The Beginning of Our Salvation

Verses: Luke 23 : 44 - 49

My thoughts about the verses:

Jesus is on the cross close to the end of his  Earthly life.  In that last breath he tells God that he is commending his spirit to go to God.   This may be the end of Jesus's life yet it is the beginning of our life.  Because of this perfect sacrifice we were giving everlasting life.

See what you have to understand that for us to have the blessing of everlasting life a sacrifice had to be made.  The sacrifice had to be one that was out blemishes.  Jesus was just that sacrifice.

At his death there were already people that realized that they had killed their Messiah.  Even the centurion praised God and commanded that Jesus had done nothing wrong.  The crowds were so overtaken that they went into a deep mourning.

His own followers that witnessed it were in shock.  They were overcome with the death of their Messiah.  They knew who Jesus was.  They had witnessed miracles.  They were following their Savior.  Yet, on this day they stood on the edges of the crowd as they watched their Messiah die.

We may not have been there physically.  Yet, this death has impacted us.  We might as well been right there with the crowd.  For the death was for us also.  Jesus giving his life back to God gave us the gift of everlasting life.  It was through this death that we are free.

Some people try to say that only certain people can be saved by this death.  Yet, I tell you right now that this is not true.  You have to understand that Jesus died for all.  Not for a select few that teach certain doctrines.  Jesus died for all that would accept him as their Savior.  No one can change this for that do not have the power over Jesus.

If you remember Jesus preached to those that were on the outskirts of society.  Not the popular ones.  Not the ones that thought they had sinned.  Instead Jesus died for the ones that no one else would talk to.  He saw them as needing the gift of salvation.  So when you hear someone say that your lifestyle excludes you from the grace of God I want you to remember that you are loved.  Simply look them in the face and say Jesus died for me as much as he died for you.  You put him on the cross.  I put him on the cross.  His death was for both of us.

Prayer:

Dear God thank you for love.  Jesus we praise you for your love.  Help us accept your love into our life.  Help us never forget that you died because of our sins.  Help us never exclude people that desire to accept your salvation.  In the name of the Risen Savior we pray.  Amen

Questions:

Have you accepted your role in the death of Christ?  Have you accepted God in your life?  Have you ever turned people away from the saving grace of God?  Is there anything you need to do today to help others find Christ's love?