The Good News (Gospel) of Jesus Christ

The Creator of the heavens and the earth loves you. Yes, you.

Whoever you are, whatever your past is, whatever defines you, God loves you.

God made everything. From the smallest cellular organism to solar systems and galaxies, He made it all. He made it good, but humanity rebelled, and God’s good world no longer functions the way it was created, stained by humanity’s actions.

Look around. Look at the war, the violence, the broken relationships, the prejudice, the greed, the death. It’s clear things aren’t right.

Look inside yourself. Are you overwhelmed? Lonely? Stressed? Are you burdened by something that you’ve done? Is there something you regret? Is the world too much?

God looked at the world. He looked at you. And He felt a deep, gut-wrenching compassion for you. He wanted to free His world from futility and bondage. He desired to put right what is clearly so wrong with His world. He wanted to bring humanity back to Himself. He was unwilling to accept a world where you were separated from Him.

So God sent His Son to be born as a man. He sent Jesus to make things right.

Jesus was born of a virgin in a manger in Bethlehem. Jesus lived a perfect life. Always obeying God, always putting others before Himself.

Jesus died on the cross. On the cross, Jesus faced the great enemy, death, and submitted to it.

Jesus died as a sinner, a criminal. He was considered the scum of the earth as He hung there to die. He was dying in your place. All of your guilt, all of your shame, was placed on His shoulders. In this act Jesus was a sacrifice, a payment for the sins of the world.

Jesus died. But death could not hold Him. It could not defeat Him. Three days after He was crucified, Jesus rose from the dead. Jesus’ resurrection was the first of many. His people will not lose to death either.

Jesus ascended into heaven. He holds all power in His hand. He is ruling and reigning. And He is coming again. When He comes He will raise the dead and welcome all His people into eternal, full, lasting life with Him in a creation that is restored and perfected.

This is the Good News.

It defines us at Ascension. Every week we gather to hear and receive this Good News. It is too good to hear only once!

This Good News isn’t mere history! God brings you into the story! At Ascension we practice Holy Baptism, which is an entry into God’s family. It connects you with this Good News!

Every week we hear the Bible read and our pastor preaches a sermon. When we hear God’s Word applied to us, we receive and trust the Good News.

We receive Holy Communion at Ascension, the gift of Jesus’ death and resurrection given to us every week. We would love to instruct you about this gift and have you join us at His table.

This is what you will find at Ascension Lutheran Church. A group of people who trust this Good News and proclaim it and demonstrate it each and every day.