Gospel Presentation

What is the Gospel?

During the Christmas season we are reminded of a simple truth that distinguishes Christianity from every other religion out there. In other religious groups we see a list of things that we have to do in order to get to God. We see a whole bunch of laws. We see a whole lot of do’s and don’ts. The Bible contains those as well - but what makes Christianity different is that we don’t see a list of works that we have to do before we can come to God. In fact, we see Jesus minister to the outcast, broken, hypocrites, and least of these in addition to the people who thought they had it all together. Why? He calls them all to repent. We see in Christianity that Jesus Christ did all the work necessary for us to come to God. Our world screams that God helps those who help themselves, we read in the Bible that God helps those who cannot save themselves. Friend, I’m so thankful that you’ve joined us this morning for worship as we celebrate the coming of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. It wouldn’t be a New Testament worship service without some sort of preaching of the Word and so I want to take 5 minutes and share with you the good news of the Gospel that we’ve already been singing about today.

In the Christmas season we celebrate the birth of Jesus. 93% of Americans claim to celebrate Christmas and understandably so as it is a wonderful holiday marked with family traditions and celebrations. However, Christmas isn’t ultimately about the hot chocolate, Christmas tree, presents, family time, or snow outside. Christmas isn’t even about the sweet feelings of nostalgia in our hearts. Christmas is about God coming to earth. How many of you have ever rolled a small snowball down a hill before? You can have a tiny snowball but if you have a big enough hill, that snowball could grow 10x bigger by the time it reaches the bottom! Bethlehem is where the ball gets rolling but it’s not where the ball was formed. We know that Jesus Christ, as the eternal Son of God, existed long before Bethlehem. Yet on Christmas we celebrate His coming to earth as a baby. This isn’t where the story stops though. 93% of Americans celebrate Christmas but those same 93% don’t all believe in Christ as Lord. Friends, the best news of Christmas is that Jesus Christ came to live a perfect life and that the baby boy born in Bethlehem would grow up to be the sacrificial lamb who would suffer and die on the cross in our place. See the Christmas story in Matthew’s Gospel shares this with us as we see Jesus’ mission from the very beginning

Matthew 1:21 CSB

21 She will give birth to a son, and you are to name him Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.”

How will a baby save His people from their sins? The baby won’t. But the baby would grow up. Christmas is amazing, but Christmas isn’t the end of the story. We read in God’s Word that we all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. There’s no one perfect, and that’s ok because we read in Scripture that Jesus died for sinners - so if you claim to not be a sinner then Jesus doesn’t do you a lick of good.

We’ve all fallen short. We’ve all sinned. Yet, because Jesus came, lived, died, and rose, we have the hope of eternal life with Him. In Luke 15, Jesus gives the parable of the Prodigal Son. There are 2 sons in this story and both of them are lost. Maybe your life more closely lines up with the prodigal who ran away and lived a life of rebellion. Maybe your life lines up with the legalistic son who stayed home and did all the right stuff. Both are lost, though. Maybe you’re wondering why you’re here today and I want to share with you the conclusion of this parable in Luke 15.

Luke 15:31–32 CSB

31 “ ‘Son,’ he said to him, ‘you are always with me, and everything I have is yours. 32 But we had to celebrate and rejoice, because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ ”

The father’s son was lost and was now found. He was dead but now was alive. The Christmas story is one of hope - not because of the feelings in our heart but because of the fact that Jesus saves sinners.

If you’re here this morning and you don’t know Jesus as your Lord and Savior, I invite you to come home. The Father’s arms are open wide and the feast is being prepared. Come home to your Father and rejoice in what Jesus Christ has done.