The Gospel
Jesus Lived

Jesus believed that God is generous, reliable, compassionate ...

Jesus described God as ABBA ... Daddy (esp. MK 14:36) ...

Jesus related to God as "Father ... Daddy?" and encouraged others to do so as well
(esp. Mtt. 6:9, Mtt. 11: 25-27, Mtt. 23:9, Lk. 11:2)

Jesus described God as reliable and compassionate:

The Prodical Son (Lk. 15: 11-32)

The Unjust Judge (Lk. 18:1-8)

The Laborers in the Vineyard (Mtt. 20:1-16)

The Wicked Tenants (Mtt.21:33-46, Mk 12:1-12, Lk. 20:9-19)

The "Good Father" sayings (Lk: 11:11-13)

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Jesus believed that self-transcending Love (agape) is what holds everything

... all relationships ... together

John 3:16-17

The Gospels describe the relationship between Jesus and God as "agape"

Matt 3:17

Mark 1:9-11

Luke 3:21-22

John 3:35

Jesus used the word "Love" to make clear how people should live in relationship to God and to each other

Matt 5:43-46

Matt 19:18-19

Matt 22:35-39

Mark 12:28-33

Luke 6:27-36

Luke 16:13-15

Matt 5:43-46

Matt 19:18-19

Matt 22:35-39

Mark 12:28-33

Luke 6:27-36

Luke 16:13-15

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Jesus believed that there is enough of everything to go around ...
God is generous and provides all that we really "need" when we really need it

Jesus made clear on numerous occasions that there is enough agape,
enough forgiveness, enough healing, and enough bread (the basic "stuff" to support life) ...
not only in the Kingdom of God (which is coming), but right now

The question for us seems to be the same one faced by Nicodemus

Matt 6:25-34 ... The Birds and the Flowers

25 "Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes?

26 Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?

27 Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?

28 "And why do you worry about clothes? See how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labor or spin.

29 Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these.

30 If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?

31 So do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?'

32 For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them.

33 But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.

34 Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

(NIV)

Mark 10:17-31 ... Nicodemus

17 As Jesus started on his way, a man ran up to him and fell on his knees before him. "Good teacher," he asked, "what must I do to inherit eternal life?"

18 "Why do you call me good?" Jesus answered. "No one is good-- except God alone.

19 You know the commandments: 'Do not murder, do not commit adultery, do not steal, do not give false testimony, do not defraud, honor your father and mother.'"

20 "Teacher," he declared, "all these I have kept since I was a boy."

21 Jesus looked at him and loved him. "One thing you lack," he said. "Go, sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me."

22 At this the man's face fell. He went away sad, because he had great wealth.

23 Jesus looked around and said to his disciples, "How hard it is for the rich to enter the kingdom of God!"

24 The disciples were amazed at his words. But Jesus said again, "Children, how hard it is to enter the kingdom of God!

25 It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God."

26 The disciples were even more amazed, and said to each other, "Who then can be saved?"

27 Jesus looked at them and said, "With man this is impossible, but not with God; all things are possible with God."

28 Peter said to him, "We have left everything to follow you!"

29 "I tell you the truth," Jesus replied, "no one who has left home or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or fields for me and the gospel

30 will fail to receive a hundred times as much in this present age (homes, brothers, sisters, mothers, children and fields-- and with them, persecutions) and in the age to come, eternal life.

31 But many who are first will be last, and the last first."

(NIV)

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Jesus believed that there are consequences to what we do ... to everything that we do

Jesus spoke of eternal punishment and what we call "hell" ...
however, he spoke most often of
God treating each of us the way that we treat others

Jesus stated his view most concisely in "The Golden Rule"

Matt 7:12
Luke 6:31

31 Do to others as you would have them do to you.

(NIV)

and in the verses of

Matt 7:1-5
Luke 6:32-38, 41-42
Matt 18:23-35

Jesus surprised the people of his day by his view of who would be with God eternally ...

Matt 21:28-32
Matt 22:1-10
Luke 14:15-24

hell ... most often is the translation for the Greek word "Gehenna"
which is used for the "Valley of Topheth" outside of Jerusalem

Isa 30:33

33 Topheth has long been prepared; it has been made ready for the king.
Its fire pit has been made deep and wide, with an abundance of fire and wood;
the breath of the LORD, like a stream of burning sulfur, sets it ablaze. (NIV)

Matt 5:22

Matt 5:29

Matt 5:30

Matt 10:28

Matt 18:9

Matt 23:15

Matt 23:33

Mark 9:43

Mark 9:45

Mark 9:47

Luke 12:5

Luke 16:23

The punishment of the wicked ...

Matt 3:12

Matt 5:29-30

Matt 7:13-14

Matt 8:11-12

Matt 10:28

Matt 13:30

Matt 13:38-42

Matt 13:49-50

Matt 18:34-35

Matt 22:13

Matt 25:28-30

Matt 25:41

Matt 25:46

Mark 9:43-48

Luke 3:17

Jesus teaches about what is true righteousness ...
what a person "does" is more important
than what a person "believes"

Mark 7:1-23

Luke 6:43-49

Luke 16:19-31

Mark 11:22-25

Matt 18:21-35

Matt 25:14-46

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Jesus believed that human beings not only can, but must start their lives over ...
and human beings can always start over

Jesus spoke of "metanoeo" ... translated repentance,
but  it literally means to change one's perception, to change one's mind,
to turn around one's mind completely

Jesus also spoke of "being born again" ... a total restarting of life

Jesus spoke not so much of "what to believe" but about "how to believe" ... like little children

Matt 3:2

Matt 4:17

Matt 11:20

Matt 21:32

Mark 1:15

Mark 6:12

Luke 13:3

Luke 13:5

Luke 15:7

Luke 16:30

Luke 17:4

John 1:11-13

John 3:3-8

Luke 18:15-17

Matt 18:3-6

Mark 10:13-16

Luke 10:21

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