The Furtherance of the Gospel

Introduction

Four ministries of the church: Reconciliation, Word, Lord, Saints. The one work of the church in the world: the furtherance of the gospel!

1. WHAT THE GOSPEL IS
1. The Definition of the Gospel (1Corinthians 15:1-4) 
2. The Gospel of the Grace of God (Acts 20:24) 
2. WHAT THE GOSPEL DOES
1. The Power of Salvation (Romans 1:14-16; 1Corinthians 1:17-18)
2. The Power of Sanctification (Romans 1:9; Philippians 1:27; Galatians 2:20; Romans 6:1-8) 
3. The Scope of the Gospel (Philippians 1:5, 7, 12, 17, 27) 
4. The Centrality of the Gospel (Romans 1:1) 
3. WHO THE GOSPEL REACHES 
1. To Those Who Have Not the Knowledge of God (1Corinthians 15:34)
1. The source of eternal life (John 17:3) 
2. Through the knowledge of Jesus Christ (John 14:6-9; 2Corinthians 4:6)
2. To Those Whose Eyes are Blinded (2Corinthians 4:3-4) 
1. To those who are lost (2Corinthians 4:3; Mark 8:36)
2. To those who have been blinded (2Corinthians 4:4; 2Timothy 2:25-26) 
3.  In the Regions Beyond (2Corinthians 10:14-16)
1. We are to reach our area (Acts 5:42; Acts 20:20)
2. We are to reach to the regions beyond (Acts 1:8)
4. Among All Nations (Romans 1:5) 
1. Go ye therefore (Matthew 28:19-20)
2. Thou must prophesy again (Revelation 10:11)
1. Peoples about 12,000 ethnic groups around the world
2. Nations 235 by one count
3. Tongues about 7,000 separate languages
5. Where Christ is Not Named (Romans 15:20) 
1. About 60% of the languages in the world have no portion of scripture in them; only about 5% of the languages have the entire Bible
2. According to one count, 66 nations severely restrict religious belief
3. Probably 15-25% of the worlds population have never heard the gospel of Christ in any form; most have not had a clear presentation of the gospel message.
4. Most missionaries go where other missionaries are already working. More missionaries need to go where no one is taking the gospel witness. 
6. To the Uttermost Part of the Earth (Acts 1:8) 
1. We are to go to all parts of the earth
2. Each church is responsible for reaching the world for Christ; that is, every local church is to be headquarters for world missions
3. One of the surest signs of spiritual death in the church is the cry to take care of our own before going to the world 
7. To Every Creature Under Heaven (Colossians 1:23; Mark 16:15) 
4. WHAT THE GOSPEL REQUIRES
1. Those Who Preach the Gospel (Romans 10:14) 
2. Those Who Send the Preachers (Romans 10:15) 
3. Those Who Labor in the Gospel (Philippians 2:22; Philippians 4:3)

Conclusion

You Can Only Kill Me – “Jesse Boardman Hartwell worked for many years as a Baptist missionary in China from 1860 until his death in 1912. “One of the first fruits of Mr. Hartwell’s early ministry was a young man of the Tsung Family Village. So persistent was he in presenting the claims of Christianity to his unbelieving relatives and friends, that his clansmen felt disgraced at harboring so outspoken a follower of the foreign devils. He was untrue to the ancestors whom he no longer worshipped, and to his nation, for he was paying tribute to a foreign God. They took him to a cliff overhanging the sea and told him that unless he gave up the Jesus religion he would be thrown over and drowned. With a smile he said, ‘You can kill me but you can’t harm me. You will only be sending me home to my Father’s house.’ They decided to let him live a while longer since he was so happy despite their direst threats. He lived to a blessed old age and saw a handsome church building in his own village and many members of his family active in the service of the Lord.” –from Up From Zero in North China by Anna Seward Pruitt (p. 27-28).