I have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. In deepest love, Jesus sacrificed everything to give me life. I need Jesus desperately.
How often do I forget these simple truths? How often do I let trivial things get in the way of my God-given purpose? What is my God-given purpose? By God’s grace, He has revealed to me that my purpose is to love Him and serve HIm wholeheartedly as He works in and through me to make me more like Christ.
The truth is, Jesus died on a cross for our sins, was buried, and rose again, defeating sin and death. He is now seated at the right hand of God in heaven (Romans 8:34). What Jesus did for us should not be taken lightly.
In Revelation 5, we see a magnificent and glorious picture of the praise Jesus Christ deserves. Verse 13 says that every creature – not one of them missing – will sing to Jesus and proclaim that He is worthy of all praise, honor, glory, and power. Every knee will bow, and every tongue will confess that He is Lord (Philippians 2:10-11).
What would it look like to respond to Jesus in this way every morning when you wake up? Do you believe He is worthy of your praise? To ascribe to Him the glory due His name, we must first understand His sacrifice.
Created for Relationship
Colossians 1:16 speaks of Jesus, saying that all things were created by Him, through Him, and for Him. This Scripture reveals to us how we were created and why we were created. We have indeed been created by God and for a relationship with God, for Jesus is the image of the invisible God (v. 15). However, due to our sin, we have been separated from a holy God.
The Consequences of Sin
Romans 3:23 says that we have all sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. Romans 6:23 says that the consequence of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. You see, God sent His only Son, Jesus, to die the death you deserved. Jesus went through every form of pain to be the Way for you to be forgiven and close to God and to live with Him forever.
The Gospel
Perhaps you have heard the Gospel before, or maybe you have never heard it quite like this. Today, you can know for a fact that God created you because He loves you and longs to be in a relationship with you. You can know how desperately you need a Savior, for your sin prohibits you from living abundantly and eternally. Most of all, you can rejoice in the sacrifice of Jesus on your behalf.
By His blood, He has brought you out of darkness and into His Kingdom of light, where there is total redemption and full forgiveness of sins (1 Peter 2:9, Colossians 1:13-14).
Isaiah 53:11 says that, even amid deepest anguish on the cross, Jesus was satisfied knowing that He was purchasing your righteousness. You are loved by your Savior. You were the joy set before Him on the cross (Hebrews 12:2). When He was beaten and broken, He kept going because He wants you. You were on His mind then, and you are on His mind now.
What Should Our Response Be?
After receiving this powerful truth from the Word of God, our only response is to praise Jesus, which is what God desires (Psalm 116:17). We have been called to live lives of worship, sacrificing all for the sake of knowing and loving Jesus (Romans 12:1). When we place our faith in Christ, we have full and unhindered access to God, for we are covered by Christ’s blood (Hebrews 4:16). May we be people who run into the throne room of God at every hour of the day, singing, “To the one seated on the throne and to the Lamb be praise, honor, glory, and ruling power forever and ever!” (Revelation 5:13).
Jesus Christ is worthy! Amen.
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Week 2 Challenge:
While the birth of Christ is what we celebrate at Christmas, we cannot separate His birth from what He came to do. He lived a completely sinless life, and then He sacrificed Himself to pay for our sin. Isaiah 53 speaks about the Suffering Servant. Read Mark 10:45. What was Jesus’ purpose in coming to earth? How do Isaiah’s words line up with what Jesus suffered for us?
Week 2 Reading Plan:
Week 2 Memory Verse:
