"Some of you never think of dying, and yet you should. You say you may live long. You may and you may not. If there were a great number of loaves upon this table, and you were to eat one every day; if you were told that one of those loaves had poison in it, I think you would begin every one with great caution; and knowing that one of them would be your death, you would take each up with silent dread. Now you have so many days, and in one of those days, there is the poison of death. I do not know which one. It may be tomorrow, it may not be until many a day has gone. But I think you ought to handle all your days with holy jealousy." - Charles Spurgeon

I think about it often about what it is to come of my death and what words few people that know me would use to define me after I'm gone. How would one know what it is about me unless I revealed it? That my identity is in Christ, and my desire that anyone would know about me is "Christ and Christ crucified."  But the manner of which that is lived and preached should also be noted: I think about the pastor in sheep's clothing who admits to punch a kid with arrogance for the message he thinks he knows. This is what I'm up against in people's perception on Christianity, and it even discourages me to mention so.  If I were to tell you I was Christian, would you honestly say that you can look at me without a bunch of preconceived notions you have about me.  Some of it is just, and regardless I will not hesitate to tell you that you would be right when it comes to the people where their purpose is driven by hate. Christianity, as it means to belong to Christ, is meant to be preached with tears; not prideful boasting, nor with a lack of care for the people listening. I love many of you here, and if I were to go, know that I consider myself least among you and my desire is to merely serve. I'm before you naked, and am vulnerable to appear to you as a fool for your sake.  I would be dishonest, and filled with a heart lacking of any integrity if I didn't tell you what I am about.

GOSPEL OF JESUS CHRIST

GOD (LOVING CREATOR OF ALL EXISTANCE):

In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. (Genesis 1:1)

So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them. And God blessed them. And God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it, and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over every living thing that moves on the earth.” (Genesis 1:1, 27, 28)

The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. (Isaiah 40:28 ESV)

GOD'S LAW:

1. I am the Lord your God, “You shall have no other gods before me. 

2. You shall not make for yourself a carved image

3. You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain

4. Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. 

5. Honor your father and your mother

6. You shall not murder. 

7. You shall not commit adultery.

8. You shall not steal. 

9. You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor. 

10. You shall not covet

(Exodus 20:2-4, 7, 8, 12-17)

REBELLION (GOD'S LAW BROKEN):

The Lord looks down from heaven on the children of man, to see if there are any who understand, who seek after God. They have all turned aside; together they have become corrupt; there is none who does good, not even one. (Psalm 14:2, 3 ESV)

for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, (Romans 3:23 ESV)

Now we know that whatever the law says it speaks to those who are under the law, so that every mouth may be stopped, and the whole world may be held accountable to God. For by works of the law no human being will be justified in his sight, since through the law comes knowledge of sin. (Romans 3:19, 20 ESV)

Yet if it had not been for the law, I would not have known sin. For I would not have known what it is to covet if the law had not said, “You shall not covet.” (Romans 7:7 ESV)

For whoever keeps the whole law but fails in one point has become accountable for all of it. (James 2:10 ESV)

SIN LEADS TO DEATH:

For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 6:23 ESV)

And you were dead in the trespasses and sins (Ephesians 2:1 ESV)

GOOD NEWS:

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God. (John 3:16-18 ESV)

JESUS SAVES US FROM GOD'S WRATH:

but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Since, therefore, we have now been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God. (Romans 5:8, 9 ESV)

the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin. (1 John 1:7 ESV)

JESUS' DEATH & RESURRECTION:

Thus it is written, that the Christ should suffer and on the third day rise from the dead, (Luke 24:46 ESV)

For to this end Christ died and lived again, that he might be Lord both of the dead and of the living. (Romans 14:9 ESV)

For since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so, through Jesus, God will bring with him those who have fallen asleep. (1 Thessalonians 4:14 ESV)

For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures, (1 Corinthians 15:3, 4 ESV)

REPENT & BELIEVE (FAITH)

“The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.” (Mark 1:15 ESV)

and that repentance and forgiveness of sins should be proclaimed in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem. (Luke 24:47 ESV)

Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. (Acts 2:38 ESV)

Repent therefore, and turn back, that your sins may be blotted out, (Acts 3:19 ESV)

God exalted him at his right hand as Leader and Savior, to give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins. (Acts 5:31 ESV)

The times of ignorance God overlooked, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent, (Acts 17:30 ESV)

For godly grief produces a repentance that leads to salvation without regret, whereas worldly grief produces death. (2 Corinthians 7:10 ESV)

For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. (Ephesians 2:8, 9 ESV)

And they said, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household.” (Acts 16:16, 31 ESV)

because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. (Romans 10:9 ESV)

testifying both to Jews and to Greeks of repentance toward God and of faith in our Lord Jesus Christ. (Acts 20:21 ESV)

GREAT COMMISSION:

Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, (Matthew 28:19 ESV)

And he said to them, “Go into all the world and proclaim the gospel to the whole creation. (Mark 16:15 ESV)

But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” (Acts 1:8 ESV)

DO NOT BE ASHAMED OF THIS GOSPEL:

For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. (Romans 1:16 ESV)