I like it!

One of the review stations in my 5th grade class was to have the students share the Gospel with their partner.  As I was making my way around the classroom an eager young man finished his presentation with an enthusiastic “…for the future of our grandchildren!” His partner, wide-eyed and beaming, seemed ready to stand and applaud. My heart smiled and I wished I had been able to hear the whole presentation.

That boy hears me present the Gospel every week but I have never said that phrase or even introduced that idea. I wondered if it was something like adding a “Play ball!” at the end of The Star Spangled Banner. But the more I thought about the statement….I liked it! If we really believed that the Gospel is the power of God to salvation, then our life (thinking, words, and deeds) should enthusiastically, gratefully, and urgently proclaim the Gospel every day….for the future of our grandchildren (and our co-workers, neighbors, spouse, children, and great-grandchildren)!

God is the Sovereign Creator of all things and He created people for His own glory. He created us to know, trust, and love Him most of all. Because God is holy and righteous, His commands are holy and righteous and we must obey God’s commands all the time. BUT we can’t! The problem is that man is sinful and we have disobeyed God’s commands. Instead of showing how glorious He is by our life, we are born wanting our own way instead of God’s way. We “fall short” of doing what we were created to do – give Him all the glory (Romans 3:23). Because God is holy and righteous, He is just and is right to punish sin. The punishment of sin is death and hell. We deserve to be punished by God and He is just and right to send us to hell. We are helpless to save ourselves and we need a Savior!

BUT GOD is merciful and kind to undeserving sinners. God, in His great kindness, made a way for sinners to be saved from death and hell so we could go to heaven and live with Him forever. We must depend on God’s mercy in order to be saved. We cannot work for or earn God’s mercy. God’s plan was to send His Son Jesus into the world to save sinners. Because Jesus is God, He was born without a sin nature (a desire to sin) and never sinned once. Jesus was born to be the Savior, the Rescuer. Remember, God says that we must be holy and righteous and obey Him all the time. Jesus always obeyed God; He is holy and righteous. When Jesus died on the cross He took away the sin and punishment of His people, and then gave to them His perfect righteousness! God the Father, punished Jesus instead of having to punish His sinful people.  Jesus died on the cross to be punished in your place. After Jesus died, He was buried and rose again to prove that He had won the battle over sin, death and hell.

God gives salvation to everyone who repents of his sins and believes in Jesus. When God saves a sinner, He brings a change in his heart called repentance and belief. You will understand you are a helpless sinner who deserves the punishment of death and hell. You will hate your sin and want to turn away from your sin and go to Jesus for forgiveness. You will believe that Jesus is God’s Son, sent by God to be the Rescuer, the Savior, who never sinned, died on the cross and was punished in your place. You will believe that He rose from the dead and is living in heaven today. You will trust completely that only Jesus can save you and make you  holy to live with God forever. God tells you to believe in Jesus and repent of your sins and you will be saved. If you are trusting in Jesus for your salvation, you must follow Him. Jesus has promised that when you die He will bring you to heaven to live with God and enjoy Him forever. (Adapted from Helping Children Understand the Gospel)

I like it! It is true. The eternal future of our grandchildren’s souls is at stake. Now go and proclaim this life-saving Gospel…for the future of our grandchildren!