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ONE BIBLE VERSE

1 Peter 3:18

18 For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit:

IN A SIMPLE SENTENCE

The Gospel is that: God saves repentant sinners through the risen Lord Jesus.

IN A LONGER SENTENCE

The Gospel is the good news that: God eternally redeems and righteously rules a people who repent from sin and trust in the crucified and risen Lord of all—Jesus.

IN A COMPLEX SENTENCE

God’s Gospel is the good news and Kingly announcement revealed in all the Bible that: the one true God created us to enjoy and reflect His glory in all His creation, and though we have rebelliously sought our own glory, earning God’s just judgment for our sin, God the Son humbled Himself in Christ Jesus by coming as the God-man to perfectly live, sacrificially die, victoriously rise, sovereignly reign, justly judge, and faithfully save sinners from God’s good wrath, reconciling back to Himself a people born of His Spirit who repent from sin and follow the Lord Jesus by faith at the hearing of this good news and for all eternity in the new creation to the glory of God.

IN A PRAYER

Father in heaven, I thank You for Your perfect rule and for creating my friend, [name]. Thank You for bringing him into my life. I pray he will know your rich mercy and grace. You know his needs more than I do, and I pray that in his need, he would come to know You as Father… Provider… and Shepherd.

I hurt with him as he feels the pains of living in a sin-cursed world cut off from You. Please draw Him to Yourself through faith in the death and resurrection of Jesus so that he can glorify you in being exalted over sin and death… in the victory of Christ.

I pray that [name] would know the peace, joy, and love that You alone give and the failure of sin to satisfy. I pray that he would know Your truth and live according to your purposes for him.

I ask that You would make Yourself known to him… that he would see Your beauty revealed in You coming in Christ Jesus to judge sin… to save us from our sin… and to rescue us from Your just judgment. I pray that he would turn from his own sin to faith in Jesus’s sacrificial death… victorious resurrection… and kingly reign. I pray that he would follow Jesus all his days… by Your Spirit. Please open His heart to your goodness.

Lord, I know You hear and that You are faithful to answer. Help me to love you with my all and to love my friend… as Christ has loved me. Enable me to be there for him in his hardships and to represent You as I do.

I ask these things in Jesus’s name. Amen.

OVER LUNCH AND/OR 5-WEEK STUDY

God’s Gospel is the good news and Kingly announcement revealed in all the Bible that:

God Rules: The one true God created us to enjoy and reflect His glory in all His creation.

Key Verses: Mark 1:1; Genesis 1:1, 26-28; Psalm 103:19; Revelation 4:11

Reading: Mark 1-4 Jesus's Authority & Identity I

Humanity Rebels: We have rebelliously sought our own glory, earning God’s just judgment for our sin.

Key Verses: Mark 2:17; Romans 5:12

Narrative: Genesis 2:15-17; 3:6-15

Reading: Mark 5-9 Jesus's Authority & Identity II

Christ Redeems: God the Son humbled Himself in Christ Jesus by coming as the God-man to perfectly live, sacrificially die, victoriously rise, sovereignly reign, justly judge, and faithfully save sinners from God’s good wrath.

Key Verses: 1 Peter 3:18; Mark 8:31; 10:45; Romans 5:8-10, 19-21; Revelation 21:3-8

Narrative: Mark 15:25-39; 16:6-8; Isaiah 52:13-53:12

Reading: Mark 8-10 Jesus's Mission & Call

Repent & Believe the Gospel: God is reconciling back to Himself a people born of His Spirit who repent from sin and follow the Lord Jesus by faith at the hearing of this good news and for all eternity in the new creation to the glory of God.

Key Verses: Acts 2:36-47; 20:20-24; Romans 10:9-14

Narrative: Mark 8:31-38; 10:26-52; 12:29-31; Romans 6:1-23

Reading: Mark 11-13 Jesus's Presence & Prophesy

How are you going to respond to God’s Gospel?

Key Verses: James 1:17-18; Mark 4:13-20; Colossians 3:1-17

Reading: Mark 14-16 Jesus's Covenant & Kingdom