Jesus

We believe that Jesus is the hope of all humanity, and that is why we seek to make much of Him in all we do.  From the very beginning of creation, God made all people in His image and for a relationship with Him (Gen. 1:27-28).  Yes, the God of all creation wants to be in a relationship with you.  

But humanity rebelled against God. Rather than following the way of God, they chose their own path, and we have felt the destructive effects of this choice ever since (Gen. 3). The Bible calls these rebellious acts against God sin.  Sin literally means missing the mark.  In this case, it is missing the mark of God’s standard and way of life for which we were made.  We all sin, we all fail, and we all experience sorrow and shame.  And the effect of our sin is death (Rom. 3:23).  Our sin demands death physically and spiritually, meaning our sin separates us from God.

Our guess is that if you are reading this, you have had moments in your life you wish you could have back, you have said words to someone you wish you hadn’t, and at times, you sense there is something more to life than what you are experiencing. So, what do you do with this?

Some people continue through life trying to will themselves to something better through self-help, pursuing the latest fads and trends taught by the latest up-and-coming expert or guru. Some try to balance the scales by doing more good than bad, just hoping to be “good enough,” or at the very least better than their neighbor. Maybe you have tried some of these paths as well. You may even have been successful for a while, but what happens when your willpower is not enough?  

God, in His kindness, mercy, and steadfast love, has not given up on humanity. The story of the Bible shows us a God in pursuit of us, which means God is in pursuit of you.  He sent messengers to call people back to Himself, but still, the people ignored Him.  So God, in His great love, sent Jesus (Jn. 3:16). Jesus, who is the exact imprint of God and is God in the flesh, lived the life we were meant to live, following the way of God perfectly (Heb. 1:1-3). He calls us to follow Him and trust in Him.  

But there is still the problem of sin, our sin, and its demand for death.  Jesus, in His great love, died the death we deserved (1 Pet. 2:24), sacrificing himself once and for all so that all who believe in Him may have life in Him. But what is more, Jesus did not stay in the grave; He rose again on the third day, conquering death (1 Cor. 15:3-4).  If you call on Jesus, believing in Him as your Lord and Savior, you will find life (Rom. 10:9).  

Jesus invites you to believe in Him and follow Him, for He is the way, the truth, and the life (John 14:6).  If you are ready to follow Jesus and declare Him as Lord, then I want to encourage you to pray a prayer like this:

Jesus, I put my trust in you and accept you as my Lord and Savior.  I repent of my sins, and I believe that You died, paying the penalty for my sins, and that You rose again.  I ask you to forgive me where I have failed and sinned.  I know that in You, I am forgiven, and because of You, I am free.  Thank you for your grace, and give me strength to follow You this day and every day.  Amen 

If you prayed that prayer or would like to talk with someone, we would love to celebrate what God is doing in your life. Or maybe this brings up more questions. Click the contact link below, and we would love to hear from you. 

Grace & Peace,
Crossroads Church