AT THE HEART OF THE GOSPEL

The Gospel message is simple, right? Yes... and no. What we need to understand about the Gospel to come to faith in Christ is straightforward, to the point that many children have clearly understood and accepted this truth. Yet when we look beyond the simplicity and explore in depth what the Bible teaches us about God's plan of salvation there is so much more. Our appreciation for God and what He has done grows and grows as we discover the heart of God and the richness of this plan we call The Gospel. That's what we've been trying to do this fall in our "Grounded & Growing" classes, and once again no one has been more impacted by these discoveries than I.

We have been working to uncover God's plan from where it began, with creation, and follow it through to the amazing sacrifice Jesus made so we can be restored into relationship with God. One thing shouts out to me in every step of God's plan. GOD LOVES US!!!

I have been a follower of Jesus for more than 50 years, and I have to confess its really only been in the last couple of years that I have really come to understand and appreciate how much God loves us. I didn't really get what John meant when he wrote the words "God is love." I didn't really understand the fact that since the beginning of time as we know it God has been a loving Father reaching out to us, longing to bring us into a perfect relationship with Him, like Adam had on the day he was created in the garden. 

One of the things that has most helped me see this truth is the story Jesus told of the prodigal son. Jesus, who knows and understands the character of God in a way that by far exceeds anything we could imagine, described the Father's reaction when his wayward son came home. The love and compassion is overwhelming.

We can easily infer from Jesus words the Father watching the road in hope and anticipation of the day when his son would return. Not so he could scold or berate or punish, but so he could wrap his arms around his son and welcome him back into the family. Restoring that relationship with his son was uppermost in the heart of this loving compassionate Dad.

God has often been seen by those who don't know better as a stern and vengeful tyrant waiting to pour fire and brimstone on those who don't follow His every whim. That's not the God of the Gospel. That's not the God I know.

I know a God who created mankind so He would have someone to share His immense love with. I know a God who for thousands of years has used every means to draw His wayward children back to Himself. I know a God who allowed His own perfect Son to suffer and die and take on the sin of world because He loved us so much He just had to make a way for us to come back home. I know a God who has patiently endured mankind's sin and rebellion for millenia while extending His grace and invitation to return to Him. I know a God who is lovingly preparing a home for us where we can live for eternity.

People find it easier to see what they want to see in the life of Jesus. In Jesus we see love, compassion, grace, and mercy. They somehow have the impression that Jesus is the nice part of the trinity,  and that He holds God the Father back from pouring out His wrath on us. Nothing could be farther from the truth. Jesus said in John 14: 9 "anyone who has seen me has seen the Father". One of the things Jesus did was to demonstrate to us the character of God. He personified the love of God. 

Isn't God also a holy God who can't tolerate sin? Absolutely! He said the wages of sin is death. But he didn't make this pronouncement from a heart of anger and vengeance, but from a broken heart. That's why the verse in Romans goes on to say "but the gift of God is eternal life". 

God hates sin. In fact He can't stand it. What He hates even more is the fact that His people are captive and under the sentence of death that sin brings. Because He loves us. So much so that at a tremendous cost to Himself He made a way. That's the Gospel. That's why John says "God is love".