Read Luke 15 (Get 2 teenagers to read)
Has Jesus gone mad? Why would He be so interested in 1 person when He already has another 99? Will He never be satisfied? I mean, isn't it a bit unreasonable for Him to expect that after He has reached 99% of the worlds population, that He can still get to the other 1 % ?
Let's go back to my super hero collection. I used to buy packs from shops, swap with friends etc. I remember I reached a stage where I had every single super hero card there was to get - except Thor. Now this big dude with the hammer was causing me a little grief. I would have swapped anything I had just to get that last card. (I tried to throw my sister in with the deal and no-one would take her) You see, I had accomplished quite a lot to have gotten that far. I had 99% of the super heros already stuck in my book. Was I satisfied? NO!
One of 2 things had to happen:
1. I could get Thor and complete my collection
2. The competition could end, run out
I think Jesus was talking about a similar thing. God created man in His own image that we might walk with Him and talk with Him, like Adam and Eve did in the Garden of Eden. You know the story of how Adam and Eve sinned and were thrown out of the Garden. Does God totally forsake us? NO! God raises up a leader by the name of Moses and leads His people out of Egypt. Throughout the whole of the old testament we see God speaking to His people, helping them, drawing them closer to Him.
God then does the ultimate thing - He "gave His only Son ....."
What has that got to do with me and you? We all sin, and we know that the result of Sin is Hell. We know that if we do not turn to God we are going to hell. We know that if we do not accept the gift of salvation that God offers us, then we are going to hell.
1 John 1 vs 8-9 "If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrightousnes."
1 Peter 2 vs 24 "He Himself bore our sins in His body on the tree, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; by His wounds you have been healed."
When I started collecting super heros I knew that one of 2 fates awaited me:
1. I could collect the complete set
2. The competition could end before I had them all
I never did get Thor, the competition ended and I only had 99% of the super heros I lost that competition. But this competition I know I am not going to lose. In std 7 I asked God to come into my heart. I can now cling to the words of:
Psalm 103 vs 11-12 "For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is His love for those who fear Him; as far as the east is from the west, so far has He moved our transgressions from us."
We all face this competition in life. You could:
1. Accept Gods' offer of salvation
2. Run out of time, be eternally separated from God.
Pray:
Written by Eugene Oosthuizen
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