The times of ignorance God overlooked, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent. -- Acts 17:30 All people everywhere: The man, the woman, the child. The butcher, the baker, the candlestick maker. The prince and the president. The little and the great. The fierce and the kind. ALL. But he answered, “It is written, “‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God. -- Matthew 4:4 Repent. Turn from being your own God, turn to love and follow Christ, turn to live under His good and gracious rule. God commands and requires all people everywhere to submit to God and obey His Word. Well, that leaves us--you and me--at a loss, since we are corrupt, unwilling to genuinely submit, and unable to fully conform to the Law of God, not only unable to cease from our transgressions against Him, but also unable to erase the sins of our past. Then I saw a great white throne and him who was seated on it. From his presence earth and sky fled away, and no place was found for them. And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Then another book was opened, which is the book of life. And the dead were judged by what was written in the books, according to what they had done. And the sea gave up the dead who were in it, Death and Hades gave up the dead who were in them, and they were judged, each one of them, according to what they had done. Then Death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire. And if anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire. -- Revelation 20:11-14 The Almighty, Omnipotent, Good Creator of all things is promising to kill us, promising to punish and wound us forever, if we continue as we are. One of His most severe and frightening requirements is that we love, fear, and submit to Him from conception to death. We are undone. The bad news of our corruption is very bad. What can we do? We are sunk already! And our sin is still killing us, dragging us down to the grave, dragging us to Hell. We try. We promise to do better. We take on some good behaviors. We look around to see if other humans are impressed. But, try as we might, we cannot, by our own free will, escape from our own evil desires. Even if we could perfect our affections, thoughts, and efforts, we are already under a sentence of death! But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law, although the Law and the Prophets bear witness to it— the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction: for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith. This was to show God’s righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over former sins. It was to show his righteousness at the present time, so that he might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus. -- Romans 3:21-26 Jesus made a way for me, one who could not fix herself, one who was under a sentence of death for crimes against her Creator. Jesus took my own punishment in my place, and God, holy and omnipotent, has called me to follow after Him, to walk in His forgiveness and peace, according to the rule of His Kingdom. Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age. -- Matthew 28:18-20 And this is what all must hear. This is what must be our message. Not: ask Jesus into your heart. Not: pray this prayer, in case this might be true. Not: go through these motions. Not: sign your name on this card. Not: buy your fire insurance here. Oh, so much more. New life, new affections, new desires, inseverable unity with Christ, all the goodness of Christ accounted to me, my full penalty paid by Him, all the promises of God given to me, a room and a place among a Holy People, blessings upon my childrens children who follow with me, a certain hope, a sure future, everlasting life. That is worth a Major Public Celebration every Sunday, dont you think?
Posted on: Sun, 30 Mar 2014 18:42:59 +0000
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