The Truth of the Gospel
How can I know Jesus?


There is GOOD News and BAD News!

BAD NEWS

The bad news is that the Bible says "All have all sinned and fall short of the glory of God" (Romans 3:23). Because of sin, we are separated from God. Many of us have noticed that there is something wrong and missing in our lives.

This is definitely bad news. But there is even more! We cannot correct our problem of sin and thus get to heaven by doing good deeds. It does not matter how many of these good deeds we do. They simply will not get us to heaven. Some of the good things that people do that make them think they will go to heaven but will not get them there include...

Going to church

Being an all around "good" person

Helping the poor and giving to charity

Our problem of sin can only bring us everlasting death. "For the wages of sin is death" (Romans 6:23a).


GOOD NEWS!

Now for the good news! Yes, the wages of sin is death, "but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord" (Romans 6:23b). Since we cannot work our way up to God due to sin, He corrected that problem by deciding to come down to us! He did this by coming down to earth in the appearance of a man, Jesus Christ (Philippians 2:6-11). The entire reason that Jesus came to earth was to die in our place for our sins. Romans 5:8 tells us, "God demonstrated His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us." He took upon Himself the death that we deserve by dying a horrible death on a cross. He died on that cross in our place.

There's even more good news!! Jesus did not stay dead. Three days later He rose again from the dead in great victory. Jesus conquered sin and death!

So what does this all mean?

Everlasting life with Jesus is a gift. But like all gifts it must be received. The gift of everlasting life must be received by faith in Christ. You need to trust exclusively in Jesus for forgiveness and everlasting life and thus be rescued from everlasting death. Ephesians 2:8,9 says "For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith-and this not from yourselves; it is the gift of God-not by works, so that no one should boast."

How do I receive this gift?

Ask Jesus to forgive you of all your sins and place your trust in Him for your forgiveness. The way to talk to Jesus (Who is God) is to pray to Him. The following is a sample prayer that you can pray. Keep in mind that you are not saved by just speaking words of a prayer. It is the attitude of your heart that matters. This prayer is you telling God what you are doing in response to what He has done for you.

"Dear God, I know that I am a sinner and that my sins deserve to be punished. I believe that Jesus Christ died for me and rose from the grave. I thank You for this and I trust in Jesus alone to be my Savior. Please forgive me for my sins and help me become the person You want me to be. When I die, please take me to heaven. In Jesus' name, Amen."

Now what?

Grow to be like Jesus. Begin by studying His teachings in the New Testament portion of the Bible. We recommend that you start with the Gospel of John (the 4th book in the New Testament).

Pray. Spend time each day by talking with God through prayer.

Worship with other followers of Jesus at a local church like Desert Hills.

Tell other people what Jesus has done for you!




Why should I believe in the authenticity of Jesus and His claims?

1. Prophecy - Jesus fulfilled documented prophecies that were recorded centuries before His earthly ministry, including his place of birth and the type of death He would experience.
   
   
2. The Empty Tomb - Had someone been able to produce a dead body of Jesus it would have been "Exhibit A" that He had not risen. However, the fact that His grave was empty after being heavily guarded by Roman soldiers and sealed with a huge boulder demonstrated that He is God. He rose on the 3rd day, just like He said He would.
   
   
3. Eyewitness Accounts - After the resurrection Jesus appeared to at least 500 people. He not only appeared to them but He also physically ate and conversed with them.
   
   
4. Miracles - the recording of Jesus’ miracles in the Bible confirms that He was God. What kind of a person has complete power and authority over sickness, death, nature, and spiritual forces? God!
   
   
5. Transformed Lives - The disciples who had witnessed the execution of their leader went into hiding fearing for their lives. But then something happened that so transformed them that they were willing to risk everything to spread the news that He was risen. What would cause such a paradigm shift? Seeing the Resurrected Jesus! Think about it, the disciples believed that the Message was worth dying for (and they faced horrible deaths) and now, 2000 years later, people's lives are still being transformed by the forgiveness of Jesus Christ.
   
   
6. He claimed to be God - Unlike other religious and spiritual leaders, Jesus did in fact claim to be God, the Messiah. Furthermore, he also had the supernatural miracles and powers to back up that claim. Read John chapter 14, verses 7-10, John chapter 10, verse 30, and John chapter 8, verses 54-59.
   
   
7. A Living Lord - Christianity is a relationship, not a religion. We can have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ today by seeking His forgiveness of our sins and by placing our trust in Him to rescue us from our wrongs that separate us from God.
   
   

If you have any further questions about this please contact us at 602-938-3950 or email the church office at deshills@msn.com. We are here to help and serve you.



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