Intro:	1.  A would be cowboy mounts horse for the first time.  Horse gets faster and faster
		a.  Man begins to slip off and grabs the mane, slips more and hanging on neck
		b.  Horse keeps going, so man finally leaps away from horse to safety
		c.  Foot stuck in the stirrup, head is banging on ground 
		d.  About to lose consciousness, Walmart manager runs over & unplugs the horse
	2.  Sometimes a lot of hard painful work and never get anywhere
	3.  That is what has happened to many of the Lord’s churches today!
	4.  Revelation 3:1-3 - Churhc at Sardis
		a.  Here is a church that looked vibrant and had a great reputation
		b.  It was dead, They were not going anywhere
		c.  When a church is sick and dying, why?
	5.  Notice the exortation:  REMEMBER what you have received and heard
	6.  What did you receive?  The Gospel!   Why remember the Gospel......

I.   Salvation
	A.  Let’s go down memory lane and remember the Gospel
	B.  Gospel presentation
		1.  The problem:  Rom 3:23; 6:23; Isa. 59:1-2 - Sin and separation
		2.  Life and Death Statments:  Jesus’ identity
			a.  John 8:24 - Believe that I am he, or you will die in your sins
			b.  Mat 16:13; John 1:1, 14; Col 2:9 - Son of God, WAS God
		3.  I Tim 2:5 - Mediator (Was God, was man, can represent both sides)

		4.  Rom 1:16 - Gospel, for it is the power of Salvation to everyone who believes
		5.  I Cor 15:1-4 - It is the Death, Burial and Ressurection (v.51-58; Phil 3:20-21)
		6.  2 Tim 1:10 - Abolished death & brought life and immortality through the Gospel
		7.  Gal 1:6-9 - No other Gospel.  It is important

		8.  2 Thess 1:7-10 - Retribution to those who do not obey the Gospel
		9.  Rom 6:3-4 - Death Burial and Ressurrection in Baptism
		10.  Acts 2:22-24; 36-38 - HEard Gospel, then repented (Mt 10:32) Confess
	C.  After you received the benefits
		1.  Gal 3:26-27 - Faith and Baptism you put on Christ
		2.  Eph 1:1-14 - A whole bunch of blessings from this union with Christ
	D.  But you got to get to the point, which is the Gospel
		1.  Did Peter invite people to church on Pentecost?  NO!  HE preached the Gospel
		2.  3000 were converted, the power of salvation is in the Gospel
		3.  A church that does not grow is not teaching the Gospel

II.  Share
	A.  Remember the power of Salvation (Rom 1:16) - The Gospel, good news to be shared
	B.  We are in the Salvation business
		1.  Once you were saved, why weren’t you wisked up to Heaven?  You have job!
		2.  I Corinthins 9:16-17 - Paul had a stewardship
		3.  Why?  Great Comission (Mk 16:15)
		4.  How often do you preach the Gospel?
			a.  Every chance they got in Acts, they preached the Gospel
			b.  Acts 2, 3:16; 4:10, 19-20, 33; 5:14
			c.  5:28-30 They could not shut them up
	C.  Reporters are relentless in getting important news to people
		1.  How often do we report the GOOD news.  If we got paid for it, could we
		    make a living from how we reported the Good News?
		2.  You ARE a reporter for Christ.  
	D.  Don’t have to know all doctrinal answers
		1.  Bottom line issue is the Gospel
		2.  Remember that the GOSPEL has the power to save

III.  Solution
	A.  Bottom line solution for all our problems is the Gospel
		1.  Greatest problem is sin and death
		2.  Gospel takes care of sin and death
	B.  But mature Christians should be past that
		1.  What if you are not growing
			a.  Rev 3:3 - Rmember what you have received and heard
			b.  2 Pet 1:9 - Not growing spiritually - have forgotten former
			    purification of sins
		2.  Early church grew both in number and spiritually 
			a.  Spoke Gospel every chance they got
			b.  But Gospel and Acts for non-Christians
			c.  Epistles - Opening after nearly every book focuses on the Gospel
		3.  Examples of focus on Gospel:
			a.  Romans - 1:16 - Not ashamed of Gospel
			b.  I Corinthians - 1:23; 2:1-4 - Christ Crucified (Solution for problems)
			c.  Galatians 1 - No other Gospel
			d.  Ephesians 1:20
		4.  Even Old Testament looks toward the Gospel
		5.  Bible begins and ends with Gospel
		6.  John 12:32 - If I be lifted up will draw all men to myself
			a.  If we are not drawing, we are not lifting up Christ
			b.  If we lifting and not growing, we ait lifiting Christ
			c.  The Gospel of Jesus is central to who we are
	C.  Hub of a wagon wheel , take away the hub, what happens to the wheel - Falls apart
	D.  If lose focus on the Gospel, the Lord’s work falls apart

Concl:
1.  Don’t get me wrong, all the activities we do are good things
2.  If lose focus on the Gospel, it is all meaningless
3.  Story:  Reapers
	a.  Farmer with large field of grain, calls for helpers
	b.  They see a vast beautiful crop waiting to be harvested
	c.  Someone points out fence is broken down and ugly.  Set to work to fix it
	d.  If sun gets hotter, will need shelter.  They build it.  So nice, they put plaque on it
	e.   Noon, we need to eat.  Work until a great feast prepared.  Period of rest afterward
	f.  Wait, with so great a responsibility, don’t we need to be better dressed?  They make 
	     clothes
	g.  Sharpen scythes until razor sharp
	h.  Realize handles are rough and ugly.  so they carve them into beautiful art
	i.  By now it is getting dark.  So they leave
	j.  Run into the owner of the feild, no huge bags of grain. only beautiful tools and stories of 
	     wonderful fences shelters and a meanl.  
	k.  He sadly asks “But where is the harvest”
4.  Other things we do are good, but is no good if we neglect the Gospel
5.  What is the point?  GET TO THE POINT--- THE GOSPEL WHICH HAS THE POWER TO
SAVE
6.  Ask the question:  If the Lord were to come right now, do you know without a doubt that you
would go to Heaven?