Jesus: Humble Firstborn and Exalted Servant

Alex Lawson

Sermon • Submitted 7 years ago

Genesis 48:1–22

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Introduction

5 Minutes 30 seconds

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A man named Jacob had 12 sons, and his favorite was Joseph.

Joseph had two visions as a child in which his brothers and his father were seen bowing down to him.

To make a very long and complex story slightly shorter - Joseph’s older brothers were jealous of their brother and angry at his offensive visions, so they abducted him and sold him to some Midianite traders passing through on their way down to Egypt.

When they returned home they lied to their father and told him that Joseph - his favorite son - had been killed by a wild animal out in the fields, and Jacob was absolutely devastated by the news.

Meanwhile, Joseph was being sold to Potiphar - a captain of the Egyptian guard - where he enjoyed quite a bit of success. God allowed him to prosper under Potiphar, earning a great deal of respect from the Egyptian because of Joseph’s acumen as manager of Potiphar’s estate.

However, Joseph was eventually thrown into prison for a crime he didn’t commit. But after a miraculous and divinely ordained turn of events Joseph is installed as the viceroy over all Egypt, second only to the Pharaoh himself in authority.

Joseph’s brothers, coming to Egypt for provisions during a famine in their homeland, discover their brother - whom they thought to be dead - standing in the full garb of the Egyptian royal household. And to their amazement, rather than snapping his fingers and ordering their execution, he speaks these utterly unexpected words:

Genesis 45:5 ESV

And now do not be distressed or angry with yourselves because you sold me here, for God sent me before you to preserve life.

“And now do not be distressed or angry with yourselves because you sold me here, for God sent me before you to preserve life.” (ESV)

“And now do not be distressed or angry with yourselves because you sold me here, for God sent me before you to preserve life.”

Joseph then commands his brothers to go and fetch their father and the rest of their family and bring them to live in Egypt with him so that they might survive the famine that threatens them at home.

Last week, Brian recounted to us the story of the reunion between Jacob and Joseph, the favorite son whom he believed to have been dead for years and years.

This morning, we pick up the text in Genesis chapter 48

It stood out to me that Jacob crossed his hands so I want to focus on that.

In this passage we will see four major events transpire:

First, Joseph’s two oldest sons will be adopted by Jacob as sons - not as mere grandchildren

Second, we will see Jacob bestow Joseph’s blessings to him by way of the two boys.

Third, we will see Joseph’s older son humbled below the younger

And fourth, we will see the younger son elevated to the legal position of firstborn son

Before we begin, though, let’s pray...

The Blessing from Jacob

Genesis 48:1-

12 Minutes 30 seconds

Introduction

Joseph’s sons adopted

Jacob adopt’s Joseph’s sons as his own

v. 1-7

We know from the previous chapter and from verse 1 of our passage today that Jacob is nearing death. As such, Jacob is beginning to get his affairs in order.

As such, Jacob is beginning to get his affairs in order.

In chapter 47, Jacob calls his son Joseph in to swear an oath. He doesn’t want to be buried in Egypt - He wants Joseph to carry him out of Egypt and bury him where his fathers Abraham and Isaac are buried. Once Jacob’s burial arrangements are made, the next order of business is bestowing the patriarchal blessing.

In verses 1-4 Jacob calls the proceedings to order by recounting God’s covenant to Joseph.

Read verses 1-4

Next, Jacob does something remarkable: He adopts Joseph’s sons as sons of his own.

Read verses 5-6

By adopting the two oldest sons of Joseph, he de facto passes Joseph’s inheritance to the boys. This is how Israel ultimately ends up with no “tribe of Joseph”. Instead, we have today the half tribes of Ephraim and Manasseh as a direct result of this act of adoption by Jacob.

Jacob even names his own first- and second-born sons Reuben and Simeon and says, “Ephraim and Manasseh shall be mine, as Reuben and Simeon are.” .

Additionally, in verse 12 we read that “Then Joseph removed them from his knees, and he bowed himself with his face to the earth.” .

This was most likely a symbolic gesture. By positioning the boys at or between the knees of their grandfather - and newly adoptive father - the implication is made that Ephraim and Manasseh were to be forevermore regarded as having come from the very loins of the Jacob, the patriarch of Israel - just as much as even Reuben or Simeon.

First, we have the official, legal adoption of Ephraim and Manasseh. Next, we find the patriarchal blessing.

Joseph’s sons blessed

v. 8-16

Read verses 8-16

Jacob begins by looking at Joseph’s two boys and asking, “Who are these?”

The beginning of Jacob’s blessing hearkens back to the day he himself was blessed by his father Isaac.

We’re told here in verse 10 that Jacob’s eyes had grown dim in his old age. His father Isaac’s eyesight had dimmed as well, as we read back in chapter 27.

Here, Jacob asks, “Who are these?” when Joseph presents his two sons. His own father, Isaac, had asked a similar question back in chapter 27.

“So he (Jacob) went in to his father and said, ‘My father.’ And he said, ‘Here I am. Who are you, my son?’

There is a major difference here, though, as Jacob receives an honest answer to his question. When his father Isaac had asked, “Who are you, my son?” Jacob had deceitfully answered, “I am Esau your firstborn.” .

In verse 24 Isaac had even asked a second time just to be sure: “‘Are you really my son Esau?’ He answered, ‘I am.’”

Now - here in - we find Jacob, the deceiver and the usurper, approaching the end of his life and acting almost as if he is somehow trying to make amends for the sins of his youth.

He finds himself in the same vulnerable position as his own father - nearly blind and at the mercy of the integrity of his son.

Joseph, once again, proves to be a man of greater character than his father when he answers Jacob honestly.

Joseph presents his sons to his father Jacob but, before he bestows the blessing upon them he looks up to Joseph with his failing eyes and, in a very touching moment, gives thanks to God in verse 11.

“And Israel said to Joseph, ‘I never expected to see your face; and behold, God has let me see your offspring also.’”

In verses 15 and 16 we find the blessing bestowed on Joseph by way of Ephraim and Manasseh

Genesis 48:15–16 ESV

And he blessed Joseph and said, “The God before whom my fathers Abraham and Isaac walked, the God who has been my shepherd all my life long to this day, the angel who has redeemed me from all evil, bless the boys; and in them let my name be carried on, and the name of my fathers Abraham and Isaac; and let them grow into a multitude in the midst of the earth.”

Read verses 15 and 16

Despite a life stained with deceit and sinfulness, Jacob now acknowledges at the end of his life that the same God who carried his fathers Abraham and Isaac has carried him as well.

He acknowledges that God has led him and fed him as a Shepherd everyday of his life

He also acknowledges that God has redeemed him from all evil the way a kinsman redeemer was to rescue a relative who might be in some trouble, danger, or need.

He appeals to this God and pleads with him to bless not Joseph, who has clearly been blessed beyond measure and made incredibly great among the nations, but the boys - Ephraim and Manasseh.

Jacob asks God to carry on his name and the names of his fathers Abraham and Isaac through the boys.

He asks that God would let them grow into a multitude in the midst of the earth.

Jacob adds on to this blessing down in verse 20 as well:

“So he blessed them that day saying, ‘By you Israel will pronounce blessings, saying, “God make you as Ephraim and Manasseh.”’”

The firstborn humbled - The second-born exalted

Read verses 8-

v.13-14, 17-20

But as we look deeper into this passage we notice that something is not quite normal - not quite what we would expect.

When Brian asked me to preach this passage and I first began to read it and think about it I kept getting hung up on the same thing: When Jacob blesses Ephraim and Manasseh he crosses his hands.

What typically would happen in a setting like this would be this:

The sons would approach the father - the firstborn on his right and the second-born on his left.

The right hand side is considered the position of preeminence. Most of us already know that from one thing or another. We typically hear in history or in government that a second-in-command will typically be seated at the right hand of the king or queen when court is in session.

The father would then place his right hand - the hand of preeminence - on the head of his first born son and his left hand on the head of his second-born.

Joseph knew this and expected the blessing to proceed as such.

We see this expectation in verses 13-14

Genesis 48:13–14 ESV

And Joseph took them both, Ephraim in his right hand toward Israel’s left hand, and Manasseh in his left hand toward Israel’s right hand, and brought them near him. And Israel stretched out his right hand and laid it on the head of Ephraim, who was the younger, and his left hand on the head of Manasseh, crossing his hands (for Manasseh was the firstborn).

If we look down at verses 17-19 we see this even more clearly:

Genesis 48:17–19 ESV

When Joseph saw that his father laid his right hand on the head of Ephraim, it displeased him, and he took his father’s hand to move it from Ephraim’s head to Manasseh’s head. And Joseph said to his father, “Not this way, my father; since this one is the firstborn, put your right hand on his head.” But his father refused and said, “I know, my son, I know. He also shall become a people, and he also shall be great. Nevertheless, his younger brother shall be greater than he, and his offspring shall become a multitude of nations.”

Joseph expects Jacob to bless the oldest son with the greater blessing but, instead, Jacob crosses his hands and does the exact opposite.

In fact, something easy to miss is that in verse 1, Joseph’s sons are named in birth-order (Manasseh and Ephraim). However, later in verse 5 when Jacob is adopting the two boys - before he ever blesses them - he has already reversed the order of their names to Ephraim and Manasseh.

This is significant because, in effect, Ephraim has just become the firstborn son of Joseph. The true firstborn son, Manasseh, has just been demoted because he received the blessing at Jacob’s left hand. The hand of preeminence is placed instead upon the head of the younger son, promoting him to the position of the firstborn - preeminent - son.

Jacob has crossed his hands and the firstborn has been humbled and the second-born has been exalted.

This is seen as a theme throughout the book of Genesis.

Isaac and Ishmael

Abraham’s second-born son Isaac receives the covenant with God even though Ishmael was, technically, Abraham’s firstborn son.

Jacob and Esau

Jacob, obviously, received the blessing of the firstborn son by deceiving his father and robbing the true firstborn son, Esau, of the blessing and the birthright.

Joseph and Reuben

In , Jacob’s firstborn son Reuben is caught after sleeping with one of his father’s concubine wives. As a result tells us that the blessing and birthright of Reuben are removed and granted, instead, to Joseph by way of his sons, Ephraim and Manasseh.

Ephraim and Manasseh

Joseph’s second-born exalted

And, finally, we find that even as the birthright and blessing are being passed from Reuben to Ephraim and Manasseh, even Manasseh does not receive the firstborn blessing. It is instead given to his younger brother, Ephraim.

So, now that we see the significance of this action, the question still remains: Why did Jacob cross his hands and arbitrarily demote the firstborn and exalt the second-born?

To understand the significance of this story we have to look beyond the context of this passage or even the Old Testament alone. We have to look at this passage in the context of the entire Bible. We have to look at this passage in the context of the cross of Jesus Christ.

When we do that - when we look to Jesus and consider this passage - we’ll learn that this isn’t just the story of Jacob or Joseph or even of Ephraim and Manasseh. This is the story of God’s people. This is the story of the Church and her Savior.

The Blessing from God

8 Minutes

God’s people adopted

To understand the way this story ties into the greater context of Scripture, it might be helpful to take a brief look at the parallels in Scripture between the sons of Joseph and the sons of God - the Church.

One of the first big, glaring parallels we should notice is that the Bible speaks of believers - the Church - as having been adopted by God.

Ephesians 1:5 ESV

he predestined us for adoption to himself as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will,

(ESV)

5 he predestined us for adoption to himself as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will,

John 1:12–13 ESV

But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.

: “But to all who did receive Him, who believed in His name, He gave the right to become children of God, who were born, not of blood nor or the will of the flesh, nor or the will of man, but of God”

Romans 8:14–15 ESV

For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, “Abba! Father!”

We can plainly see here that God has gathered His people - the Church - by means of adoption. Those of us whose trust, hope, and confidence rest on Jesus Christ have been adopted into the family of God.

This is extremely significant because a father can only bestow a patriarchal blessing on his children. In order to receive this blessing the Church has been gathered and adopted by God.

God’s people blessed

The next major parallel is that the Church - like Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and Joseph - has been blessed by the same promises made to these ancient fathers of the faith

Romans 4:16–17 ESV

That is why it depends on faith, in order that the promise may rest on grace and be guaranteed to all his offspring—not only to the adherent of the law but also to the one who shares the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all, as it is written, “I have made you the father of many nations”—in the presence of the God in whom he believed, who gives life to the dead and calls into existence the things that do not exist.

Galatians 3:7–9 ESV

Know then that it is those of faith who are the sons of Abraham. And the Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, preached the gospel beforehand to Abraham, saying, “In you shall all the nations be blessed.” So then, those who are of faith are blessed along with Abraham, the man of faith.

Galatians 3:29 ESV

And if you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s offspring, heirs according to promise.

We see in these passages that the blessing from the covenant made between God and Abraham also applies to the Church because the Church shares in the same faith as Abraham. We are all spiritual descendants of Abraham through faith - and we enjoy the blessings promised to him and his offspring because the Church is the fulfillment of the promise that he would be made the father of many nations.

We’re told as much in several different passages in the New Testament

2 Corinthians 6:16–18 ESV

What agreement has the temple of God with idols? For we are the temple of the living God; as God said, “I will make my dwelling among them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. Therefore go out from their midst, and be separate from them, says the Lord, and touch no unclean thing; then I will welcome you, and I will be a father to you, and you shall be sons and daughters to me, says the Lord Almighty.”

Romans 9:8 ESV

This means that it is not the children of the flesh who are the children of God, but the children of the promise are counted as offspring.

Ephesians 1:3 ESV

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places,

Ephesians 1:11–14 ESV

In him we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to the purpose of him who works all things according to the counsel of his will, so that we who were the first to hope in Christ might be to the praise of his glory. In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory.

The Church has been adopted by God and blessed by God to receive His grace, His mercy, His favor, and His immeasurable love. But, as significant as this incredible truth is, we are not the firstborn son of God in this metaphor

God’s Firstborn

The Greek word for firstborn - prototokos - is used 8 times in the New Testament. Every time this word is used (except one) it is being used to refer to Jesus Christ.

Luke 2:7 ESV

And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in swaddling cloths and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn.

(ESV)

Romans 8:29 ESV

For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers.

Colossians 1:15 ESV

He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation.

7 And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in swaddling cloths and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn.

Colossians 1:18 ESV

And he is the head of the body, the church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything he might be preeminent.

Hebrews 1:6 ESV

And again, when he brings the firstborn into the world, he says, “Let all God’s angels worship him.”

Revelation 1:5 ESV

and from Jesus Christ the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of kings on earth. To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood

Now, it’s important to quickly note that when Scripture refers to Jesus as the firstborn of God it does not at all mean that Jesus Christ was ever created or is a created being.

We want to be very clear here at Living Grace that we do not believe that Jesus was created by God the Father. Jesus Christ is God the Son - the second person of the Trinity (God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit.)

The Bible is abundantly clear that there is only one God, and that God exists in three distinct persons

Deuteronomy 6:4 ESV

“Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one.

Matthew 28:19 ESV

Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,

John 10:30 ESV

I and the Father are one.”

We here at Living Grace boldly profess that Jesus is not a created being. Jesus has always existed just as the Father and the Holy Spirit have always existed in triunity with Him.

John 1:1–3 ESV

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made.

When the Scriptures refer to Jesus as the firstborn of all creation they are referring to His preeminence rather than the chronology of His birth.

It speaks of His rank and not His age.

It speaks of His authority and inheritance and not His creation.

Jesus is the firstborn over all creation and, as such, all priority, all inheritance, and all authority belong to Him.

God’s Second-Born

However, when we read about the Church as she relates to her Leader - her firstborn brother and ruler - we see the same reversal of roles that we’ve seen in the book of Genesis.

As the second-born sons and daughters of God (so to speak) we should have no equal standing with God’s firstborn. He should be served. He should be exalted above all else. He alone should enjoy the double portion of the inheritance.

And yet we find ourselves exalted along with Christ

Ephesians 2:4–7 ESV

But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved— and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.

Jacob’s crossed arms are a symbol. They point forward to the cross of Jesus Christ. They point forward to a better firstborn.

Jesus is no Ishmael - He is no illegitimate son born from jealousy and faithlessness

Jesus is no Esau - He isn’t swindled out of His Father’s blessing. He doesn’t carelessly discard His birthright.

Jesus is no Reuben - He doesn’t lose His legal standing as firstborn and heir because of sin

Jesus is no Manasseh - He isn’t begrudgingly stripped of His right to the throne

Jesus - the firstborn over all creation - is a better firstborn than all of these

The Firstborn over all creation

Christ as humble firstborn and exalted servant

2 Minutes

English Standard Version Chapter 10

For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

Jesus is a humble firstborn and an exalted servant.

Humble Firstborn

Jesus defeated the temptations of Satan in the desert by obedience to the Spirit and faithfulness to the Father

Jesus willingly walked away from all the comforts of Heaven to take on the lowly form of a servant and pay the ransom that was owed for our sin - the ransom that bound us to a death He died for us so that we could have eternal life with Him.

Ephesians 2:4–7 ESV

Philippians 2:5–8 ESV

Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.

Mark 10:45 ESV

For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

Philippians 2:5–8 ESV

Exalted Servant

Jesus - the firstborn over all creation - humbled Himself so that He could serve and exalt us with Himself and that - because we are in Christ - we might share in His blessing and His inheritance of the promises of God.

Because we are in Christ we are able to share in some of the rights and privileges of Christ, the Firstborn over all creation.

He is a humble firstborn and an exalted servant. He is God in the flesh and He is our Savior, our Redeemer, and our Lord. We must give thanks for the grace, mercy, and redemption we have in Him.

We also must not forget what this means for us as the Church - as the exalted younger brother.

The Church: adopted, blessed, and called to humble service

3 Minutes 30 Seconds

Adopted, blessed, and called to humble service

Blessed

As the Church, we have been adopted into the household of God.

Philippians 2:3–11 ESV

Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Called to humble service

As adopted sons and daughters of God, we now enjoy the benefits, blessing, and inheritance as full members of God’s household. We are truly heirs of the Kingdom of God.

English Standard Version Chapter 2

Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. 4 Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. 5 Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, 6 who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7 but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. 8 And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. 9 Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, 10 so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father

However, our humbled firstborn brother - the brother who stepped down from Heaven; who took on the form and nature of a man; who lived a perfect and sinless life; who humbled Himself in service to us by paying our penalty and dying in our place; who rose from the dead and ascended to Heaven to sit at the right hand of the Father and plead for us - that firstborn brother is not dead. He is alive.

He may have humbled Himself in order to serve us, but in following His example we must now exalt Him.

He brought Himself low but the Father has raised Him back up and placed all things under subjection to Him and we must lift up His name and make it great.

Colossians 1:15–20 ESV

He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him. And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together. And he is the head of the body, the church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything he might be preeminent. For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross.

Not only that but we must also follow His example by serving one another.

English Standard Version Chapter 10

You know that those who are considered rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them. 43 But it shall not be so among you. But whoever would be great among you must be your servant, 44 and whoever would be first among you must be slave of all. 45 For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

Mark 10:42–45 ESV

And Jesus called them to him and said to them, “You know that those who are considered rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them. But it shall not be so among you. But whoever would be great among you must be your servant, and whoever would be first among you must be slave of all. For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

As the Church - as heirs to the Kingdom of God and the household of grace - we must remember these things.

Philippians 2:3–11 ESV

We must be humble

We must consider others to be more significant than ourselves

We can’t only look to our own interests or needs but also to the interests and needs of others

We must walk in a manner worthy of the calling which we have received as adopted members of the household of God so that “at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”

We serve others because He first served us.

We love others because He first loved us.

We spread His love for the sake of His name and for the sake of His glory and worship.

We are called to a life of humble service by the Great Humble Servant Himself - Jesus Christ.

Evangelistic Call

8 Minutes 30 Seconds

Up to this point now I have been primarily speaking to the people in this room who belong to the Church - people who have already placed their hope, their trust, their confidence - their faith - in Jesus Christ.

If that’s you - if your hope is in Christ and Christ alone for salvation this morning - please, be encouraged; you belong to the household of God and you have been redeemed from the curse of sin and death.

But if you’re here this morning and your hope is in anything else - if you believe that at the end of your life you will be able to look into the face of your Creator, your Judge, and your God with a clean conscience or that He will commend you for your piety or your morality - I want to talk just to you for a moment.

I once thought like you did. I once believed that because of my efforts, my prayers, and my membership in a local church that God would forgive me and accept me as a man who was trying my hardest.

The truth is this: My faith was in myself. My hope was in myself. My trust was in myself and my morality and my piety and I was presuming upon God’s goodness and mercy as if He owed it to me.

The truth is that I am a sinner. I was then and I am now.

I had placed my faith in myself - which means I had rejected Jesus. I had led a life of sin and completely disregarded the things God said about that.

Romans 3:23 ESV

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

Romans 6:23 ESV

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

Don’t live for another second believing the lie that I believed for so long.

I believed that my sin wasn’t that serious. I believed that my sins were relatively harmless and that God would forgive them because they were so slight. I believed that I would look God in the eye someday and He would simply smile and accept my life as the valiant effort of a good boy raised in a Christian home.

The truth is that God would have cast me away saying, “Depart from me; I never knew you.”

My faith was in me - which meant my faith was not in Jesus Christ.

If your faith is not in Jesus Christ then you have rejected the firstborn of God - the firstborn over all creation.

You have rejected the very God Himself who humbled Himself to take the form of a servant and become obedient to the point of death on a cross for your sins - all of them.

All He requires is that you abandon all other hope and place your trust and your hope in Him.

Ephesians 2:4–9 ESV

Let go of the lie that says your piety and your morality will be enough for God. They will weigh you down and drag you straight to hell.

Instead, set your hope and confidence on Christ who has paid your penalty in full. Stand before the God of the Universe and tell Him with confidence that “My hope is built on nothing less than Jesus’ blood and righteousness. I dare not trust the sweetest frame but wholly trust in Jesus name.”

Pray to Jesus right this minute and ask Jesus to deliver you from the wrath of God. Confess to Him that you know you are guilty of sin and deserving of death but that you no longer want to be enslaved by sin. Ask Jesus to free you from your bondage to sin and death and adopt you into the household of God.

Ask Jesus for forgiveness, redemption, and salvation this morning.

Let’s pray

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