God’s Great Cost for Peace

Text: Colossians 1:19-22 Theme: Christ’s blood made peace between us and God Key verses: “For God was pleased to have all the fullness dwell in him, and through him to reconcile to himself all things…by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross. Once you were alienated from God…but now he has reconciled you by Christ’s physical body through death to present you holy in his sight…” (v.19-22) What God said to me: Dwayne, you cannot comprehend just how necessary my Son really is for you. Consider for a moment just a very few examples among the millions of times my creation has failed and offended me: Adam and Eve ate forbidden fruit. Cain murdered Able. Mankind sought to build a tower taller than me. In Noah’s day, every inclination of the heart of man was only evil all the time. Because of jealousy, Joseph’s brothers despised their brother and deceived their father. The Children of Israel prefered a golden calf over my shining presence. They grumbled and complained even as I provided and loved them in the desert. Numerous times I have heard my people vow to serve me out of desparation for their deliverance, only to watch them soon act again as though my name and my laws were worthless to them. Grasp this, Dwayne. Try to wrap your finite mind around the horror of this situation to my holiness. And then think of your own offenses, those countless times you’ve known to say yes to me, but said no instead. Those thousands of moments you’ve known to say no, but rather in wickedness affirmed your intent to rebel. My Son came to make right all those who have wronged me. Jesus is the only choice that could please me, that could embody in one Person enough righteousness, enough perfect blood to atone for the billions who deserve to die in their sin. He was in fact the only perfect and therefore acceptable choice. Unfortunately for me, He was also my one and only child, my very own Son that became the obvious and only choice for mankind’s redemption. Reconciled, that’s what you are, Dwayne. You have been restored to a place of peace with me. Reconciliation is an amazingly beautiful word for you and the humans on earth. It’s the word that will keep you out of hell and get you into heaven. It’s a word my Son provided through his death, so he could make that very word a reality in your life… What I said to God: Oh, my God, why have I forsaken You? How could I ever fail You and go my own way, even for a moment? I accept that I am made righteous through the blood of Jesus. But I don’t, I can’t comprehend why I have been shown such favor from above. Praise You, holy and heavenly Father. I know it is because of the great love wherewith You loved us! Thank you that I and my family are reconciled to You! May we live everyday like we appreciate that fact.