Good Friday

Today is Good Friday, the day we remember Jesus' sacrifice on the cross for our sins. I thought it would be a good time to review the gospel. Some of you have heard this message thousands of times. Or maybe there are some of you who are not really sure what the gospel is or what it means to be a Christian. No matter which category you'd say you're in, or if you're somewhere in between, this message is for you. We are all sinners in need of a Savior and we never outgrow our need for the saving message of the gospel. So I thought I'd review just what the gospel is and what it means.

1. God is holy. He is perfect and completely righteous.
2. We are sinful. We can't live up to God's perfectly holy standard. We make mistakes and we fail.
3. We deserve God's wrath. Because God is holy, He must punish sin. Our rightful due is eternal punishment for our sins.
4. But God loved us. Even though we were far from Him and deserve His wrath, in His amazing mercy, He saw us in that state and provided a rescue.
5. Jesus came to save us. Jesus Christ is the Son of God, fully God and fully man. He came to earth and lived a perfectly life that completely kept God's standards. Then He died for us. On the cross, He bore all the wrath that we deserved. He took our punishment when He didn't deserve any punishment.
6. We must believe. If we believe that we are sinners in need of a Savior, and if we are willing to confess that Jesus is Lord and that He died on the cross for our sins, we can be saved.
7. God offers eternal life. If we believe the gospel, we can enjoy not only the most amazing joy possible here on earth, but eternity in Heaven instead of the punishment in Hell that we deserved.
8. This is the only way. I can speak from experience: nothing but Jesus gives true life or satisfaction. It was only when I turned to Him that I experienced true hope and peace. And what's more, there is no other way to salvation. Jesus Christ alone provides our salvation and hope.

This is a day when we get to remember all of this. But the good news is that Jesus didn't stay dead and in His tomb. That's what Easter is all about!

Jesus is alive!

We remember Jesus' death on Good Friday, but His death is not the end of the story. Three days later, he rose from the dead, and His resurrection is a symbol that His sacrifice was acceptable to God. Because Jesus is alive, we can be sure we have hope.

I hope this encourages you today, and I hope that you take the time to consider this message, whether it be for the millionth time or the first time. Whether you've been a Christian for decades or you're just recently starting to think about the gospel, the main point is the same: Jesus is the only way and He deserves all of our lives.