What is the Gospel?

We live in a very broken world. Sickness, death, depression, fear, murder, war, cancer, abandonment, pain, suffering, stress and anxiety are commonplace in our world. Whenever I check the news, there is rarely a story emitting positive, life-giving news about how our world is flourishing. The headlines are constantly reporting death, destruction, crime and overall hopelessness.

The truth is that we are deserving of this pain, suffering and death.

For the wages of sin is death. (Romans 6:23)

We are all sinners. God is righteous, and his judgment against the unrighteous is death and eternal punishment.

But as for the cowardly, the faithless, the detestable, as for the murderers, the sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars, their portion will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur. (Revelation 21:8)

All of us are deserving of this fate. All of us are unrighteous.

No one is righteous, no not one. (Romans 3:10)

The reality of our estate in this life is so hopeless that many people seek to escape reality itself. Drugs, alcohol and movies are frequently used ways to try to and escape the gloom of reality. When on drugs, for a brief period of time an individual experiences a euphoric high where their world is transformed from one of hopelessness and gloom to one of pleasure and ecstasy. Alcohol has a similar effect as it temporarily numbs the pain and dreariness of life. Movies allow an individual to immerse themselves in a different reality for a short while as they are submerged in the storyline of whatever movie they are watching. Movies about people whose lives are filled with meaning and purpose somehow ignites a fire in our own souls as we live vicariously through the movie characters. Imagining what life would be like if we were Steve Rogers (Captain America), Tony Stark (Ironman) or Tom Cruise (Top Gun). All these outlets work for a fleeting moment of time; once the high is gone, the reality of our broken world once again looms like a dark storm overhead. You can pretend its not there, but sooner or later the rains going to hit you.

Everything described thus far is really, really bad news.

Thankfully, we have the gospel. The word gospel literally means good news.

The good news is that we have not been abandoned to a future of eternal punishment where we will burn in a lake of fire. The good news is that we have a loving God, who in an act of pure, selfless love decided to send us a beacon of hope.

For God so loved the world, that He sent His only son, that whosoever should believe in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life. (John 3:16)

God the Father decided to send His son Jesus to earth. Jesus lived a perfect life. Jesus was the only perfectly righteous man to tread upon the dust of this planet. Jesus chose to be crucified on a cross to save you and me. He then rose three days later, conquering sin and death and paving a way home to God the Father for every lost and broken child. The magnitude of this sacrifice is actually impossible to comprehend. Through Jesus death, every sin that was ever committed has been paid for in full.

For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 6:23)

We don’t need to go through life without hope. We have a living hope, and His name is Jesus. He is alive and He has the power to forgive all of your sin and give you an eternal home with Him and our Father in heaven.

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to His great mercy, He has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. (1 Peter 1:3)

God loves you. God chose to die for you. God wants you to come home to be with Him forever. This is the greatest news you will ever hear.

Jesus has His arms wide open inviting you to receive his grace and mercy. The book of Revelation ends with a beautiful invitation.

The spirit and the Bride say, “Come.” And let the one who hears say, “Come.” And let the one who is thirsty come; let the one who desires take the water of life without price. (Revelation 22:17)

If the world has left you dry. If this world has left you broken with pain, depression, anxiety, fear or hopelessness. Then I have some great news for you. Jesus has an offer. He’s offering you eternal life with Him. He’s offering hope. He wants to come into your life to help you. All you need to do is say YES. Invite Jesus into your life. I was once the one who was thirsty. I was parched internally, trying to fill a gaping hole inside of me with drugs, porn, parties and everything else the world said would satisfy. Nothing was working. In desperation I cried out for Jesus. Jesus changed my life; he can change yours.

Love is calling.