The Gospel

As a Christian, this is literally the first time I've ever tried to put the gospel message down on paper, and, let me tell you, it ain't easy. Condensing down all that happened on

Calvary and all that led up to it? Without leaving out anything out? And still conveying everything it meant? Everything it cost?
Are you kidding me?

Still, I'm giving it a go.

Here goes nothing.

The Gospel message in 800 words:

There exists a God.

There are none above him.

He created the Heavens and the Earth 
and everything that lives.

He created man and woman,

breathing life into their bones.

He loved and rested in his creation.

But...

there was another.
One who had fallen, and

who came in the form of a serpent.

One who deceived the creation,

and tempted them to turn from the 
Creator.

And through one man,
and one choice, 
sin entered into the world.

And the heredity of sin began.
It would plague all men.
And none could escape it.

And so we were separated.

The creation and the Creator.

Our hearts blackened by our own lusts

and desires. Blackened by the 
great Deceiver who is allowed to 
roam the world to this day.

And so, what hope was there?

When the creation were so easily

swayed. So easily distracted.

So easily persuaded.

And God, the Creator, so easily forgotten. 

And so God created the Law.

And a covenant was made with man.

"Though you have sinned against me,

and have forsaken me, 
and done every evil thing,

still

I wish to save you."

And a people were delivered,

and commands were written in

stone.

But...

These Laws were only for a select few.

And even amongst those chosen,

sin still prevailed.

Those who once loved and admonished

the Creator, turned away

to pursue their own gods.
Things made of stone, 
and wood, and gold, 
and flesh.

Who could be saved?

Who could be counted as worthy?

For it is written,

"There is no one righteous,

not even one."

The creation would be held accountable.

And it would fall short.

For all have fallen short,

of the glory of God.

And so, what hope was there?

There was only one.

A man,

A messiah.

Sent from God.

To save His people.

To save the world.

A man they

would call

Jesus.

Jesus.

In a man,
born in Nazareth under the stars and in a stable,

salvation came to Earth.

The Creator's own Son, 

born of a virgin,

and sent to proclaim salvation.

He spoke of a new covenant.

He came to fulfill the words of the prophets.

He came to restore what had been broken
and maimed
and tainted.

Despite all that they had done.

And all that they would continue to do.
He would take on man's heritage of sin,
and of death.

And He would teach as none before had taught.
And breathe life into dead bones.

For, "Blessed are the poor, and those who mourn,

and the meek, 

and the hungry, and the merciful,

and the pure of heart, and the peacemakers,

and the persecuted! 
Blessed are you who

the world deems unworthy."

The Son was sent,
not as a lamb to the slaughter,
but as one who had a choice to make.

To make a choice to die.

To suffer.

To bleed.

To be shamed.
To take on, in His human body,
all of the sins of the human race
that have been, and that will be.

To be separated from the Creator.

To become that lamb,
that would be slain.

And He made His choice.
And He said yes to the creation.

And He took up His cross.
He stumbled and fell.
He bled, and He suffered.
And His body was broken,
and nailed to a tree.

And then...

The Son breathed His last.

 He died.

And there was chaos.
And the earth shook,
and the temple cracked,
and the sky turned black.
Where to go, what to do

now that the man they called holy,
and worthy,
and Messiah,

was dead?

Surely hope was now lost.

But, 

said the Lord,
it was not the end.
But only the beginning.

For the man they called Jesus.

The son of the Living God,

was not dead,

but alive.

He rose from the ashes,

and conquered the grave,

and destroyed our sin,

and wiped our faces clean.

For when He died....
the divide between
God and mankind,
the heredity of sin,
the cycle of destruction.
the centuries of separation,
the hopeless justification,
the deserving damnation

died right along with Him.

And that is love.
And that is truth.
And He is light,
as He was dead,
and is now alive.
For no life
and no death,
no angel
or demon,
no present
or future,
no persecution,
or famine,
or hardship,
or nakedness,
or sword,
or danger,
or height
or depth
'nor anything else
in all creation'
will ever be able to separate us
from the love of God
that is Jesus the Christ.

He did it all.
It is done.
We cannot earn our salvation
or deserve our redemption.
It is already done
and it can never be taken away.

He did it all.

All you have to do, is say yes.
Believe.
Trust.
Pursue.
Desire.
Surrender.
Love.
Glorify.
Proclaim.
Persevere.

Until the end.

If we died with him,
we will also live with him; 

if we endure, 
we will also reign with him.