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What's the point?
So you finally bought that new car. Maybe you got that
promotion at the office, or sent your eldest to the top
school. You may have moved into that respectable
house, or finally gotten the lawn under control. It never
is completely fulfilling, is it? That old song that asks, “Is
that all there is to the circus?” speaks the truth -- none of
the things we gain or do leave us deeply satisfied for
more than a few days. Then, it’s off to the next
unfulfilling goal... until you finally die.
Why?
Why? Why is life so empty? It’s because you’re not right
with God. In fact, you are fighting against Him.
Your sin has put you in this situation, and everyone has
sinned -- children, teens, moms and dads, doctors,
librarians, pastors, and every single church-goer. When
we honestly examine our thoughts and desires, each one
of us has to admit that we have been unloving to other
people, even hating some; we’ve intentionally deceived
other people; we’ve entertained lustful thoughts. We
have all been selfish and proud, and have failed to
honor God.
It’s not that there aren’t “upstanding citizens” in the
world. The problem is with our hearts -- our nature is
sinful, so we think sinful thoughts, we do sinful actions,
and we desire sinful things.
So what’s the Good News?
This would be the most pessimistic, discouraging
message, except that God has shown mercy to us. Even
though we didn’t deserve it, He made a way for us to be
right with Him -- to have our sins forgiven so that we can
know Him and go to Heaven after we die.
The good news is that:
(1) if you repent, or turn away from your sins,
(2) believe that Jesus Christ took your place, died for
your sins, taking the punishment you deserved
upon Himself, and rose from the dead on the third
day,
(3) abandon any other hope of getting into Heaven
except for this faith in Jesus
... you shall be saved!
This message is simple enough that a child can receive it,
and so humbling that many adults will reject it. Whether
you believe it or not, there is coming a day when God
will raise all of the dead and they shall stand before His
judgment.
Are you ready?
What the Bible says:
Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No
one comes to the Father except through Me. (John 14:6)
There is none righteous, no, not one. (Romans 3:10)
For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.
(Romans 3:23)
And anyone not found written in the Book of Life was cast
into the lake of fire. (Revelation 20:15)
For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal
life in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 6:23)
For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten
Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but
have everlasting life. (John 3:16)
Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved...
(Acts 16:31)
Repent therefore and be converted, that your sins may be
blotted out, so that times of refreshing may come from the
presence of the Lord. (Acts 3:19)
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