THE GOSPEL IS FOR ALL

Victor M. Eskew

 

INTRODUCTION

 

A.   In Isaiah 2:2, the prophet sets forth a prophecy about “the mountain of the Lord’s house.”

 

And it shall come to pass in the last days, that the mountain of the Lord’s house shall be established in the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills; and all nations shall flow unto it.

 

1.    “The last days” is a phrase that is synonymous with the Christian age (See Acts 2:16-17; Heb. 1:2).

2.    “The mountain of the Lord’s house” is the church (1 Tim. 3:15).

3.    “Established in the top of the mountains” refers to the city of Jerusalem which sits on seven hills (Acts 2).

4.    “Exalted above the hills” indicates its supreme nature over every other authority.

5.    “All nations shall flow unto it” proclaims that the blessings of this house are provided for all people.

 

B.   In this lesson, we want to focus on that last statement:  “All nations shall flow unto it.”

1.    “All” indicates that no one is exempt.

2.    Every human being from every nation upon the earth can become part of the Lord’s house.

3.    The message that proclaims this is the gospel.  Yes, “The Gospel Is for All.”

 

I.             THE LAW WAS GIVEN ONLY TO THE JEWS

 

A.   It was only the nation of Israel that God brought to the foot of Mount Sinai.

1.    It was there that He made a covenant with Israel alone (Exo. 19:5-6a).

 

Now therefore, if ye will obey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant, then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people:  for all the earth is mine.  And ye shall be unto me a kingdom of priests, and an holy nation…

 

2.    After those forty long years in the wilderness, the children of Israel finally reached the shores of the Jordan River.  Moses affirms to this new nation of people that God had made His covenant with them (Deut. 5:2-3).

 

The LORD our God made a covenant with us in Horeb.  The LORD made not this covenant with our fathers, but with us, even us, who are all of us alive this day.

 

3.    The problem for the Jews was that in order to be right with God under the Old Covenant, they had to keep the law perfectly.

a.    One violation of the law made one a sinner (Jam. 2:10).

 

For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all.

 

b.    Sacrifices could be made, but it was “not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sin” (Heb. 10:4).

4.    The reality is, however, that the Jews never were very good at keeping God’s covenant.

a.    They involved themselves in idol worship.

b.    Too, they were involved in many sins of the flesh.

c.    Even their leaders were hypocrites because they sought to enforce the law on the people, but they themselves did not honor it.

 

B.   The Gentiles were not partakers of the covenant God gave to Israel (Eph. 2:12).

 

That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world.

 

1.    In the Patriarchal system, God revealed His will to man through the heads of the household (Ex., Abraham, Isaac, Jacob).

2.    There appears to have developed some type of priesthood in various parts of the world (Melchisedec, Jethro).

3.    However, the bulk of humanity cast God to the side.

a.    They worshiped and served the creature more than the Creator (Rom. 1:23, 25)

b.    They left the moral laws of God and were involved in all sorts of immoral practices (Rom. 1:26-31).

1)    “Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness” (Rom. 1:24).

2)    “For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections (Rom. 1:26).

3)    “God gave them over to a reprobate mind” (Rom. 1:28).

 

C.   Paul summed up man’s situation well in the third chapter of Romans.

1.    Romans 3:9

 

What then, are we better than they? No, in no wise:  for we have before proved both Jews and Gentiles, that they are all under sin.

 

2.    Romans 3:23

 

For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.

 

II.           CHRIST DIED FOR ALL

 

A.   Jesus was God’s answer for the sins of the Jews and Gentiles.

 

B.   He became a man.  He lived a perfect life.  He offered himself up as the Lamb of God which taketh away the sins of the world (John 1:29).

 

C.   His death was not just for the Jews.  Jesus’ death for all men.  We learn this from several “all inclusive” terms found in the Scriptures.

1.    Whosoever (John 3:16; 11:25-26)

 

Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life…And whosoever liveth and believeth in men shall never die…

 

2.    All (2 Cor. 5:14)

 

For the love of Christ constraineth us; because we judge, that is one died for all, then were all dead.

 

3.    All men (Tit. 2:11; Heb. 2:9)

 

For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men.

 

4.    The world (1 John 2:2)

And he is the propitiation for our sins:  and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the world.

 

III.         THE APOSTLES COMMISSIONED TO GO INTO THE WORLD

 

A.   All nations (Matt 28:19)

 

Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.

 

B.   All of the world and every creature (Mark 16:15)

 

And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.

 

C.   All nations

 

And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.

 

D.   The uttermost part of the earth (Acts 1:8)

 

But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you:  and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.

 

IV.         THE APOSTLES TOOK THE GOSPEL TO THE WORLD

 

A.   The Jews (Acts 2)

 

B.   The Samaritans (Acts 8:5-25)

 

C.   Ethiopia (Acts 8:26-39)

 

D.   Gentiles (Acts 10-11)

 

E.   Cyprus and Galatia (Acts 13-14)

 

F.    Galatia, Asia, Macedonia, Achaia (Acts 16-18)

 

G.   Galatia, Asia, Macedonia, Achaia (Acts 19-21)

 

H.   Rome (Acts 28)

 

I.     NOTE:  The last half of Acts reveals the missionary journeys of Paul alone.  The other eleven twelve apostles were also taking the gospel into the world.

 

V.           WE MUST SEEK TO GET THE GOSPEL INTO THE WORLD

 

A.   OceanSide has taken missionary trips both within the United States and into Latin America in the past.

 

B.   Over the last four years, we have sought to support numerous works that spread the gospel in many ways.

1.    Preacher training schools: 

a.    Memphis School of Preaching

b.    Georgia School of Theology

2.    Georgia Bible Camp

3.    Children’s Homes

a.    Mt. Dora Children’s Home

b.    Raintree Village Children’s Home in Valdosta, GA

4.    Florida Prison Ministry

5.    Mission Works

a.    Ireland

 

 

b.    Philippines

 

 

c.    China

 

 

 

 

d.    Tanzania, Africa

 

 

e.    Nigeria, Africa

 

CONCLUSION

 

A.   So far this year, OceanSide has contributed to two works.

1.    Chimala Mission:         $2,8544.00

2.    China Mission:            $4,586.00             

 

B.   This month, we are contributing all money over budget to the work in Nigeria, a work that is overseen by the Arlington church of Christ.

1.    We helped a long time ago when the church was being built.

2.    We helped a couple of years ago with a one-time donation.

3.    We assisted in getting the ambulance shipped over to Nigeria.

4.    We will continue to help the work this month with our donations.

 

C.   John 4:35

 

Say not ye, There are yet four months, and then cometh the harvest?  behold, I say unto you, Lift up your eyes, look on the fields; for they are white already to harvest.