Recently I listened to a sermon on the power of the Gospel and how it could radically change our lives. I listened closely to each word that particular pastor was saying and i couldn’t help but question myself. Did I REALLY believe that? Did I really believe in the Gospel? It is a very tough question to answer. Because the Gospel is so much bigger than many people have always thought it to be.
“ For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life”
John 3:16
This is the verse many of us are taught countless times to memorize, right? But here is the problem. We are taught to memorize it and it has been drilled into our heads that Jesus came into the world, died for our sins, and then rose again. There is so much more, though, that lay beneath the surface of that simple statement. Jesus. A perfect man. Many will try to argue against that statement but if they read the bible they can see clearly that Jesus was without fault and without blame. Jesus. A miracle worker. A healer. And yet, what did WE do to him? I say WE because as he hung there on that cross it was our sins that were holding him up. The weight of our sins hung upon him. He thought of YOU and everything YOU would do. Yes, YOU, whoever is reading this, He knew every sin that you would ever commit against him. And yet… he loves you. He wouldn’t have died for you if he didn’t love you. He loved you then as he hung on that cross, paying the penalty for our sins, and he loves you RIGHT NOW. He loves you just as you are. Jesus not only died, but he rose again. Proving that the grave could not hold him. Sin was broken as Jesus’ blood poured out the grave was no match for the true King. We can place all of our hope and faith in Him because he has more then proven it to us that he will never fail us. Let that soak in for just a moment…He will NEVER fail us.
Every sin that you will ever commit is no surprise to the God of the universe who knit you together in your mothers womb. Every flaw YOU see, he sees as perfection. Every unique and special thing about you was intricately designed by your heavenly father. So we can live with joy. Because our sins are paid IN FULL! How exciting is that?? We owe absolutely EVERYTHING to our Lord and Savior. So we should live in joy and peace, holding nothing back from our heavenly Father. He will meet you right where you are, in all of the pain, in the joy, in the suffering, in the tears. He will come and wrap his arms around you and He will never ever fail. Because He displayed his perfect love for us on that cross. Now that… is the power of the cross.
“You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous person, though for a good person someone might possibly dare to die. But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us”
Romans 5:6-8
Lifeline 