We often divide humanity into two categories: Christians and non-Christians. But there is a third, much larger group that doesn’t fit neatly into either label. These are the people who believe the question of faith doesn’t matter. To them, religion is irrelevant—a relic of a bygone era, something to be ignored. There may be a God, but if there is, it doesn’t matter. There may not be a God, and that doesn’t matter either. In this chapter, we will argue that the God matters and the Gospel matters more than just about anything else. It addresses man’s fundamental, central need.  

The world is a mess, and Jesus came to set things right. To understand this, we need to grasp the nature of the problem Jesus came to solve. The heart of the problem is the human heart—broken, rebellious, and in desperate need of healing. By way of overview, let’s look at how John Piper summarizes it:

Jesus came into Galilee, proclaiming the gospel of God, and saying, ‘The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel’ ” (Mark 1:14). In other words, the reign of God has broken into this world to set things right for the sake of his people; therefore repent and believe this good news. In fact, if you do, you are part of his people. In a world so full of brokenness and sin, there simply can be no good news if God does not break in with kingly authority. If God does not come with sovereign rights as King of the universe, there will be only hopelessness in this world. [emphasis added][1]

The world is a mess. Jesus came to set things right. This is the gospel. 

The World Is a Mess

The evidence of our broken world is everywhere. Crime rates, mental health crises, systemic inequality, and environmental degradation point to the deep fractures in human society. Here are a few sobering statistics:

• According to the World Health Organization, depression is the leading cause of disability worldwide, affecting over 280 million people.
• The United Nations reports that over 9 million people die of hunger each year, even though there is enough food to feed everyone on the planet.
• In the United States alone, violent crime rates remain persistently high, with over 1.3 million violent crimes reported annually.
• Each year, an estimated 5 million children worldwide suffer from abuse, including physical, sexual, and emotional harm, according to UNICEF.
• Overdose deaths from drug abuse in the United States surpassed 100,000 annually in recent years, a grim reminder of the ongoing opioid crisis.
• Domestic abuse affects 1 in 3 women globally, according to the World Health Organization, with devastating effects on families and communities.
• A Gallup poll reveals that only 33% of adults worldwide consider themselves happy, with rates of unhappiness rising steadily over the past decade.

The world is a mess.

These numbers are not just abstract data points; they reflect real lives marked by suffering, despair, and loss. The world is crying out for healing, justice, and hope. And while governments, nonprofits, and individuals work tirelessly to address these issues, the root cause remains unaddressed: the brokenness of the human heart. To put it another way, the problem is sin, and God wants to put things right. This is the gospel. Vaughan Roberts explains:

The consequences are devastating not just for humanity but for the whole creation; everything is spoilt. But in his great love God promises to put things right again and re-establish his kingdom on earth. The rest of the Bible tells the story of the fulfilment of that promise: partially in Israel’s history in the Old Testament period, and then perfectly through Jesus Christ. So the Bible is about God’s plan of salvation: his promise to restore his kingdom, and then the fulfilment of that promise through his Son Jesus.[2]

The Heart of the Problem

Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn, the Russian novelist and dissident, famously observed: “The line between good and evil does not run between ‘us’ and ‘them,’ but through every human heart.” At the core of humanity’s problems is sin—a rebellion against God’s rule and a failure to love Him and others as we should. This is not just about individual acts of wrongdoing; it is a pervasive condition that affects every aspect of human life.

Jeremiah 17:9 captures this reality:

The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it? (NIV)

The brokenness of the human heart leads to broken relationships, broken systems, and a broken world. Jesus came to address this foundational issue. He came to transform hearts and, in doing so, to heal the world.

Jesus Came to Set Things Right

The mission of Jesus was nothing less than the restoration of all creation. He proclaimed the arrival of the Kingdom of God, a reality where God’s will is done on earth as it is in heaven. This is not just a future hope; it is a present reality breaking into our world. Jesus came to reverse the effects of sin and bring healing, wholeness, and renewal.

Consider Jesus’s own words in Luke 4, as He read from the scroll of Isaiah:

The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor. (Luke 4:18-19, NIV)

Jesus’ ministry was marked by acts of compassion and power. He healed the sick, forgave sins, cast out demons, and restored the marginalized. These were not random miracles; they were signs of the Kingdom—glimpses of what it looks like when God’s reign is fully realized.

But Jesus’ mission went beyond addressing the symptoms of sin. He came to cure the disease itself. His death on the cross was the ultimate act of love and justice, dealing with sin once and for all. Through His resurrection, He defeated death and opened the way for new life. As Paul writes:

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here! (2 Corinthians 5:17, NIV)

He Wants You to Help

When God works, He almost always sends a person. Throughout the Bible and history, we see this pattern of God calling individuals to partner with Him in setting things right. He does not need us, but He chooses to use us. Here are some examples....