The following is the story of an ordinary Christian. It can be your story...
The turning point of my life began with events that happened before I was even born. Those events tell a powerful, true story - one that completely changed my life. Nearly two thousand years ago, a child was born. His birth was unlike any other before or since. His mother was a virgin who, through God's power, became pregnant without ever having sex. This child was Jesus - God's one and only Son. Jesus grew up just like anyone else, except for one important thing. He never thought, or said, or did anything wrong. When Jesus was thirty years old, He began telling people what God his Father was like. He told people how they could have a relationship with God by turning away from sin and believing in Him. And He showed God's great kindness by healing the sick, restoring sight to the blind, and even bringing dead people back to life.
Everything Jesus did was good and right, but some people still hated him. They falsely accused him of crimes. Finally, they persuaded their ruler to kill him by nailing him to a rough wooden cross. Jesus hung from that cross until he died. Heartbroken, his friends buried him. But three days later an astounding thing took place - God raised Jesus from the dead! During the next forty days, over 500 people saw Jesus - solid proof that he really was alive again. Then, with many watching, he rose through the skies to his Father to take his place as ruler over all the universe.
But what does this all have to do with me?
The story you have just read is known as the gospel, or "good news." I think you'll be able to understand why this good news changed my life after I tell you some bad news. God created men and women to honor, serve, and enjoy him. But, from the very beginning, people have chosen to live their own way, rather than obeying the desires and commands of God. That's called sin. Though every human being sins, God himself is sinless. He hates sin, and he has warned that everyone who sins will be severely punished. There's not a thing men and women can do to save themselves from the punishment they deserve. That's bad news.
But Jesus has done what no person ever could. You see, Jesus died for a reason. It wasn't simply because men hated him. He died because his Father lovingly decided to punish Him instead of us. In other words, Jesus took our place. He became our substitute. God's sinless Son received the punishment we deserved, so that we might receive the reward He deserved. How can we be sure God accepted his death in our place? By the fact that God raised Jesus from the dead and took Him up into heaven. Jesus is not just another religious leader telling us what to do. He is God. Because He has freed us from the power and punishment of sin, He deserves our total trust and obedience. |