MondayReflection

  3^rd July 2023

RICK WARREN describes

The Greatest Gift Ever

"Out of sheer generosity he put us in right standing with himself.
A pure gift.
He got us out of the mess we're in and restored us to where he always
wanted us to be. And he did it by means of Jesus. God sacrificed Jesus
on the altar of the world to clear that world of sin."

Romans 3:24-25 (The Message)

The greatest gift you've ever been given wasn't bought in a store.
No cash exchanged hands. It wasn't even wrapped.
Yet it cost the Giver everything.

The Bible says God sent his Son to Earth to give you
the greatest gift ever.
He came to Earth to die - so that you could be made right with God.
Romans 3:24-25 says,

"Out of sheer generosity he put us in right standing
  with himself. A pure gift.
  He got us out of the mess we're in and restored us to where he always
  wanted us to be. And he did it by means of Jesus Christ.
  God sacrificed Jesus on the altar of the world to clear that world of sin"
  (The Message).

So why did Jesus have to die?
Let's go back to the basics of people's problem and God's solution.

Nobody's perfect.
I've never met a single person who has claimed to be perfect.
I don't measure up to my own expectations, much less God's perfect
standard.
Neither do you. We've all blown it. The Bible says,

"All of us have sinned and fallen short of God's glory"

  (Romans 3:23 CEV).

God is just.
God wants to be fair.
When somebody breaks a law, there must be a penalty for it.

When you break humanity's laws, you pay humanity's penalty.
When you break God's laws, you pay God's penalty.
The Bible says, "The wages of sin is death" (Romans 6:23 NIV).

Jesus paid the price for your sin.
The Bible says,

"God took the sinless Christ and poured into him our sins.
Then, in exchange, he poured God's goodness into us!"
(2 Corinthians 5:21 TLB).

Jesus took on my sin and your sin and all the sin
that has ever been committed.

That's the Good News, the Gospel.
Jesus paid the price you could never pay.

You must decide whether to accept God's free gift.

God gave you a free gift of salvation when Jesus took your sin upon himself.
But it's a gift you must receive. The Bible says,

"Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed
in his name, he gave the right to become children of God"
(John 1:12 NIV).

Will you accept God's gift of salvation?

It's one thing to understand the basics of how to have a relationship
with Jesus. It's another to accept the gift.

If you're ready to make the important decision to accept
God's gift of salvation today, then pray this prayer:

"Dear God,
I know I'm a sinner, and I ask for your forgiveness.
I believe Jesus Christ is your Son.
I believe that he died for my sin and
that you raised him to life.

Jesus,
I want to trust you as my Saviour and follow you as Lord
from this day forward.
I accept your free gift of salvation.
Guide my life and help me to do your will.
In Jesus' name I pray.
Amen."

Outside of your salvation,
what's the most memorable gift you've ever received?

Why is it hard to accept a free, extravagant gift?
What person in your life needs to decide whether to accept
God's gift of salvation?

If you have accepted Jesus, there are many who haven't.
Don't wait for somebody else to 'do it', tell somebody

Give hope, prayer, and encouragement.
(Post a comment & talk about it.)

Bible references avaiable, on request

BY RICK WARREN
FROM BEHOLD! THE BEST NEWS EVER
Saddleback Church
© COPYRIGHT 2023 RICK WARREN.
PO BOX 80448 RANCHO SANTA MARGARITA, CA 92688