Lesson 1: The Gospel – Script
(John 3:16)
What is the Gospel?
(Romans 3:23)
The Gospel means “The Good News.”
Before we talk about the good news, it is important to get perspective by relating it to the bad. That is why we covered SIN in a previous video.
Because of our sin, we ALL fall short of the Glory of God.
(Romans 3:10)
When talking about the Gospel, we could limit focus on what Christ did for us on the cross, but it is also important to understand that all of scripture tells the story of The Gospel.
It is important to understand why we needed Christ, our Saviour.
So many times, throughout history, we, as people, and more precisely, as fallen, sinful people, have relied on our own works to save us.
Scripture teaches us that our good works won’t save us. A clean thing cannot come from our unclean nature. Our work cannot save us.
(Romans 6:23)
As we learned in the SIN video, SIN is a transgression of God’s law, and that brings with it a punishment of DEATH, an eternal separation from God.
(Ephesians 2:8-9, Romans 6:9, Revelation 1:18)
When quickly telling someone of the Gospel, that person may tell how Christ took our punishment for us, and because he is Lord of all, even death, he rose after three days so we may have life through him.
Christ did this as a gift for all, because he loves us and wants a relationship with us.
This gift, called Grace, is free for everyone.
All we, as sinners, must do is turn to Christ, believe in him, and accept that gift.
(John 15:1-17)
When thinking about the Gospel, I like to refer to John 15:1-17.
In these passages, Christ explains the Gospel to his disciples through an analogy.
To paraphrase, Christ talks of a vine and life.
(John 15:1)
Christ, in this analogy, tells his disciples that HE is the vine.
His Father is the husbandman, the gardener.
(John 15:5)
We are all branches on the vine.
In this analogy, the branches represent both the saved and the unsaved.
(John 15:2)
Every branch that does NOT bear fruit, the gardener takes away.
Every branch that bears fruit, the gardener prunes so it may bear more fruit.
Those that turn to Christ, believe in him, and accept the Grace he provides represent the branches that bear fruit.
(John 15:6)
Those that reject Christ and turn from him, fall from the vine, wither, and die.
The thing about this analogy is it does not talk directly about sin. It references Christ, the Father, and us, but not sin in a direct sense.
In the previous video, as well as we briefly summarized earlier, SIN is the transgression of God’s law, and brings with it death.
We ALL sin, saved and unsaved alike.
(John 15:7-9)
In the vine example, Jesus disciples bear fruit and live, and those that do not follow Jesus’ wither and die.
The thing is, both groups sin. There lies both the bad and the good news.
(Isiah 7:14, Acts 2:23-24, Galatians 4:4-7)
We, as descendants of Adam, sin, and the punishment for that sin is death.
Jesus, who was born of a virgin, knew no sin.
We know the result of sin is death, and since Jesus is sinless, death has no hold over him.
Jesus proved this with his resurrection.
(1 Peter 1:19-21)
In short, the Gospel IS Jesus.
(John 3:16-17)
The Gospel tells of Jesus, who led a sinless life, and loved us so much he was willing to pay our sin debt so we may live.
(Colossians 1:14)
Jesus’ blood was shed on the cross, and his death was a payment for ours.
(Romans 6:9)
Jesus’ resurrection proved he is Lord of all, even death.
(2 Peter 3:9)
This payment is one that God gives freely, for he wishes none should perish.
This gift is called Grace, and as it is given freely, it is not forced upon anyone.
To accept this gift of Grace, we must repent, which means to turn toward Christ, believe, and place our faith in him.
With the analogy, those that repent are the branches that bear fruit.
Those who deny Christ and turn from him are the branches that fall away, wither, and die.
(Ephesians 2:8-9)
Since Grace is a gift and not earned, it is not a work we perform.
(1 John 5:11-12)
The branches have no life on their own, without the vine, but they bear fruit and have life because of the vine.
Those that are not part of the vine have no life.
(1 Peter 2:24)
Sin brings with it a debt that is impossible for us to pay.
The Gospel tells us about the love God has for us, that he paid our debt so we may live eternally with him.
AMEN