ICS Daily Devotions
Do You Know How Much Jesus Loves You?
Sin is a diluted word in today’s society because of the degradation of moral values i.e. something that was wrong in the past is acceptable today. Man’s conscience has been seared. There are no moral standards to be used as a yardstick anymore besides the obvious ones such murder and robbery which many people still view as major sins. Even divorce doesn’t seem wrong nowadays.
Yet, God has placed in us a conscience that lets us know that we are sinful whether by actions or in thoughts. We might want to categorize sin according to its seriousness but in God’s sight, we are all sinners and have fallen short of the glory of God and that there is a judgement after death. Sin is sin!
Luke 22:41-44 (NKJV) And He was withdrawn from them about a stone’s throw and He knelt down and prayed, saying, “Father, if it is Your will, take this cup away from Me; nevertheless not My will, but Yours, be done.” Then an angel appeared to Him from heaven, strengthening Him. And being in agony, He prayed more earnestly. Then His sweat became like great drops of blood falling down to the ground.
The cross was the most torturous death for man. The human aspect of Jesus struggled because He knew the kind of death He would be experiencing. Jesus could almost imagine how He would be whipped 39 stripes which would tear off all the flesh from His back without any pain killers! After that He knew He would be placed on a rugged, unpolished cross full of splinters and large nails would be hammered into His wrists and legs. With the cross raised, Jesus would feel the weight of His whole body held up by the nails in his bare flesh dripping with blood. He would feel rejection as the disciples whom He loved would leave Him. At this point, He the Holy Son of God became SIN.
While Jesus struggled with this major mental torment that caused Him to perspire blood, He also had a picture of all the faces of different people (you and I) being made clean by His blood and having a restored relationship with them. This pushed Him to persevere all the way to the cross.
God never intended for us to live in this fallen world where there is rejection, sicknesses, pain, poverty, depression, broken relationships, etc. God intended for us to have an abundant and eternal life.
Romans 8:32 (NKJV) He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things?
No human parent would ever want to see their own child go through even 1% of what Jesus went through. However, God gave Him up for us all, how much more willingly will He also give us all things.
All you need to do is to respond and accept Jesus and all that He has done for you through His sufferings. He wants you to rule and reign in your life (spirit, soul and body) with Him, feasting daily at His table, face your life challenges with Him, and having the creator God as your covenant partner.
Sermon Series: Good Friday
