Big Idea: The gospel is God’s ancient promise fulfilled in Jesus, and it has the power to forgive and transform anyone who believes. The Power Of The Gospel: 1. The Gospel Is The Fulfillment of God’s Promises Through Scripture 16 So Paul stood, lifted his hand to quiet them, and started speaking. “Men of Israel,” he said, “and you God-fearing Gentiles, listen to me. 17 “The God of this nation of Israel chose our ancestors and made them multiply and grow strong during their stay in Egypt. Then with a powerful arm led them out of their slavery. 18 He put up with them through forty years of wandering in the wilderness. 19 Then He destroyed seven nations in Canaan and gave their land to Israel as an inheritance. 20 All this took about 450 years. “After that, God gave them judges to rule until the time of Samuel the prophet. 21 Then the people begged for a king, and God gave them Saul son of Kish, a man of the tribe of Benjamin, who reigned for forty years. 22 But God removed Saul and replaced him with David, a man about whom God said, ‘I have found David son of Jesse, a man after my own heart. He will do everything I want him to do.’ 23 “An d it is one of King David’s descendants, Jesus, who is God’s promised Savior of Israel! 24 Before He came, John the Baptist preached that all the people of Israel needed to repent of their sins and turn to God and be baptized. 25 As John was finishing his ministry he asked, ‘Do you think I am the Messiah? No, I am not! But He is coming soon—and I’m not even worthy to be his slave and untie the sandals on his feet.’ Acts 13:16-25 (NLT2) The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Look! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world! John 1:29 (NLT2) 2. The Gospel Is Fulfilled In Jesus Alone 26 “Brothers—you sons of Abraham, and also you God-fearing Gentiles—this message of salvation has been sent to us! 27 The people in Jerusalem and their leaders did not recognize Jesus as the one the prophets had spoken about. Instead, they condemned him, and in doing this they fulfilled the prophets’ words that are read every Sabbath. 28 They found no legal reason to execute him, but they asked Pilate to have him killed anyway. 29 “When they had done all that the prophecies said about him, they took him down from the cross and placed him in a tomb. 30 But God raised him from the dead! 31 And over a period of many days he appeared to those who had gone with him from Galilee to Jerusalem. They are now his witnesses to the people of Israel. 32 “And now we are here to bring you this Good News. The promise was made to our ancestors, 33 and God has now fulfilled it for us, their descendants, by raising Jesus. This is what the second psalm says about Jesus: ‘You are my Son. Today I have become your Father.’ 34 For God had promised to raise him from the dead, not leaving him to rot in the grave. He said, ‘I will give you the sacred blessings I promised to David.’ 35 Another psalm explains it more fully: ‘You will not allow your Holy One to rot in the grave.’ 36 This is not a reference to David, for after David had done the will of God in his own generation, he died and was buried with his ancestors, and his body decayed. 37 No, it was a reference to someone else—someone whom God raised and whose body did not decay. Acts 13:26-37 (NLT2) Jesus said, “When I was with you before, I told you that everything written about me in the law of Moses and the prophets and in the Psalms must be fulfilled.” 45 Then he opened their minds to understand the Scriptures. 46 And he said, “Yes, it was written long ago that the Messiah would suffer and die and rise from the dead on the third day. Luke 24:44-46 (NLT2) My enemies surround me like a pack of dogs; an evil gang closes in on me. They have pierced my hands and feet. 17 I can count all my bones. My enemies stare at me and gloat. 18 They divide my garments among themselves and throw dice for my clothing. Psalm 22:16-18 (NLT2) 3. The Gospel Has The Power To Forgive Anyone Who Believes 38 “Brothers, listen! We are here to proclaim that through this man Jesus there is forgiveness for your sins. 39 Everyone who believes in him is declared right with God—something the law of Moses could never do. 40 Be careful! Don’t let the prophets’ words apply to you. For they said, 41 ‘Look, you mockers, be amazed and die! For I am doing something in your own day, something you wouldn’t believe even if someone told you about it.’” 42 As Paul and Barnabas left the synagogue that day, the people begged them to speak about these things again the next week. 43 Many Jews and devout converts to Judaism followed Paul and Barnabas, and the two men urged them to continue to rely on the grace of God. Acts 13:38-43 (NLT2) Will you repent of your sins and come to Jesus for forgiveness? My Next Right Step: I choose to trust Jesus today as my Lord and Savior I want to be baptized as a public declaration of faith. Today at the Turley’s I will take one step this week toward community -Sign up for a small group in August The Gospel is the message that God loves us, that Jesus died for our sins, rose from the dead, and that by repenting of our sins and trusting in Jesus as Lord and Savior, we are forgiven, made new, and given eternal life. (Romans 1:16; 1 Corinthians 15:1–4; John 3:16) Big Idea: The gospel is God’s ancient promise fulfilled in Jesus, and it has the power to forgive and transform anyone who believes. Warm-Up Questions (5–10 minutes) Have you ever had someone connect the dots for you spiritually—help you see how your story fits into God’s bigger story? What was your first impression when you heard the gospel? Was it confusing, compelling, or something else? Read: Acts 13:13–41 Together The Power Of The Gospel: 1. The Gospel Is The Fulfillment of God’s Promises Through Scripture (vv. 16–25) Why do you think Paul begins his message by retelling Israel’s history? How does this help both Jews and Gentile God-fearers understand who Jesus is? Read: Luke 24:44-46 What did Jesus claim to do? Can you recall a time when you saw God’s hand in your life story—even through the difficult parts? 2. The Gospel Is Fulfilled In Jesus Alone (vv. 26–37) Why does Paul emphasize the resurrection so strongly in this sermon? How do the Old Testament quotes (Psalm 2, Psalm 16) strengthen Paul’s case for Jesus as the Messiah? Read: Psalm 22:16-18 Why do you think God chose to give so many prophecies about the Messiah before Jesus came? How does fulfilled prophecy strengthen your faith in Jesus? Staggering Statistics: Reflect on the analogy of silver dollars filling Texas 2 feet deep. What does this tell you about the divine orchestration behind Jesus’ life? What events does this passage reveal about the Messiah? Read: 1 Corinthians 15:3–4. Why is the resurrection central to our faith? How does the truth of Jesus’ resurrection give you hope in the challenges you face today? 3. The Gospel Has the Power To Forgive Anyone Who Believes (vv. 38–41) What does it mean to be “justified” by faith? Why was this message of grace so revolutionary compared to the Law of Moses? Read: Ephesians 2:8–9. How does this verse deepen our understanding of salvation? Is there any area of your life where you're still trying to earn God's favor instead of receiving His grace? How can you grow in sharing this gospel message with clarity and confidence? Who in your life needs to hear that forgiveness and freedom are available in Jesus? Prayer Time (10–15 minutes): Thank God for His faithfulness throughout history—and in your personal journey. Pray for boldness to share the gospel like Paul. Optional Challenge for the Week: Spend 10 minutes reflecting on your own spiritual journey. Write down 2–3 ways you’ve seen God’s faithfulness in your life. Be ready to share next time as a testimony of how God is still working today.