B.  Have you ever wondered what made something work?  Or just how it
             works?

       C.  This arouses the curiosity of younger people especially.

       D.  Today, we want to look behind the Gospel and see why it has such an
             effect on people as it does.
 

   I.  THE SOURCE OF THE GOSPEL.

       A.  God of love.

             1.  Some view God as a tyrant.

                   Love created man -- (Adam and Eve -- flood) - Noah - Shem -
                   Abraham - Jacob - Joseph (family to Goshen)

             2.  Loved people of Israel - (Moses) Exodus 3.

                  a.  Freed them from slavery.

                  b.  Led and sustained them.

                  c.  Sent the prophets to aid his people.

             3.  Sent Jesus because he loved His people.

                  a.  Jno. 3:15-16.

                  b.  Jesus has shown us what the Father is like.   Jno. 1:18.

                        1.  Jno. 14:5-9.

                        2.  He was patient, loving, kind, compassionate, ex. "at the supper", 
                             Jno. 13.

                        3.  Look at Jesus' life to see our God.

       B.  God of Justice.

             1.  Sin must be paid for or forgiven.

             2.  God is holy and his holiness cannot be violated.

                   a.  Roped off Mount Sinai.

             3.  Law provided no way of escape -- still justice.

             4.  Reason Jesus died.  I Jno.  2:2.

       C.  God of mercy.

             1.  Voluntary act by God.

             2.  He planned a way for our escape.  Eph. 1:3ff.  "Blessed be the God..."

  II.  NATURE OF THE GOSPEL --- POWER.

       A.  Power of God is unleashed when the gospel is preached
             (dunamos -- dynamite).

             1.  Power to prick the hearts of men.  Acts 2:37.

             2.  Power to confound the worldly wisdom.

                  a.  I Cor. 1.

                  b.  I Cor. 2:1-5.

             3.  Power to change lives.

                  a.  Paul -- Gal. 1.

                  b.  Phillippian jailer -- Acts 16.

                  c.  I Cor. 6:9-11 - changed some lives here.

 III.  PURPOSE OF THE GOSPEL --- SALVATION.

       A.  Titus 2:11-14.

       B.  From sin and the sting of death.

             1.  Acts 2:38; saved from sin.

             2.  I Thess. 4:13-18 - Salvation of the body.

             3.  I Cor. 15:50-58

             4.  I Jno. 5:13 - know we have salvation.

                  a.  The assention helps us now!!  Saved now and later!

  IV.  SCOPE OF THE GOSPEL -- EVERYONE.

       A.  Matt. 28:18-20 - "All the world".

       B.  Mark 16:15-16 -- "And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world and
             preach the gospel to the whole creation.  He that believeth and is baptized
             shall be saved, he that disbelieveth shall be condemned."

   V.  OPERATION OF THE GOSPEL -- FAITH.  Rom. 10:17.

       A.  To everyone that believeth.  What?

             1.  Incarnation of Jesus - Jno. 1:1-3, 14; Phil. 2:5-8

             2.  Crucifixion - Rom. 4:25 - delivered up for our trespasses and raised
                  for our justification.

             3.  Resurrection - II Cor. 5:15 - "For our sakes he rose again"  I Cor. 15.*

             4.  Ascension - Heb. 1:1-3 - "When he had made purification of sins,
                  sat down on the right hand of the majesty on High."

             5.  Second coming - I Thess. 4:13-18 - "Coming to get his own."

       B.  Must be active belief.

             1.  Heb. 5:8-9 - "though he were a son, yet learned he obedience by the
                  things which he suffered; and having been made perfect, he became
                  unto all them that obey him the author of eternal salvation."

             2.  The author said,  (Mark 16:15-16).

  VI.  REVELATION OF THE GOSPEL -- RIGHTEOUSNESS.

       A.  Rom. 3:21-28.

             1.  God proved that he was righteous.

 VII.  OUTCOME OF THE GOSPEL -- ETERNAL LIFE.

       A.  Paul had assurance - II Tim. 4:7-8 - "I have fought the fight..."

       B.  We can also know - I Jno. 5:13.

   CONCLUSION:

       A.  We need to realize the vast power of the gospel.

       B.  If you have not become a Christian, you have refused the power of God.