God created the world. And he created humankind in a special way – to live with him and to reflect his character out into the world. We were made for something glorious. But the first people, Adam and Eve, failed to live up to this glorious calling. Instead, they rebelled against God, seeking self-promotion instead of loving communion with God as his image-bearers. As children of Adam and Eve, we are now born with this same proclivity to rebel, to go our own way, and to prefer created things over our Creator. The Bible calls this sin. It is at the heart of all evil in the world. Our sin fractures our relationships with other people and with God, creating a wall between us and him that we can’t overcome.

The greatest problem is this: from the beginning, God has warned us that the consequence for sin is death. And since we all sin, we all face death: physical, spiritual, and ultimately eternal death. If you've ever lost someone, you know how horrible death is – which shows us a glimpse of how awful sin is to God. Because God is utterly good and holy, infinite in purity and perfection, all evil must be punished. So that leaves all of us dirty, defiled, and separated from our Creator – the Fountain of goodness, truth, beauty, and life. And without an intervention, indeed a miracle, our sin ultimately will destroy us.

But because God is merciful and gracious, he didn’t just leave us defiled and death-bound. Instead, he performed the miracle we needed. He stooped to pursue and save sinners by sending his Son into the world.

Jesus Christ is the Son of God, eternal, and of one nature with the Father. Through him, God created everything in heaven and on earth. And a little more than 2,000 years ago, the Son of God took on flesh and became human. He was conceived by the Holy Spirit and born to a virgin named Mary. He lived a sinless life of obedience to God the Father, accomplishing what we never could - a life of perfect love for others and for God. During his earthly life and ministry, he taught about the Kingdom of God and performed many miracles. But to some, his teaching and ministry were scandalous.

The Jewish religious leaders and Pontius Pilate, the Roman governor in those days, conspired together against Jesus and had him arrested, beaten, flogged, and murdered by crucifixion. The only person ever who did not deserve death died. But Jesus wasn’t just a victim. He was in control. He tells us that he chose to lay down his life because he intended to accomplish something. Since the punishment for sin is death, Jesus chose death to pay for our sins. The heart of the Gospel is just that - God’s Son died on the cross in our place, as our substitute, taking the punishment and condemnation from God that our sins deserved. But here’s where it really gets glorious… Jesus didn’t stay dead.

Jesus was buried on a Friday, and on Sunday morning he was no longer in the tomb. Jesus had risen from the dead. And for the next 40 days, he appeared to his followers - over 500 people in total who were direct eyewitnesses of his resurrection! After those 40 days, he bodily ascended to heaven to sit at God's right hand until the day comes when he returns from heaven, raises all the dead back to life, and judges all people for the deeds done in their lives. The unrighteous will go away to eternal punishment, and the righteous will be given new bodies and enter into eternal life in a reborn world, a “new heavens and new earth.” In that place, God will again live and dwell with mankind in a redeemed and perfect world, forever.

Jesus now calls all people everywhere to turn from their sin and to believe this good news. Since he defeated death and showed the world that he holds the power of resurrection – power over life and death itself – he has the ability to give everlasting life to any who come to him for salvation and embrace him as Lord.

His call to you is not that you would try to earn heaven or do a bunch of good things to try to impress God or win his favor. Rather, he calls you to abandon your self-righteousness, and simply trust in what he has done, and to follow him. You can do that right now wherever you are. You can give your life, your whole self, to Jesus Christ this very moment. It's our prayer that you would. And if you do, right now he promises you eternal life, adoption into God's family, and to send you his Spirit. The Holy Spirit of God will come and live in you, will change you from the inside out, and will be your comforter, guide, and guarantee of the life to come.