The One and Only Gift that Matters
/
Of all the gifts I’ve received in my lifetime, there is only one I am dearly thankful for. This gift is not like all the others, you see. Without it, I would not be who I am today.
I am truly thankful for the gift of salvation. I am thankful for Mrs. Connie who opened her Bible on a Sunday morning at the end of the hallway beside the doors that led out to the metal stairs on the building. She showed me (a little seven-year-old girl) with her Bible how I could know the Saviour and have a personal relationship with Him.
Today, I would like to share with you, the gift my Sunday school teacher shared with me all those years ago.
THE ONE AND ONLY GIFT THAT REALLY MATTERS
God Loves You
God wants a relationship with you. He doesn’t care about what you’ve done or where you’ve been. He loves you. John 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
God is not some impersonal being who really doesn’t care. He cares about you personally and wants a relationship with you. God loves you so much that He sent Jesus Christ, His son, to die for your sins.
Sin Separates You From God
The holiness of God and our sin nature keeps us from having the relationship He desires. Every person who has ever lived has sinned against God. Romans 3:23 For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God. Because of sin, we face a penalty; separation from God forever. There is nothing you and I can do on our own to avoid this penalty. Romans 6:23 For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Jesus Paid For Your Sins
When Jesus died on the cross, he became your payment for your sins. Romans 5:8 But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Jesus, who was sinless, took upon himself the sin of the world – everyone. He took the penalty for our sins – death. This ultimate sacrifice didn’t end there, Jesus proved His love for us and rose from the dead three days later. He has already paid your penalty.
With Faith, You Must Trust Jesus
There are two groups of people in the world. Those who believe and those who do not believe on the Son. Those who believe have everlasting life, and those who don’t believe will not have everlasting life. John 3:36 He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abideth on him.
To believe on Jesus Christ means you accept you’re a sinner and that you owe the penalty. You believe that Jesus died on the cross, was buried and rose again three days later to pay your debt. You completely trust Jesus to get you to Heaven, there are no other ways to get there, only Jesus.
When you can do those things, God promises He will give grace to you. Romans 10:9 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.
If you trust Jesus as your Saviour you can pray this prayer or words of your own.
Dear Lord Jesus, I know I am a sinner, and I deserve to pay my own sin debt, but I do believe that You died for me to pay the debt that I owe. Today, the best I know how, I trust You as my Saviour. I will depend on You from this moment on for my salvation. In Jesus' name, amen.
If you would like to talk more about this, or have any questions, you can email me and I’ll be happy to help you.
