The past few weeks at Salem, we have been exploring the Hope we have in Christ. All throughout the Old Testament and New Testament, God reveals who He is and ultimately is revealed in His Son, Jesus.
The mercy of the Lord flows out of His love. “But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he has loved us…” Ephesians 2:4
Paul writes in Romans 5:6-8, “For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. For one will scarcely die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die— but lGod shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Since, therefore, we have now been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God. 10 For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life. 11 More than that, we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.”
God loves you as if there was only one of you to love!
Love reveals itself most through involvement. God was not and is not passive in His love for us. He offered us His Son!
“…even when we were dead in our trespasses, (He) made us alive together with Christ – by grace you have been saved – and raised up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus.” Ephesians 2:5-6
Because of His involvement consider these truths from vv. 5-6.
He has made us alive! We don’t have to walk through life alone or walking in the ways we once walked (See Ephesians 2:1-2). Because of the death and resurrection of Jesus we can experience life!
He has raised us up! The power of the gospel is that on third day Jesus came out of the tomb. And for those who have been saved by grace through faith, He now lives within us.
He has seated us with Him in the heavenly places. As a pastor, I visit a lot of hospitals. And often times I joke about “playing the pastor card” to see people before or after surgery. The reality is that I know I have no place being in some of the places where I find myself. Not so with Jesus. When Jesus Christ makes us alive and raises us up, He gives to us a seat in the heavenly places. Our access is validated because of Christ and Christ alone.
Take a moment today and thank Him for what He has accomplished for you on the Cross!
