Day 4 -  The Gospel

Yesterday we discovered the reason as to why the world is broken, and why we ourselves have such a difficult time following God’s rules, or laws. We also learned about the devastating consequences of Adam and Eve sin, and that we also have inherited a sinful nature. Today you will have the wonderful opportunity to talk as a family about what the Bible calls “the gospel”. The word “gospel” means good news, and it is the central message of the Bible. As you read the verse John 3:16 together, you will explore what is the good news gospel message of the Bible.

Justice

If you go to court for breaking a civil law, the judge will give you a sentence that suits the gravity of the crime. Small misdemeanors may earn you a small fine, while large felonies could land you a lengthy time in jail. In some places in the world, the gravest crimes could even earn you the death penalty. Because God is so great and so important, the Bible says that a single crime committed against his law warrants death. You may question if that is a fair punishment, but that is probably because when it comes to God, the Bible says we don’t have an accurate appreciation of his holiness because our sin has darkened our hearts and minds. The Bible describes God as being so holy that even the angels cover their feet in his presence, and God says we cannot even look on him and live. God is the highest being that exists, and his law is the highest law, so to sin against God’s law is to commit the highest crime, which deserves the highest punishment. How many times have you broken God’s law? How many times in your life have you lied? How many times have you had impure thoughts? How many times have you not done what you knew was right, or done what you knew was wrong? Each time we break God’s law we deserve death, and we have broken it many times!

Perhaps you feel that because God is kind he should simply ignore our sin, however God is both kind and fair. God cannot ignore when his law is broken any more than the highest human judge, even a kind judge, could ignore when a crime has been committed. Because God is fair he will give us what we deserve. John 3:16 uses the word perish. To perish is to be completely separated from God after we die. Hell is God's jail, and it is where the spiritually dead reside. It is described as a place of utter darkness and torment with no hope. The Bible says all guilty sinners will have their part in the lake of fire. If you are a guilty sinner, this is a frightening thought…

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Atonement

So how can we be saved from hell? In order to be saved from eternal damnation, our sins must ALL be paid for. Another word for this is atonement. Some people think that if they do good deeds it will make up for their bad deeds, but the Bible makes it clear that our good deeds cannot pay for our sin. The only thing that will atone for sin is the offering up of a pure sacrifice. That is why God sent his son. Jesus was the purest sacrifice, and his death was the only sacrifice powerful enough to atone for the sin of all mankind. It’s important to note that Jesus willingly died on the cross. He was not forced or coerced. Jesus willingly offered his pure life up to be crucified because he wanted to obey his father, and because He loves you and I so much. Doesn't it stun you to know that you are loved this much? The last thing Jesus said before he died was “tetelestai,” which in Aramaic means it is finished, or paid in full. Our debt from sin has been paid in full by Jesus. This is good news!

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Resurrection

Jesus stayed dead for 3 days, and then he raised himself from the dead. He appeared to many people. He ate with them, and they touched him, proving that he was real. Lastly he ascended to heaven, promising to one day return. The Bible gives us a number of reasons why the resurrection of Jesus is so important. 

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1. He said he would raise himself from the dead.

2. It proves that Jesus has power over death.

3. He promised that when we die he can raise us from the dead also. 
 

When Jesus died, the Bible says all our sins were placed on him, and he took them into the grave. When he came back from the dead, the Bible says he left all our sins buried in the grave, and his resurrection means a new life for us today. Our sins can be forever taken away and permanently buried because of Jesus! What an amazing gift!

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Salvation

What we must do is receive this gift, just as you might receive a Christmas gift. That is what John 3:16 means by “whoever believes in him will not perish”. It's not enough to just intellectually believe that Jesus existed and died. Even demons believe that fact. You must put your trust fully in him to save you from the punishment that you know you deserve. You must receive the gift of mercy, and stop trying to earn salvation by doing good works. If you agree that Jesus paid for 99% of your sin but there's a little bit of good works that you need to do to make up the 1%, you have not received Jesus and will not be saved. In order to be saved you must fully receive Jesus, and fully cease from any attempt to earn salvation on your own good works. This can be difficult for self-sufficient hard working people who take pride in not asking for help. One such man told me “I refuse to let someone else pay for my sin”. That man will not be saved until he allows God to do all the work, and I pray that he does!

Pray

Ask your children to thoughtfully consider the final question, “do you believe in Jesus?” then pray and tell Jesus that he is your most valuable treasure, and express your desire to have the gift of salvation that he offers, then ask Jesus to help each of you trust him completely for the rest of your lives.
 

I encourage you to stay flexible with the ending of this day. God may be moving in your children’s hearts and they may want to talk further about Jesus. If you feel that you want to pray further with your children, don’t hesitate, however don’t feel you need to force a meaningful conversation or prayer either. Allow your children to take time to consider what they’ve learned. Tomorrow your family will have an opportunity to pray a prayer of salvation, expressing that you trust him fully with your lives.

God bless you.