GOOD NEWS AND BAD NEWS
Kendra Intihar
Today's Scripture: “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,” Romans 3:22b-24, ESV
Theme: Because we all fall short of the glory of God, only His grace justifies us through Jesus Christ when we receive the free gift of His love.
BAD NEWS FIRST…
We’ve all got skeletons in the closet. Things we’ve done. Things we’ve said. Ways we’ve behaved – that we’d rather not drag into the light. I have bad news for you. The most heinous things you’ve ever done were, in fact, dragged into the bright light at a place called Golgotha – the place where Jesus was crucified. At Golgotha, we learned that humans are capable of perpetrating the worst possible kind of violence – violence against God, Himself.
BUT THE GOOD NEWS IS…
Not only did the Lord endure it on our behalf, He recycled it into perfect grace and mercy toward us, fully knowing the very worst corners of our hearts. Golgotha, or “the place of the skull,” is where all our skeletons – skulls and all – went to be exposed and eviscerated, once and for all time. When we talk about the “love of God,” sometimes I wonder if we realize the magnitude of what that means. At the cross, God’s perfect judgment pierced through the very worst we could bring Him, and in doing so, He proved that the depth of our depravity was no match for the depth of His love.
THE WRETCHED, BEAUTIFUL CROSS
The Cross of Christ is a paradox. It is wretched – caused by the sinfulness of human beings. But it’s also beautiful – redeemed by the overwhelming love of God. At the Cross, His love was made manifest in the most magnificent display of passionate selflessness the world has ever seen. The Cross is the revelation of God as Savior – not just for some, but for anyone who would turn toward Christ in a posture of repentance and gratitude for the gift of salvation, which He literally died to give us.
Jesus, sinless and perfect, came into our broken, violent world, and in doing so, His light illuminated our deep need for freedom from the darkness of sin. When Jesus preached the Gospel message of the Kingdom of God “at hand” (Matthew 4:17), He showed us a Kingdom that operates subversively – in love. The death of Jesus on that wretched, beautiful cross was the sacrifice to end all sacrifices. It was the death that killed death. He brought heaven to earth, not because of our wickedness, but in spite of it, because He loves us so. He revealed God’s love for humanity that would forgive us, even as He hung on the cross (Luke 23:34). In Christ, God reconciled this whole world to Himself (2 Corinthians 5:19), giving us the opportunity to trade our unjust, worldly kingdoms for His perfect alternative: the Kingdom of Heaven, where God reconciles ALL things to Himself (Colossians 1:19-21).
Make it Personal: Everyone in this world needs grace, and in Christ, grace is extended to everyone. Everyone in this world needs redemption, and in Christ, redemption extended to everyone. Part of our testimony as believers is acknowledging the restorative work God has done in our hearts and in our lives. When you have sought God’s forgiveness in your own life, how have you seen Him make you whole again?
Pray: God, You saved me – every part of me – by Your grace when I sought You! Sometimes I can’t believe that there is nothing I need to do but receive Your love, freely given. Thank You for entering my brokenness, thank You for restoring me, and thank You for inviting me to participate in Your holy work here on earth. Your beautiful Kingdom come, Your perfect will be done, on earth as it is in Heaven. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.
Read: Romans 3:21-31
Weekly Memory Verse: “For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.” Romans 1:16, ESV