“For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek.” – Romans 1:16, Paul
What the Gospel is Not:
There is no hope of heaven with God or forgiveness of our sins apart from the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
THE TEXT BELOW IS FROM TOM HARMON (and his website – TDHarmon.com)
(his website is an invaluable resource of teaching on the Gospel and victorious living in Jesus Christ)
A Sixty Second Sermon
Point #1, Life is short and death is certain. When a man gets between 35 and 40 yrs of age, he realizes he is entering into the second half of life. If he’s honest he will admit that it’s going by in a blurr, and even an atheist must admit he will some day die.
Point #2, Life treats all of us differently, death treats all of us the same. No one chooses his parents or many or the circumstances that shape their lives. A few different situations in my life and I could be in prison rather than a pulpit, a drug addict rather than a doctor, etc. Death treats all of us the same, rich, poor, white black, young, old, male female, educated or illiterate, when you’re in the coffin, you’re just dead.
Point #3, Where are you going to go when you die, and upon what do you base that hope? I’ve written a book, “You Must Be Born Again”. It explains from Holy Scripture God’s only provision to escape his wrath and spend eternity in heaven.
Scriptures upon which this message is based, James 4:14, Hebrews 9:27, 1 Corinthians 4:7, Ecclesiastes 2:16, Romans 3:10-12, Ecclesiastes 7:20, John 17:3, John 14:6, John 3:1-19.
Sixty Second Follow Up Sermon
I think you believe in God, I think you believe in life after death. Surely you must think there is more to life than a house, a car, a profession, and some clothes. I think you are a good guy, but if your hope of heaven is that you hope you are good enough, I must cut to the chase and tell you no one is good enough. Heaven is not for those who hope they are good enough it’s for those who know they are not. If you and I could be good enough to get to heaven, God would never have sent his Son to die on the cross to pay the penalty for our sins. It only takes one sin to keep us from being right with a holy God, ask Adam.
Have you ever had a time when you’ve told God that you accept the provision of his Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, as your only hope of heaven? Have you ever had a time when you have confessed your sin to him and asked him to forgive you, to come into your life and be your savior? God desires to place his Spirit in all those who will humbly ask for mercy and receive him into their life. Have you ever been born again? If you would like to do that right now I can help you with a simple prayer from the Bible.
Sinner’s Prayer: Oh Lord, have mercy on me. I confess I have sinned against you, and that Jesus [the Son of God] died for my sins. Forgive me Lord. Jesus alone is my hope of eternal life in heaven. Right now I ask you to come into my life and save me.
Scriptures for this message: Genesis 3:6-11, Luke 18:19, 1 Corinthians 15:3-4, Ephesians 1:7, Luke 18:13-14, John 1:12, John 4:10