As part of our sermon series Prepared To Answer we are thinking about the language we use when we talk to our friends, neighbours and colleagues about Jesus. Sometimes when Christians talk about Jesus we use “the language of Zion”, words and phrases and pictures which only make sense to people who know the Bible well or have been going to church for many years. We need to learn to talk about Jesus in words and concepts and metaphors which our friends, neighbours and colleagues can actually understand.

This week we thought together about two ideas at the heart of the gospel message.

SALVATION
This idea began in the Old Testament with the Exodus of the slaves out of Egypt to the Promised Land. In the New Testament it embraces all the blessings God gives us through Jesus Christ. We can talk about salvation using words like freedom from imprisonment and rescue from danger, and pictures like air-sea rescue in a lifeboat or helicopter, or mountain rescue.

ETERNAL LIFE
We can talk about life in all its fullness, a quality of life which begins now and not even death can end, which continues forever. It is life lived in a relationship with God (John 17:3).

We will unpack other words in weeks to come and share our conclusions here.