4-1-2016

Good Morning All!!

         John 16:8; “And when he comes, he will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment”

     Have you ever noticed how often the Scriptures sound like a courtroom drama?  Conviction, judgment, laws broken; it could be Perry Mason or Boston Legal.  In many ways that is a good way to think about it especially if you think of it in terms of going to debtor’s prison.  For those of you that aren’t familiar with debtor’s prison, if you were in debt and could not pay, you could be placed in prison and you stayed there until you paid off your debt.  All of your property and perhaps your family would be sold first and then you would go to prison until the rest is paid up.  Yeah, it was a tough task.  If you were lucky a relative would help but usually you sat in prison until the debt was paid.

    We can think of sin as taking something of value from God.  We take away from the respect and honor that we owe.  We mar and spoil his creation and each other.  In this process we are in debt to God and when the time comes, the debt will have to be paid.  So we will stand before God the judge and the devil will be pointing to the Law and highlighting everything we have done wrong, pointing to every penny of debt we owe.  You can almost hear it play out, “You owe for this sin and this sin and this sin”; “you have nothing of value to sell, how do you plan to pay this debt, how do you plan on paying all this back, please don’t ask for more time that ploy hasn’t worked for years.”  “Here is the bill, pay up or go to prison (hell) until you do.”  You can almost see the devil turning to God the Father who is serving as Judge and begin in, “Your honor, this deadbeat is hopeless; send him to the place where he belongs, he’ll never pay this debt not in a million years!”

     This is where Jesus, our defense attorney states, “The debt has been paid.”  As he sits down he shows our debt with “paid in full” stamped on it.  If we hold that by faith, the debt is paid.  If we do not hold this by faith, no one will stand to say the debt is paid.  Someone has to pay the debt; someone has to balance the books that someone is Jesus.  He died to pay the debt.  He suffered the full brunt of God anger in order that every debt could be declared paid for.   If we cling to this by faith, the debt is paid; if we do not believe this, well someone has to pay and that someone will be you and you will remain in hell until you have paid your debt.  Just like the guy in debtor’s prison, how do you pay when you have no way to earn?  The debt never goes away; it hangs over the head of the unbeliever until it is paid. 

    Fortunately for us, a loving relative took pity on us and paid the debt.  Do you believe?  Do you believe that Jesus paid your debt?  That is the question.  If you believed you are saved; if you do not believe; well you better have deep pockets.  Sadly, no one has that deep of pockets.  Trust in Jesus to pay your debt and give you forgiveness.

Father in heaven, you sent Jesus to pay all I owe.  Give me the faith to trust this truth.  Give me courage to live my life according to this great promise.  In the precious name of Jesus our Risen Savior I pray, amen.

God’s Peace,

Pastor Bret