The Scriptures paint a very bleak picture of the spiritual condition of man. There is no soft-selling it nor candy-coating it, or even dunking it in the world’s most expensive perfume. Take a look at the picture painted by the Scriptures, the Word of God.
Ephesians 2:1-3
“And you were dead in the trespasses and sins in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience- among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind.” Ouch!
If that doesn’t shock your system, how about this:
Romans 3:10-12
“No one is righteous, no, not one; no one understands; no one seeks God. All have turned asid; together they have become worthless; no one does good, not even one.”
Even by our own personal experience, everyone of us could testify that our thoughts, intentions, plans and desires are often times not what God would approve. We are trapped by our own desires seemingly unable to escape their consequences.
What do we do? How do we free ourselves from our sinful human nature?
Enter the scene help from the outside. We know by our own frustrations to “dig ourselves out of the ditch”, as it were, on our own we can’t do it! The harder we try, the deeper we feel the desperation of our helpless situation. For that reason, Easter happened.
Christmas brings us the celebration of the arrival of the hope we desperately need. Christmas would make no sense whatsoever without the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Hope was renewed at Christmas and sealed forever at Easter. Jesus did for us what we could never do for ourselves. “For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.” (2 Cor 5:21) That sealed sin’s fate. It was rendered powerless. The Apostle wrote, “There is now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus.” (Romans 8:1)
The hope that Jesus gives us real hope, not just a hopeful wish. Jesus actually suffered on the cross, he actually shed his blood for the forgiveness of sin, he truly died and then he was resurrected to life again. This is such great news that we read the following words, “But thanks be to God, who gives us victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.” (1 Cor 15:57)
My friend, is that hope yours? Are you tired of trying to find the solution to life on your own? Reach out by faith to the forgiveness that God offers you in Christ!
In the first ever sermon that was preached in the first church, the invitation to embrace the Gospel of Jesus was expressed by the Pastor in these words,
“Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of sins.” (Acts 2:38)
That, my friend, is the hope we need today! Embrace it, love it, receive it, live in it!
For His Glory,
Pastor Bill
“When I survey the wondrous cross on which the Prince of Glory died, thy richest gain I count but loss, and pour contempt on all my pride..”
In Times Like These 