’S TEXT
Colossians 1:23
23 But you must continue to believe this truth and stand firmly in it. Don’t drift away from the assurance you received when you heard the Good News. The Good News has been preached all over the world, and I, Paul, have been appointed as God’s servant to proclaim it.
THE CHALLENGE
Don’t Drift and Exchange Other Things for the Gospel
Straying from the essentials of the faith isn’t new — it started with the earliest churches.
COLOSSAE
Colossians 2:8
8 Don’t let anyone capture you with empty philosophies and high-sounding nonsense that come from human thinking and from the spiritual powers of this world, rather than from Christ.
COLOSSAE
Colossians 2:12–13
12 For you were buried with Christ when you were baptized. And with him you were raised to new life because you trusted the mighty power of God, who raised Christ from the dead. 13 You were dead because of your sins and because your sinful nature was not yet cut away. Then God made you alive with Christ, for he forgave all our sins.
GALATIA
Galatians 3:1–3
1 Oh, foolish Galatians! Who has cast an evil spell on you? For the meaning of Jesus Christ’s death was made as clear to you as if you had seen a picture of his death on the cross. 2 Let me ask you this one question: Did you receive the Holy Spirit by obeying the law of Moses? Of course not! You received the Spirit because you believed the message you heard about Christ. 3 How foolish can you be? After starting your new lives in the Spirit, why are you now trying to become perfect by your own human effort?
EPHESUS
Paul’s Charge to Timothy
1 Timothy 1:4, NLT
4 Don’t let them waste their time in endless discussion of myths and spiritual pedigrees. These things only lead to meaningless speculations, which don’t help people live a life of faith in God.
1 Timothy 4:16, NLT
16 Keep a close watch on how you live and on your teaching. Stay true to what is right for the sake of your own salvation and the salvation of those who hear you.
CRETE
Paul’s Charge to Titus
Titus 1:10, NLT
10 For there are many rebellious people who engage in useless talk and deceive others.
Titus 2:12–14, NLT
12 And we are instructed to turn from godless living and sinful pleasures. We should live in this evil world with wisdom, righteousness, and devotion to God, 13 while we look forward with hope to that wonderful day when the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, will be revealed. 14 He gave his life to free us from every kind of sin, to cleanse us, and to make us his very own people, totally committed to doing good deeds.
What Does the Gospel Mean to Us Today?
Does it still excite us? Still give us hope? Or have we moved on to other interpretations?
Our testimony is not the Gospel. An illustration is not the Gospel. The exploits of the Spirit are not the Gospel — nor is Calvinism, nor Arminianism.
Jesus Chris – His life, His death on the cross, His resurrection over death, His coming again to redeem it all — that is the Gospel, and that’s the assurance that will stand the test of time.
SCRIPTURE
1 Corinthians 1:24–25
24 But to those called by God to salvation, both Jews and Gentiles, Christ is the power of God and the wisdom of God. 25 This foolish plan of God is wiser than the wisest of human plans, and God’s weakness is stronger than the greatest of human strength.
SCRIPTURE — TODAY’S TEXT
Colossians 1:23
23 But you must continue to believe this truth and stand firmly in it. Don’t drift away from the assurance you received when you heard the Good News. The Good News has been preached all over the world, and I, Paul, have been appointed as God’s servant to proclaim it.
We Are Recipients of the GOSPEL
RECAP
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APPLICATION
1
Remember
The Good News begins and ends with Christ — Jesus is the centre of the Gospel, nothing else.
2
Reflect
How does the Gospel continue to reveal our sin and make us want to confess and surrender it to Him?
3
Act
Think of "Everyone" — do we believe the Gospel is exclusive? Can we live in a posture of hope that shows others they can experience the same thing?
APPLICATION
4
Reflect
"Life" — how are we enjoying the privilege of being brought near to Christ? Does the Gospel give us the new identity we’re looking for?
5
The Challenge
Don’t accept another Gospel. Christ gave us salvation for our souls — eternal life and living hope are the primary Gospel. Let’s not make secondary matters more important than the Good News.
6
Be a Witness
You’ve experienced the Gospel — now go and share it.
SMALL GROUP DISCUSSION
Talk It Through Together
1
Paul warned the Colossians, Galatians, Ephesians, and Cretans the same way — over time, other things can quietly take the Gospel’s place. What "other things" (activities, opinions, disciplines, platforms) tend to crowd out the Gospel in your own life right now?
2
Ephesians 2:3 says we all once lived driven by our sinful nature. How does remembering where God delivered you from change the way you extend grace to people who are still far from God?
3
Reflect: The Gospel is for "Everyone" — not exclusive, but an invitation. Who is one person in your life this week you could share the Good News with, and what’s holding you back?