Point Sinners To Christ

Scripture

Our verse for today comes from Romans 5:8, ” But God demonstrates His own love towards us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. “

Background

I remember this one guy from back in middle school. He was the guy who when he had a girlfriend, he always had his arm around her, no matter the situation. If they were walking to class or waiting in the lunch line or just standing around talking, he was always wrapped around her. And when the girlfriend would change in a couple months, he would do the same with his new love. He was not shy at all about expressing his current feelings for all to see. But that guy always sort of creeped me out a little. It didn’t seem natural for him and his girlfriend to always be attached, especially when the rest of us middle schoolers were a little more subdued in our expressions of affection. But this guy had his own love for her, and wasn’t trying to show our love to his girlfriend. He wasn’t interested in that. And fortunately for us, neither was Christ.

Application

How different would things have been if Jesus had shown love the way that we tend to show it? What would He have done that Friday morning after having been up all night? Head to the cross or find some place to sleep in? And what about if it had been raining? God forbid. Now, when He came into Jerusalem that Palm Sunday, He was welcomed by many people who praised His name. And for us, that would have seemed like the more natural time to make a sacrifice of yourself, when your followers are worshipping and honoring you. But when the crowd had turned hostile and chosen a wicked criminal instead of innocent you, when they mocked and beat and condemned you like the hypocrites that they were, who would still have had love enough in them to carry on with the plan? We have a hard time being compassionate to our own children while they are sinning, so how much more difficult would it be to lay down our life for angry sinners whose main intent is to see us suffer? But God showed His own love to us. While sinners were sinning, His Son was forgiving. His arms were wrapped around us tighter than ever, as unnatural as it seems to us. But His love isn’t natural, it’s supernatural. And it’s exactly what we needed, and still need today.

Charge

As we seek Him today, let the love He demonstrated to you be demonstrated by you. While some sinner is sinning, point them to the Christ who died for all of us.