2020 Daily Devotion - Day 37
Earlier, I told a personal story about how I came to understand that Jesus Christ is “God in human flesh”. Now, I want to tell a story I have mentioned in sermons in the past; about how I came to understand God’s plan of Salvation. I never assume people fully understand the Gospel. I guess the reason I say this is because I was one who didn’t fully understand the Good News of the Gospel.
When I was in high school, I was a Fuller Brush salesman. In those days, the Fuller Brush Company produced products for taking care of your home. They manufactured some of the best brooms and brushes ever made. They also made other products like cleaning solutions. Well, my job was to go door to door, with my sample kit and catalogue, and try to sell these products. I was given a route and instructions for when I went to the door. If a woman answered the door, I was to give her a free potato brush, and if it were a man, a comb. Giving the free gift was a way of getting someone to look at the other products available.
So, one day I walked up to a house and knocked on the door. I tried to give the man a comb, but he didn’t want one. Then, I tried to show him the catalog, but he didn’t want to see that either. However, he did have a question for me. He asked, “Young man, if you were to die today, would you go to heaven?”
I think I said something like, “I hope so.”
Then he asked, “Well, young man if you were to stand before God, and He were to ask you why He should let you into Heaven, what would you tell Him?”
I answered by saying, “I would tell God that I go to church every Sunday. I go to Sunday School. I was Confirmed, and I am involved in the youth program of my church.”
Then the man said to me, “Well, young man, that’s not going to be good enough. If you are going to get to Heaven by all of the good things you do, you would have to be perfect. You could never have sinned; not one single time. And this is because God is a holy God – He is perfect and without sin. He says in His Word, the Bible, if you are going to be with Him for eternity, you need to be as He is – Perfect and without sin.” Then, the man asked me if I lived up that, and I told him that I didn’t. He then shared with me that Jesus came and died for my sin, and as I trust Him, and not my good works, He will wash me of my sins so I can stand before a Holy God as if I had never sinned.
I didn’t sell anything to that man, and I never saw him again. But His words to me that day changed everything about me, and now I ask as many people as I can the same two questions.
The only way you can have heaven is through Jesus Christ. You cannot be good enough – PERIOD. Only faith in Jesus Christ, and what He did at the cross for you, will save you and give you Heaven. You can’t earn it or be worthy of it. It is a free gift purchased by Jesus at the cross and secured by His resurrection.
Ephesians 2:8-9 RSV
For by grace you have been saved through faith; and this is not your own doing, it is the gift of God — not because of works, lest any man should boast.
Grace is what Jesus did for you and me on the cross. It is a gift purchased at the cross. It is not our own doing; it is because of what God has done by coming to us, taking on human flesh, dying and being raised again. Trust in Christ – this is all you need.
Pray with me:
Heavenly Father, it is sometimes difficult to understand this gift of salvation in Jesus Christ. We live in a world where we earn everything and so we think we must earn Heaven, as well. But we cannot earn it – it is impossible. However, the Good News is that in Jesus Christ we have salvation. Help us to cling to Him. In His holy name. Amen.
When I was in high school, I was a Fuller Brush salesman. In those days, the Fuller Brush Company produced products for taking care of your home. They manufactured some of the best brooms and brushes ever made. They also made other products like cleaning solutions. Well, my job was to go door to door, with my sample kit and catalogue, and try to sell these products. I was given a route and instructions for when I went to the door. If a woman answered the door, I was to give her a free potato brush, and if it were a man, a comb. Giving the free gift was a way of getting someone to look at the other products available.
So, one day I walked up to a house and knocked on the door. I tried to give the man a comb, but he didn’t want one. Then, I tried to show him the catalog, but he didn’t want to see that either. However, he did have a question for me. He asked, “Young man, if you were to die today, would you go to heaven?”
I think I said something like, “I hope so.”
Then he asked, “Well, young man if you were to stand before God, and He were to ask you why He should let you into Heaven, what would you tell Him?”
I answered by saying, “I would tell God that I go to church every Sunday. I go to Sunday School. I was Confirmed, and I am involved in the youth program of my church.”
Then the man said to me, “Well, young man, that’s not going to be good enough. If you are going to get to Heaven by all of the good things you do, you would have to be perfect. You could never have sinned; not one single time. And this is because God is a holy God – He is perfect and without sin. He says in His Word, the Bible, if you are going to be with Him for eternity, you need to be as He is – Perfect and without sin.” Then, the man asked me if I lived up that, and I told him that I didn’t. He then shared with me that Jesus came and died for my sin, and as I trust Him, and not my good works, He will wash me of my sins so I can stand before a Holy God as if I had never sinned.
I didn’t sell anything to that man, and I never saw him again. But His words to me that day changed everything about me, and now I ask as many people as I can the same two questions.
The only way you can have heaven is through Jesus Christ. You cannot be good enough – PERIOD. Only faith in Jesus Christ, and what He did at the cross for you, will save you and give you Heaven. You can’t earn it or be worthy of it. It is a free gift purchased by Jesus at the cross and secured by His resurrection.
Ephesians 2:8-9 RSV
For by grace you have been saved through faith; and this is not your own doing, it is the gift of God — not because of works, lest any man should boast.
Grace is what Jesus did for you and me on the cross. It is a gift purchased at the cross. It is not our own doing; it is because of what God has done by coming to us, taking on human flesh, dying and being raised again. Trust in Christ – this is all you need.
Pray with me:
Heavenly Father, it is sometimes difficult to understand this gift of salvation in Jesus Christ. We live in a world where we earn everything and so we think we must earn Heaven, as well. But we cannot earn it – it is impossible. However, the Good News is that in Jesus Christ we have salvation. Help us to cling to Him. In His holy name. Amen.
Yours because of Him,
Pastor John R. Steward
Senior Pastor
Mount of Olives Church
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