If you are a believer, if you call Jesus your Lord and savior this morning, you are already at the heart of the greatest rescue story imaginable.
Tag: God
Every square inch of creation is corrupted, from the depths of space to the depths of our hearts—it’s all come under judgement. How is Jesus going to solve all of this? How in the world is Jesus’ judgement our hope?
You and I are living, breathing icons of the living God. Who gets to make a claim on your life? Who is the highest authority? The one whose image you bear.
When we come to Jesus, he’s not a superhero shaming you for not saving the world like he is. He’s a man who knows what it feels like to be exhausted and burdened by work, and he’s the God who took all our burdens upon himself on the cross.
Are Christians delusionally optimistic or toxically positive in the face of suffering? Is religion just a sad excuse for a crutch in the face of our crushing circumstances? I would say: absolutely not! Christianity avoids both delusional optimism and toxic positivity, and our text this morning shows us how.
Is sex just a biological urge, or is it the most important thing about you? The Bible offers a better perspective.
Stop trying to prove to yourself whether or not you’re lovable if that’s what you’re doing. If you’re anything like me, you’ll never find a reason within yourself. Instead, search the heart of God and listen to Him say to you “I love you.”
We have not been left in our sin any more than Jesus has been left in the grave.
Do you realize that Jesus considered you precious? He considered it a joy to redeem you. That’s the love we are rooted in. It’s not our own fickle, fleeting, weak love. It is our Lord’s eternal, unshakable, true love. Jesus is worth the pain. He’s worth the awkward, sheepish shame that so often comes with repentance. He’s worth imprisonment. He’s worth celibacy and ridicule. He’s worth the cost of obedience.
We’re a gnarly, messy bunch of branches. We didn’t earn the life Jesus fills us with, and we’ve still got a long way to go before we’re completely pruned. But God in His infinite love and power and mercy chose to graft us to Jesus so that we might abide in Him. And this invitation is open to all.
Take Note Of This 