One of the sweetest words I know is this word Gospel. It means good news. When understood correctly, the Gospel evokes a deep sense of gratitude, sincere humility, and amazing joy in our hearts. It is because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes. God‘s message of love and forgiveness is wrapped up in this gospel. But what does it mean that Jesus is the Christ? Jesus is the true king, who destroyed the devil’s work.

Christ is not the last name of Jesus, but the office he has accomplished. The meaning of Christ is “the anointed one”, the one chosen to do the work of salvation, mediating between God and man. Today we will focus on how Jesus perfectly fulfills the role of the high priest.

Who is Jesus to you? This may be the most important question that determines not only the quality of your life here on earth, but how you spend eternity. Jesus asked this very question to his disciples in Matthew 16:15. He asked them, “Who do you say that I am?” What would you say in response to that?

While it is a blessing to know many different Bible stories, if we are not able to understand the central theme that underlies every book in the Bible, they will end up like a 1000 piece puzzle we don’t have the final picture for. Have you ever tried putting a puzzle together without knowing what it’s supposed to look like? Is that how you sometimes feel with the Bible or your walk with God? What is the Scriptures all about? The central theme of the word of God is the unfolding story of God’s redemptive plan centered on the person and work of Jesus Christ.

What is your biggest fear? For most people, it is death and rightfully so. No one questions whether or not people will die. We know that we are finite beings, mortals with flesh and bone that will one day fade away. But why is that something so dark and horrifying? Is there a life after death? Can we know for sure what happens to us when we die?

If you have experienced suffering in any way - mental, emotional, or physical – you may have felt that life can seem meaningless. Perhaps this is the reason why so many people take their own lives. They commit suicide not to purposely inflict pain on others but to end their own suffering. It is a heartbreaking reality for so many people today, and sadly, young children are wanting to die as well. What could be done for the youth who cannot see the root cause, reason, or purpose of their pain?

Are there days you feel so exhausted that it takes a ton of effort to just get out of bed? Maybe you had a season in your life feeling depressed? Have you ever experienced a time when you were so worried about something that you couldn’t eat or sleep? These emotions are natural and common to all people. But what do we do when your thoughts or emotions are so tormenting that they hinder us from having healthy relationships and living normal lives? And where did these emotional and mental problems come from? I pray you will find peace in Christ where there is no peace in this world. Only Jesus can come the storms of our heart and quiet the soul because he is the Prince of Peace.

Is there anything you just can’t live without? Are there non-essential things for survival that you crave for and must have no matter the cost? There are many things that take the most prominent place in our hearts. There are things and people and ideas that we love and rely on more than God and these are called idols. Our tendency to be obsessed or addicted to people, ideas, or substances is our desperate effort to find the solution to our fears and emptiness. What does God say about these idols in our lives?

After Adam and Eve disobeyed God and fell into sin, the life of misery and curses began for all mankind. From that time on, all humans have inherited a certain spiritual state. We now have the spiritual identity of being children of the devil. What does that mean and is there a way out of this slavery to Satan and fear? The only answer is Christ.

What happened in Genesis 3 that changed the world forever? Adam and Eve broke God’s covenant and fell into sin and the curse of death. All our problems today come from this fundamental problem of our separation from God due to our sinful nature and slavery to Satan. What can we do to solve this problem? The answer is only Christ.

What does it mean that man was created in the image of God? It means we were made to be like God, to share in some attributes, and reflect his character. The God of all the universe created us to be like him so that we may be with him. He created us for his own glory and he delights in us, his greatest masterpiece.

Did you know that God created the sun, the moon, and all the stars for the sake of man? While so many people search for answers and guidance from the stars, we have the true Answer and perfect guidance from the Almighty Creator and Savior Jesus Christ. Star-gazing leads us to giving thanks and worship to God.

As soon as God created the man, he gave him the blessing of procreation, kingship over all the earth, and the cultural mandate to glorify God through his work. Through our work, we bring glory to God and God is delighted with us.

What is true rest? Do you feel weary with sins and problems? Are you burdened with guilt, fear, or pain? There is someone who knows all your burdens and says to you in Matthew 11:28-29, “Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.”

Do you know how special and unique you are? Nothing about your life, not even a single hair on your head or mark on your body is unknown to God. He knew you before you were born. He designed your DNA. Whatever your circumstances or sins, God knows you and loves you. You are beautiful and special to God!

God made everyone special and unique. As the greatest masterpiece of God, people were created in God’s image in the beauty of diversity. Let’s teach our children the precious meaning of their identity, the beauty of diversity, and the power of unity.

The universal question asked by all people from every generation is, “What is the meaning of life?” Why is this so important for humans and not animals? It is because it reflects the fundamental core of who we are. Life does have a special meaning for each of us because we were created with a purpose. We were created in the image of God. But what does that mean?

On the sixth day, God made all the creatures of the animal kingdom. How could so much diversity and sophistication come from random acts of chance over millions of years of evolution? There is an obvious, intelligent design in all of God’s creation. God created all the animals for his own glory! How thankful we are to know our true object of worship, which is NOT the animals or creatures of earth but the one and only God of Creation, the Lord Jesus Christ.

Did you know that besides the 200,000+ marine species in the world, there are millions more that are still unknown? And did you know that there are over 10,000 bird species? Our God created these amazing creatures to reflect his wisdom, power, and glory. The Bible says that God watches over the birds of the air and even the sparrow, but how much more does He care about you!

What’s your favorite flower? Do you have a favorite tree? Or what about favorite fruit? It’s amazing to know how beautifully God created these things for us! But did you know that God‘s greatest masterpiece is you!