What is the Good News?
Everyone who calls upon the name of Jesus will be saved! The simple truth about the God of the Bible is that he loves you. As long as there is breath in your lungs God is trying to reach you. Jesus stands at the door of your heart and knocks. He is asking if he can come in and make all things new.
Q. Have you ever considered that Jesus is God? (Discuss)
The simple truth about humanity is that we are broken. We have sinned against a good God and abused people made in his image. This rejection of God and abuse of his good creation is called sin. According to the Bible the wages of sin is death. God’s righteous judgment is against those who sin. But God's love for the people he created has never wavered.
(John 3:16-17 ) For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.
Jesus is amazing. He went around doing good deeds and calling people to leave their normal life to follow him. He healed the sick, cast out demons and taught about God’s Kingdom. Jesus was then arrested and sentenced to death on a cross. Although he was God in the flesh, Jesus willingly suffered and shed his blood for you. He took your sin and the judgment for your sin upon his shoulders. He was perfect, sinless, and wrongfully condemned. On the cross he proclaimed, “Father forgive them, they know not what they do!” Three days later Jesus rose from the dead just as he promised. When he rose, he brought forgiveness and resurrection life to share with those who believe in him.
When a person humbles themselves before Jesus and cries out for forgiveness, Jesus forgives them fully! Jesus then leads them into a whole new life.
Called to a New Life.
Jesus doesn’t just call us to believe in him, he calls us into a new life. He calls us from darkness into his light. The greatest sin is idol worship. This is putting something above Jesus who is God. This could be the worship of another god/religion or the worship of self, wealth, sinful-pleasure, atheism, witchcraft, paganism or any other ideology that stands against the knowledge of Jesus revealed in the Bible.
A core part of following Jesus is repenting of sin. Repentance means to turn away from sin and idolatry to follow Jesus unashamedly. Repentance is possible because forgiveness was bought and paid for by Jesus’ blood on the cross. Repentance is not a one-time thing; it is a lifestyle that Christians practice.
(2 Corinthians 7:10) For godly grief produces a repentance that leads to salvation without regret, whereas worldly grief produces death.
Repentance isn’t complicated, but it can be painful as we acknowledge the evil we have done, ask for forgiveness, and commit to living differently God’s way. Sin is an enemy of your soul treat it like an enemy.
(1 John 1:9) If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
(Ephesians 4:25-32) Therefore, having put away falsehood, let each one of you speak the truth with his neighbor, for we are members one of another. Be angry and do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger, and give no opportunity to the devil. Let the thief no longer steal, but rather let him labor, doing honest work with his own hands, so that he may have something to share with anyone in need. Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear. And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.
Q. What would you need to repent of in your life in order to follow Jesus with your whole heart? Do you want to repent right now and recieve forgivness in Jesus name? (Discuss)
Saved by Grace through Faith in Jesus.
Q. Do you believe that JEsus is God? Do you believe that he died for the sins of the world and rose again? IF not, what questions or hesitations do you have? (Discuss).
(Romans 10:9-10) because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved.
(Ephesians 2:8-10) For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.
Everyone who calls on the name of Jesus will be saved! If you truly believe Jesus is the risen savior and you want to invite him to be Lord of your life simply thank him for saving you and confess his Lordship over your life.
Here is a prayer you could pray:
“Jesus, thank you for saving me. I believe you died for my sins and rose from the grave. You are my God. Fill me with your Holy Spirit. Lead me to walk in your ways and teach me to be your disciple. Amen.
(2 Corinthians 5:17) Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.
Encouragement as you begin following Jesus.
Your new life with Jesus has begun! Continue to thank Jesus for salvation. Start reading the Bible and learn to pray regularly. Find a church that teaches from the Bible. Ask a Christian you respect to disciple you. If you stumble or fall into sin simply confess it to Jesus in prayer and ask for forgiveness. Practice repentance. Ask about baptism. Begin sharing your faith with others around you. Even as a new believer you can lead others to know Jesus.
To hear more about the Good News of Jesus Christ keep reading.
+ The Promise of the Gospel
Two thousand years ago, the eternal God humbled himself and sent his Son. Jesus the Son of God was born into humanity. Jesus is fully God and fully man. He lived a perfect life in relationship with God. He never sinned and never abuses another. Jesus came to save humanity from the wickedness of their hearts and restore all who believe in him into the right relationship with God.
By the power of the Holy Spirit Jesus healed the sick, cast out demons, and taught about God’s Kingdom. He called people to follow and believe in him. Those who followed him were called disciples and later Christians. Jesus told a man who came asking questions during the night, “You must be born again to see the kingdom of God.” and “For God so loved the world, he gave his one and only son that whoever believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.” For three years Jesus preached this Good News and called people to follow him. Today he is calling you!
+ The Problem of Sin
There has been a problem with every person from the beginning. Our love and relationship with God is broken. Our hearts have become selfish and deceitful. We can see this in our inability to follow God’s law. We also see this when we fall short of the standards we set for ourselves. We hate when others lie, steal, and abuse others, but quickly experience the brokenness of our own selfish choices. If we open our eyes it is easy to see the destruction and abuse that comes from selfishness and sin throughout the world.
The Bible says this about the human condition apart from Jesus:
(Ephesians 2:1-3 NLT) Once you were dead because of your disobedience and your many sins. You used to live in sin, just like the rest of the world, obeying the devil—the commander of the powers in the unseen world. He is the spirit at work in the hearts of those who refuse to obey God. All of us used to live that way, following the passionate desires and inclinations of our sinful nature. By our very nature we were subject to God’s anger, just like everyone else.
The hard truth about humanity is that we have all sinned against a Holy God and abused people made in his image. Like any good judge, God sees clearly the weight of our sin and declares us guilty and condemned. We are destined to the same punishment as the devil who is guilty of the same charges. “And this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil." (John 3:18)
(Revelation 20:11-15) And I saw a great white throne and the one sitting on it. The earth and sky fled from his presence, but they found no place to hide. I saw the dead, both great and small, standing before God’s throne. And the books were opened, including the Book of Life. And the dead were judged according to what they had done, as recorded in the books. The sea gave up its dead, and death and the grave gave up their dead. And all were judged according to their deeds. Then death and the grave were thrown into the lake of fire. This lake of fire is the second death. And anyone whose name was not found recorded in the Book of Life was thrown into the lake of fire.
The penalty for sin is eternal separation from God and judgment with the devil in the lake of fire (also known as hell).
There is still Good News! God’s love for you has never changed. The Bible is the history of God never giving up on people despite their brokenness. He is always providing a way back into relationship with himself for those willing to receive it. As long as there's breath in your lungs, God is extending forgiveness to you through Jesus. Everyone who calls on the name of Jesus will be saved! We call on Jesus through humbling ourselves in prayer. It can be as simple as this prayer, “Jesus, Son of God, save me.”
+ The Promise of Forgiveness
On a special occasion Jesus sat with his closest followers to share a meal. He broke bread and shared a cup of wine passing them around saying, “This is my body broken for you and my blood shed for you.” The next day Jesus was arrested. He was whipped and mocked. The Son of God was condemned wrongfully as a criminal. A mocking crown of thorns was put on his head. The crowds who had once listened to his teachings called for his death. Jesus was nailed to a cross and lifted up for all to see. On the cross Jesus said, “Father, forgive them for they know not what they do.” On the cross an innocent man died. A perfect man died. This was the reason God sent his Son. To willingly take on the death sentence that humanity collectively had earned because of sin. God’s wrath against sinful humanity was satisfied in the death of His Son. Jesus willingly laid his life down as payment for the sins of the world. His body was broken for us and his blood was shed.
When we call upon the name of Jesus we are forgiven of all past sins and welcomed into God’s kingdom. This forgiveness is available everyday through faith in the promise of forgiveness. The cross makes this possible.
(Colossians 1:13-14 NLT) “For he has rescued us from the kingdom of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his dear Son, who purchased our freedom and forgave our sins."
+ The Promise of Resurrection and Eternal Life
Forgiveness of sins is just the beginning of the Good News. Jesus the Son of God laid in a tomb and on the third day he rose from the dead! Death could not hold him. He is eternally God. He is the resurrection and the life.
(1 Corinthians 15:3-8) Paul, a disciple of Jesus wrote, “I passed on to you what was most important and what had also been passed on to me. Christ died for our sins, just as the Scriptures said. He was buried, and he was raised from the dead on the third day, just as the Scriptures said. He was seen by Peter and then by the Twelve. After that, he was seen by more than 500 of his followers at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have died. Then he was seen by James and later by all the apostles. Last of all, as though I had been born at the wrong time, I also saw him.
Because Jesus was raised from the dead, we too are promised resurrection life! An eternal home and an imperishable body awaits all who trust in Jesus.
(1 Corinthians 15:50-57) What I am saying, dear brothers and sisters, is that our physical bodies cannot inherit the Kingdom of God. These dying bodies cannot inherit what will last forever. But let me reveal to you a wonderful secret. We will not all die, but we will all be transformed! It will happen in a moment, in the blink of an eye, when the last trumpet is blown. For when the trumpet sounds, those who have died will be raised to live forever. And we who are living will also be transformed. For our dying bodies must be transformed into bodies that will never die; our mortal bodies must be transformed into immortal bodies. Then, when our dying bodies have been transformed into bodies that will never die, this Scripture will be fulfilled: “Death is swallowed up in victory. O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?”For sin is the sting that results in death, and the law gives sin its power. But thank God! He gives us victory over sin and death through our Lord Jesus Christ.
+ The Promise of Purpose
Jesus does not just forgive us and promise us eternal life. He also gives us a brand new life now. It is a life of light and love. A life of truth. It is a life full of purpose. This life is experienced more and more through fellowship with God in prayer and worship. It is experienced further by learning about God’s kingdom through reading the bible and by joining a family of faith within a local church.
The Church is a fellowship of Jesus followers who grow in God together, worship Jesus together and fulfill Gospel ministry. The church and its members are meant to be an extension of the Good News ministry of Jesus on the earth. This looks like helping the broken, hungry and needy. It looks like proclaiming hope and healing in Jesus' name. It means sharing the promises of God with others caught in darkness and encouraging them to call on Jesus to be saved.
Jesus also has a unique purpose for you! Every Christian has unique callings, giftings and purpose. You find these as you grow in relationship with God and God’s people.
(Ephesians 2:8-9) “For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is a gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.
Call out to Jesus and receive salvation. Find forgiveness. Enter into the new life God has for you. Pray this simple prayer, “Jesus, Son of God, save me.” Then find a church in order to grow in faith and find purpose in Jesus name.