This is how God showed His love among us; He sent His one
and only Son into the world that we might live through Him. – 1 John 4:9
One of my earliest childhood memories is
following my grandfather around wherever he went. I named him Papa. My dad was serving in the military during the
Vietnam War, so my mom and I lived with my grandparents. I remember Papa lifting me up high in the
backyard to pick pears from the fruit trees, playing silly tricks with me, taking
me to lots of basketball games in Indiana, and holding my itty bitty hand in
His big hand while walking me to Sunday School in a small town country
church.
If you grew up going to Sunday School, one of
the first Bible passages you were probably taught was John 3:16, “God so LOVED the world that He gave His one
and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal
life.” As adults, do we really grasp
the depth and breath of what God did for us when He sent Jesus to earth to be
our sin offering?
Can your mind fully fathom why Jesus had to
endure crucifixion to save the world from death?
Think for a moment what God did for the world
by sacrificing His one and only son. As you contemplate salvation through
Jesus, you might find yourself asking a question people throughout history have
asked: “Why Did Jesus Have to Die for People to be Saved?” Here is a simple, step by step explanation.
Why
Jesus Died for the Whole World.
·
God gave His people laws to obey.
·
Because we are human, we mess up and disobey God’s laws.
·
Disobedience is sinning against God.
·
Because God is Holy, He cannot be near sin.
·
Our sins separate us from God.
·
Early on, God made a way for His people to wash away
their sins through animal sacrifice.
·
The cycle of sin and sacrificing continued for
generations.
·
Then God sent Jesus to earth; fully man and fully God.
·
Jesus was the only one who could bridge the gap between
us and God.
·
Jesus offered His sinless body as a living sacrifice for
all the sins of the world.
·
By Jesus’ blood shed on the cross, our past, present, and
future sins were forgiven.
·
Through faith in Jesus, we receive God’s free gift of
grace.
Because of God’s great LOVE for
us, He made us alive with Jesus. It is
by grace you have been saved. – Ephesians 2:4-5
Isn’t it absolutely incredible that we have
to do nothing for our salvation except believe in what Jesus did for us? The Bible tells us, “God demonstrates His own
love for us in this; while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” (Romans
5:8)
That is God’s amazing love for you!
Engage With God - Read and Reflect
DAY 2 – Greatest Love
This is how God showed His love among us;
He sent His one and only Son into the world that we might live through Him. – 1
John 4:9
Daily Reminder:
Thank you Jesus for saving me! I
once was dead in my sins and forever separated from God. Now through Your blood shed on the cross, I am
forgiven forever. Thank you God for your
free gift of grace that saves someone undeserving like me.
Real Life
Reflection Questions:
1.
Now that you have thought
about God’s saving grace through Jesus, what are you most thankful for?
2.
Have you fully accepted
God’s gift of grace and salvation? If
not, what holds you back? If so, what
emotions flood your soul when you think about being saved from death?
3.
Write a short Thank You Note
to God.
QUICK
PRAYER –
Dear God,
Your gift
of grace that saves all people from sin is overwhelming to grasp. All I can say is Thank You. Thank you for my life, my breath, my
everything. Only you can save. Remove my
doubts and strengthen my faith in You. Let your love flow freely into my heart. Fill me with your amazing love!
Amen
RECORD TODAY’S THOUGHTS – Undeserved Love!
Personal Bible Study- Read, record, and reflect on these
scriptures. Let them seep into your soul.
Ephesians 2:3-5 –
1 John 4:7-12 -
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