Gospel of Grace Fellowship, Sermons (St Louis Park Minnesota)

The message of the gospel, Christ crucified, was revealed by God, not contrived by man. Paul uses various terms and phrases to express the fact the one true message by which God saves sinners offends everyone but those who believe.

The older son is the focus of the end of the parable. The details of this include the father making a loving appeal to the older son as well. The end the parable as is left open. We do not know whether the father's appeal was heeded. The point is that God in Christ bore the shame, insults and mockery so that repentant sinners, (the found) are brought to life and given the joy of Messianic salvation. There is joy in heaven over one sinner who repents. It was necessary to rejoice. The main point of application concerns the Lord's Supper as a celebration of Messianic salvation. We also must remember not to make false judgments about those who come to Christ. The Lord's Supper is a table fellowship for the found.

The weeping of more Israelite mothers in Bethlehem over the murder of their babies was an event that Matthew understood as one day coming to an end when Jesus restores the kingdom to Israel. In this message I prove that every believer in Christ will be a partaker in the glorious kingdom that Christ will establish at His return.

The crucifixion of Christ and His bodily resurrection is objective truth and preached to all, including civil authorities. God’s wisdom was “predestined before the ages.” Those who know Christ through the gospel (all believers ) are destined to glory is assured by the promises of God.

The “wisdom of this age” is foolishness because it rejects God’s revealed wisdom which is “Christ crucified.” The evil rulers of this age are human rulers and the spiritual powers of darkness which are in the heavenly places. They are “coming to nothing” because they face God’s judgment.