Romans 5:10-11 For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life. 11 More than that, we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation. English Standard Version (ESV)
We've been considering the "gift" of Jesus and what it means to and for us. You've all seen signs that say "Jesus, the reason for the season". When it comes down to it, the reason that Jesus came to earth, the reason for the incarnation was to bring reconciliation, to restore the proper relationship between God and man. The only way that that could be accomplished was through the birth, life, death and resurrection of our Savior.In considering this gift, John Piper writes:
"So here's the Christmas point. Not only did God purchase our reconciliation through the death of the Lord Jesus Christ, and not only did God enable us to receive that reconciliation through the Lord Jesus Christ (verse 11), but even now, verse 11 says, we exult in God himself through our Lord Jesus Christ.
Jesus purchased our reconciliation. Jesus enabled us to receive the reconciliation and open the gift. And Jesus himself shines forth from the wrapping — the indescribable gift — as God in the flesh, and stirs up all our exultation in God.
Look to Jesus this Christmas. Receive the reconciliation that he bought. Don't put it on the shelf unopened. And don't open it and then make it a means to all your other pleasures. Open it and enjoy the gift. Exult in him. Make him your pleasure. Make him your treasure."
Perhaps the greatest gift in any relationship is reconciliation. Many families need reconciliation, many marriages need it. The best place to find it is in Christ, to receive Him, believe in His Word and apply it. If we do so, we may be able to truly rejoice in the reconciliation that only He can bring. He arrived "at the right time to make it happen" (The Message).-- In Christ, Mike Folllow the Verse of the Day blog at http://mikesvotd.blogspot.com Ephesians 1:7 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God's grace. NIV
Romans 5:8-11The Message (MSG)
6-8 Christ arrives right on time to make this happen. He didn't, and doesn't, wait for us to get ready. He presented himself for this sacrificial death when we were far too weak and rebellious to do anything to get ourselves ready. And even if we hadn't been so weak, we wouldn't have known what to do anyway. We can understand someone dying for a person worth dying for, and we can understand how someone good and noble could inspire us to selfless sacrifice. But God put his love on the line for us by offering his Son in sacrificial death while we were of no use whatever to him.
9-11 Now that we are set right with God by means of this sacrificial death, the consummate blood sacrifice, there is no longer a question of being at odds with God in any way. If, when we were at our worst, we were put on friendly terms with God by the sacrificial death of his Son, now that we're at our best, just think of how our lives will expand and deepen by means of his resurrection life! Now that we have actually received this amazing friendship with God, we are no longer content to simply say it in plodding prose. We sing and shout our praises to God through Jesus, the Messiah!
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