Day 2654– New Testament Orientation – The Interpretation and Proclamation of the Gospel

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Welcome to Day 2654 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me.

This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom

Day 2654 – New Testament Orientation – The Interpretation and Proclamation of the Gospel

Putnam Church Message – 06/15/2025 Sermon Series: New Testament Orientation Message 8: “The Interpretation and Proclamation of the Gospel” Last week, we explored ‘The Book of Acts: The Spirit’s Unstoppable Journey.’ Core Verses: Acts 1:8 Matthew 28:18-20 (NLT) This week marks Message 8 of 12 in our New Testament Orientation, with the message title: “The Interpretation and Proclamation of the Gospel.” Core Verses: Acts 8:4 Matthew 28:18-20 (NLT) But the believers who were scattered preached the Good News about Jesus wherever they went. Opening Prayer Our Gracious Heavenly Father, we stand before You today, eager to delve into the profound truth of Your Word. As we continue our journey through the New Testament, we pray for Your Holy Spirit to illuminate our minds and hearts. Guide us, we pray, as we explore the vital task of interpreting and proclaiming the Good News of Jesus. May Your truth transform our understanding and empower us to be faithful witnesses in our own generation,>just as those who first believed. In the mighty name of Jesus, our Messiah and Lord, we pray. Amen. Introduction: The Scattered Seeds of the Gospel We’ve journeyed through the Gospels, understanding Jesus’ message and His incredible victory, and last week, we explored the Book of Acts, witnessing the Holy Spirit’s powerful arrival and the revolutionary inclusion of Gentiles into God’s family. Today, we turn our attention to a critical question: How was this Good News, this “Gospel,” understood, interpreted, and then proclaimed in the earliest days of the church? Our core verse for today sets the stage: “But the believers who had been scattered preached the Good News about Jesus wherever they went.” (Acts 8:4, NLT) This verse speaks of a scattering—a time of persecution that pushed believers out of Jerusalem—but it also speaks of an unstoppable proclamation. They weren’t just surviving; they were preaching. But what exactly were they preaching? What was the “Good News about Jesus” from their ancient Israelite and early Christian perspective? In our modern minds, the term “Gospel” often immediately brings to mind concepts such as “atonement,” “forgiveness of sins,” or “going to heaven.” While these are essential truths that flow from the Gospel,/they don’t fully capture the foundational message as the early believers understood and proclaimed it. For them, the Gospel was less about an individual’s destination after death and more about a divine kingdom that had decisively arrived on earth, bringing about a radical change in authority and allegiance, fulfilling centuries of Old Testament prophecies.

1. The Core of the Kerygma: Jesus as Messiah and Lord (Bulletin Insert)

The central message, or “Kerygma,” of the early church was the proclamation that Jesus of Nazareth was the long-awaited Jewish Messiah, fulfilling prophecy, and, crucially, that God had exalted him to be Lord over all creation, ushering in the kingdom of God. Narrative & Illustration: When Peter stood up on the day of Pentecost, he didn’t start by explaining abstract theological concepts. He began with a compelling narrative that would resonate deeply with every devout Jew in the audience. He spoke of Jesus, a man “clearly attested to you by God with powerful miracles, wonders, and signs” (Acts 2:22, NLT). He then declared a shocking truth: that this very Jesus, whom they had crucified, God had “raised from the dead” (Acts 2:24, NLT). And the climax of his message, the very heart of the Kerygma (the Greek word for “proclamation”), was this: “Therefore, let all Israel know for certain that God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, to be both Lord and Messiah!” (Acts 2:36, NLT). For an ancient Israelite, “Messiah” meant “anointed one,” the King from David’s line who would restore Israel’s fortunes and establish God’s righteous rule on earth. But “Lord” (Kyrios in Greek, often used to translate Yahweh – the one true God - in the Septuagint) was an even more profound claim. It wasn’t just saying Jesus was a powerful ruler; it was declaring His divine authority, His rightful place at God’s right hand, exercising God’s own sovereignty over all creation. Imagine a kingdom that has long awaited the return of its rightful king, who was thought to be lost or dead. The people suffer under corrupt rulers, longing for the promised reign of justice and peace. Then, a messenger arrives, not with a philosophical treatise, but with electrifying news: “The King! He lives! He has conquered! And he has been enthroned!” This news would demand a response—allegiance, surrender, and joyful participation in the new order. The early church’s Kerygma was precisely this kind of announcement. It wasn’t just a set of beliefs; it was a call to align oneself with the newly established divine authority of Jesus. Object Lesson: Imagine a royal scroll, bearing the king’s seal and proclaiming a new decree for the kingdom. It’s not a suggestion or a request; it’s an authoritative declaration. The Kerygma is like this royal scroll, (show scroll) clearly announcing that Jesus is King, His authority is established, and a new era has begun. The core of the message is not what you must do to earn the King’s favor, but who the King is and what He has done.

2. Interpreting the Old Testament: The Prophets Point to Jesus

The early believers understood and proclaimed the Gospel by demonstrating how Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection were the direct fulfillment of the Old Testament Scriptures, showing that God’s plan had always been leading to Him. Narrative & Illustration: For Peter and the other apostles, their primary text was the Hebrew Scriptures—what we call the Old Testament. They didn’t have the New Testament yet! So, when they proclaimed Jesus as Messiah and Lord, they immediately turned to the prophets, the Psalms, and the Law to prove their claims. This was not a new “spin” on ancient texts; it was revealing their true meaning, unlocked by the events of Jesus’ life. When Peter explained the outpouring of the Spirit on Pentecost, he quoted the prophet Joel./When he spoke of Jesus’ resurrection, he quoted David from Psalm 16: “He saw what was coming and spoke of the Messiah’s resurrection, that he was not abandoned to the grave, nor did his body decay.” (Acts 2:31, NLT). Philip, in our core passage from Acts 8, encounters the Ethiopian eunuch reading from the book of Isaiah. Philip begins right there, explaining how Isaiah 53—the prophecy of the suffering servant—was fulfilled in Jesus: “So beginning with this same Scripture, Philip told him the Good News about Jesus.” (Acts 8:35, NLT). For an ancient Israelite, the Scriptures were the very word of God, their guide for life, their history, and their hope for the future. The ability to show how these sacred texts pointed directly to Jesus was profoundly convincing. It meant Jesus wasn’t an anomaly or a rogue prophet; He was the culmination of God’s redemptive plan throughout history. Think of an intricate ancient tapestry, (Eagle blanket) woven with countless threads, each telling a small part of a larger, mysterious story. For generations, people admired the beauty of the threads but couldn’t quite discern the full picture. Then, someone comes along, steps back, and points out how all the different colors and patterns suddenly form a clear image – an image that was there all along, but only visible once the final, central piece was understood. Jesus was that central piece of the Old Testament tapestry. Object Lesson: Imagine a complex ancient roadmap, filled with symbols, lines, and cryptic place names. For centuries, travelers have used it to navigate, but some paths remain obscure, and the ultimate destination isn’t obvious. Now, a seasoned guide arrives, someone who has already traversed the entire journey. He points to certain symbols, deciphers the cryptic names, and shows how every winding path on the map leads precisely to a single, glorious destination. The Old Testament is the roadmap, and Jesus is the guide who reveals its true purpose and ultimate destination.

3. The Call to Repentance and Loyalty: Joining God’s Family

The proclamation of the Gospel in Acts was a call to “repentance” and “loyalty” (faith) to Jesus, which meant turning from old ways of life>and allegiance>to other powers,/and visibly joining God’s new family through baptism. Narrative & Illustration: Following the powerful proclamation of Jesus as Lord and Messiah, the immediate response sought by the apostles was “repentance” and “baptism.” After Peter’s sermon on Pentecost, the crowd was “pierced to the heart” and asked, “What should we do?” (Acts 2:37, NLT). Peter’s reply: “Each of you must repent of your sins and turn to God, and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. Then you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.” (Acts 2:38, NLT). “Repentance” (Greek: meta/noia) for an ancient Israelite wasn’t just feeling sorry; it was a radical change of mind and direction, a turning away from idolatry and disloyalty to God. When applied to the Gentiles, it meant turning from their pagan gods and practices. “Loyalty” (Greek: pistis, often translated as “faith”) meant pledging allegiance to Jesus as Lord. And “baptism” was the public, visible sign of this new allegiance, a ritual of purification and incorporation into the new community,>the family of God,>now expanded beyond ethnic Israel. It was joining the movement, identifying with Jesus’ death and resurrection. Think of a new general taking command of an army. He issues a clear directive: “All soldiers must turn from their past allegiances and swear an oath of loyalty to me. As a visible sign of this new allegiance, you will wear this new uniform and march under this new banner.” Those who repent and are baptized are publicly declaring their new allegiance to Jesus, putting on His “uniform,” and marching under His banner. It was a commitment to a new way of life, under a new Lord. Object Lesson: Imagine a bustling marketplace in the ancient world, filled with stalls selling various goods, some legitimate, some counterfeit. People are constantly making choices about what to buy and from whom to buy it. The proclamation of the Gospel is like a trusted merchant arriving, not just selling a new product, but announcing that a new, authentic currency has been declared legal tender by the King, and all other currencies are now counterfeit. The call to repentance is to stop dealing in the old, false currencies, and the call to loyalty is to begin trading exclusively with the new, true currency of the King. Baptism is publicly exchanging your old currency for the new, showing everyone your allegiance to the King’s economy. (foreign currency in exchange for new?) Application and Takeaways – “Preach the Good News about Jesus wherever you go, through your life, your actions, and when needed, through your words.”

1. Our Gospel Proclamation Must Be Christ-Centered and Kingdom-Focused

Summary: Our primary task is to proclaim Jesus as the rightful Lord and King, announcing the arrival of His kingdom and inviting people to transfer their allegiance to Him. Narrative & Illustration: In the early church, the message was always about Jesus—who He was, what He did, and what He had become (Lord and Messiah). It wasn’t primarily about rules or even about a ticket to heaven after death, though those are outcomes of His Lordship. It was about His present reign and the call to enter His kingdom here and now. Consider the announcement of a new era following a significant historical event, such as the end of a long war. The focus isn’t on obscure regulations or personal benefits in the distant future. It’s on the decisive victory, the new leadership, and the immediate call for people to join the new order and rebuild society under the new peace. In our modern context, we sometimes dilute the Gospel by focusing on peripheral issues or by reducing it to merely personal comfort. We need to recapture the boldness and clarity of the early apostles. Our proclamation should begin and end with Jesus: His life, His death, His resurrection, and His enthronement as Lord. It should invite people to a radical allegiance to Him, acknowledging His reign over all aspects of life. Are we inviting people to a private belief system, or to a public transfer of loyalty to King Jesus and His kingdom?

2. We Must Connect the Gospel to the Whole Story of God

Summary: Understanding and proclaiming the Gospel effectively requires connecting Jesus’ story to the overarching narrative of God’s redemptive plan found in the Old Testament, showing how He fulfills God’s promises. Narrative & Illustration: The early apostles, even when speaking to Gentiles like the Athenians (Acts 17), didn’t just present Jesus in a vacuum. They contextualized Him within God’s dealings with humanity, His creation, His judgment, and His ultimate purpose. They were masters at showing how Jesus was the culmination of God’s historical work. Imagine trying to understand a complex play by only watching the final act. You might grasp some immediate events, but the deeper meaning, the character’s motivations, and the resolution would be lost without the context of the preceding acts. The Old Testament is the essential “preceding acts” of God’s grand redemptive play. In our time, many people, especially younger generations, are spiritually curious but disconnected from historical narratives. They may not be familiar with the Bible or understand its overarching narrative. Our task is to demonstrate that Jesus is not a stand-alone figure, but rather the culmination of a divine drama that began in Genesis and spans all of human history. This involves helping people see how God has been working through covenants, prophets, and a chosen people to bring about His ultimate plan of salvation in Jesus. When we share the Gospel, are we merely presenting a fact, or are we telling a compelling story—God’s story—that finds its ultimate meaning in Jesus?

3. Proclaiming the Gospel Requires Both Courage and Context

Summary: Being a witness for Jesus, as the scattered believers were, requires both the courage to speak about Him and the wisdom to adapt the message to the cultural and historical context of our listeners, sometimes employing interpretive methods like midrash. Narrative & Illustration: The believers scattered from Jerusalem didn’t wait for perfect conditions. They “preached the Good News about Jesus wherever they went” (Acts 8:4, NLT). This took immense courage, especially given the persecution they faced. But it also required wisdom and contextualization. Philip explaining Isaiah to the Ethiopian eunuch is a perfect example of adapting the message to the listener’s immediate understanding. Paul, in Athens, appeals to their unknown god and philosophers before revealing Jesus (Acts 17). The early Jewish believers also employed a method of interpretation called midrash. This wasn’t about changing the original meaning of a text, but about finding deeper, often imaginative, connections between ancient Scriptures and their contemporary realities, especially in light of Jesus. For example, when Paul in 1 Corinthians 10:4 says the Israelites “all drank of that spiritual rock that followed them, and that rock was Christ,” he isn’t saying we should rewrite Numbers 20. He’s making a midrashic connection, showing a profound spiritual parallel. It’s like a beloved old song taking on new meaning in a current situation. It is similar to The Chronicles of Narnia, where Aslan, the mighty lion, represents Jesus Christ, the King. Think of an ancient fisherman. He knows his craft, he has his nets, and he’s courageous enough to face the unpredictable sea. But a truly effective fisherman doesn’t just cast his net blindly. He studies the currents, understands the habits of the fish, and chooses the right bait and location. His extensive knowledge of the context matches his courage. In our world today, the Gospel message remains constant, but the “fishing grounds” are constantly changing. We live in a diverse, pluralistic society where people come from vastly different backgrounds, beliefs, and experiences. Our courage to speak about Jesus must be paired with the wisdom to understand our audience. This means listening, asking questions, and seeking to understand...