A Matter of Life and Death…Yours!
Created for eternal life…man chose death. Despite the death penalty from sin that past from father Adam to you and me, God demonstrated His love by sending Jesus to make a way out of certain eternal death into everlasting relationship with God our Father. Here is a brief summary discussion of what that looked like when He came. The Good News is it still applies today for all who believe and receive Him!
Mission – Redemption (buying back by paying the requisite price)
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- Why it was necessary? Genesis 3. God redeemed Adam and Eve (v 21)
- Foretold to Joseph by angel – Matthew 1: 20-21
- Confirmed by John the Baptist – “John saw Jesus coming and said, “Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!” John 1: 29
- Jesus’ words – “For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.” Luke 19: 10
Message – Repentance from our sins – Matthew, Mark, and Luke all have this message recorded.
“When Jesus heard it, He said to them…I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance.” Mark 2: 17
- God loves us and made a way that leads to eternal life and Heaven. John 3: 16
- Jesus is the only way. Jesus said to (Thomas), “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me.” John 14: 6
- Hell is real and also eternal. Jesus talked more about Hell than Heaven. One commentator wrote, “There’s no denying that Jesus knew, believed, and warned against the absolute reality of Hell.
- He said it is a place of eternal torment Luke 16:23
- of unquenchable fire where the worm does not die. Mark 9: 43 – 48
- where people will gnash their teeth in anguish and regret. 13:42
- and from which there is no return, even to warn loved ones. Luke 16:19–31
- He calls hell a place of “outer darkness” 25:30
- comparing it to “Gehenna”, which was a trash dump outside the walls of Jerusalem where rubbish was burned and maggots abounded. 10:28
Means – Crucifixion – the Justice (payment) – perfect blood sacrifice – required by God so that man could be redeemed – reconciled. The crucifixion is recorded in all four New Testament Gospels. (Mathew 27: 1-54, Mark 15:1-40, Luke 23: 1-48, John 19:1-30)
- Resurrection = victory over death that we may have eternal life. The resurrection of Christ is the only reason we have salvation and hope. The Apostle Paul said.
“For if the dead are not raised, not even Christ has been raised. And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile and you are still in your sins. Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished. If in Christ we have hope in this life only, we are of all people most to be pitied.” 1 Corinthians 15: 16-19
So if all of this is a bunch of lies or fabricated by deluded men, including Jesus, then you can ignore it and get on with your life having no idea what happens when you die.
But if this is the truth from the mouth of God (His Word) as we know it to be, and now you know the truth and are without excuse, it begs this question.
What are you going to do with this life and death information?
Two choices:
- Ignore it and go on. You will die in your sins and spend eternity in Hell.
- Do as the Apostle Peter said, First repent and be saved and get baptized.
“Now when they heard this they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, “Brothers, what shall we do?” And Peter said to them, “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the promise is for you and for your children and for all who are far off, everyone whom the Lord our God calls to himself.” And with many other words he bore witness and continued to exhort them, saying, “Save yourselves from this crooked generation.” So those who received his word were baptized” Acts 2: 37 – 41a
For Christ’s sake,
