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1 Timothy 1:15 Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners—of whom I am the worst.

 Cheryl and I are traveling again this week. At the worship service we attended yesterday, the pastor used the passage above as his sermon text. It was a good and timely message, and it provoked a few thoughts in the mind of this old preacher.

Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners. The world desperately still needs to hear this message today. The reason this is true is that this world is still filled with sinners. Some of them are saved sinners because they have put their faith in Jesus. Some of them are still lost because they have not put their faith in Jesus. But God wants EVERY sinner to be saved. Jesus made that clear when He cried out from the cross, “Father, forgive them…”

An old Gospel song contains these lyrics:  “The vilest offender who truly believes, That moment from Jesus a pardon receives.”  These words are a beautiful description of what Jesus made a reality when He paid for our sins with His life offered in sacrifice.

When Paul wrote these words affirming that Jesus came to save sinners he added: —of whom I am the worst. Paul saw himself as the “vilest offender” because he had persecuted and killed followers of Jesus before coming to faith in Him. His attitude was, “If God can save me, He can save anyone and everyone!”

Think of the forgiveness Jesus earned this way.

• That forgiveness was available for Paul, who had killed followers of Jesus, and he took it.
• That forgiveness was available for Judas, who betraryed Jesus. He didn’t take it.
• That forgiveness is available to the young man who killed Charlie Kirk. From everything I observed about Charlie, he would have wanted that young man to take advantage of that offer from God. Will he? I pray that he will.

The world needs us to tell them that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners. Think about that as your read the lyrics to that Gospel Song I mentioned earlier

To God be the glory great things He hath done,
So loved He the world that He gave us His Son.
Who yielded His life an atonement for sin,
And opened the life gate that all may go in.

Chorus:
Praise the Lord, Praise the Lord, let the earth hear his voice
Praise the Lord, Praise the Lord, let the people rejoice!
O come to the Father thro Jesus the Son,
And give Him the glory, great things He hath done.

O perfect redemption, the purchase of blood,
To ev’ry believer the promise of God;
The vilest offender who truly believes,
That moment from Jesus a pardon receives. Chorus

Great things He hath taught us, great things He hath done,
And great our rejoicing thro’ Jesus the Son;
But purer and higher and greater will be
Our wonder, our transport, when Jesus we see. Chorus

Matthew 10:32 (NKJV) “Therefore whoever confesses Me before men, him I will also confess before My Father who is in heaven.

On Friday, I witnessed one of the most powerful testimonies for Jesus I have ever seen. A young woman whose husband was assassinated two days earlier spoke of him being with his Lord and Savior face to face. Her confidence and conviction in the face of overwhelming grief captured the attention of many, including those who have no idea who Jesus really is or what He did for all the world. And this may indeed mark a turning point in the lives of many of those people who listened to Erika Kirk speak not only of her husband, but also of her (and his) Savior.

I mentioned a few days ago that Charlie Kirk was a mighty witness for Jesus through his personal testimony to the youth of America. Those who disagreed with him were vicious in their attacks. It seems as though his detractors feel that freedom of speech and religion only applies to those who are not Christian. But that did not deter Charlie from continuing his speaking engagements, even in the face of death threats. A lot of his enemies thought that by silencing Charlie, they would put an end to this kind of witnessing. One of them took matters into his own hands.

There is nothing new under the sun. When Jesus was first sharing the Good News that He came to save the world from sin and death, his detractors thought that by silencing Him they would end the problem He presented to their power and position. They thought the people would forget about Him. How did that work out for them?

Charlie faced the same kind of opposition Jesus did because He was bearing witness to Jesus. And I believe Charlie’s death will be a watershed moment in American history. Those who listened to Charlie talk about Jesus are poised to carry the torch, sharing the message of hope and forgiveness and life that come only from Jesus.

May all of us who follow Jesus boldly share our testimony of who He is and what He has done for all people. Death will not conquer us, because Jesus conquered death for us.

1 Corinthians 15:54–57 When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come true: “Death has been swallowed up in victory.” “Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?” The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

I had a different devotion prepared for today that I set aside to speak of the incredible act of evil that took place yesterday. A young man who unashamedly spoke out for his beliefs, especially his faith in Jesus Christ, was gunned down during an outdoor speaking event in Utah.

Charlie Kirk was a polarizing figure in our society. Those who were comfortable in their sinful choices and lifestyles would shout obscenities at him. But he remained steadfast in his positions based on God’s Word, and encouraged them to consider his point of view. And someone who disagreed with his beliefs and positions decided to silence him by taking his life.

I have and will continue to pray for his family, his wife and his young children. I know they are grieving, and it will be difficult in the days ahead., But I am convinced that they will not grieve as those who have no hope. Charlie knew Jesus as His Lord and Savior. Whether you agreed with his political positions or not, he put his faith in Jesus and has received the crown of life that belongs to all those who trust in Christ. He is with his Lord. I pray that his friends and family will hold on to that comforting assurance in the days to come.

1 Thessalonians 4:13–14 Brothers, we do not want you to be ignorant about those who fall asleep, or to grieve like the rest of men, who have no hope. We believe that Jesus died and rose again and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him.

While he will be missed, he will not soon be forgotten. And the message that he shared about God’s love in Christ will continue to be shared until our Lord returns.

As I was reflecting on this, a song came to mind that speaks of martyrs who were killed for their faith in Jesus. Here are some of the lyrics:

Now the years have come and the years have gone
And the cause of Jesus still goes on
Now our time has come to count the cost
To reject this world, to embrace the cross
And one by one let us live our lives
For the One who died to give us life
‘Til the trumpet sounds on the final day
Let us proudly stand and boldly say
I pledge allegiance to the Lamb.

 You can listen to the song here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Jl7pbiKnlc

Lord Jesus, may the family of Charile Kirk feel your presence and loving embrace as they mourn their loss and celebrate his gain. As your people face the evil all around, give us the courage to boldly speak of you and your love to a world that so desperately needs to hear it. Thank you for earning our forgiveness and offering it freely to everyone. Amen.

Isaiah 52:13–15a See, my servant will act wisely; he will be raised and lifted up and highly exalted. Just as there were many who were appalled at him— his appearance was so disfigured beyond that of any man and his form marred beyond human likeness—so will he sprinkle many nations…

 Last weekend Cheryl and I led a retreat under the theme “Blood and Water Flowed.” We shared how the things that flowed from the pieced side of Jesus at the crucifixion were used throughout God’s promising and foretelling and carrying out His plan of salvation.

So will he sprinkle many nations. Sprinkling with hyssop, using water and blood, is mentioned repeatedly throughout the Old Testament. In terms of cleansing and purification.. Here a a few examples:

• Leviticus 14:5–7 Cleansing some one healed of Skin Disease – Water and Blood
• Numbers 8:5–7 Ceremonial Cleansing of Levites, priestly tribe – WATER
• Numbers 19:16–21 Cleansing those who touched Dead Body – Water
• Exodus 29:21 Consecration of Priests – Blood

Psalm 51:7 Cleanse me with hyssop, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow.    

David’s repentance in Psalm 51 mentions hyssop, which was used to sprinkle, but he doesn’t say where it was blood or water or both. It really doesn’t matter, though, because we know, as did David, that the cleansing and purification comes from God!

Blood, recognized as a synonym for life, was used to rescue and was necessary for forgiveness. Remember how God’s people were spared from the tenth and final plague in Egypt.

Exodus 12:22 Take a bunch of hyssop, dip it into the blood in the basin and put some of the blood on the top and on both sides of the doorframe. Not one of you shall go out the door of his house until morning.

The blood of the Lamb marked the homes of God’s faithful and the angel of death passed over those homes. Jesus is the ultimate Lamb of God, whose blood covers all those who put their faith in Him, assuring them of cleansing, pardon, forgiveness, peace and eternal life.

Not too long ago, a good friend of ours was bitten by a copperhead. Her husband was out of town, but another friend took her to the hospital where she was given antivenom. She had a painful recovery, partly because she waited a while before seeking medical attention, but she did recover.

I just recently discovered that in the United States, the antivenom used for a pit viper snakebite (rattlesnakes, copperheads and water moccasins) is a purified product know as CroFab. It is made using sheep blood. Here is the process:

1. A non-lethal dose of venom is injected into a sheep.
2. The immune system produces an antibody targeting the venom.
3. Blood is collected from the sheep.
4. Plasma containing the antibodies is separated and concentrated and purified.
5. This purified plasma can be given to treat a snakebite.

This life-saving medical marvel made me think of how the Blood of the Lamb of God is what saves us from the Serpent. When Adam and Eve went against God’s plan for their lives, listening to the Serpent, wanting to be like God, and doing the one thing God told them not to do, the venom of sin entered their lives and gave them a death sentence.

But God the Father had a solution. He took that “venom” and put it on His only-begotten Son. It wasn’t just a small dose. He put all the sin of everyone in the world on Him. If was a fatal dose. And Jesus took it. He poured out His blood through His suffering and crucifixion, and it was the cure for sin.

Hebrews 9:22 In fact, the law requires that nearly everything be cleansed with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness.

1 John 1:7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin.

1 John 2:2 He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world.

The production of antivenom is a wonderful reminder that the blood of the Lamb of God has provided us the cure we need for our sinful condition that leads to death.

Many will endure a lot of needless pain and suffering because they don’t take the cure that God freely offers them. We need to make sure we keep telling this Good News so that people will hear about Jesus, put their faith in Him, and get the cure we have already received.

As I write this, Cheryl and I are waiting for a flight home. This weekend we were privileged to lead the women of the Rocky Mountain District Lutheran Women’s Missionary League Retreat under a theme developed by Cheryl: “Blood and Water Flowed.”  We had a fantastic time and I hope the ladies in attendance did as well.

While we enjoyed doing this, we are both worn out right now. It is a joy for us to share and study God’s Word with others, but it is also physically draining when we are the main presenters. We are ready to return home for some rest and relaxation and recuperation.

A passage from God’s Word that occurred to me has the phrase “that times of refreshing may come from the Lord.” God encourages us to rest, as He did in the commandment that tells us to Remember the Sabbath day. Jesus also gave the example of going off by Himself to pray.

I decided to look up the passage and see the context in which those words were written. Here it is:

Acts 3:19-20 Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord, and that he may send the Christ, who has been appointed for you—even Jesus.

While physical refreshment is good and necessary, what this passage describes is even more important and desirable – SPIRITUAL REFRESHMENT. When we repent and turn from our sins, trusting in what Jesus did for us through His life and death that paid for all sins, we have refreshment. We have the certainty of forgiveness now and forever, as well as the guarantee of eternal refreshment in the presence of our Lord because of what He did for us. That is a refreshing message.

By the time you read this, by God’s grace we will be home again and back to our regular day to day life, living the life God has called us to live in Christ. Hopefully there will be a time of physical refreshing before we set off on our next adventure and get worn out again!

But I am so grateful that God strengthens and sustains us with the guarantee of the spiritual refreshment we have in Christ.

On a recent trip to the Texas Gulf Coast I stayed at Mustang Island State Park in our travel trailer. About two years ago we traded our old camper in for a smaller one. The old one had a canister water filter inside the camper under the sink. The new one just uses an inline filter on the hose outside. While cleaning my garage, I found two unopened and unused filter replacements for the canister type filter. So I took them on this trip hoping to give them to someone who could use them.

I walked around the park one afternoon with those two filters in my hand. I knocked on 9 different camper doors. Only five of them answered. I explained that I had some unused filters and asked if they used this kind. The first four did not. The last one to answer was a young dad and I saw four young kids with him. He said he could use them so I gave them to him and said, “God bless you and have a good day!” It felt good to share something useful with someone else.

As I was walking back to my camper, I realized I was wearing a shirt from a fraternal organization that said “Live Generously.”  This was a newer one, so it didn’t have the cross superimposed over the heart like the earlier ones did. I liked the old shirts so much better. The cross explains where my efforts to live generously come from. I don’t try to live generously because a fraternal organization gives me a shirt telling me to do so. I do in response to the tremendous love and generosity of our God, love displayed in sending Jesus to the cross to pay for the sins of the world.

Romans 8:32 He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things?

In Christ I have atonement, reconciliation, forgiveness, life and salvation. And then God gives me “all things” on top of that. How can I keep that to myself?

1 John 4:19 We love because he first loved us.

God has shown His love and generosity to us. We need to show it to others.

A dad had his two pre-teen boys come to him and ask if they could go to an R-rated movie with their friends. The dad said no, saying he didn’t want them exposed to the nudity and violence that was in the film. The boys protested, “There is only a little bit of that. Everyone is talking about what a great movie it is. Please, please can we go?” The dad remained firm in his decision. The boys pouted and went to their rooms, slamming the doors behind them.

The next day the dad made a batch of brownies. The wonderful aroma filled the house. He dusted the top of them with powdered sugar. He sliced them and put them on a serving platter. They looked gooey and delicious. Then he called the boys to the kitchen.

There were about to dive into the brownies when the dad stopped them. He said, “This is a very special batch of brownies. I need to tell you about them before you eat them. They look and smell wonderful. But I added an extra ingredient. After I had all the normal items in the mixing bowl, I added a small scoop of dog poop to the batch. It was only a little bit. You probably won’t notice or taste it. But I assure you it is in there. So, how many brownies do you want?”

The boys both had a look of horror and disbelief on their faces. They said they would pass on the brownies.

The dad when on to explain that allowing a little bit of filth into our minds is no different that a little bit of dog poop in our brownies.

Is a little bit of sin in your life acceptable? Leaven is often used in Scripture to describe what sin does in a person’s life. It keeps us from being the Unleavened Bread God would have us be.

1 Corinthians 5:6–8 (ESV) Your boasting is not good. Do you not know that a little leaven leavens the whole lump? Cleanse out the old leaven that you may be a new lump, as you really are unleavened. For Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed. Let us therefore celebrate the festival, not with the old leaven, the leaven of malice and evil, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.

When Jesus died, it was to pay for all sin, to save you from your sin, to give you forgiveness and life everlasting. Those who know and believe this are grateful to God for what He has done. So why would you want to let ANY sin back into your lives?

Dear Lord, remind me of the tremendous gift I have because of your life and death and resurrection. When I am confronted with sin, remind me to not let it get a hold of me. Give me the strength to resist temptation and strive to live as your “unleavened bread.” Amen.