What does it all mean?

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The Glory of God in the Gospel of God, How Does This Affect Harambee Church? Selected Text, Preached @ Harambee Church by Pastor Michael Gunn on June 29th, 2008

 

A Recap:

  1. What is the Church? à The church is the called out people of God trained and equipped to do the ministry of God (Ephesians 4:11-13)

 

“The world needs nothing more that to see the worth of Christ in the work and words of His God-smitten people.”

John Piper

 

  1. What is the Gospel? à The Gospel is God’s “Good News” of His in-breaking into human culture in order to justify and save His people (Through the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ), and establish His kingdom/Lordship (Through the establishment of His Church) to the glory of His name.

 

“Fear not, for behold, I bring you “Good News” (The Gospel) of a great joy that will be for all the people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.”

Luke 2:10-11

 

“…Many true and precious aspects of the gospel can be affirmed, and yet the final and greatest good of the gospel be missed. The manifold glories of the gospel are beautiful. But that is just the point. If the overarching beauty is not seen, namely the beauty of the glory of Christ, then the aim of the gospel is not attained…Until the gospel events of Good Friday and Easter and the gospel promises of justification and eternal life lead you to behold and embrace god Himself as your highest joy, you have not embraced the gospel of God.”

John Piper

 

  1. How Does the Gospel Shape us? à The gospel gives us a new identity and a new responsibility (2 Corinthians 5:17-21)

 

We are - FAMILY…MISSIONARIES…SERVANTS…LEARNERS

 

  1. How Does the Culture Shape the Gospel? à By co-opting the culture’s value system and epistemology we shape and conform the gospel to our “Convenient” truths, vying for power instead of proclaiming the gospel (Galatians 2:14b)

 

“The conservative evangelicals, were often unaware of the cultural conditioning of their religion and therefore guilty, as many of them now recognize of confusing the gospel with the values of the American way of life without realizing what they were doing.”[1]

Leslie Newbigin

 

  1. How Does the Gospel Change Culture?

            Romans 1:16, 17

            Romans 12:1-2

 

An Application:

  1. How Does This Affect Harambee the Church?

 


[1] Leslie Newbigin, Foolishness to the Greeks: The Gospel and Western Culture, Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co. Grand Rapid Michigan, 2

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