SCRIPTURE  FROM:   Romans 5:6-9 (TLB)

TEXT:  ⁶ When we were utterly helpless, with no way of escape, Christ came at just the right time and died for us sinners who had no use for him. ⁷ Even if we were good, we really wouldn’t expect anyone to die for us, though, of course, that might be barely possible. ⁸ But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners. ⁹ And since by his blood he did all this for us as sinners, how much more will he do for us now that he has declared us not guilty? Now he will save us from all of God’s wrath to come.

OBSERVATION:   The real story of this week ending with the joyous celebration of Easter – the Resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ, is all revealed in these few verses. For last Sunday we celebrated the awesome, sinless Son of God entering into a city filled with sin and with no hope. Yet by the end of the week Christ had risen from the dead for sinners just like those who had mocked Him, those who had lied and convicted Him, those who judged Him, those who led Him up to the hill of Golgotha, those who stood by and mocked Him as He was crucified, and for those who nailed Him to a cross and crucified Him.

APPLICATION:   Our verses remind us that it would be extremely challenging to find someone willing to put their life on the line for us, even if we were very close to them. But just so that we may best understand the Scripture here, let’s think of someone you have really been mean to, or perhaps even fought with verbally or physically. In fact you really feel like they may even hate you. However, one day you receive a call and although you don’t recognize the voice on the other end, they seem to be sobbing and very distressed, as they ask you to urgently come and help them out of a very dangerous situation. You determine that it’s the person that always opposed you and fought with you, and it sounds like you would have to put your life on the line in order to help them. What would you do? God had a very similar scenario to deal with, for He created perfect human beings, to be the smartest and most loving species He had made. However, Satan had found his way into their lives, and they were totally sold on all the parties and sinful things that Satan made so appealing to them. In fact, they would seldom think of attending church anymore, because they were so involved in all of the joys that Satan made possible for them. Saints on earth had given up on them because of the hopelessness they saw in them, and they were convinced that Hell was the only option for them. HOWEVER, in steps Jesus, and He says to you in a very convincing and loving manner “It’s OK my child, I once gave my life for people just like that, and because of their desperate plea for forgiveness and help, I have just washed them as white as snow. The sin you once saw in them have been washed into the sea of forgetfulness, and because of the blood that I shed on Calvary, they have been made eternally fit for the Kingdom of God”! Friends, this illustrates the forgiveness that is now possible since that first Good Friday when Jesus hung on the cross and died for us. We can now go to Him for the forgiveness of our sin, and rejoice in the risen Lord, that we celebrate at Easter. He lives my friends! You ask me how I know He lives, He lives within my heart! Today you may fit in with the crowd that nailed Jesus to the cross. But friends, my prayer is that your heart might become tender this weekend and you may say ‘YES’ to the repeated plea by Jesus, and that Sunday you can celebratewith Christians all over the world as we reflect on the joys of our risen Lord and King!

PRAYER:   Lord Jesus, I am so thankful for all that you did for us at Calvary, for had it not been so, where would I have been today? Lord, You made it possible for sinners to seek forgiveness and live in the new life that You offer to all those who could do nothing for themselves. I live in a community where statistics show that only about 30% of the population is churched. No, I’m not in a distant land where the Word of God has not been openly shared with everyone, I live in a small county in central Florida, in the United States. This means that people have heard the Word, and chosen instead to live life unassuming but very consumed in sin. Oh Lord, please catch hold of the stubborn hearts and show them a glimpse of Heaven this weekend. May we see many surrender their lives to the New Life that only You can offer – Eternal Life! AMEN!

FOOTNOTE: There are two more pages on my blog that will provide you with additional information, one of them being ‘To Know Jesus’.  If you have been challenged to make a decision today after reading this devotional, please click on the above page, or speak with a local Bible Teaching Pastor, or contact me at NuggetsFromGodsWord@outlook.com. Please allow someone to pray with you and give you help and/or encouragement as you begin, or continue your walk with Jesus. Words underlined in my blog could indicate a link to a song that came to mind as I wrote the devotional. Feel free to click on the link and listen as you continue to read or pray. If this devotional was forwarded to you and you would like to see more, please go to Nuggets From God’s Word and read more, or you may freely to subscribe for a daily email conveniently containing each day’s devotional. If you are anywhere near the Sebring, Florida area and do not have a church home, I would be thrilled to welcome you at Bible Fellowship Church, located at 3750 Hammock Rd, Sebring, FL 33872! Click the link to check out service times and/or other special activities. God is at work among us! Please consider coming to worship with us!