MY FRIENDS, WHAT A PRICE FOR OUR SALVATION!!

Jan 3, 2017

MY FRIENDS, WHAT A PRICE FOR OUR SALVATION!!

We can no longer afford to give sermons without the disturbing implication that “the wages of sin is death.” Sin being anything abhorred by God. But, first we must be crucified with Christ and [we] no longer live, but Christ lives in [us]. And the life [we] now live in the body, [we] live by faith in the Son of God…..” Gal 2:20 (NIV) So if we have a passion for life eternal, Christ must be greater than any situations or circumstances that we feel justifies not crucifying our life and living it in Christ.

And that is where “faith” enters the picture because a growing faith is the sinner’s awareness that God is greater than anything in this finite or limitless world we live in. And as God’s ambassadors to the world, we must make Calvary and who Christ is, and what He has done, not only for ourselves but He must become real to others as well.

But we cannot witness to others with passion that makes them want to change if Christ is not real to us. Real meaning before we sin, the scourging that ripped through the flesh of He, who knew no sin and the crown of thorns that penetrated His brow and the nails that were driven into his hands and feet and the spear that was thrust into his side, such passion then becomes real to us and we no longer have a desire to sin.

In addition, if Christ paid such a price for you and I, we then become disciples and deny self and take up our cross and follow Him wherever He leads as we “count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus our Lord….” Phil 3:8 (KJV) So now it’s very personal as we look deep down from within and ask, is salvation and life eternal worth it?

And how hard are we willing to get that pearl of greater price and give up everything this world has to offer for the “priceless privilege and supreme advantage of knowing Christ Jesus our Lord.” Remember Christ Himself tells us in Matt 7:13-14 (NKJV) to “enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it.

Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it.” My friends, The journey is difficult, but not unattainable because “overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, who loves us.” Romans 8:37 (NLT)

John gives us a shared vision of “a great multitude which no one could number, of all nations, tribes, peoples, and tongues, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, with palm branches in their hands,” Rev 7:9 (NKJV) and that number is comprised of all the redeemed that traveled that narrow road.

My friends, if we seek “a better Country” we must believe and that belief must grow daily, because when we “were a child we spoke and understood as a child” but as men and women we cannot fight spiritual battles in this world against the “rulers of the darkness of this age” with a Childlike faith.

In addition, the battles we face daily can only be won on our knees as we study God’s word daily and allow His Spirit to penetrate and transform while leading us into “all truth and understanding.”