I for one am glad that Monday arrived as planned. It is going to be a busy day and then a busy night. I will be traveling for business this week and will certainly miss Rene, our dog Gibbs and our home. But at the same time, it will be nice to get away. I do my best thinking when I am on my own. But I always look forward to coming home.
Driving up and seeing the light on and knowing that Rene is sleeping on the couch waiting for me with Gibbs guarding her, is always worth the drive home.
Today we look at the example of the ultimate forgiveness that God has set before us. I will attempt to tell this story using Scripture.
John 3:16New International Version (NIV)
16 For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life
Let's take a look at the whole picture. God sent His Son Jesus to die on the cross as atonement for our sins. Jesus received our punishment. He left heaven to become a baby, live with siblings, and work as a carpenter. This is a big contrast to life in heaven.
Our sins were represented at the cross where Jesus died. Basically we hung the Son of God there with our sins.
But if we call on the One who died for us we are saved from Hell.
Romans 10:13New King James Version (NKJV)
13 For “whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved."
Jesus now resides in Heaven and is preparing a place for those saved by grace in heaven.
John 14:2-3New International Version (NIV)
2 My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you? 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am.
Now look at this. John 14:6New King James Version (NKJV)
6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.
Now if we have called upon the name of the Lord and then die, Jesus comes back for us to be in Heaven with Him. Jesus is taking the same sinners who's sins nailed Him to the cross, home to be with Him. And don't forget, God the Father is there also. The One who suffered immensely for us now brings us home to be welcomed by the Father. Now when people say that they can't forgive others, look at these passages. God set the bar high. He welcomes into His home those who actually with their sins abused His Son.
Could you welcome someone into your home who wronged your family member, when the family member says. " I forgave them and brought them home for dinner"
God didn't ask us to do something that He hasn't done and in a great, great way. In our acceptance of Jesus as Lord and Savior by faith we are asking to be forgiven and we accept that forgiveness. God sees this and immediately our name is reserved as welcome in Heaven. Immediately, God didn't make it a big process that lingers for years. Once you claimed Jesus as Savior, that was all it took.
Luke 10:20
“Notwithstanding in this rejoice not, that the spirits are subject unto you; but rather rejoice, because your names are written in heaven.”
Not us though, we like to extract a pound of flesh out of people when they wrong us. We desire to hurt those who hurt us and hold back forgiving. This action is actually sin in itself. We then, are hurting ourselves. We will talk about playing God on Tuesday. God forgave the ultimate.
God bless,
Marty
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