The Appeal of the Gospel

Mark Dunagan
12/16/12 - Sunday Morning

The Appeal of the Gospel

When the apostle Paul stood before King Agrippa, he confidentially told the king, “I would to God, that whether in a short or long time, not only you, but also all who hear me this day, might become such as I am, expect for these chains” (Acts 26:29).  Paul was certain that everyone should be a Christian, and a great number of people in the First Century world agreed.  There are a number of passages that speak of many people embracing the gospel and the church quickly growing:

• “There were added that day about three thousand souls” (Acts 2:41).
• “Many of those who had heard the message believed, and the number of men came to be about five thousand": (Acts 4:4).
• “All the more believers in the Lord, multitudes of men and women, were constantly added to their number” (Acts 5:14).
• “At this time while the disciples were increasing in number” (Acts 6:1).
• “The word of God kept on spreading; and the number of the disciples continued to increase greatly in Jerusalem, and a great many of the priests were becoming obedient to the faith” (Acts 6:7).

So what was it that people found so appealing about the gospel message?  Why did so many people embrace it?  Why did Christianity spread as it did?  This lesson will explore those questions.

Change for the Ordinary Man

Throughout time certain things have only been for the wealthy or the elite, yet Christianity offered real, radical change and vast personal improvement for ordinary people.  When Paul wrote to the Corinthians, he called them “saints” (1 Corinthians 1:2), and yet most of the members of this church were just simple, average people (1:26-27).  In fact, some of them had lived "in the gutter" (1 Corinthians 6:9-11), yet they, through Christ, had drastically changed as well.  There are a couple of areas where this is dramatically demonstrated:

• None of the qualifications for the highest office in the Lord’s church excluded ordinary people or even members that were slaves.  Ordinary men, day laborers and even servants could attain to this office (1Timothy 3:1-6).
• The moral expectations were the same for everyone, women, men, young men, and servants (Titus 2:3-10).  No one was viewed as morality inferior or simply not capable of living a godly life.  Even people who had lived deep in sin and had been thoroughly pagan were expected to live a godly life (1 Peter 1:14-15; 4:1-4).
• Christianity is not just another religion with a set of external rites that one needs to perform, rather, it is offers true inward change (Romans 12:1-2).

Stability in an Unstable World

Over time, in this nation, I believe many have forgotten just how unstable the world can become.  When I grew up as a child, the world had been very unstable for my parents, they experienced such things as the Great Depression and the Second World War.  When I was young there was the threat of the Cold War, the draft and the war in Southeast Asia.  Following that, there has been a period of about 20 years that things have seemed relatively stable - at least in our homeland.  Times have been relatively prosperous, and many have forgotten how unpredictable life can be.  The times in which we live are in fact unstable, but the truth is that life has always been that way.  Jesus said, “In the world you have tribulation”, but in Him we have peace (John 16:33).  Earlier He noted that this world is often very unstable economically (Matthew 6:19-21).  At times we worry about the future of the United States, and it is good to be concerned, yet ever mindful that the world needs Jesus far more than it does the United States of America.  There were times when the First Century world was stable for awhile, but like our times, far more often it was unstable.  In the midst of such instability Christianity offers an unshakable kingdom (Hebrews 12:28), truth that does not change with time or administrations, and an inheritance in heaven that never loses its value (1 Peter 1:4).

This God Thinks About Me Too

On his first Missionary Journey, Paul told the rebellious Jews in the crowd that they had their opportunity to obey the gospel, but that he would also turn to the non-Jewish community, for God had commanded them to be a light to the Gentiles (Acts 13:46-47).  As a result of this, the Gentiles broke out in rejoicing (13:48).  In Christianity no one is excluded from God’s gracious offer of salvation.  In God's justice, there are no special privileges for anyone, no cuts, no special treatment or “Gold Club” for certain people.  Rather, the same offer of salvation goes out to all who believe (Romans 1:16).

Clear Talk about Eternity

The New Testament says that Jesus brought “life and immortality to light through the gospel” (2 Timothy 1:10).   The picture of eternity in the gospel is both plain and clear:

• Only two choices for where we will spend eternity exist: heaven and hell: Matthew 25:46. Comfort for the righteous, torment for the wicked: Luke 16:22-23
• There will be no second chances: Luke 16:26
• We have been given sufficient warning in the Scriptures to steer us away from choosing an eternity of torment: Luke 16:29-31
• For the godly, there will be an end to all pain and suffering: Revelation 21:4
• There will be a wonderful fellowship: Matthew 8:11
• There is promised also an unfading reward: 1 Peter 1:4

An Uncomplicated Explanation

The fact that ordinary people could quickly grasp both what the gospel was all about and how they were supposed to respond to it, is demonstrated by the many occasions in which people in the audience responded after hearing their very first presentation of the gospel (Acts 2:36-37;8:36-38; 13:48; 16:30-34).   The gospel is not complicated.  God created man, man sinned against God, God came as a man and died for our sins, and through faith in Him and obedience to Him, we can be saved.

The Appeal to Women:

Many women in the ancient world were attracted to the gospel, including a number of prominent women in various communities (Acts 17:4).  May I suggest that women found the gospel very attractive because:

• It elevated their status.  They are viewed as spiritual equals with men (Galatians 3:28).
• The Roman world often viewed women as nothing more than baby-makers or play things, and yet in the church they were viewed as valuable workers (Titus 2:3; Acts 9:36).
• Women were protected, and instructions are specifically given for the care of widows (1 Timothy 5).
• Virginity was valued rather than ridiculed (Acts 21:9).
• On a practical level one could not find a better husband or a better wife than among God’s people (1 Peter 3:7).   To this day, godly single men and women are in demand.

Mark Dunagan | mdunagan@frontier.com
Beaverton Church of Christ | 503-644-9017
www.beavertonchurchofchrist.net