On the cross, Jesus took on your sins and mine—he became sin for us. It was our sin, the sins of the whole world, that he bore on the tree, and it was that sin at which God’s righteous anger was directed. The Apostle Paul wrote in II Corinthians 5:21, “For God made Jesus who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.” Simply, yet marvelously, Christ’s death on the cross was the only means to our reconciliation with God. Jesus paid the ultimate price to satisfy God’s righteous wrath and bring us peace with God. We who were enemies were brought near to God, now as friends. How wonderful, how marvelous, is God’s saving love for us. By Christ’s death, we were once sinners, but now God’s friends.
From the category archives:
Mark
Will there really ever be a second coming of Christ? The early believers were convinced that Jesus would return in their lifetime, but he didn’t. Were they mistaken? The fact that 2,000 years have passed is utterly irrelevant to the promise of Christ’s return. His coming is still imminent. It could occur at any moment. And his command to be watchful and ready is just as applicable today as it was to the early church. In fact, the possibility of his return should be even more urgent for us because we are now 2,000 years closer to it.
It was offering time in the Temple, and Jesus was watching! He was the “offering police” that day, and he didn’t just happen to notice what people were giving, he was watching them like a hawk. He was not just observing the quantity of each gift, he was assessing the quality of those offerings as well. Jesus was providing a kind of a play-by-play commentary of offering time at the Temple on that particular day. How would you like that next Sunday when the ushers receive the offering? What if your pastor came off the platform with the microphone and provided a running commentary on each gift, announcing the amounts in the offering envelopes and revealing if they were proportionate to the giver’s income or not? Well, that won’t ever happen in most churches I know, certainly not in mine. But I’ll tell you what: It sure would spice up offering time! There would be no need for an offertory; the choir could take a break; the solo could be saved for another part of the service. The play-by-play would be more than enough, wouldn’t you say? Of course, I am being facetious, but you get the point: Your giving is private, but God knows. He knows what is in your bank account, and he knows what is in your heart. He knows if you are giving joyfully, generously, sacrificially and worshipfully, or if you are giving grudgingly, stingily, selfishly and just for show. The amount doesn’t count; it’s the heart that God wants in your giving.
Read Mark 9:1-10:52 What Is God Like? Then they brought little children to Him, that He might touch them;but the disciples rebuked those who brought them. But whenJesus saw it, He was greatly displeased and said to them,“Let the little children come to Me, and do not forbidthem; [...]
Read Mark 7:1-8:38 Stinking To High Heaven Jesus said to them, “Well did Isaiah prophesy of you hypocrites, as it is written: ‘This people honors Me with their lips, but their heart is far from Me. In vain they worship Me, teaching as doctrines commandments of men.’ For laying aside [...]
