To Whom Shall We Go?

Last Sunday we began a sermon series exploring the question, “Who needs the gospel?” The heart of the message arose from four words in 1 Cor. 15:3: “as of first importance.” It seems pretty clear what Paul is saying. He says that the gospel he preached remains the most important bit of news ever. If that’s the case, then it must find a place in our lives every day. I encouraged the church to recognize that every single person has a “daily, ongoing, personal need for the gospel.” So to the question, “Who needs the gospel,” every single one of us must reply with “I do.” But all too often we subtly slip into saying “not me” instead of “I do.” Not me, I don’t need the gospel. And I highlighted four ways we do this. One of those ways is legalism . When we make legalistic thinking our default, we are saying, “Not me. I don’t need the gospel.” Allow me to quote here C.J. Mahaney’s extremely helpful definition of legalism, which I shared on Sunday: “Legalism is seeking to achi...

What happens in your life when the gospel is front and center? Better yet, what happens in the local church when the gospel is front and center?  Beginning this Sunday, New Covenant Christian Fellowship is going to spend four weeks thinking about those very questions. We’re going to do this for a couple of reasons.  The first reason is simply that everyone has some idea or concept that is of primary importance in their life. This is true regardless of whether or not that message is right or good.  The second reason is  that the New Testament makes it clear over and over again that the message of Jesus Christ, slain for sinners, is the most important truth that there is. So for the Christian, that message is the idea that should govern all their thoughts and actions. Apart from the truth of the gospel, nothing else in this world makes much sense. But what exactly does that mean? How does that pan out in my day-to-day life? How does that affect the ...