The Gospel: The Good News of Jesus

God created this world perfectly, making human beings in His image and giving them the free will to choose whether to be in relationship with Him as their King, their ultimate authority, their loving Father and friend. The Spirit of God Himself was and is the source of life; the beginning, the reason we have breath, the author of the living. He was and is Love, and desired to express that love to His creation. Unfortunately, the first man and woman whom God created chose to forsake His love, opting instead to make themselves their ultimate authority. In doing so, they became cut off from their Creator, from their source. They chose not to acknowledge Him as God, and so God gave them up, not forcing them to be in relationship with Him. Thus they became cut off from the source of life, from Love itself.

Every person born since that day, has been born into that desperate need of love, into sin, into imperfection. Thus, being cut off from love, mankind took on the nature of everything love is not--becoming self-centered, self-seeking and self-serving. From the time any of us can remember, we were in need of being known, in need of identity, in need of a kind word, in need of love. And for those of us who did not receive it from those around us? Even those of us who did receive it, all of us have become something God never created us to be. Some of us become broken and down, others aggressive fighters; yet from our youth, we act from a heart that is rooted in self. We are constantly looking for purpose and fulfillment, attempting to find it through things which can never fulfill us. We seek after the things of this world though we were not created for this world.

God didn't make us that way. He made us in His image.

Yet He never lost sight of how He did make us. And so, having loved the world since its foundation as its author and its Creator, He sent His Son, the Person of Jesus Christ who lived, in its fullness, the image of God. In other words, He lived the life we were created for. He lived a life in relationship with His Father, and in Him one cannot find a single ounce of self-serving or self-centeredness. Many people wonder how a loving God could allow the sufferings of this world--and their answer is this: "For this is how God loved the world: He sent His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have everlasting life" (John 3:16).

Jesus lived perfectly, sinlessly, lovingly. And to restore us back to relationship with our Father, He went to a Roman cross, being nailed to it and crucified, his appearance being marred "more than any of the other sons of men" (Isaiah 52:14-15). Jesus went willingly to the cross, losing His image that we might adopt it again, by taking our sin away. This is the purpose of the cross, as testified to by the prophets and the scriptures. God became a Man to pay the price that only man could pay. Having been prophesied of in the centuries and generations beforehand, Jesus was found here on Earth, and His cross was meant always to redeem all people that they might be able to be restored back to right relationship with God.

And, having died on that cross--for "the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Jesus Christ" (Romans 6:23), the power of death could not hold sway over Him who was and remains the source of life. Life is greater than death. So God raised His Son from the dead, of which many people were eyewitnesses, to bring Him back to the Father, that He might plead that we who believe on His cross are "holy, blameless, and above reproach in His sight" (Colossians 1:22). In the eyes of God, we are perfect, allowing us to go to Him boldly, that we might be "renewed in knowledge according to the image of Him who created us" (Colossians 3:10-11).

And finally, after Jesus rose from the dead, He proclaimed to His disciples that "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. And behold, I am with you always, even to the end of the age" (Matthew 28:19-20). Remember how the authority of God was forgotten when man and woman sinned? His authority is now evident once more, and that through His resurrection--for He has the power even over death itself.

Perhaps you've heard this story before--but what exactly is the image of God? Growing up, I could never seem to find an answer which was not confusing--many Christians told me that the image of God meant the ability to reason or to utilize our rationale; others told me it was our expression of creativity, our natural desire to be in community or relationships, etc. All of these indeed have the appearance of wisdom, and perhaps even some actual wisdom in and of themselves; but when one studies scripture and looks to Jesus, the answer becomes unmistakably clear. What is the image of God?

Love.

It truly is that simple. If you study the life of Jesus, it is hard to imagine Him after a long day's work arguing with His disciples over the last piece of bread or fish; it is hard to imagine Him angrily striking His followers or pushing them aside, or saying any harsh words to them. Why? Because He is Jesus?

Not so. Because He is Love. He is "the image of the invisible God" (Colossians)--the Person of God made manifest in the flesh. He became flesh (that is, a fancy way of saying He became a man), and lived with us. Scripture also says that He is the "radiance of the glory of God, and the exact imprint of His nature" (Hebrews 1).

If God gave us our lives, we can only find purpose and fulfillment for our lives through Him.

Jesus is that answer for us. Our constant search for purpose comes to a refreshing, restful close when we believe in Him. When we have faith in He who loves us and loved us; when we "look to Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising its shame," (Hebrews 12:2), we find rest, peace, hope. And we can finally live our purpose: to love.

And why is it so difficult to believe? Is it not this: that our sinful thoughts keep us from thinking that God could be so loving? Is it not that we rely on what we have seen as our evidence for God? Jesus was seen as well! Jesus was made flesh! And shall we now live as though He simply never existed, or as though this faith is some kind of fairytale, perhaps a story made up that we may feel better about ourselves?

Not so. This gospel is the "power of God to salvation for all those who believe" (Romans 1). And for those who would choose to follow Jesus, He commands one thing:

"If anyone would come after me, let him first deny himself" (Matthew 16:24-25).

Why?

Because the biggest problem on the planet is that man and woman live for themselves, and not the image of God, which is Love. For "God is love. In this the love of God was manifested toward us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through Him" (1 John 1:8-9). And "love does not seek its own" (1 Corinthians 13).

This is the gospel. The purpose of Christ's life, death and resurrection and return to Heaven is so that the people whom God has created might become Love, glorifying God and understanding Him that they might worship Him.

"And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come" (Matthew 24:14).

May you know, friend, the Love of God as made manifest in the Person and life of Jesus Christ, who indeed did die for you, requiring nothing of you but faith, that you might be able to live your purpose and be fulfilled through His grace as he calls you further and further into love. Amen.