MAY 20

OUR PERSONAL PROMISES

Hebrews 2:2-3

“For if the word spoken through angels proved steadfast, and every transgression and disobedience received a just reward,  how shall we escape if we neglect so great a salvation, which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed to us by those who heard Him,”

Genesis 4:7

“If you do well, will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin lies at the door. And its desire is for you, but you should rule over it.”

Matthew 1:21

And she will bring forth a Son, and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins.”

Matthew 9:13

“But go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy and not sacrifice.’ For I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance.”

Matthew 26:28

“For this is My blood of the new covenant, which is shed for many for the remission of sins.”

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We will be reading from a book by Erwin Lutzer, President of Moody Bible Institute.  It’s a short book about Christ’s sacrifice for us.  It’s called simply, “For Us.”

Matthew 27:39-44

“And those who passed by blasphemed Him, wagging their heads  and saying, “You who destroy the temple and build it in three days, save Yourself! If You are the Son of God, come down from the cross.”   Likewise the chief priests also, mocking with the scribes and elders, said,  “He saved others; Himself He cannot save. If He is the King of Israel, let Him now come down from the cross, and we will believe Him.  He trusted in God; let Him deliver Him now if He will have Him; for He said, ‘I am the Son of God.’    Even the robbers who were crucified with Him reviled Him with the same thing.”

“Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.”

Have you ever justified yourself, ~ ~ “Well, it’s just a tiny sin? ~ ~ a little white lie?”  When we do that, you and I are one with the mockers who treated Jesus’ death with contempt ~ ~ the people He prayed for on the cross.

Looked at in one way, we are actually worse.  Those who crucified Jesus knew they were doing wrong, but they didn’t know the full extent of their sin. 

They didn’t know He really was the Son of God.  You and I do, so we have less excuse when we don’t take sin seriously ~ ~ sin, that nailed Christ up there on the cross ~ ~  and with our greater knowledge comes greater judgment ~ ~  unless, of course, we throw ourselves on His mercy and receive His forgiveness.

So read the words of Jesus again.   Thank Him that, even as your every sin kept Him nailed to the cross, He cared enough for you to pray that just retribution would not come to you.

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