This sermon is entitled Reasserting the Gospel to a culture that wants to reshape its message. In this sermon we will look at some key aspects of the gospel which clash with our culture, 5 common distortions of the gospel and finally 3 biblical examples of how to contextualize the gospel without compromising or confusing its message.

3. Reasserting
the Gospel
to a culture that
wants to reshape
its message

4. Sermon Overview
What are the
essential truths of
the gospel?
How is our culture
distorting Jesus and
His gospel?
What does the
Bible have to say?

5. What are the
essential truths
of the gospel?

6. There is a
God!

7. Truth
Originates
in God and
is Absolute!

8. Sin is Real
and
Produces
Death!
The serpent deceived me
and I ate.
Genesis 3:13

9. Jesus is
more than
a great
moral
teacher!

10. Jesus
offered the
perfect
blood
sacrifice!

11. We must
personally
receive
Jesus by
Faith

12. How is our
culture
distorting Jesus
and His Gospel?

13. The
Formalism
Distortion

14. The Therapeutic
Distortion

15. The neo-Gnostic
(Mystic)
Distortion

16. The
Activism
Distortion

17. The
Political
Distortion

18. What can we
learn from the
Bible?

19. Contextualize the
Gospel without
compromising its
message
John 4
Jesus ignored stigmas/roadblocks to the gospel.
Jesus met the Sam. woman at her place of need.
Jesus didn’t get sidetracked by cultural differences.
Jesus didn’t ignore or minimize her sin problem.

20. Look for cultural
hooks that
provide openings
for the gospel
Acts 17
Paul referred his pagan listeners as “very religious”.
He used a pagan idol in order to build a bridge.
Paul quoted 2 of their poets to point to God.
Paul preached both the resurrection and judgment.

21. View culture
through the lens
of Scripture not
Scripture through
the lens of culture
Jesus affirmed biblical authority: “It is written…”
Jesus dismissed cultural traditions. “You’ve heard it
said…But I say unto you.”
Risen Jesus warned against adding or subtracting.