The Gospel
Dear visitor:
Do you know what a stalker is?
A stalker relentlessly follows your every move. A stalker seeks to get close to you, watch you, and stay with you through everything you do. Every day, the stalker gets a little closer. We all have a stalker. However, this stalker is not a person, an ex, or a criminal.
The stalker that follows all of us is death.
We all have an unavoidable appointment with our stalker. According to the Book of Hebrews 9:27, the writer says, “And just as it is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgment.” We all will face this appointment to stand before a Holy, just, and righteous God to be judged.
How will you be judged? Do you believe you are good enough to make it into eternal life? Let’s see if you can answer yes to the following:
1) Have you ever used God’s name as a cuss word? Or flippantly said OMG?
2) On a Sunday morning, what comes first? A football game or church?
3) Have you ever looked at a person (not your spouse) and had a lustful thought? Exodus 20:14 says, “You shall not commit adultery.” But Jesus said this in Matthew 5:27 & 28 “You have heard that it was said, You shall not commit adultery.’ 28 But I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lustful intent has already committed adultery with her in his heart.”
4) Have you EVER told a lie?
5) Have you EVER stolen anything (regardless of value)?
If you answer yes to any of these questions, then you are guilty of breaking God’s Law! The Apostle Paul wrote this to the Romans: “For all have fallen short of the Glory of God.” We all have sinned (broken God’s Law) and face judgment from a Holy, just, and righteous God. Romans 6:23: “For the wages of sin are death.” Which means we must pay for our lawbreaking.
Here's the problem, though: NOTHING we can do will be able to erase our sins. There is no amount of “good deeds” we can do to pay for our lawbreaking!
God loves us!
God did something to wash away the stain of our sin. He made a payment for our lawbreaking on our behalf. The very next verse in Hebrews chapter 9 gives us hope! Hebrews 9:28 says, “Christ, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time, not to deal with sin but to save those who are eagerly waiting for him.”
Most people know John 3:16, “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.” Not many people know the whole paragraph: “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. 17 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. 18 Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God. 19 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. 20 For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his works should be exposed. 21 But whoever does what is true comes to the light, so that it may be clearly seen that his works have been carried out in God.”
God sent His only Son into the world to redeem all of us! His sacrifice on the cross was made to, once and for all time, redeem a lost and dying world. Here’s the best part: you don’t have to do any work. There are no good deeds that gain your admittance to heaven! It was all done for you. In Romans 10:13, Paul wrote, “For anyone who calls on the name of Christ will be saved!”
In the Gospel of Luke, two criminals were also nailed to crosses on either side of Jesus. One cursed Him, but the other confessed his sin and put his trust in Jesus for his salvation. In Luke 23:42 & 43, the criminal said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.” Jesus’ reply gives all of us sinners hope; Jesus said to the criminal, “Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in paradise.”
If you have any questions about your salvation, don’t wait to call or email us! Lou and I would love to talk with you. If you need prayer, tell us!
In His Service,
Rick
917-319-9060
