In a society that is increasingly antagonistic towards the church, we do not want to assume that every person shares the same values as us. So we want people to know the love of God first and foremost. This is not a sappy love that sees everything through rose colored lenses, nor is it based on fleeting emotions. The love of God is unending and unchanging. It is also a love that wants the best for us. God is the eternal ruler and creator of all things. As such, he has set the order and purpose of all things—including us. When we disobey or rebel against God, doing what we want to do instead of what he has created us to do, that order is broken. We call this sin. This sin has caused separation between us and God, and also requires punishment, or judgment. Unfortunately, no matter how good we may try to become, we will always have selfish desires which will always separate us from and make us guilty before God.

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Luckily, God, in his infinite wisdom and mercy, has made it possible for us to be forgiven, for the weight of sin to be removed, and for us to experience the freedom and love of having a relationship with our Creator. This comes through Jesus Christ. Jesus left heaven and came to live among us. He taught us how to live the way God created us to live, but then he did something even better. He died for you and me. He took our guilt and our sin on himself and died in our place. The Old Testament alludes to this in the sacrificial system. Unfortunately, those sacrifices could only temporarily appease the wrath of God. The sacrifice of Jesus was a once and for all sacrifice, never having to be done again. But Jesus didn’t just die. Three days later he physically came back to life. He conquered death! And now he is physically in heaven with God and will one day return to judge every person—alive and dead—on the earth. Those who have put their faith in Jesus will physically live forever in God’s new heaven and earth (much like ours, but perfected in every way); while those who rejected Jesus will be judged guilty and will physically live forever in a place called Hell—an eternal place of pain and torment.

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And this is God’s great love! That even in our sin and rebellion against him, Jesus came and died for us. It might sound harsh that he would punish people, but it would be unloving to allow people continue to live in sin and rebellion. His love is not a pushover love. It is holy and just. 

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If you do not know this love, please re-read the above paragraphs as if they are really true (because they are!). Whether you are sure if it is all true or not, we would love to have you come and gather with us on a Sunday morning at 10am.

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