The Gospel Message

How thankful we are though that there truly is hope by the roadside, even on this broad road that we have been thinking about. We're glad that Christ also talks about the narrow road. This is a road that "leads to life", that is, an eternity with God rather than the one we thought about earlier which would be separate from God.

In order to change roads, and leave the broad road for the narrow road, we need to have our sin problem dealt with. The good news of the Christian "gospel" is that this is absolutely possible today.

Right at the centre of the gospel, and indeed at the centre of human history too, are the events of Calvary, which was a hill outside of Jerusalem. It was there around 2000 years ago that Jesus Christ died on a Roman cross, but this was no ordinary death, and Jesus Christ was no ordinary man. Jesus Christ was and is the Son of God and His death and resurrection were in God's plan to deal with your sin and mine. It was foretold in the Bible in great detail long before it happened. Isaiah chapter 53 tells us about one who would die for the sins of others (verses 4-6) approximately 700 years beforehand. Psalm 22 describes in great detail many aspects of the crucifixion of Christ: He would be surrounded by those who hated and mocked Him (verse 7), He would experience extreme thirst (verse 15), His hands and feet would be pierced (verse 16). Many of the details given were utterly unique to crucifixion, and given that these were penned around 1000 years before crucifixion was ever thought about, you can see that the death of Christ was far from ordinary and was always God's plan.

But what does this mean for you and me?

As Isaiah told us these 700 years before it happened, there would be one who would die for the sins of others. Put simply, Christ died for your sin and mine. He was there bearing the judgement and anger of God upon our sin. Romans chapter 5 verse 8 tells us "God demonstrated His love toward us, in that while we were still sinners Christ died for us".

The simplicity of the gospel message is this; if we want our sins forgiven and the guarantee of an eternity with God in Heaven, it is through believing and trusting in Christ and relying on His finished work which took place at Calvary. As Paul and Silas told the jail keeper in Acts chapter 16 verse 31, "believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved".

No where in the Bible does it say we can be in Heaven through living an honest and clean life, or through trying our best to please God or others. In fact, this idea is very definitely discarded in Ephesians chapter 2 verses 7-8. It says "For by grace are you saved through faith, and not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast".

So if you still find yourself on the broad road, still in your sins, never having trusted and believed in Christ as Saviour, there truly is hope by the roadside. That hope is centred in Jesus Christ. Coming to know Him as Saviour will put you on that narrow road that leads to Heaven, and no doubt will change your life too.

Contrary to what others may say, there are no other ways to Heaven. Jesus said in John chapter 14 verse 6 "I am the way…no one comes to the Father except through me"