The Gospel
In the Beginning
God is holy, perfect, beauty, and perfection. Nothing evil can stand in His Presence because of His holiness.
God created the heavens and the earth and everything in them including stars, moons, planets, oceans, plants, animals, rivers, forests, mountains, and birds – all in 6 days! He called it all good.
He also created a man and a woman in His own image – calling it very good. He walked with them in the cool of the day in the Garden of Eden where they lived. They enjoyed a perfect relationship with God.
The End of Perfection
The Lord had told Adam and Eve they could eat from any tree in the Garden except the Tree of the Knowledge of Good & Evil. Satan tempted Eve to eat from the forbidden tree. Eve, completely deceived, believed the Father of Lies and ate the forbidden fruit. Then she gave some to her husband Adam and he ate, too. The punishment: death, separation from God, and decay to their beautiful world. Death did not happen immediately. Adam and Eve’s began to decay and eventually wear out, though they lived over 900 years and had many sons and daughters.
Adam and Eve and their descendants became slaves to sin and satan. Mankind, created to live forever would now face death and judgment. Sin had entered the world and all the men and women who ever lived would have to face eternal punishment in hell.
Though God loves His creation, He hates sin and must punish sin. It’s hard for some people to understand that because our world is so mixed-up. Evil is called good and good is called evil. There will come a day when God destroys all evil and creates a new heaven and a new earth.
Every person who ever lives deserves the wrath of God because we have all sinned and fall short of the glory of God.
Operation Rescue
The Lord has declared us guilty because of our sin. Yet, He also made a plan to rescue us sin and slavery to satan. Operation Rescue would require Jesus to come to earth in human flesh and give His life as the ransom price.
Jesus!
God the Son became a tiny helpless baby, born to a virgin named Mary. He grew up like any child, tempted in every way we are, yet without sin. He honored His parents (Mary and His adopted Father Joseph), worked hard as a carpenter, learned Scripture, and lived a life of integrity.
At the age of 30, Jesus began His ministry, calling an assortment of men and women to travel with Him for 3 years sharing the Good News about the Kingdom of God throughout Israel. He urged people to repent and follow God, healed the sick, drove out demons, and performed all kinds of miracles. He trained His disciples to turn the world upside down.
Eventually Jesus was arrested, tried, and executed based on lies and false accusations. When Jesus was on the cross, all the anger and wrath of God was poured out on Him. He took the punishment we deserve, paying the price for our sins.
Jesus was buried and on the third day, He rose again!!!!!!!!!!! He conquered death and triumphed over sin. Jesus paid our ransom! We are now free to received His rescue from satan, sin, and hell.
What Does That Mean for You and Me?
When we commit our lives to Jesus and ask Him to live in us, we are covered by His mercy and His blood washes our sins away. God rescues us from the kingdom of darkness and brings us into the Kingdom of Light, His Eternal Kingdom that lasts forever.
If we surrender our lives to Christ, we become citizens of Heaven. Our sins are washed away! We are filled with His Spirit! We are new creations, made in the likeness of Jesus! We get to live with Him forever.
We are rescued from God’s wrath when we belong to Christ. And we escape God’s Judgment.
Are you facing trials and troubles that frighten you? Are you outside of God’s Kingdom facing God’s judgment? Don’t stay and ride out the storm. Let the rescue from sin. Commit your life to Jesus and experience His mercy and grace.
How Can You Be Rescued?
Do you want to let Jesus rescue you and become a Christian?
It’s simple: repent and believe.
To repent means to sorrow over and turn away from all your sins.
To believe means to trust in Christ’s finished work on the cross and commit yourself to Him.
How to Grow Up in Your Faith
When you become a Christian, you become a son or daughter of a Perfect Father and part of a Forever Family, the Lord’s Church.
Once you are a believer in Jesus, or a Christian, get to know the One who saved you. Read your Bible and pray. Plug into your local church and get to know other Christians. Receiving teaching and training at your local church through sermons, Bible studies, and mentoring. Share the Good News with others and tell everyone you know how Jesus saved you!
