YOUR PRESENT REALITY MAY BE BROKENNESS AND PAIN…

BUT IT HASN’T ALWAYS BEEN THAT WAY (AND IT DOESN’T HAVE TO END THAT WAY EITHER)…

In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth…

He saw all that He had made and declared it to be GOOD. He then created man and woman in His image and set them in the garden to enjoy face to face relationship with Him. The man and woman walked and talked with God. All was (literally) right with the world. All was perfect (Genesis 1-2).

But there was an enemy with another agenda. He slithered into the garden and convinced the woman that God was depriving her. That disobedience was not really all that bad—one small bite of the forbidden fruit would make her like God, knowing good and evil, having it all.

She believed the lie, ate in rebellion and offered the fruit to her husband. The tainted, ugly, disease of sin entered the world in that moment and the future of all mankind would be forever altered. Sin, shame, blame and fear all entered the picture. The man and woman realized they were naked and tried to make coverings for themselves. They were overcome with shame, so they hid (Genesis 3).

But God?

But God? He pursued them. He went after His loved ones, calling for them in the garden. Not in anger and fury, but out of LOVE. He slayed an animal to make adequate coverings for them. Their man-made garments were not enough. They needed a proper COVERING. God covered them so they wouldn’t have to live in this fallen, sin-stained state and then He turned them from the garden to live under His merciful covering (Genesis 3).

From generation to generation sin was passed across the pages of our bibles.

The same story—man and woman rebelling against God, working to be righteous and whole in His eyes, falling utterly short of a holy God. Humanity could not save itself (Romans 1-2). They were stuck in a sin cycle that could not be broken. “For all have sinned, and fallen short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23).

But from the beginning a RESCUE PLAN was in the works.

Humanity could not reach God, so God came down to dwell with man (John 1). The Son of God, Jesus Christ, was born in a dirty barn and laid in a manger (Luke 2:1-20). “The Word became flesh and dwelt among us. He was fully man and fully God. “We observed His glory, the glory as the One and only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth…Indeed we have all received grace upon grace from His fullness…” (John 1:14, 16). Jesus stepped in and changed everything.

Jesus lived a perfect life. He had a perfect record. His obedience to His Father was perfect (1 Peter 2:22, 1 John 3;5, 2 Corinthians 5:21, Hebrews 4:15). Where humanity rebelled, Christ obeyed (Philippians 2:1-11). He loved perfectly. He loved in this way—

“But God demonstrates (proves) His own love for us in that while we were still sinners, CHRIST DIED FOR US” (Romans 5:8).

Jesus laid down His life to pay the penalty and ransom for the sin debt of all humanity—for you and for me. The sinless Son of God gave His life as an atoning sacrifice to pay for the sins of the whole world (John 3:16). Do you hear the echoes from the garden? Blood was shed to COVER over sin and shame. The spotless Lamb of God gave up His life to pay a debt you could not pay (Isaiah 53:1-12, Romans 3).

But this Jesus?

He didn’t stay dead. He rose from the grave, from death, three days later (Matthew 28, Mark 16, Luke 24, John 20)! He conquered death, shame, guilt, sin. The age-old enemy was defeated (Hebrews 2:14-15, 1 Peter 3:18, 1 Corinthians 15:55). Jesus now offers His death and His resurrection for you—His perfect record in place of your stained and ruined one. He offers rescue from sin and He offers it as a free gift (Romans 6:23, 1 Peter 1:18-19).

“For God loved the world in this way: he gave His one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16).

Salvation is a free gift, offered for you.

How do we receive this gift? By repentance of our sin and faith in Christ (John 3:16-18, Romans 10:9-10, Acts 16:30-33, Acts 2:38). And what is faith? Faith is open hands before God—admitting that we have nothing in our hands to pay for such a gift. Our works, our goodness—all of it is filthy rags before Him (Titus 3:5-6, Romans 3). We confess our sin problem to Christ and seek His forgiveness. We go with open hands and admit our need. Faith is whole hearted belief that we cannot save ourselves but know Jesus can. We receive His gift of salvation and rescue (Romans 3:23, Romans 6:23, Romans 10:9-10). It really is that profound. And that simple.

Salvation purchased on a bloody cross by a Savior who has proven His love for you (Romans 5:8). Handed to you as a free gift (John 3:16). By faith we receive (Ephesians 2:8-9).

And for those who receive this free gift?

We receive not only the righteousness of Christ (His perfect record), His proven love, His forgiveness of our sins and rescue—we also have the promise of restoration in heaven one day (John 3:16, John 3:36). God is making all things NEW (2 Corinthians 5:17, Revelation 20-21). All the sin, sadness, shame, sickness, suffering and death that this world holds will one day be restored. In Christ we receive eternal life. It starts the moment we receive the gift of salvation and it will endure forever and ever in heaven (Isaiah 65:17-19, Revelation 20-21, Revelation 21:5). ONE DAY HE WILL WIPE EVERY TEAR FROM OUR EYES AND WE WILL REALLY AND TRULY BE…

RESTORED HOME.

Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.  And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God Himself will be with them as their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.”

And he who was seated on the throne said, “Behold, I am making all things new.” Also He said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.” And He said to me, “It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end (Revelation 21:1-6)