Why Canvas/The Gospel

Introduction

What’s the best news you’ve ever gotten? Maybe that you got an A on a test or you got into the school you were hoping, or that you were going to be a big brother or sister. We’re going to talk tonight about the good news of Jesus.

I found out that I passed my paper. Karly said yes. etc.

Here’s why I want to do this. This fall, we’re going to be restart our small groups and we’re going to, and we’re launching a new vision statement for our ministry because we want to be really clear about what we’re about. And what we’re about—first and foremost—is the gospel of Jesus.

Maybe you think you don’t need the gospel. I was talking to this middle schooler at camp and he was like “I haven’t really learned anything. I know all this already.” And that may be true. I know the gospel. But I don’t really KNOW the gospel. I don’t understand the depths of it. I don’t live it and believe it every moment of every day. I haven’t let it change every area of my life.

Gospel Primer: p. 14 “My Daily Need”

The Bad News

Look at . Verses 1-3. This is the bad news.

We were dead in sin. This is serious business. I think most of us treat sin like mosquitoes: it’s kind of annoying, but not that big of a deal. But the Bible talks about sin like a lion. It’s life or death. There’s a verse in James that talks about how desire leads to sin and sin leads to death. Every “little” sin in our lives ultimately leads to death.

And this sin and death doesn’t just affect you, but it has affected the entire world. Every person in the world is broken by sin and death. Why? because we have chosen to disobey God and to let the devil and the sinful powers of the world control us. Each of us, every day, chooses who we will follow? And what we choose controls us.

Whose side are you on?

It’s like the

Do you know what it’s like to be controlled by sin? To feel incapable of doing what God has called you to? I do.

ILL??

It’s like in Incredibles 2: when you look at the screen, you are hypnotized and controlled to do whatever the screen slaver wants. That’s how we are with sin.

The Good News

But, there is good news:

God is rich in mercy and he deeply loves us and the whole world, so he raised us up from the dead with Jesus. This is why the resurrection is so important. The resurrection doesn’t just prove that Jesus is God, but it is in the act of resurrecting Jesus that God resurrects all who are in Jesus, and they are given new life.

I am convinced that the Christian story is finally about having life in Jesus. In Revelation, God will remake all things and humanity will again have access to the tree of life. says that God sent his Son so that whoever believes in him will have eternal life. Jesus says that he came that we might have life and life to the fullest.

But it’s not just regular old life, it’s a new kind of life with all the benefits of Jesus: we are seated with him in the heavenly realms!!

But, here’s the thing Paul wants to make really clear: this salvation and new life are a gift from God. It is grace.

And honestly, this is the best part of the news, because if we had to earn it, we’d never make it. You know those claw machines\? My friend and I spend like $40 on one of those and got nothing. It’s impossible. Apart from God, earning salving, earning resurrection, earning new life is impossible. But we don’t have to earn it. God has given it to us.

Why Canvas?

So, sometimes people ask me: why Canvas? And I say, because it’s a dope name, duh. We probably don’t talk about this enough, but it actually goes with a Bible verse, . You are God’s masterpiece, or workmanship. Your life is a canvas and God is creating a beautiful masterpiece out of you.

The good news of the gospel is that no matter what an absolute wreck of your canvas you have made or you will make, God can turn that into a masterpiece. God can redeem anything. God is redeeming everything.

The question is: what will you do with that? God has prepared good deeds in advance for you to do? I’m convinced that we can’t do those deeds until we get the gospel, not that you ever get the gospel.

If God loved you when you were dead, you can love anyone.

If God has given you what you don’t deserve, you can give others what they don’t deserve.

If God has richly blessed you, you can bless others.

If God has united you with Jesus, you can follow him every second of every day for the rest of your life.