God's Plan All Along

”I know the plans I have for you,’ declares the Lord, ‘plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” Jeremiah 29:11

In the course of my life I’ve had some wins and also many losses. I have had bad things done to me by others, even by people close to me. Certainly, most were unintentional, and yet some were very deliberate. I can’t really judge them too harshly because I’ve hurt my fair share as well. Throughout my life, I have had times when I felt exceptionally blessed and others when I felt like I couldn’t get a break. But of all the things that have taken place in my life, the good, the bad and the ugly, my own sins have been the worst, and created a debt I can’t pay. God knew this and so He…

PAID IT IN FULL…

”He was delivered over to death for our sins…” Romans 4:25a

The day Jesus died on the cross is the only time in history the devil, people and God all agreed: Crucify Him. The devil hated Jesus because He came to destroy his work (I John 3:8); the people despised and rejected Jesus because He threatened their ‘way of life’, their independence (Isaiah 53:3 & 6); and God gave Jesus over to die because He so loved the world He did not want us to perish but to have everlasting life (John 3:16). So, ‘Good Friday’ was good for all - except for Jesus. For Him it was a painful death, but one that proved His love for us (Romans 5:8)

…TO PARDON US FOREVER.

”…And was raised to life for our justification.” Romans 4:25b

If Jesus did not rise from the dead, how would He differ from any of the other religious leaders? The argument that He was just a ‘good man’ or ‘good teacher’ would be valid. But what do we do if someone says they will rise from the dead and then do that very thing? We know Jesus rose from the dead because He was seen alive by over 500 people at one time (I Corinthians 15:6). Try getting 500 people to lie about what they had seen - not likely. Christ’s resurrection proves three things: God was pleased with Jesus, and accepted His payment for sins; The devil’s works (sin & death) were indeed destroyed; and we have hope for everlasting life. Just as His resurrection proves three things, it presents us with three options: we reject it, ignore it or accept Him.