The Gospel or "The Good News" is something every christian is excited to share or at least should be excited to share. It's so simple, yet it's one of the hardest things to explain. This technical document is an attempt to break down the Gospel into it's simplest form and make the technical things a little easier to digest.
John 3:16 = For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son,
that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.
Yep! that's it. The entire bible boiled down to it's essence, the good news.
- The Bad News
- Where going to perish.
- The Good News
- Jesus can save us.
In part one of this document we will break down the bad news. You can not fully appreciate the good without knowing the bad. Maybe your life is awesome and pain free, you may not believe that you need to be saved or that you will perish.
In part two we will explain the good news. The truth is we all need to be saved. If not from the evil of the world, than maybe from ourselves.
Jeremiah 17:9 = The heart is deceitful above all things
and beyond cure.
Who can understand it?
Here we go!
Let's start from the beginning.
Genesis Chapter 1:1 = In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.
- Day 1: Light & Darkness / Day & Night
- Day 2: The Sky
- Day 3: Land & Plants
- Day 4: Sun, Moon, Planets & Stars
- Day 5: Sea Creatures & Winged Creatures
- Day 6: Humans & Land Creatures
- Day 7: God rested
Everything was perfect in the beginning. No evil. No Death. Just life. God put mankind in charge of everything of earth and gave him freedom. There was only one rule...
Genesis 2:16 = And the Lord God commanded the man,
“You are free to eat from any tree in the garden;
but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil,
for when you eat from it you will certainly die.”
Adam and Eve broke this rule when they were deceived by the serpent, satan. Sin "separation of man and God", labor and birth pains, death and evil entered the world. From this point on every human being needs a savior from our sins, evil, pain, and death.
Genesis 6:11 = Now the earth was corrupt in God’s sight and was full of violence.
God saw how corrupt the earth had become,
for all the people on earth had corrupted their ways.
So God said to Noah, “I am going to put an end to all people,
for the earth is filled with violence because of them.
I am surely going to destroy both them and the earth.
God makes up his mind to hit the reset button on the earth by flooding the entire earth for 40 days and 40 nights. Only Noah, his family and two of every kind of creature male and female were spared on a large boat. Why Noah?
Genesis 6:8-9 = But Noah found favor in the eyes of the Lord...
Noah was a righteous man, blameless among the people of his time, and he walked faithfully with God.
An important note here... The redemption of man kind came only by blood of those who died in the flood. There is always a price to pay for the removal of sin. This is God's first attempt to make it right, but the rebelliousness of humans to disobey God prevails.
Fast forward a bit and we find a the human race split between two kinds of people.
God once again steps in to save the people that love him using his might and glory. After 400 years of affliction, God appoints Moses to lead his people to a land they can call home. Only one problem. Pharaoh "The powerful King of Egypt" doesn't want to loose his slave labor and refuses to let them leave. God inflicted them with ten plagues.
Exodus 6:10-11 = Then the Lord said to Moses,
“Go, tell Pharaoh king of Egypt to let the Israelites go out of his country.”
- Water turned to blood
- Frogs
- Gnats
- Flies
- Death of all the livestock
- Boils
- Hail Storm
- Locust
- Three days of darkness
- Death of the firstborn son
After the tenth plague, Pharaoh did let the Hebrews leave. The redemptive 10th plague once again required a sacrifice or a price. For the egyptians it was the blood of their first born son. For the Hebrews it was the blood of a young male lamb without blemish. Make a mental note here, because this comes back into play later on in the second part. This day is celebrated to this day by Jews and Christians alike in remembrance of the deliverance and saving grace of God's mighty hand.
Christmas is know for gift giving, santa clause and pine trees. But lets not forget the reason for the season, the birth of Jesus Christ.
Luk 2:10-14 = But the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people.
Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord.
This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger."
Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying,
Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests.
This is the start of the good news! The prophesy of old said that a Savior would come. God sent his son to the earth to be King and make things right. The events and circumstances surrounding confirmed the prophecy.
- Born of virgin mother / First Born
- Star of Bethlehem
- King Herod orders the killing of all baby boys
- Born of line of Jesse
- The name Jesus literarily means God Saves or "God wth us"
- Came from the line of King David
- Born in Bethlehem
- The shepard's and kings from a far came to worship baby Jesus
Jesus had not become King of the land, but he did teach the people, prophesy about the future, heal the sick and perform many miracles. All his radical teaching and amazing miracles got him labeled as a "heretic". That is some who thinks they are God, therefore opposing God. A price was put on his head by the religious leaders of the time, because Jesus was disturbing the peace and disturbing the status quote.
Luke 22:14-20 = When the hour came, Jesus and his apostles reclined at the table.
And he said to them, "I have eagerly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer.
For I tell you, I will not eat it again until it finds fulfillment in the kingdom of God."
After taking the cup, he gave thanks and said, "Take this and divide it among you.
For I tell you I will not drink again of the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes."
And he took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, "This is my body given for you; do this in remembrance of me."
In the same way, after the supper he took the cup, saying, "This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you.
Does this sound familiar? Jesus was observing the passover holiday with his students. He basically tells them that he is the lamb that will be slaughter or the first born that will be sacrificed. Once again there is a price to be paid for our salvation.
Luk 23:33-56 = When they came to the place called the Skull, there they crucified him, along with the criminals--one on his right, the other on his left.
Jesus said, "Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing." And they divided up his clothes by casting lots.
The people stood watching, and the rulers even sneered at him. They said, "He saved others; let him save himself if he is the Christ of God, the Chosen One." ....
There was a written notice above him, which read: THIS IS THE KING OF THE JEWS.
One of the criminals who hung there hurled insults at him: "Aren't you the Christ? Save yourself and us!"
But the other criminal rebuked him. "Don't you fear God," he said, "since you are under the same sentence?
We are punished justly, for we are getting what our deeds deserve. But this man has done nothing wrong."
Then he said, "Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom. "
Jesus answered him, "I tell you the truth, today you will be with me in paradise." .....
Jesus called out with a loud voice, "Father, into your hands I commit my spirit." When he had said this, he breathed his last. .....
Now there was a man named Joseph, a member of the Council, a good and upright man, ......
Going to Pilate, he asked for Jesus' body.
Then he took it down, wrapped it in linen cloth and placed it in a tomb cut in the rock, one in which no one had yet been laid.
This is bitter sweet. As we loose our Savior, but if he did not die we would not be Saved. Our sins, rebelliousness against God, and every act of breaking the Laws of God is wiped from our record, because Jesus paid the ultimate price. We don't have to do anything to receive the free gift of God: everlasting life, adoption into the family of God and access to the Kingdom of God. But wait it gets better!
Jesus didn't stay dead. After three days he rose from the dead. This was not some cheap parlor trick as some might think.
- His death was confirmed when he was pierced in the side. Blood and water poured out, not blood alone.
- Broke free from a tomb that was sealed with a large stone and protected by many Roman soldiers.
- Over five hundred witnesses seen Jesus alive, not just his family and his friends
Luke 24:1-12 = On the first day of the week, very early in the morning, the women took the spices they had prepared and went to the tomb.
They found the stone rolled away from the tomb,
but when they entered, they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus.
While they were wondering about this, suddenly two men in clothes that gleamed like lightning stood beside them.
In their fright the women bowed down with their faces to the ground, but the men said to them, "Why do you look for the living among the dead?
He is not here; he has risen! Remember how he told you, while he was still with you in Galilee:
' The Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, be crucified and on the third day be raised again.' "
Then they remembered his words.
When they came back from the tomb, they told all these things to the Eleven and to all the others.
It was Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James, and the others with them who told this to the apostles.
But they did not believe the women, because their words seemed to them like nonsense.
Peter, however, got up and ran to the tomb. Bending over, he saw the strips of linen lying by themselves, and he went away, wondering to himself what had happened.
After Jesus had made his resurrection known to the masses, blessing those who believed and instructed his students, he was taken up into to Heaven. This means that the power of Jesus is so strong that not even death has a stronghold. And we worship the God of the living not the dead.
Luk 24:51 While he was blessing them, he left them and was taken up into heaven.
Then they worshiped him and returned to Jerusalem with great joy.
And they stayed continually at the temple, praising God.
And the rest was history. Before Jesus left he established his church, a community of people who believed that Jesus was their personal Savior. Jesus taught Love and taught people to obey God.
Luke 10:27-28 = He answered: " 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind' ; and, 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' "
You have answered correctly, Jesus replied. "Do this and you will live."
Joh 15:9-17 = As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love.
If you obey my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have obeyed my Father's commands and remain in his love.
I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete.
My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you.
Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends.
You are my friends if you do what I command.
I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master's business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you.
You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit--fruit that will last. Then the Father will give you whatever you ask in my name.
This is my command: Love each other.
Matthew 28:19-20 = Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,
and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age."
The church was established when the Holy Spirit came after Jesus left. Jesus didn't leave us to fend for ourselves, but sent a helper. This is Spirit of God which lives inside those who believe. This is a supernatural power that helps those to who believe to love unconditionally, communicate with God, understand spiritual lessons and preform miracles for God's glory. The Spirit is know by its fruit: love, joy, peace, patiences, kindness, gentleness, forgiveness.
Over the last couple thousand years the church has prevailed to this day. Although not every church believes the same things about the Bible and how to interpret it. Almost every church subscribes to the core teachings of Jesus and believe in the same "Gospel" good message of Jesus saving the world.
The last book in the Bible "Revelation" talk about the return of the King, that is Jesus. This is a time when world ends as we know it and God establishes a new earth and new heaven.
Revelation 21:1 = Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea.
Although God promised never to flood the earth, there will be a day of Judgement where every person is judged individually based on the actions of their life.
Revelation 22:12 = Behold, I am coming soon! My reward is with me, and I will give to everyone according to what he has done.
- Are you ready to receive the free gift of God?
- Are you ready become a son or daughter of the most high God?
- Are you ready to repent of your wrong doing?
- Are you ready to be transformed by the renewing of your mind?
- Are you ready to experience love, joy, peace and forgiveness that is out of this world?
If the answer is yes...
- Call on the name of the Lord.
God never turns his back on us. He is always there waiting for us to come back to him.
- Confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord.
You must submit to God. Your not running the show any more. God's calling the shots. God knows what's best for you, Just trust him.
- Believe in your heart that God raised Jesus from the dead.
It take faith to believe in Jesus. You can't fake this part.
- Repent and ask for forgiveness of your sins.
Let Jesus wipe your slate clean and pursue a life style of righteous. Turn away from your wicked ways.
Romans 10:9 = That if you confess with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.
For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved.
As the Scripture says, "Anyone who trusts in him will never be put to shame."
For there is no difference between Jew and Gentile--the same Lord is Lord of all and richly blesses all who call on him,
for, "Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved."
Once you have cried out to God, believe in your heart that Jesus saved you, and repented of your sins, you are save and their is rejoicing in Heaven.
Luke 15:7 = I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent.
From here you can start your new life with a personal relationship with God. Find a church and get plugged into a community that can help you grow in your faith.