Why, How, and What Now?

I have a message. It’s not my message - it’s way bigger than that. It’s a message that changes lives. It’s a message that changed the world. We all need something, and someone came and provided it. We all need saving. A Saviour came. But why? How? And since he came, what now?

Why?

Why do we need salvation? Why do we need God? Why do we need Jesus? Why does any of this matter?

God created people to be in relationship and in community with him. But because we have sinned, because we have rebelled against God, we cannot be together with him. God by his nature is holy, just, and good - and because of that we, in our sin, cannot be with him. But God loved us so much, that he wanted to make a way for us to be with him.

How?

So if our sin, our rebellion, separates us from God, how does he make a way for us to be with him?

Jesus. That’s what it all comes down to - it’s all about Jesus. God sent his only Son, Jesus - who was completely sinless, to earth, to share with the world the good news that we can be saved, and to die for us, paying the price for our sins that we deserved to pay. He came to pay our debt, and to tell the world the good news that He made a way that we can be saved.

But it didn’t stop at death. God raised Jesus from the dead three days later and because of that not only are our sins forgiven but we can have new life, and no longer have to be separated from God. Jesus took our place, and because of that we can spend eternity together with God. That’s the how. That’s the good news. That’s the gospel.

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. 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. 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. And this is the judgement: the light has come into the world, and people loved darkness rather than light because their works were evil. For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his works should be exposed. 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.” John 3:16-21

What now?

So what now? How do we respond to this message? What do we do with this news?

Romans 10:9 says that “if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.” And in vs.13 “For ‘everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.’ ” Jesus said “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” (John 14:6)

Anyone who calls on Jesus, who acknowledges him as Lord, will be saved. Believe that in your heart. Confess it with your mouth - say it loud! If you want to respond to this message and accept Jesus, you can pray something like this:

I believe in my heart that God raised Jesus from the dead and now declare that Jesus Christ is Lord of all. I accept him and submit to him as Lord of my life. Lord Jesus, I ask you to come and fill me with your presence and empower me with your Holy Spirit. Lord, please forgive me for all the things I have said, done or believed that are wrong in your eyes and that has kept me from knowing your love and truth. Thank you for dying to save me, and thank you for being Lord of my life. Search my heart and teach me to live according to your truth. I love you and I worship you. In Jesus’ name, Amen.


Here’s what I want you to know:
- Jesus loves you.
- Salvation comes through Christ alone.
- What Jesus did on the cross is enough. There is nothing the cross can’t cover.


This is the message that I want to live to share. This is why I’m spending a year of my life in this program called TREK. This is why the world can have any hope at all. This message is what it all comes down to. It’s not my message, it’s Jesus’ message - but if, for my fleeting lifetime, I can be a part of sharing it, that’s all that really matters. You’ve heard the why and the how, so I challenge you, what now?