Verse of the Day 4/13

Through the Bible - 1 Samuel 13-14, Luke 14:27-15:10

 

Good morning,

Yesterday Pastor Bob gave a powerful Easter message, " The Great Escape".  It began with the testimony of a man whom Jesus had delivered from a like of drugs, alcohol, and crime.  He was given a new life, in Christ.  The testimony was powerful and was accentuated by hearing the Chris Tomlin song "I Will Rise" (quote in Saturday's VOTD).

 

The resurrection of Jesus reminds us that God provides second chances.  Even if we've "blown it" in a big way He offers forgiveness, healing, peace, and hope (to mention a few) if we will turn to Him, and as the song said "fall on our knees" before our God acknowledging our sin and seeking the forgiveness that only He can give.

 

An important point is that without Christ, none of us have the "right " to stand before God, we all have sinned.  Today's verse reminds us of this.  It was something that the Pharisees' missed and religious "legalists" today can easily miss.

 

Rom 3:23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.   NIV

We are justified, put in a right standing before God, by His grace through Jesus Christ.

Read how The Message paraphrases verses 23-25:

 

Rom 3:23-25  Since we've compiled this long and sorry record as sinners (both us and them) and proved that we are utterly incapable of living the glorious lives God wills for us, God did it for us. Out of sheer generosity he put us in right standing with himself. A pure gift. He got us out of the mess we're in and restored us to where he always wanted us to be. And he did it by means of Jesus Christ.

 

Read the following statement by theologian J. Gresham Machen made almost a century ago.  It still rings true today.

 

"The atoning death of Christ, and that alone, has presented sinners as righteous in God's sight; the Lord Jesus has paid the full penalty of their sins, and clothed them with His perfect righteousness before the judgment seat of God.

But Christ has done for Christians even far more than that. He has given to them not only a new and right relation to God, but a new life in God's presence for evermore. He has saved them from the power as well as from the guilt of sin.

The New Testament does not end with the death of Christ; it does not end with the triumphant words of Jesus on the Cross, 'It is finished.' The death was followed by the resurrection, and the resurrection like the death was for our sakes.

Jesus rose from the dead into a new life of glory and power, and into that life He brings those for whom He died. The Christian, on the basis of Christ's redeeming work, not only has died unto sin, but also lives unto God."

 

Jesus has not only given us a new life, He's given us a relationship with Him.  "New life in Christ, abundant and free", do you have this?  If you do, let it put a spring in your step and show in your life today.

 

In Christ,

Mike

 

Rom 3:21-4:1

Christ Took Our Punishment

21 But now God has shown us a way to be made right with him without keeping the requirements of the law, as was promised in the writings of Moses and the prophets long ago. 22 We are made right with God by placing our faith in Jesus Christ. And this is true for everyone who believes, no matter who we are.

23 For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God's glorious standard. 24 Yet God, with undeserved kindness, declares that we are righteous. He did this through Christ Jesus when he freed us from the penalty for our sins. 25 For God presented Jesus as the sacrifice for sin. People are made right with God when they believe that Jesus sacrificed his life, shedding his blood. This sacrifice shows that God was being fair when he held back and did not punish those who sinned in times past, 26 for he was looking ahead and including them in what he would do in this present time. God did this to demonstrate his righteousness, for he himself is fair and just, and he declares sinners to be right in his sight when they believe in Jesus.

27 Can we boast, then, that we have done anything to be accepted by God? No, because our acquittal is not based on obeying the law. It is based on faith. 28 So we are made right with God through faith and not by obeying the law.

29 After all, is God the God of the Jews only? Isn't he also the God of the Gentiles? Of course he is. 30 There is only one God, and he makes people right with himself only by faith, whether they are Jews or Gentiles. 31 Well then, if we emphasize faith, does this mean that we can forget about the law? Of course not! In fact, only when we have faith do we truly fulfill the law.  NLT