The Good News of Jesus

Who is Jesus?

His title is ‘Christ’. For Christians (Jesus Christ followers) this means he is our rescuer (Saviour) and our ultimate leader (Lord/King). He also claimed and proved He was God in human form and is the only way people can know God in Heaven. This gives him insight, power and authority like no one else, ever.

 

What has Jesus done?

Jesus was sent by God in Heaven to Earth during which time he taught people about God’s good ways and performed many supernatural signs to demonstrate He was from God. He then died a brutal and undeserved death on a cross but rose from the dead a few days later.

 

Why did Jesus do this?

God wanted us to know His love and experience His good plans. So, Jesus rescued us by taking on our punishment (the death penalty) for us rejecting and disobeying God (sin). As a result, we’re offered the valuable yet unearned gift of forgiveness as well as the resulting benefits of that – a new ‘unburdened’ life in healthy relationship with God and obedience to His good plans.

 

How do we know this is true?

Much was written before Jesus in the Old Testament scriptures foretelling His coming. The Jewish people had been waiting many hundreds of years for the ‘Christ’, and Jesus perfectly fulfilled all these prophecies. There were also many eyewitnesses to Jesus’ death and resurrection, which we still have reliable records of today.

 

How should I respond?

This good news can be hard for us to understand and accept as Gods actions are likely the opposite of what we would do if someone rejected us.  We can also be too proud to accept such a generous gift. But, it’s important to reflect seriously on these things, and when ready, choose to make two significant and life-changing decisions:

  1. To repent – this means you agree that you have rejected and disobeyed God, but you now want to turn that around. You want to accept God’s forgiveness and commit to following Jesus (your new leader in life) from now on.
    The second decision is similar…
  2. To believe – to trust (have faith) in Jesus ‘the Christ’. This means you believe that He died and rose again, but also that through these actions He rescued you and you now live a new restored life in thanks to Him as His follower.

 

Are there other useful tips when considering my response?

Yes, it’s good not to get distracted or misunderstand this news about Jesus. Here’s a few simple tips:

  1. There’s no magic formula, special words you have to pray or actions to take. Following Jesus is a ‘conviction’ – that is, a firm decision of heart and mind made in faith.
  2. People often think they have to please or impress God to receive his forgiveness. This is impossible as none of us are perfect. The gift Jesus offers is not based on how good or how spiritual you are – it is a gift you can’t earn. Your right response is to believe and receive the gift with thankfulness and sincerity.
  3. While the gift is free for us, it cost Jesus much pain and suffering to give us a fresh start in life. As such, we don’t make this decision lightly. We take the gift and His position as ‘Lord’ seriously by obeying everything He taught. This is not out of guilt, to impress or gain special favour with God, but out of our deep gratitude and because it’s the best way to live (the very reason for the gift in the first place!).
  4. As a demonstration of the decision you’ve made, Jesus instructed his followers to get baptised. This doesn’t make you a Christian (see Tip 1 above). It is to publicly show your personal decision and one of the first steps of obedience in your new life following Jesus.
  5. Many people don’t realise that God provides HEAPS of support when it comes to living your new life following Jesus. It’s valuable to find out more about the following as soon as possible:
    • the Bible – to understand God and His plans more,
    • the Church – to connect with mature followers of Jesus who can support, encourage and teach you and
    • the Holy Spirit – God’s Spirit given to believers as a perfect “life guide”.

Where did you get these ideas from?

The Bible is the primary source for all this information.  It’s a God inspired, authoritative collection of books, letters, poetry and history.  However, over the last 2000 years the Good News of Jesus has also been tested and proved right by many millions of people all over the world who’ve decided to repent and believe in Jesus as well.  This has all been reinforced directly by God’s Spirit too.

Below are two examples of bible verses that summarise the Good News of Jesus:

1 Corinthians 15:1-8

Let me now remind you, dear brothers and sisters, of the Good News I preached to you before. You welcomed it then, and you still stand firm in it. It is this Good News that saves you if you continue to believe the message I told you—unless, of course, you believed something that was never true in the first place.

I passed on to you what was most important and what had also been passed on to me. Christ died for our sins, just as the Scriptures said. He was buried, and he was raised from the dead on the third day, just as the Scriptures said. He was seen by Peter and then by the Twelve.  After that, he was seen by more than 500 of his followers at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have died.  Then he was seen by James and later by all the apostles. Last of all, as though I had been born at the wrong time, I also saw him.

And just as they were talking about it, Jesus himself was suddenly standing there among them. “Peace be with you,” he said. But the whole group was startled and frightened, thinking they were seeing a ghost!

“Why are you frightened?” he asked. “Why are your hearts filled with doubt? Look at my hands. Look at my feet. You can see that it’s really me. Touch me and make sure that I am not a ghost, because ghosts don’t have bodies, as you see that I do.” As he spoke, he showed them his hands and his feet.

Still they stood there in disbelief, filled with joy and wonder. Then he asked them, “Do you have anything here to eat?” They gave him a piece of grilled fish, and he ate it as they watched.

Then he said, “When I was with you before, I told you that everything written about me in the law of Moses and the prophets and in the Psalms must be fulfilled.” 

Then he opened their minds to understand the Scriptures. And he said, “Yes, it was written long ago that the Messiah would suffer and die and rise from the dead on the third day. It was also written that this message would be proclaimed in the authority of his name to all the nations, beginning in Jerusalem: ‘There is forgiveness of sins for all who repent.’ You are witnesses of all these things.

“And now I will send the Holy Spirit, just as my Father promised. But stay here in the city until the Holy Spirit comes and fills you with power from heaven.”