ESSENCE OF THE GOSPEL
SESSION 1: The Divine Exchange - Part 1
INTRODUCTION
2 Corinthians 5:21: I regard this verse as one of the most important verses in the New Testament. I have a phrase that I apply to this verse; I call it “The Divine Exchange”. This verse talks about exchange between God and man.
What is the Essence of the Gospel? The heartbeat of the Gospel? That essence is found in this verse, because here we have the concept of exchange. What is The Divine Exchange? It can be summed up in two sentences: God took all the bad that was due to us because of our sin and laid it on Jesus. Then God took all the good that was due to the sinless obedience of Jesus and offers it to us, free of charge, when we put our faith in Christ. That is the principle 
of 2 Corinthians 5:21.
•	Illustration of Billy Graham’s story
LESSON OUTLINE
TEXT: 2 Corinthians 5:21
There are eight elements to the Divine Exchange.
I.	JESUS TOOK OUR PUNISHMENT AND OFFERS US REMISSION OF OUR SINS.
A.	Difference between remission and forgiveness
1.	Forgiveness: When someone forgives us, he forgets about the things we’ve done wrong.
2.	Remission: When our sin is remitted, all evidence of its existence is totally wiped out.
•	That’s what the blood of Jesus does for us.
B.	Discerning the devil’s accusation from the conviction of the Holy Spirit
1.	The devil is the accuser of the brethren.
•	He tries making us feel bad about sin which has already been forgiven us.
2.	Jesus’ blood wipes out the evidence of all our sin.
II.	JESUS TOOK OUR SICKNESS AND PAIN AND OFFERS US HEALING AND HEALTH (1 PETER 2:24; ISAIAH 53:4; MATTHEW 8:17).
A.	The bad that went to Jesus: sickness and pains
B.	The good that came to us: healing and health
1.	God wants us to walk in health and to be healed.
2.	It is God’s nature to heal the sick.
3.	Jesus is the Healer. (Jehovah Rapha: “I am the God who heals you.”)
III.	JESUS TOOK OUR SIN AND OFFERS US HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS.
(2 CORINTHIANS 5:21)
A.	The Old Testament High Priest and scapegoat
1.	In the Old Testament on the day of atonement, two goats were brought to the door of the tabernacle.
a.	One goat was slain and its blood was used for atonement.
b.	The other goat was called the scapegoat.
i.	The High Priest would lay his hands on the head of this scapegoat and transmit the sins of the entire nation of Israel onto it.
ii.	Then the goat was led out to the wilderness, where it died.
2.	This is what happened at the cross of Jesus.
a.	God made Jesus to be sin for us.
b.	God transmits the sins of the world onto His Son.
B.	Understanding righteousness
1.	It is a free gift.
2.	It is the imputed righteousness of Christ to us.
3.	It is not our self-righteousness.
4.	There will never come a time when you are more righteous than you are right now.
IV.	JESUS TOOK OUR DEATH AND OFFERS US HIS LIFE (ROMANS 6:23).
A.	What does the Bible mean when it says death?
•	The death being talked about is not physical but spiritual death.
B.	What does the word “life” mean?
1.	The word “life” in Greek is “Zoe”, which is translated: eternal life. This word talks of the very life of God Himself.
2.	When we come to Jesus, the divine life of God is transmitted into our human spirit.
3.	Our spirit comes alive with the very life of God.
4.	John 1:4
a.	God the Father is Zoe.
b.	God the Son is Zoe.
5.	The life of God in our human spirit is the light of God in us.
6.	John 10:10
a.	The works of the devil
b.	Jesus came to give us Zoe.
c.	How does this happen?
•	When we turn from sin, repent, and come to Christ
7.	John 3:16
•	We receive the life of God into our human spirit.
CONCLUSION
The remaining four elements of The Divine Exchange will be covered in the next session.
GROUP DISCUSSION
1.	One of the laws of learning is repetition. In your small groups, repeat the four elements of The Divine Exchange that were covered in this session.
2.	Why is it that many Christians still live in fear and doubt what Christ has made available?
3.	If we are to live in the reality of the benefits of the Gospel, what must we do?
SELF-STUDY
1.	List four bad things that were due us, which Jesus took away.
2.	List four good things that were given to us in exchange, by God, and support them with Scriptures.
3.	How can these benefits become yours?
ESSENCE OF THE GOSPEL
SESSION 2: The Divine Exchange - Part 2
INTRODUCTION
We are talking about the subject of The Divine Exchange. God took the bad that should have come to us and He put it on His Son, Jesus. Then He took the good that should have gone to Jesus and offers it, free of charge, to anyone who trusts in His name.
This is part two in this series. We have already looked at four elements of The Divine Exchange. Now let us look at the fifth point.
LESSON OUTLINE
V.	JESUS TOOK OUR POVERTY AND OFFERS US HIS ABUNDANCE.
(2 CORINTHIANS 5:21)
A.	The cross of Jesus Christ affects every part of the human situation.
1.	2 Corinthians 8-9 addresses the issue of money in the early Church.
2.	In 2 Corinthians 8, Paul speaks about the offering that had been collected for the church in Jerusalem by believers in Macedonia.
B.	Jesus became poor for us so that we, through His poverty, might become rich.
(2 Corinthians 8:9)
C.	When did Jesus take our poverty?
1.	Definition of poverty
a.	There are four aspects of absolute poverty. They are summarized in Deuteronomy 28:48.
i.	Hunger
ii.	Thirst
iii.	Nakedness
iv.	Want of all things
b.	Anyone who is experiencing these four things is walking in absolute poverty.
2.	Jesus experienced these four things when He was dying on the Cross. He experienced absolute poverty.
•	This is an absolute aspect of the atonement of Jesus Christ. He took our 		poverty so that we could receive abundance.
D.	Why did God give us prosperity?
1.	There is a purpose in God’s heart for our abundance.
2.	He wants us to use our abundance to build Him a dwelling place.
3.	The Bible begins with God dwelling with man in the garden, and it ends with God coming down to dwell with the Church in the New Jerusalem.
4.	The passion in the heart of God is always to dwell with man.
•	That’s the way the Bible begins and ends.
5.	Examples in the Old Testament
a.	Moses and the Israelites used the riches of Egypt to build a tabernacle for God 	in the wilderness.
b.	In the days of David, when gold and silver were in abundance in Israel, God 		said: “Build me a house. Take your abundance and build me a dwelling place.” (2 Samuel 7)
c.	In the Old Testament, this is the concept, reason, and purpose for abundance: 	It is always to build God a dwelling place.
6.	In the New Testament:
a.	God does not live in a building.
b.	God dwells in the Church; He dwells in our hearts (2 Corinthians 6:16).
c.	We are God’s building.
d.	We are to take our abundance and use it to reach the world for Jesus.
VI.	JESUS TOOK OUR SHAME AND OFFERS US A SHARE OF HIS GLORY.
(HEBREWS 12:2)
A.	Not only are our spiritual, physical, and material needs met on the cross, but our emotional needs are also met on the cross.
B.	Shame is one of the serious emotions that affects the human race.
C.	Jesus experienced both shame and rejection on the cross.
•	What is shame?
1.	Shame is a sense of worthlessness.
2.	Shame is what Jesus experienced when He was hung, naked, on the cross.
VII.	JESUS TOOK OUR REJECTION AND OFFERS US ACCEPTANCE IN GOD’S 	FAMILY (MATTHEW 27:46).
A.	Never before this moment had Jesus called His Father, “God”.
•	He always called Him, “Father”.
B.	Jesus felt separated from His Father because of the rejection He suffered for our sin.
C.	One of the greatest privileges we have is to call God, “Abba Father”, because we are adopted in the family of God and have received the spirit of adoption (Romans 8:15).
VIII. JESUS TOOK THE CURSE AND OFFERS US HIS BLESSING (GALATIANS 3:13-14).
A.	The blessings of Abraham to his obedient children (Deuteronomy 28:2-14)
1.	Part of those blessings is victory, abundance, reproductiveness, and favor.
•	Favor means that God is interested in the little things in our lives.
2.	We have a right to ask our Heavenly Father for favor, and He looks after the little things in our lives.
B.	The outline of curses (Deuteronomy 28:15-68)
•	Jesus took all of these curses upon Himself, for us, and offers us the blessings.
CONCLUSION
The Divine Exchange is our inheritance, but many of us are not walking in it.
Thank God for The Divine Exchange.
GROUP DISCUSSION
1.	Repeat the eight elements of The Divine Exchange.
2.	How do we appropriate these blessings into our life and situations?
3.	Discuss the purpose of God’s abundance to believers and how this is often abused or used for ourselves.
SELF-STUDY
1.	Study Deuteronomy 28 and make a list of all the curses and the blessings outlined.
2.	According to Galatians 3:13-14, what did Christ do to these curses? What did He do to the blessings?

ESSENCE OF THE GOSPEL
SESSION 3: The Triumph of Praise
INTRODUCTION
TEXT: Colossians 2:15; 2 Corinthians 2:14
What word is common to both these verses? It is the word “triumph”. Whenever I ask an English audience, “What does the word triumph mean?” They usually reply, “victory”. They think triumph and victory are synonymous. But I want to contrast the two words.
LESSON OUTLINE
I.	WHAT DOES VICTORY MEAN?
A.	Victory in battle is accomplished in a certain moment of time.
B.	Victory in battle is accomplished by the shedding of blood.
C.	A victory happens on the field of battle.
D.	The death of Christ on the cross is a victory.
•	Jesus defeated the enemy, on the field of battle, two thousand years ago.
II.	WHAT DOES TRIUMPH MEAN?
A.	Triumph is a victory party, which happens a long time after victory.
B.	Example: The American War of Independence that was won in 1776
1.	Every year we celebrate a victory that was won over 200 years ago.
•	We have a national party and celebrate the fact that we are a free nation.
2.	That is what triumph means.
a.	It is a celebration.
b.	People celebrate victory by having a party.
III.	WHY DOES PAUL USE THE WORD TRIUMPH IN HIS WRITINGS?
A.	Paul is saying, “It is time to have a party.”
1.	The victory is over.
2.	It was won 2000 years ago.
3.	It is not up to us to win the victory.
4.	You can’t lose the victory if you didn’t win it.
5.	Jesus won the victory and He is the only one who can lose the victory.
•	We are to celebrate the victory and, when we do that, we have a triumph.
B.	The historical meaning of the word “triumph”
1.	This word came out of the Roman empire.
2.	It was the greatest celebration ever conducted in the Roman empire.
3.	It was equivalent to all of our national sports rolled into one.
4.	Most Roman citizens never saw a triumph in their lifetime.
5.	Julius Caesar won many victories in Rome and in Europe.
a.	The senate in Rome declared a national party to honor Caesar because of his great victories.
b.	A triumph was the greatest honor to be given to a Roman citizen.
c.	Rome celebrated by a triumphal procession throughout the streets.
C.	Examine Colossians 2:15.
1.	What are principalities and powers?
a.	They are the evil forces of Satan.
b.	Satan himself is called a principality: “the prince of the power of the air”.
c.	Colossians 2:15 describes what Jesus did to Satan and his forces through His 		death and resurrection.
2.	What does the word “spoiled” mean?
•	Jesus disarmed (spoiled) principalities and powers by His victory.
3.	Public spectacle
a.	After the victory, He made a show of them openly.
b.	This was done for the entire universe to look at.
c.	Jesus was the conquering general.
IV. WHERE IS THE NEW TESTAMENT CHURCH IN THIS TRIUMPHAL PROCESSION?
•	Are we on the sidewalk, clapping our hands? No. Are we like the Roman citizens, 			hailing the conquering hero? No. Where is the Church?
A.	Jesus is the head and the Church is the Body.
1.	The body always goes where the head goes.
2.	If Jesus is in the chariot, where is the Church?
•	The Church is also in the chariot.
B.	Everyone in the Church is involved (2 Corinthians 2:14).
•	“Always” means: Every day of your life you’re to celebrate the victory in Jesus.
C.	Satan’s strategy is to take Christians from the chariot and put them on the sidewalk.
•	This happens when we beg God to do something that Christ already did for us 2000 years ago.
D.	What do we do to inherit what God has given us?
1.	We have a party.
2.	It comes to the Church in our praise.
3.	When we praise God in the midst of the pain, that is when we have our inheritance.
E.	Example of triumph in Paul’s ministry (Acts 16:25)
1.	Paul and Silas’ imprisonment and beating
2.	What did Paul do?
a.	He practiced what he preached.
b.	They had a party in the jail.
•	They prayed and sang praises to God.
3.	What shook the prison?
•	The power of triumph
4.	It happened in the midnight hour: at a dark time.
•	It happened at the time it hurts the most.
5.	The key to triumph:
a.	In the middle of the hurt and the pain, we raise our hands and voices to the Lord.
b.	We have a party and praise God.
F.	Terry Law’s personal experience of triumph (Psalm 34:1-4)
•	He praised God as an act of his will, not because he felt like it.
CONCLUSION
In the midst of trial and circumstance, we are to lift the name of Jesus high with our praise, to have a party like Paul and Silas in the Philippian jail. If we do, we will break the bondage of the enemy in our situations. We will celebrate the finished work of Christ on the cross, and His victory 2000 years ago will become ours today.
GROUP DISCUSSION
1.	What does triumph mean to you individually?
2.	How much time do you give to celebration of victory in your life and church?
a.	For what do you praise God?
b.	When do you praise God?
3.	Why do Christians still fight against the enemy when they already have victory over him?
4.	If Christ has won the victory, why do Christians still go through hurt and pain today?
SELF-STUDY
1.	In your own words, describe the relationship between victory and triumph.
2.	Memorize Colossians 2:15 and then rewrite it in your own words.
3.	How much time do you spend, daily, praising God in whatever situation you are in? How can you improve on this?
ESSENCE OF THE GOSPEL
SESSION 4: What Activates Angels
INTRODUCTION
The connections between the Holy Spirit and angels in the book of Acts are numerous.
In Acts 8:26, an angel of the Lord instructed Philip, the evangelist, to leave Samaria at the height of the revival and go to the desert. What is the connection between angels and the Holy Spirit? The angel told him where to go, and when he got there, the Holy Spirit took over and told him who to minister to. Obviously, angels and the Holy Spirit work together.
In Acts 10:3-6, an angel of the Lord appeared to Cornelius and instructed him to send men to Joppa to find one called Peter. In verses 19 and 20, the Holy Spirit told Peter to go and meet the three men who were seeking him (the men sent by Cornelius), because the Lord had sent them. The angel sent those men, but the Holy Spirit had sent the angel to Cornelius with the message. In the book of Acts, angels worked for the Holy Spirit.
In Acts 12:5-7, the Church prayed fervently in the Spirit for Peter’s release. The Holy Spirit sent an angel to release him.
The writer of Hebrews wrote chapters one and two to correct the heresy of worshipping angels in the early Church. One of the dangers in our nation is that people don’t know the difference between good angels and bad angels. Most people think all angels are good. But that is not what the Bible says. In fact, the devil is an angel.
There are major religions in the world today that were started by angels. 
1.	Mohammed received the Muslim’s faith in the book of Koran from an angel supposed 	to be Gabriel.
2.	Joseph Smith formed the Mormon faith based on revelation he received from an angel.
•	But Paul says, in the book of Galatians, that if anybody preaches a different gospel, even if he is an angel, let him be accursed (Galatians 1:8).
The writer of Hebrews compared Jesus to the angels and declared:
1.	Jesus is not an angel.
2.	He is the Son of God.
3.	He is the Creator of all angels.
4.	Angels are not people.
Angels appear in all cultures and countries. Angels can appear as people, but they are not people. 
In Hebrews 1:14, the primary ministry of angels is described. They are all ministering spirits for those who will be heirs of salvation. Their primary ministry is to minister on our behalf. 
How many angels are there? The Bible says they are an innumerable company. We can’t number them.
If angels are sent to minister on our behalf, are there things we can do that affect them? Yes.
1.	Example: Zechariah, the father of John the Baptist, and Gabriel
•	The angel smote him dumb because of the words of unbelief coming out of his mouth.
2.	Angels are affected by the words of unbelief coming out of man.
a.	When we speak words of faith that line up with the Word of God, they can move alongside of us and help us.
b.	But when we are filled with unbelief, we affect their ministry on our behalf.
c.	Our actions influence angels.
LESSON OUTLINE
There are five principles that bring angels alongside us to help us.
I.	AUTHORITY (MARK 1:21-27)
A.	Why is there no arguing or fighting in Satan’s Kingdom? (Matthew 12:24-26)
1.	Because they are under Satan’s authority.
2.	He has many lying and evil spirits working under his authority.
B.	The good angels respond to God’s authority.
•	They are also beings created to respond to authority.
C.	Angels are watching the issue of authority in our lives.
1.	How do you respond to God’s authority?
2.	If Christians are out of God’s authority, then the angels cannot come along and assist in God’s purposes for their lives (Acts 19:13-16).
D.	Four areas of authority to submit to (James 4:7)
1.	Sovereign imperial authority: God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit
2.	His Word: God and His Word are one.
3.	Conscience: It is a testimony and a witness to us.
4.	Delegated authority
a.	We are to respect political and governmental authority.
b.	We are to respect the authority of apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, and 		teachers.
II.	SACRIFICE
A.	Abraham and Isaac (Genesis 22:1-14)
•	Abraham’s sacrifice brought the angel.
B.	David’s sacrifice
•	Sacrifice must cost something.
C.	Zechariah in the temple, offering sacrifice (Luke 1:5-25)
D.	Samson’s father: Manoah
•	The angel that appeared to him went up to heaven in the smoke of the sacrifice.
E.	Gideon
•	Sacrifice and offering give angels legal rights to work and operate on behalf of mankind.
III.	PRAYER
A.	Angels respond to the prayers of mankind.
B.	Abraham’s prayer of intercession for Sodom and Gomorrah
C.	Daniel’s prayers and the consequences
1.	An angel was sent to bring an answer to his prayer.
2.	An angel was sent to deliver him from the lion’s den.
D.	Peter in prison (Acts 12)
IV.	ALMSGIVING
A.	What we do with our money affects angels.
1.	The story of Cornelius (Acts 10:4)
a.	God’s angels watch what God’s children do with their income.
b.	Giving is a form of sacrifice, and angels are watching that sacrifice.
2.	Terry Law’s university story with an angel and financial provision
B.	Angels have a lot more to do with money than most of us understand.
V.	PRAISE AND WORSHIP
A.	Our praise to God influences the angels.
B.	2 Chronicles 20:22
1.	Study the pattern of God’s ambushes in the Bible.
2.	God ambushes with angels.
a.	Balaam
b.	Assyrians
C.	Our praise brings the help of angels.
CONCLUSION
Our actions influence angels.
GROUP DISCUSSION
1.	If angels are so important in helping believers, should we worship and pray to them as some religious sects do? Give Scripture to support your answer.
2.	Are believers under the authority of angels?
3.	How much authority do we have over angels? (Hebrews 1:14; 1 Corinthians 6:3)
4.	Discuss the importance of our obedience to those who have authority over us, and how our obedience impacts our authority to influence angels.
SELF-STUDY
Using your Bible Concordance, make a list of the people that angels ministered to in the Bible. Note what activated the angels to minister to them and what their responses were to those angels.
ESSENCE OF THE GOSPEL
SESSION 5: How to Make Your Faith Work
INTRODUCTION
I want to start this session by asking you a question. Are you born again? How does anyone know if he is born again? The Bible says His Spirit witnesses with our spirit that we are children of God. But the Bible also says that we are saved by faith, and that faith is the gift of God lest any man should boast (Ephesians 2:8-9).
If you are born again, the faith that made you born again comes from God. It is God’s gift. So if you are born again, you also know that you have faith.
Romans 12:3 talks about the measure of faith God gives us.
A.	God has given everyone a measure of faith.
B.	Jesus has the characteristic of measuring the faith of those who are around Him.
1.	He was always talking to people about faith.
2.	He said to Peter, “O ye of little faith” (Matthew 14:31).
3.	He said to the woman with an oppressed daughter, “Woman, great is thy faith.” (Matthew 15:28)
4.	He said to the Roman Centurion, “I have not found such great faith . . . .” (Matthew 8:10)
C.	In Romans 4:19, the Bible speaks about Abraham: “He was not weak in faith, but he was strong in faith.”
D.	In 2 Thessalonians 1:3, the Thessalonians have “ever-increasing faith”.
The point I want to make is this: Everywhere in the Bible, it asks you to measure your faith. If you had to measure your faith on a scale of one to ten, where would you be on that scale? Where is the level of your faith?
You say, “Well, I don’t have much faith.” But I tell you, if you have saving faith, you have faith enough to do what God wants you to do. Jesus said if you have faith like a grain of a mustard seed, then you can move a mountain (Matthew 17:20).
LESSON OUTLINE
I.	WHERE DOES FAITH COME FROM? (ROMANS 10:17)
A.	If faith comes by hearing, ask yourself the question: How much have you heard?
B.	You can’t hear the Word without faith growing in your heart if your heart is open to God.
II.	HOW DO YOU MAKE YOUR FAITH WORK?
A.	The key to making our faith work is very simple.
1.	You must act in order to release faith.
2.	“Faith without works is dead” (James 2:26).
•	When you act, you release the faith that is inside your spirit.
B.	Peter out fishing (Luke 5:4-9)
1.	Jesus spoke words of faith to Peter: “Launch out into the deep.”
•	God is saying, “Launch out into the deep and let your nets down for a 		catch.”
2.	Peter’s reaction: “O Lord, I toiled all night and have nothing.”
a.	When you need finances from God, give from what you have.
i.	That giving releases faith.
ii.	You are getting your net in the water.
b.	The same is true in every other area.
C.	The woman with the issue of blood (Mark 5:25-34)
1.	Faith comes by hearing the Word of God (Mark 5:27). 
•	“When she heard of Jesus . . . .”
2.	Faith has to speak: “For she said . . . .” (Mark 5:28)
•	First she heard; then she said; then she came.
3.	Faith must act: “. . . she came . . . .” (Mark 5:27)
a.	Jesus said, “Daughter, thy faith has made you whole” (Mark 5:34).
b.	If she had stayed home, she would have missed it.
c.	We need to take those kinds of actions with our faith.
D.	The crippled man (Luke 5:18-26)
1.	His friends tore off the roof.
a	“And when He saw their faith . . . .” (Luke 5:20)
b.	How can you see faith, since faith is something that happens in your heart?
c.	Jesus saw the action of their faith.
•	When you act, people know that you have faith.
2.	Faith acts and you see it.
E.	The ten lepers (Luke 17:11-19)
1.	They stood afar off (Luke 17:12).
a.	Leprosy is a horrible disease.
b.	The Law of Moses isolated them into colonies.
c.	They were alone: away from families, wives, and children.
d.	When traveling, they had to cry “unclean!”
e.	They called to Jesus from afar (from a great distance), “Have mercy on us!”
2.	Jesus told them to go and show themselves unto the priests (Luke 17:14).
a.	The law of Moses required that if ever a leper was healed, he had to go to the 	temple and the High Priest had to examine him.
b.	The High Priest had to issue a certificate to a cleansed leper.
c.	Then everywhere the leper went, he would show the certificate and he was able to come back into society.
3.	When Jesus told them to go to the priests, they still had the leprosy in their flesh.
a.	As they went, they were healed.
b.	They had to do something to release their faith, just like we have to do something to release our faith.
F.	Oral Roberts and the little boy
1.	The boy had brought a pair of new shoes.
2.	He took off his brace and shoe before he was prayed for.
3.	He had the faith to be healed and he acted on it.	
CONCLUSION
You have faith. You must act now.
GROUP DISCUSSION
1.	Share testimonies of how the Lord healed you as you put your faith into action.
2.	Share a testimony of how the Lord used you to minister healing to someone recently.
3.	Pray for those who are still sick among you and challenge them to put their faith into action.
SELF-STUDY
1.	Look for opportunities to minister healing to at least four people who are sick during this week, and apply what you learned in this session to their situations.
2.	Record the results of their faith in your notebook and share these results with your group at the next meeting.