JESUS CHRIST DIED FOR YOU!

                                            

                           By Pastor Max Solbrekken, D.D.

Yes, my friend, Jesus of Nazareth died for you nearly 2,000 years ago on a rugged cross outside Jerusalem’s city wall, at a place called Golgotha!

It was the greatest expression of love and the greatest price ever paid for anything!  When Jesus paid the supreme penalty - His life’s blood - He purchased eternal life for every human being who would accept this wonderful gift.

 The Bible says, “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish but have everlasting life”. (John 3:16) 

God loved the world so dearly - that’s you and me - that He sent Jesus Christ to pay the penalty for our sins and purchase our freedom!

All I had to do to receive this wonderful gift of salvation was to believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and to receive Him into my heart by faith, turn from my evil ways and live for Him by His strength and grace. That’s all you have to do to be saved, as well!  If you receive Jesus Christ and His gift of love, you will never be sorry!

Salvation is a free gift. It is impossible to work for it or pay for it. It has been purchased for us by our Loving Heavenly Father through the sacrificial death of His Eternal Son Jesus Christ!

He who was God the Son together with God the Father and God the Holy Spirit from eternity, humbled Himself and was incarnated (God in human flesh) so that He could suffer, bleed and die in our place. This old poem says it all:

     He came to earth the promise to fulfill, 

     A rugged cross He bore up Calvary’s Hill.

     And for my sins He cried, ‘Father forgive’

      Born to die, that I might live.

      Born to die, a cruel cross to bear,

      Born to die, His everlasting love to share.

      Between two thieves He bowed His head

      and cried: It’s finished now, I came to die!

                                    

The Bible says:  “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves:  it is the gift of God:  not of works, lest any man should boast”. (Eph. 2:8-9) 

YOU DO NOT PAY FOR A GIFT. All that is necessary to receive a gift, is to accept it!  God gave His Son to die on the cross and Jesus died willingly.  He died that we might live.  If you receive Him into your heart you will live. If you reject Him you will die spiritually!

The Bible says, “But God commendeth His love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us”. (Rom. 5: 8)

            WHY DID JESUS HAVE TO DIE?

My friend that is real love!  You ask, “Why did Jesus have to die?”  It was because of your sin and mine.  God is so holy, righteous and pure that He could not look upon sin, and our sins had separated us from God!

The prophet declared, “Behold, the Lord’s hand is not shortened, that it cannot save; neither His ear heavy that it cannot hear:  But your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid His face from you, that He will not hear.” (Isaiah 59:1-2)

Because of man’s rebellion, we became partakers of Satan’s penalty and were consigned to an eternal death! God doesn’t want people to go to Hell, so He made a way of escape for us all!

A law in God’s Word stated: “Without the shedding of blood, there is no remission for sins” (Heb. 9:22).  In other words, innocent blood had to be shed!  Jesus had to die so that everyone who accepts God’s promise could be forgiven.

When Jesus died, He poured out His precious blood for the sins of the whole world!  And all who receive His Word can be free, cleansed from their sins and pardoned of their guilt!  The Word of God states:  “And the blood of Jesus Christ, His Son cleanses us from all sins”. (1 John 1:7,9)

WHY MUST I BE SAVED!

But you say, “I do not feel that I am such a bad sinner.”  The Bible says, “All have sinned and come short of the glory of God”. (Rom. 3:23);  “All we like sheep have gone astray and the Lord hath laid upon Him the iniquity of us all”. (Isaiah 53:6)

The Bible says:  “There is none righteous; no, not one”. (Rom. 3:10); “If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us”. (1 John 1:8)

By now, you will sense the need to be forgiven of your sins.  The Bible says:  “If we confess our sins (to God), He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness”. (1 John 1:9)

You may feel you are too wicked to find mercy, but listen to the words of Jesus:  “Him that cometh to Me, I will in no wise cast out”. (John 6:37); “I am come to seek and to save that which was lost”. (Luke 19:10)  

You may think, “I could never live a Christian life, because I have no power”. You are right! You cannot live a Christian life in your own strength, but God will give you the needed power! 

The Bible says, “He came unto His own, and His own received Him not.  But as many as received Him, to them gave He power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on His Name”. (John 1:11,12)

JESUS IS WAITING FOR

AN INVITATION TO COME IN!

Jesus Christ is waiting patiently for you, my dear friend, to come to Him. He declares:

“Behold, I stand at the door (your heart’s door), and knock: if any man hear My voice, and open the door; I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with Me.” (Rev.3: 20)

The Bible says, “That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised Him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.

“For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made, unto salvation”. (Rom. 10:9-10)

There is one thing that God cannot do and that is force Himself on anyone. He cannot make you love Him or accept Him against your will. He cannot save anyone against their will.

The Holy Bible says: "He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life; and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him." (John 3: 36)

Here is a final invitation to you my friend: "And the Spirit and the Bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him the is a thirst come. And whosoever will, let him take of the water of life freely." (Rev.22: 17) Amen.