3-7-2017

 Good Morning All,

                 John 3:16; “God loved the world this way: He gave his only Son so that everyone who believes in him will not die but will have eternal life”.

    There is a story that probably falls under the “urban myth” category.  The South Dakota version goes like this.  A young boy of about 8 or 9 went up to one of the national park officers at Mount Rushmore monument.  The boy told the officer that he wanted to buy Mount Rushmore.  The officer asked him, “How much do you have?” The boy took a quarter out of his pocket.  “Not enough.”  So the boy reached into his other pocket and pulled out a crumpled one dollar bill.  “Still not enough.”  Then the officer looked at the boy, smiled and said, “First of, the monument is not for sale.  Secondly, you don’t have anywhere near enough money.  Finally, if you are a U.S. citizen, you already own it.”

   I am sure that there are many versions of this story and you can change the amount of money and the national park or monument but the story is the same basic story.  There are some things that you don’t have enough money for, it isn’t for sale and you already own it.

     That is exactly what we can say about our salvation.  We don’t have enough money to buy it.  Although there are many who try.  They try by using their “good works” to try and impress God.  They think that God will owe them for all the “good things” they do.  That is pretty much what the Pharisees thought.  Somehow, God was going to be impressed by how they acted.  But that was the real problem; it was just an act and the only ones who were fooled were some of the people and the Pharisees.

    Even if you could possibly find enough money or good works, it is not for sale.  It was earned by Jesus through his death and resurrection.  It is his righteousness and it is simply not for sale.  Remember the devil tried to buy it over and over again but could never offer a good enough price.  The devil offered all the nations of the world but Jesus turned him down cold.  The salvation he earned was not and is not for sale.

    What our salvation is; it is ours.  God has given it to us through the gift of faith.  We can’t buy it, we will never have enough money but we already possess it.  Our salvation, a gift from God because of Jesus’ righteousness, belongs to us now and forever!  Because God has redeemed us back into his holy family we have salvation given to us freely.  It is ours because God loves us enough to give it to us.  His love for us is beyond measure and price.

Gracious Father, you give us the wonderful gift of salvation.  It costs more than we could ever pay and yet it is freely ours.  Give us the wisdom to understand that our works are not for you, or for our self but are for our brothers and sisters who are in need.  Move us by your Spirit to live as you desire us to.  Be with those who are struggling with the cares of life.  Help them to solve their woes and their cares.  Bring them the peace that the certainty of their salvation and the guarantee of your love will bring.  In Jesus’ precious name we pray, amen.

God’s Peace,

Pastor Bret