“Though guiltless Jesus suffered the consequence of sin, which is death, as a proxy for you. When he rose from the dead, Jesus opened the way for you to know God’s grace and be reconciled to him. That’s love. That love is for you.”
1 John 4:16
So we have come to know and to believe the love that God has for us. God is love, and whoever abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him.
A certain medieval monk announced he would be preaching on “The Love of God.” The following Sunday evening, as the shadows fell and the sunlight faded, the congregation gathered. In the darkness, the monk lighted a candle and carried it to the crucifix. He first illumined the crown of thorns. Then he brought the candlelight to the two wounded hands, then the marks of the spear wound. In the hush that fell in the cathedral, he blew out the candle and left the sanctuary. There was nothing left to say.
God so loved you and me that he sent his One and only Son, Jesus the Christ, to be wounded for our transgressions and crushed for our iniquities. God demonstrated his love in this, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. God is love and Love loved us in a way we could never repay. When we had turned our backs on his presence, he graciously reconciled us to his side in love. In Christ, our old life of sin has been dealt with and we have become new creations, forgiven and cleansed.
Do you know this love? The wounds Jesus endured in his crucifixion – the beatings, the crown of thorns on his head, the spikes through his hands and feet and the spear in his side – were inflicted because of the sin of the world. Your sin was ascribed to Jesus on the cross. Though guiltless, Jesus suffered the consequence of sin, which is death, as a proxy for you. When he rose from the dead, Jesus opened the way for you to know God’s grace and be reconciled to him. That’s love. That love is for you.
(Want to know more? E-mail dudley@surereality.net)
God-tracking is accepting God’s love
READ ALL ABOUT IT
John 3:16-18
Isaiah 53:5
Romans 5:8
2 Corinthians 5:16-19
2 Corinthians 5:21
Romans 6:23
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Come into my heart, Lord Jesus as I give my life to you
“Dear God, thank you that you love me. Thank you that you sent your Son, Jesus Christ, to take my place in death so that, by faith in him, I can have the promise of eternal life. I admit to my sin – my wrongdoing and my bad living – and I repent. Thank you that Jesus took the punishment for that sin. Now, I call on the name of Jesus Christ. I believe he died and rose again and confess him to be my Lord. Come into my heart, Lord Jesus as I give my life to you. Amen.”
If you prayed that prayer today, please email me – dudley@godtracker.co.uk
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