.jpg)
WHY JESUS MATTERS?
HE EXCEEDS ALL EXPECTATIONS
He is God and loves you.
Jesus said He was God. He proved it by His life, His words, His deeds, and His love. “But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;)” (Ephesians 2:4–5). “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life” (John 3:16).
He died for you.
Our sin separates us from God and requires the payment of death (Romans 3:23, 6:23). Yet, because Jesus died for you, you don’t have to pay for your own sins! “Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day…” (1 Corinthians 15:3–4). “But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8).
He wants to give you life.
Here’s how Jesus said it: “He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life…” (John 3:36). “I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live” (John 11:25).
He wants to save you.
Going to Heaven isn’t about being good or religious. It’s about trusting Jesus. Call out to Him, ask Him to come into your life, save you from sin, and give you His gift of eternal life. It’s the best decision you will ever make. “For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved” (Romans 10:13).
WHERE WILL YOU SPEND ETERNITY?
A Relationship with God.
There are big questions that haunt all of us. What happens when I die? Where will I spend eternity? The single most important question that you will ever answer is this: "If I were to die today, would I spend eternity in Heaven with God?" Your relationship to Jesus Christ is central to the answer to that question.
The Bible tells us in 1 John 5:13, "These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life..." The simple truth is God wants you to know where you will spend eternity. Here is what God says in the Bible about how a person can know that they have eternal life in heaven.
Recognize Your Condition.
My biggest mistake when I don't know my way is that I don't want to admit that I am lost! In order to find the way to eternal life with God, I must admit that I am lost in sin. Romans 5:12 teaches us that since Adam and Eve, the first man and woman on earth, a sin nature has been present in all people. Romans 3:23 says, "For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God." Sin is any act contrary to God's laws and commandments, and those sins that I have committed separate me from God. Whenever I have been lost, I have paid some type of penalty. I have been late to a special event and, on occasion, I have received a speeding ticket. Sin also has a penalty. Romans 6:23 says, "For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord." The "wage" or payment for our sin is spiritual death, and eternal separation from God.
Religion and Good Works Are Not the Answer.
Religions try to create their own ways to God. Their systems may seem logical, but they cannot bridge the gap created by our sin. Proverbs 14:12 says, “There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.” In other words, our thoughts and ways are not what matter. God’s Word, the Bible, provides true answers of grace and forgiveness. In Ephesians 2:8–9 the Bible says, “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.”
The Good News of the Gospel: Jesus Christ Provides the Way,
Even though we were lost and separated from God, Jesus loved us, and because he is love, God sent his son, Jesus Christ, to die on the cross and raise from the dead three days later. John 3:16 explains “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” Through the death and resurrection of Jesus, he became the payment for our sin. Now, we do not have to pay for our sin ourselves. By His grace, salvation is provided. In Romans 5:8, the Bible says, “But God commendeth [meaning proved or demonstrated] his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.”
Believe and Receive Christ.
In order to have a relationship with God and an eternal home in heaven, you must stop trusting yourself, your good works and religion, and place your full trust in Jesus Christ alone for the forgiveness of your sin and eternal life. In Romans 10:13 the Bible says, “For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.” That is a promise directly from God that if you will pray to him, confess that you are a sinner, ask Him to forgive your sins, and turn to him alone to be your savior, he promises to save you and give you the free gift of eternal life. You can make that decision today by praying from your heart, something like this:
"Dear God, I know that I am separated from you because of my sin. I confess that in my sin, I cannot save myself. Right now, I turn to you alone to be my savior. I ask you to save me from the penalty of my sin, and I trust you to provide eternal life to me."
What is keeping you from trusting Jesus Christ to cleanse your heart from sin and to be your Lord and savior? Do not let anyone or anything stand between you and God. Do not let your sin separate you from God any longer. If God is convicting you of your need for salvation, make a decision now to accept Jesus Christ.