The Gospel made simple

I have these four points on the back of my card and on my blog.  They give the heart and core of the Gospel; indeed, the message of the whole Bible.  Here's a teeny bit of background by way of scriptures, on each one.

1. God, who is Father, Son and Holy Spirit, is love; and God loves you.
1 John 4:8  "Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love."
1 John 3:1  "See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God!"

Eph. 2:3-5  "But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions..."
1 John 4:9  "God showed how much he loved us by sending his one and only Son into the world so that we might have eternal life through him."

2. The Father made plans to include you in his love and life forever.
Eph. 1:3-5 "Even before he made the world, God loved us and chose us in Christ to be holy and without fault in his eyes..."
John 3:16-17  "...God sent his Son into the world not to judge the world, but to save the world through him."

3. The Son, Jesus, accomplished the Father's plan, and you are already forgiven and included.
1 John 4:9  "This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him."
Romans 5:6-10 "While we were utterly helpless, Christ came at just the right time and died for us sinners...while we were still sinners...our friendship with God was restored by the death of his Son while we were his enemies..."
Col 1:20  "and through him [Jesus] God reconciled everything to himself.  He made peace with everything in heaven and on earth by means of Christ’s blood on the cross."
John 12:32  "And when I [Jesus] am lifted up from the earth, I will draw everyone to myself.” 

4. The Spirit invites you to believe this good news; and in believing, to enjoy it! 

John 15:26  "The Spirit of truth...will come to you from the Father and will testify all about me." 
John 16:8-11 "And when [the Spirit] comes, he will convict the world of its sin, and of God’s righteousness, and of the coming judgment.  The world’s sin is that it refuses to believe in me..."
Romans 8:1-2  "So now there is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus [note, that's everybody]. And because you belong to him, the power of the life-giving Spirit has freed you from the power of sin that leads to death."
Romans 8:16  "For his Spirit joins with our spirit to affirm that we are God’s children."

The core message of the whole Bible is wrapped up in who Jesus is, what he did for us, and how he has invited us into this glorious life of love.  How about sharing it with someone you love?