This weekend we will celebrate the most horrific and most glorious moments in the history of man. In light of this, I thought it was appropriate to share the Gospel with you.
From the beginning of time mankind has been sinning (disobeying God). We have rebelled against God and decided that our way was best. We have looked God in the face and told him that we do not want to be under his authority. God, who is a holy God, is infinitely displeased with this decision and therefore has deemed that He will pour out His holy wrath upon mankind. But in doing so, He would annihilate us. Therefore, in His mercy and grace, He decides to give us the law and a sacrificial system that will appease his wrath for the time being. We tried to keep the law, but failed at it over and over again. Yet God was patient with us. He sends prophet after prophet to warn us to repent and turn to the only true God. Sometimes we repent, most of the time we do not. So after 1,500 years God says enough. He says He is going to send a Messiah that will save us from our sins once and for all. No longer will we have to keep the law, because it will be written upon our hearts. Some 2,016 years ago God sends His very own son to this earth, in the form of a human baby boy. His name is Jesus. This baby grows up to become a man and around the age of 30 he begins the most remarkable ministry any generation has ever seen or ever will. He heals the blind, deaf, mute, lame, demon possessed, and sick. He raises the dead back to life. He teaches like no one else. He performs impossible miracles like walking on water and feeding 20,000 people with one lunch. Yet all of this was not his ultimate purpose for coming. Jesus, God’s only Son, came to die. He came to be crucified upon a cross at the hands of evil men, men like you and me. 1,982 years ago mankind killed God incarnate. But this was not the end of the story. Three days later he rose from the dead. Jesus’ dying on the cross took the punishment for sin. In one act he swallowed up all of God’s wrath towards mankind for all time. He took our punishment and our place. Rising from the dead, He secured eternal life for all those who will believe in Him. He now sits in heaven at the right hand of God. He rules and reigns over the entire earth and he beckons you and me to join Him in His global purpose to save mankind. There is nothing we need to do; no amount of works will save us. Jesus simply calls us to believe Him, trust in Him, and surrender to His authority over our lives. Those who do this will spend eternity in heaven when they die. Those who do not will spend eternity in hell when they die. There are no second chances after we die. Jesus calls us now to repent (turn away) from our life of sin and turn to Him. This life is our one and only chance. I pray that the words of this Gospel are hope and joy for you as they are for me.