Title: The Joy of the True Gospel
2011.8.21 Sunday morning worship service
Bible: Galatians 1:7-10
Title: The Joy of the True Gospel
Gal 1:7-10 ‘7. There is no other gospel, except that some are disturbing you and wanting you to change the gospel of Christ, 8. But let us, or an angel from heaven, be accursed if they preach any other gospel than the gospel we preached to you, 9 As we have said before, I say again now, if anyone preaches any gospel other than what you have received, let him be accursed. If you seek the joy of men, you are not a servant of Christ.' - Amen.
When a woman who was a broadcaster and writer who was called the Happiness Evangelist ended her life by suicide, people were very sad. But when I think soberly, I need to reflect on how I can make others happy without being able to please myself. We should be able to enjoy the true joy of the gospel.
1. It is not only the gospel of the Bible that makes you happy
The motive for having joy is not only in the Christian gospel, but also in the world as well as laughter and joy. Even if it is momentary, there is also worldly joy.
Text, Galatians 1:7 “There is no other gospel, but some are disturbing you and trying to pervert the gospel of Christ.”
Text, Galatians 1:10, “Am I now seeking to please men or God or do I seek the joy of men? If I have sought the joy of men until now, then I am not a servant of Christ.”
1 Thessalonians 2:4 “… We do not say these things to please men, but to please God, who searches our hearts.”
In the past and now, heresy and the words of those who are affected by heresy are mainly said to have received direct revelation from God. Text, Galatians 1:8 'But if we or an angel from heaven preach any other gospel than the one we preached to you...' Not all of them are true gospel)
2. There is a curse except the good news of the true gospel
These are not my words, but the words of the apostles and prophecies commanded by the Bible. main text
Gal 1:8-9 ‘8. … Cursed if you preach any other gospel, 9. … Cursed if anyone preaches any other gospel than what you have been given.’
They said that if you preach a different gospel and a different joy twice in succession, you will be cursed. You can see the ruin of a nation with wrong religion, and if you falsify the Word of God, it will ruin your soul.
Then, in what way does true joy come? It can be obtained from a life of repentance. The early church in the book of Acts was glad that they repented (Acts 2:37-).
The Bible teaches us to always rejoice (1 Thessalonians 5:16), so we should change our thinking positively and rejoice, but that is not the gospel. Then, is it negative to say, then, in James 4:9, ‘Sorrow and mourn and weep; turn your laughter into mourning, and your joy into sorrow’? So what do you mean? is it the bible? That is, to receive the joy of the true gospel, you must repent.
Originally, the metavnoia of repentance is not a simple change of heart, but a feeling of moral remorse and repentance. It will be passed on like kindness and people will fall in love with it as soon as they hear it, but that is not the true joy of the gospel.
After all, the joy of the true gospel is the joy that Jesus gives (John 15:11). He said that the joy and peace that Jesus gives are different from those found in the world (John 14:27). 1 Thessalonians 1:6 “And you became imitators of us and of the Lord, as you received the word in much affliction with the joy of the Holy Spirit.”