God’s Design

We see beauty, purpose and evidence of design all around us. The Bible tells us that God originally
planned a world that worked perfectly, where everything and everyone fit together in harmony. God
made each of us with a purpose, to worship Him and walk with Him.

• God saw everything that He had made, and behold, it was very good (Genesis 1:31).
• The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims His handiwork (Psalm 19:1).

Sin

Life doesn’t work when we ignore God and His original design for our lives. We selfishly insist on doing
things our own way. The Bible calls this sin. We all sin and distort the original design. The consequence
of sin is separation from God, in this life and for all of eternity.

• For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23).
• For the wages of sin is death (Romans 6:23).

Brokenness

Sin leads to a place of brokenness. We see this all around us and in our own lives as well. When we realize
life is not working, we begin to look for a way out. We tend to go in many directions trying different
things to figure it out on our own. Brokenness leads to a place of realizing a need for something greater.

• They exchanged the truth about God for a lie and worshiped and served the creature rather than
  the Creator (Romans 1:25).
• There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way to death (Proverbs 14:12).

Gospel

At this point we need a remedy, some good news. Because of His love, God did not leave us in our
brokenness. Jesus, God in human flesh, came to us and lived perfectly according to God’s design. Jesus
came to rescue us, to do for us what we could not do for ourselves. He took our sin to the Cross, paying
the penalty of our sin by His death. Jesus was then raised from the dead to provide the only way for us
to be rescued and restored to a relationship with God.

• For God so loved the world, that He gave His only Son (John 3:16).
• …By canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This He set aside,
  nailing it to the Cross (Colossians 2:14).

Repent & Believe

Simply hearing this Good News is not enough. We must admit our sinful brokenness and stop trusting in
ourselves. We don’t have the power to escape this brokenness on our own; we need to be rescued. In this,
we must ask God to forgive us, turning from sin to trust only in Jesus. This is what it means to repent
and believe. Believing, we receive new life through Jesus. and God turns our lives in a new direction.

• For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of
  God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast (Ephesians 2:8–9).
• If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised Him
  from the dead, you will be saved (Romans 10:9).

Recover & Pursue

When God restores our relationship to Him, we begin to discover meaning and purpose in a broken
world. Now we can pursue God’s design in all areas of our lives. Even when we fail, we understand
God’s pathway to be restored, this same Good News of Jesus. God’s Spirit empowers us to pursue His
design and assures us of His presence in this life and for all of eternity.

• For it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure (Philippians 2:13).
• For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared
  beforehand, that we should walk in them (Ephesians 2:10).

A Response

Now that you have heard this Good News, God wants you to respond to Him. You can talk to Him
using words such as these:

“My life is broken and I recognize it because of my sin. I need you.”
“I believe Jesus came to live and die, and was raised from the dead to rescue me from my sin.”
“Forgive me. I turn from my selfish ways and put my trust in You.”
“I know that Jesus is God, and I will follow Him.”

Verses:

• For “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved” (Romans 10:13).
• If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised Him
  from the dead, you will be saved (Romans 10:9).