Rescued by Jesus

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Scripture: Romans 3:21-24 (The Message)

But in our time, something new has been added. What Moses and the prophets witnessed to all those years has happened. The God-setting-things-right that we read about has become Jesus-setting-things-right for us. And not only for us, but for everyone who believes in him. For there is no difference between us and them in this. 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.

Devotion:

            This scripture has some bad news for humanity. That news being that we are all sinners before God. We have nothing of our own words or deeds to recommend us as deserving of praise before our Heavenly Father. We are in quite a mess if we have to present ourselves before a perfectly holy God. Even if our good words and deeds could somehow surpass our sinful words and deeds we still wouldn’t be justified because God is perfectly holy and even one sin disqualifies us from heaven. And who among us can honestly say they have not committed one sin in their lifetime. What hopeless sinners we are!

            Here is where our passage provides us with hope. God has sent Jesus to live the perfect life we cannot live. Jesus has completed his mission and has rescued us from the power of sin and death. He came born sinless and died a death that took all the punishment for our sins upon himself. We will stand before God on that terrible day of judgement and plead innocent by the blood of Jesus. We will live forever with God in heaven by the power of Jesus’ resurrection from the dead. Jesus has provided the way for us to be free to live as God intended us to live because he lives within us.

            Since we have received this gift of God in the life, death, resurrection, and ascension of Jesus the Christ, how should we then live? Should we go on sinning knowing that our sins have been dealt with on the cross. By no means! We should, instead, live lives of love and service to God and our fellow man. When you receive a great gift from someone you do not lay it aside, no you use that gift for its intended purpose. So, we the recipients of God’s perfect gift of Jesus must not toss aside lightly the gift we have been given but use our gift of new life in Christ to bring glory to God.

Prayer:

            Everlasting Father in heaven, we come before you today with grateful hearts. We are such hopeless sinners it is hard for us to accept your gift of Jesus to take away our sins. With humble hearts we accept your gift and determine to give the gift of Jesus to those whom we meet that all may know of your wonderful loving kindness to us. God your gift of grace through Jesus is amazing. Help us to live amazing lives in response to your gift. Amen.

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