The Cost of the Cross
14 And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up. John 3:15
Because God is both just and loving, He found a way to fulfill both sides of His character through the crucifixion of Jesus.
A first-time guest from out of town attended worship yesterday and committed to his friend that he has rarely heard sermons on John 3:16. He is 60 years old and attends church every week.
Christians can become so familiar with the cross that the most important event in all of history no longer grabs our attention. The gospel is often viewed simply as how we get into heaven, therefore the only time it is useful is telling someone else how to "get in."
I said in the sermon yesterday, "To grow in Jesus, we must taste God's goodness. The cross is the ultimate expression of His goodness to us!" God loved us and gave His son to die on our behalf. The cross cost Jesus more than we could ever imagine.
so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. 2 Cor. 5:21
Jerry Bridges explains gospel-centered living in his book, The Gospel for Real Life. He writes, "We can begin each day with the deeply encouraging realization that I am accepted by God, not on the basis of my personal performance, but on the basis of the infinitely perfect righteousness of Jesus Christ." Bridges also writes, "Since the gospel is only for sinners, I begin each day with the realization that despite my being a saint, I still sin every day in thought, word, deed, and motive."
Will you allow the riches of John 3:16 to change you again? As a believer, Jesus radically altered you when you were born again. Apply the head, heart, and *hands application below, making gospel contemplation, including confession of sin and gratitude for salvation, part of your daily routine.
*HERE is a good article about confessing sins.
