In the 1970’s an American musical genius named Stevie Wonder released a catchy tune titled “Signed, Sealed, Delivered.” The title of the song was taken from a legal term for the contractual deed indicating the validity of a finalized business transaction. A formal title document was signed by the seller and then sealed in wax and delivered to the owner.
In Chapter 2 of the Gospel of John, Jesus initiates His public ministry by entering the temple to begin the business God had appointed Him to accomplish here on earth. He formally stands in God’s house before the religious officials and openly declares “I am here” – signed, sealed, and soon to be delivered.
The Biblical record is clear: we have been bought with a price. In the garden when Adam and Eve became contaminated by sin, God declared that His offspring would strike the head of the serpent and claim us as His own (Genesis 3:15). Christ shed His blood to deliver us from death.
God’s plan for Jesus to lay down His life to pay the ransom for our sins and die on the cross has already been accomplished, and the enemy knows he has no claim to those who put their faith in Christ. We belong to God.
This is why Jesus came. He came to not cleanse only the temple, but to cleanse us all from sin and deliver us from condemnation. At the time, the disciples did not recognize the signs and see the Messiah, but after the resurrection, the Holy Spirit awakened their understanding. Only in retrospect did those closest to Jesus see the truth. Because of His zealous love for us, Jesus allowed Himself to be delivered to His accusers. His sacrificial offering defeated sin, death, and condemnation and forever sealed our redemption.
Sadly, not everyone acknowledges Jesus as their deliverer. Blinded by pride, the Jewish leaders could not recognize the obvious sign. Jesus Himself was the sign sent from God and standing before them:
- They failed to see the purity of Christ who came to shed His blood for those lost in sin. God made His Son who had no sin carry the sins of humanity to save us all. (2 Corinthians 5:21)
- They refused to accept that Jesus was the Passover Lamb. Christ was the sacrificial lamb they so desperately needed to be cleansed from sin and have peace with God. (1 Corinthians 5:7)
- They stumbled and failed to believe that Christ was the Chief Cornerstone of the temple who alone could save them from shame. (1 Peter 2:4–8)
When Jesus said, “Destroy this temple and in three days I will raise it up again,” He was declaring the Good News of salvation to us all. We no longer have to look for signs or wonder if God will receive us in heaven when we die. Our Savior has come. Jesus carried the weight of our sin all the way to Calvary’s cross, and three days later, He was raised to life. Death was defeated on that day, and we are no longer condemned for our sin when we place our faith in Christ. Because of Jesus, God views us as pure and holy.
Friend, if you confess Jesus is your Savior and ask Him to forgive your sins, you are free. The debt you owe has been signed as “paid in full.” You are sealed by the Holy Spirit and appointed to do good works. You’ve been delivered from all condemnation.
Our eternity is secure because we have a Savior who zealously fought for our souls. Each morning when we rise to greet the day, let’s remember that the Son of God came to rescue us. When Jesus was raised to life, our lives were changed forever. Death was defeated, and our good standing with God is irrevocable. Now we can set doubt and fear aside and live to share the Good News of salvation.
