God went First

Story

Yesterday many of us celebrated Easter, where we remember and celebrate the greatest victory ever to happen or that will happen. Jesus resurrecting from the dead and forever conquering the consequence of sin, which is death, eternal separation from God in hell.

He didn’t just conquer our sin, but he took upon Himself the punishment for our sin

3 points

Problem

Penalty

Payment

Problem

Sin - Any action, feeling, or thought that goes against God

Sin separates us God

Romans clearly tells us

Romans 3:23 NIV

for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God

Problem is that all have sinned, therefore are separated from a relationship with God

God’s original design was in the garden when we walked with God, met with God, talked with God, and He talked with us. But all of that was broken when Adam and Eve sinned and were cast out of the garden. Everyone since has been born with a sinful nature because we have all come from Adam.

We must understand, ALL HAVE SINNED AND ARE SEPARATED FROM GOD

2. Penalty

And the payment for that sin is death, eternal separation from God in hell

Romans 6:23 NIV

For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Hell is not something mean or unfair that God sends us to. It’s a wage that we earn ourselves

When I have a job I am promised a wage for the work I do. If I am promised a wage and then don’t get it that is unfair

Never is it unfair to get the wage promised

God is completely just for doing what He says

If I murdered someone and the judge let me go and said, it’s no big deal, don’t do it again, is that justice?...NO!

death, separated from God in hell is not mean it is just and by perfections standards must be followed through with

3. Payment

Option 1 - for you to pay. You can pay the wage of death yourself eternally separated from God in hell, which is not described as a good place.

I can tell you this. If you choose to take the payment yourself, enjoy your time on earth because this is the best you will have it for the rest of eternity.

Option 2 - For Jesus to pay

This is why we celebrate Easter because of God’s great love and kindness to us He offered His one and only Son Jesus to pay the payment of death for us.

In our reading this week, we see that Jesus, who was sinless suffered and died on the cross, for our sin, where the wrath of God was poured out on Him. He was buried, and rose again on the 3rd day defeating death.

Jesus didn’t just pay for death, He defeated death.

That’s why only Jesus can offer you salvation

There is no other way.

NO religion

No works

When you go to the judge he isn’t there to sentence you for good works, or even weigh them against your bad works. He is there to give out the sentence of the bad. The price for sin is always death. You pay it or Jesus paid it. You choose

2 Corinthians 5:21 NIV

God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.

Our righteousness is not our own, but it is the very righteousness of God placed upon us through faith in Jesus.

We don’t deserve it, we didn’t earn it, but God gives it freely to those who place their faith in Jesus.

If you think God is distant, know that He doesn’t have to be. He knew that He had to make the first move and He did. Jesus went first. Now it’s your turn. Any distance you have from God is your fault.

James 4:8 NIV

Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded.

Jesus laid down His life for your now it’s your turn to lay your life down for Him. That’s what putting our faith in Him is all about. Belief and surrender to and for King Jesus.

Titus 3:4–5 NIV

But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit,

What lengths did God go to in order to restore a relationship with you and with me?

Philippians 2:5–8 NIV

In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death— even death on a cross!