Title: God's Love Story
God's love story
Text/ John 3:16
1. Introduction
The General Evangelism Department of the Presbyterian Church of Korea (integrated), to which our church belongs, created the <God's Love Story>, which consists of 5 steps centered on John 3:16, so that members can use it when evangelizing their neighbors.
2. <God's Love Story>
Step 1. God loves you.
God created all things in this world and you and me with His Word. God especially loves people and commands them to be fruitful and multiply, fill the earth, and have dominion over all these things. God has blessed me and you to live happy, meaningful, and powerful lives in this world, living in joy and fulfillment.
Step 2. But what about this world and your life?
The world, as we see it, is full of war, crime, violence, drugs, lewdness, insecurity, economic pain, discord, conflict, and meaninglessness. We who live in it also have no peace. There is no joy. There is no reward. There is no happiness.
Since God has blessed people to live a life of joy, reward, happiness, meaning, and fullness, why do we live the opposite of that life?
Step 3. The reason is our sins.
Sin is denying God. They insist that they can live without God. It is called pride or sin in religious terms.
Let's say we have a kite floating in the sky. A kite can only fly high when connected to a kite line. If the kite breaks off the line, it immediately plummets to the ground. People learning to drive a car for the first time often turn off the engine when they need to put 1st gear into 3rd or 4th gear. Because the car didn't do it the way it was made. In the same way, man is a being who can be blessed and live by living according to the rules of life that God gave when he first created man.
In spite of this reasoning, people keep saying that they do not know God, do not try to know God, and that they can live without God. This is sin. The result of sin is misery, and its end is death.
Step 4. The Way to Overcome Sin - Jesus Christ (John 3:16)
God has compassion on those who are living in a miserable and miserable life under a curse, not a blessing because of the sin of being able to live without God. That is the verse of John 3:16. Let's read together. “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life”.
Jesus Christ is the Son of God. Because he is the Son of God, only Jesus can wash away sins. Only when we are washed away from our sins can we live the fruitful, prosperous, and happy life that God promised in the beginning. It is God's promise that anyone can restore this blessed life if they just believe in this Jesus.
Step 5. Now the question is your decision
Let's say here in a storm, a ship wrecked and people are drowning in the sea. At this point, a rescue boat comes running and throws a rope. Anyone who holds onto the rope will be saved. But whoever does not hold onto the ropes drowns in the sea. Just like that, Jesus is a rope thrown on those who are struggling in the storm of sin. Anyone who grabs hold of this rope is delivered from the storm of sin. The saying that anyone who believes in me will have eternal life means that they will be saved if they hold on to Jesus who is the rope. Therefore, Jesus is called life.
As long as you believe in Jesus, the lifeline, amazing things will happen. If you just hold on to Jesus, miracles will happen. Even if we do not know the internal structure of the computer, the screen appears when the power is turned on. Even if you don't know the electrical wiring in the house, just turn on the switch and the light will come on. In this way, as long as you believe in Jesus, the infinite power of Jesus begins to operate. We just need to hold onto the rope. It is Jesus who lifts up.
But no matter how close a rope is, no one who wants to die will not hold onto it. Such a person is impossible. No right? Now, the problem is you. What are you going to do? Only your decision remains. Life is always a decision. Life or death is up to you.
3. Closing story
Physical exercise has some benefits, but the godly life of believing in Jesus has great benefits in real life now and in the world after death (1 Timothy 4:8). Jesus is your lifeline and me. Receive Jesus. Then something really amazing will happen in your life. Please, welcome Jesus.