Read 1 Corinthians 15:1-28
- The Good News of Jesus or the Gospel is that Jesus came to the earth, died for our sins, was buried and was raised up on the third day to life. Additionally, Jesus ascended into heaven, was exalted and sits at the right hand of God.
- The Gospel is really about what Jesus has done, not about our actions or response to this good news. We are saved because of this good news.
- The Good News is part of the bigger story of God wanting us to return to ruling the earth with him as was originally intended in the Garden of Eden. Jesus’s sacrifice has allowed us to return to having a relationship with God, which is the culmination of the creation story.
- Because of Jesus’s sacrifice: we have forgiveness of our sins, we have a promise of heaven and we can share this good news with others, to help them reconcile their relationship with God
Read Philippians 2:3-11
- Paul reminds us here that Jesus coming to the earth and dying for our sins and being resurrected and ascended to be with God is the true Good News or Gospel.
- God exalted Jesus after death because of his humility and willingness to die as a sacrifice for all humanity thus allowing us to regain our relationship with God that we lost in the Garden of Eden when we chose to disobey God.
Read Acts 3: 11-26
- Peter reminds us here again that the Good News is that Jesus came to the earth, died for our sins and was raised from the dead by God. God resurrected Jesus from the dead and exalted him to sit at his right hand. Peter reminds us that our response to the Good News should be repentance and turning to God: this means changing our minds and our actions should demonstrate this
- When we teach others the Good News of Jesus, they should be called to respond to this fact with repentance: which involves changing of the heart and mind to be in alignment with God’s will and actions should follow.
- Humans are created as images of God. Our intended role given by God, is to rule over creation as God has asked from Genesis in the Garden of Eden. We are supposed to be taking care of every living thing on the earth-people, plants, animals. God has already installed in each human how to care, nurture, love, serve and encourage others.
- Jesus walked on the earth, lived a full life and experienced temptation just like everyone else, and did not give into the temptation. As humans, the ultimate temptation is to put ourselves above God and disobey his will. But Jesus was an example of how to humble ourselves and obey God and yield to his will.
Read Romans 6:1-14
- When we get baptized into Jesus, we are participating in the “death, burial and resurrection of Jesus”. When we are raised up out of the waters of baptism, we are raised to a new life so that we can live for God. We are “reliving” the Good News during our baptism into Jesus. Peter calls us to the living Gospel.
- We have hope that this will allow us to be with God in a new life in Heaven.
- Think of this, resurrection, being raised from the dead-how is this possible? Only God can do this!
- Read Acts 4:1-2, they were upset that the apostles were teaching that it is possible for a “dead person to be resurrected”. This is truly miraculous, that God raised Jesus from the dead and will do the same for us.
- When we remember that one day we too will be resurrected like Jesus, death has no power over us. We should remember this because it will allow us to persevere through any trouble, knowing that we have the hope of something better with God in heaven!