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Kingdom, Power, Glory, Amen!

Today we are wrapping some thoughts on the Lord’s Prayer. It is a beautiful prayer, a way to praise God and a way to be reminded of all that He does for us. It is the prayer that He taught us, so we should not recite it mindlessly. Instead, we need to consider what it is we are saying as we say it.

What we know as the conclusion of the Lord’s Prayer is for Thine is the kingdom and the power and glory forever and ever. Those words are not found in the earliest manuscripts of the Bible. They do occur in some of the later copies of the Greek texts, and as a footnote in Matthew’s Gospel. However, these words are a fitting close to this prayer, an ascription of praise to our God, declaring that He is our King, that He alone has the power to hear us and answer, and that He deserves all glory and praise. They echo one of the doxologies found in the book of Revelation:

Revelation 5:13 “To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be praise and honor and glory and power, for ever and ever!”

God is the King

He is the one who is in control of everything, and we should let Him be in control of our lives. Yet there are so many temptations for us to want to take charge, both in the church and outside the church. Instead of letting God be in control and taking our instruction from His Word, everyone seems to want to do what is right in his or her own eyes.

This is the attitude of our world that is taking over the way people think. That works against letting God be the one in control. And perhaps that is why Jesus wants us to remind ourselves and each other in this prayer: “The Kingdom is yours, Father. You are the King. We need you to be in control, to rule over us with your love and your mercy and your kindness and your forgiveness. We know you have our best interests at heart, so help us submit to Your Will! Be our King, and help us to be your willing, obedient subjects.”

We can pray with that mindset because we have seen just how much God cares about us. We see it in the face of Jesus. We see it in our Savior living a sinless life for us. We see it in Christ crucified and risen again. Your King cares about you.

God has the Power

We see the power of God in so many ways – the Creation of this world, the awesome might of natural forces, the miracle of birth. Our Lord Jesus has all that power at His disposal, and yet He was willing to set it aside in order to come live as one of us and accomplish our forgiveness.

There are glimpses of that power throughout His ministry. Changing water to wine. Healing a blind man and some lepers. Raising a few folks from the dead. Forgiving sins. Our God is an awesome God, and His power is far beyond anything we can imagine.

The awesome power of God is seen most clearly in what transpired on Easter morning. An angel rolled the stone away, the guards fell down as though they were dead, and Jesus was raised from death to life. His victory over sin and death and the grave was complete. And He wants you to share in that victory.

God deserves the glory

He deserves to be honored, praised, and worshipped because of who He is and what He has done. The word “glory” is one that we know what it means but it can be hard to put into words. It is describing greatness, splendor, worth, tremendous value. But there is even more. “Glory” is used to translate several Hebrew words, some of which had to do with a visible brightness. That carries over into the New Testament as well.

John 1:14 The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.

In the Transfiguration of Jesus, He was described as shining with bright light, and Peter later wrote:

He received honor and glory from God the Father. (2 Peter 1:18)

Amen

The final word in this prayer, and in all our prayers, is Amen. This little word means “Yes it is so” or “It is certain.” It was the word Jesus used when He said, “Truly I say to you…” When you end your prayers with this word, you are saying that you are certain that God has heard your prayers. You know He is in control. You trust that for Jesus’ sake He not only hears you, but will answer in the way that is best for you.

Kingdom, Power, Glory, Amen!revmattil2023-02-14T09:32:10-06:00

Forgive, Don’t Tempt, Deliver from Evil

Let’s continue our thoughts on the Lord’s Prayer

And forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us.

Let me start by saying what this is not. It is not a bargain we are striking with God, that He will forgive us because we forgive others, or when we forgive others, or as much as we forgive others. We are asking God’s forgiveness for our sins, confident that because of our trust in the death of Jesus as payment for all our sin, we are indeed forgiven. The phrase as we forgive those who trespass against us is not the reason we are forgiven, but rather a promise on our part to be forgiving towards our brothers and sisters just as God has been forgiving toward us. We forgive because He first forgave us.

Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you. (Ephesians 4:32)

And lead us not into temptation.

The first words of Luther’s explanation to this petition are revealing: God indeed tempts no one. We recognize that God is not a source of evil for us, but only good. He is not the one who leads us to sin. What we are asking here, then, is that He would guard and protect us so that we do not give in to the temptations of the devil, the world, and our own sinful flesh. Temptations will and do come to us daily. Each time you are tempted, you must make a choice either to give in to sin or to resist and follow God’s desire for your life. Our prayer is that we would draw upon the strength God offers to us to resist the temptations that do come to us. That this strength is available to us is without question.

God is faithful. He will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, He will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it (1 Corinthians 10:13).

No matter what the temptation may be that comes to you, there is a way out with God’s help. You do not have to give in.

But deliver us from evil.

The Lord ’s Prayer is recorded for us in Matthew 6 and in Luke 11. This last petition does not appear in Luke’s Gospel. It is a kind of summary of the last two petitions. All of the parts of the prayer we are looking at today are asking for a deliverance from evil of some sort. We have already asked that our sins be forgiven and that we would draw upon God’s strength to resist further temptations to sin. In addition to these greatest evils, we are now asking that God would deliver us from every other evil that might come to us.

When you look at the Lord’s prayer in Matthew (and the footnote in Luke), many of the modern translations have “deliver us from the evil one.” Matthew’s Gospel has a footnote that says “or from evil.” The oldest copies of the bible in the original languages, what we call the “biblical manuscripts” are divided–some have “evil” and some have “the evil one”. it really does not make a lot of difference whether we speak of evil in general or of the “evil one” in particular. We know there are forces working against us in our lives that invite us to sin. Luther spoke of evil as a trio: The devil, the world, and our sinful flesh. This petition covers all of them. This prayer is that we may be protected from all evil.

The fact that we ask for this does not necessarily mean that these things will not come to us. Many times they will. As long as you are in this world, you will have to endure many evils which are the consequences of sin. But part of God’s deliverance from evil is the final deliverance that He gives to those who have recognized their sin, repented, and believed in the one and only Son of God as their Savior. This final deliverance is the forgiveness of all sins and eternal life with God. This final deliverance from evil is given to all who trust in Jesus Christ.

God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting men’s sins against them. … God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. (2 Corinthians 5:19, 21)

You will be delivered from evil, you will be taken from this vale of tears to the joy of heaven, where you will live in peace forevermore with your Savior. That should be part of what you are thinking when you pray this petition, “But deliver us from evil.”

We’ll finish our look at this prayer tomorrow.

Forgive, Don’t Tempt, Deliver from Evilrevmattil2023-02-14T09:17:32-06:00

Daily Bread

There were these two boys who lived with their Grandma. As they were about to go to bed, they knelt down first to say their prayers. The older prayed about the day he had and about everything he had done. When he finished, the younger boy began his prayer, but he prayed much louder than his brother. He was almost shouting as he prayed for bikes and toys and candy and everything he could think of. When he finished the older brother asked him “Why are you praying so loud? God is not deaf.” The younger boy responded and said ” Yeah, I know, but Grandma is!”

The fourth petition of the Lord’s Prayer is the only one that has to do with physical blessings, material, earthly needs: Give us this day our daily bread. “Daily bread” means everything that we need to support this body and life. And God is concerned about that. He wants us to come to Him about everything. He made you as physical beings, so He knows your needs, and He promises to provide. He hears you.

When I pray these words – Give us this day our daily bread – I am reminded of the abundant and bountiful provision of God, how incredibly blessed I am, and the need for me to share those blessings with others.

One problem many have here is they seem to think that God should also provide for all of their desires, which is another thing altogether. We look around and see what others have and wonder why we don’t have as much. Instead of rejoicing when we see our neighbor prosper, we become jealous. That is why this petition is so important for us to pray sincerely: give us this day our daily bread. These words remind us that God provides for us and cares for us. He has already given us the most important thing we need: forgiveness of sins and eternal life! He did that by sending Jesus to do what we could not – live a perfect life and then offer that life as the payment for the sins of everyone. On top of that most wonderful and necessary blessing of all, He gives us our daily bread whether we ask for it or not! The point of this part of the Lord’s Prayer is that we recognize God as our Provider and receive His gifts with gratitude.

Proverbs 30:8-9 ‘Give me neither poverty nor riches, but give me only my daily bread. Otherwise, I may have too much and disown you and say, ‘Who is the LORD?’ Or I may become poor and steal, and so dishonor the name of my God.”

Something else is significant in this request. Jesus did not teach us to pray: “Give me my daily bread.” He taught us to pray: “Give us this day our daily bread.” When offering this petition we have the needs of others, as well as our own needs, in mind. An unknown poet reminds us that our concern in praying for daily bread should be for more than just ourselves:

You cannot pray the Lord’s Prayer and even once say “I.”
You cannot pray the Lord’s Prayer and even once say “My.”
Nor can you pray the Lord’s Prayer and not pray for one another.
And when you ask for daily bread, you must include your brother.
For others are included … in each and every plea,
From the beginning to the end of it, it doesn’t once say “Me.”

One more observation: It is not wrong for us to ask for more than what we need for our daily needs. We can ask Him for anything and everything. We commit our needs to Him. And that should be done in the spirit of understanding that if He decides to give us daily bread and nothing more, we should be content. We ought to strive for the attitude described by St. Paul:

Phil 4:11-13 I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do everything through him who gives me strength.

Daily Breadrevmattil2023-02-14T08:54:49-06:00

Lord, Teach us to Pray

When asked to teach His disciples how to pray, Jesus gave them an example. It is a wonderful prayer that Christians still use today. To truly pray the Lord’s Prayer is more than knowing the words and repeating them along with everyone else. One of the things Luther laments in his writings is that the Lord’s Prayer is “prattled and prated all to pieces in all the world without any devout attention.” Let’s not do that. Instead, let’s ponder the rich meaning of this simple prayer.

Our Father who art in heaven

Jesus begins with an affirmation of faith in God as our Father. Christians know that we are God’s loved children through faith in Jesus Christ as our Savior from sin and death. Through Baptism, God claims us as His own, and He is a loving Father, one who wants to help us in all things. This introduction sets the tone for the whole prayer. We are not approaching God afraid that He will reject us and our requests. We are not begging Him for things. Instead, we approach Him with faith, knowing that for Jesus’ sake He will listen, He will hear us. We come to Him in a faith relationship, as dear children go to their loving Father.

Hallowed by Thy Name

This first “asking” is a request for God’s name be holy. Luther reminds us that God’s name is holy without our prayer, but we are praying here that we may keep it holy among us. How? By using it correctly and not misusing it. There is a connection to the second commandment. We do not ever want to misuse God’s name, using it thoughtlessly or in an improper way. Instead, we resolve, with God’s help, to live our lives in a way that will bring honor and glory to God. We strive to keep God’s name holy by being His obedient children.

Thy Kingdom Come

God is the ruler of all, the Preserver and Protector of the world. As such, He graciously offers forgiveness of sins as a gift which you receive through faith in Jesus Christ. God’s kingdom includes the glory of heaven that the faithful eagerly await as the reward we receive through the merits of Christ. Our prayer does not bring God’s Kingdom into existence any more that our prayer causes His name to be holy. What we are asking when we pray “Thy kingdom come” is that His kingdom would come to us, that we are a part of it, that we remain in His grace as we eagerly anticipate our entrance into the eternal glory of heaven. We want to be part of God’s Kingdom, now and forever.

Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.

We are asking that our lives be ever more conformed to God’s Word. “God, help us do what your desire.” In the Bible, we find what the will of our God is: that we believe in Jesus Christ, and believing, have life in his name (John 20:31). God wants you to be saved by believing that Jesus is your Savior. Once you have been brought to faith, God wants you to faithfully live as His Child.

In His Word, God tells us that His will is done among His faithful when they do one thing: LOVE.

“Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind … love your neighbor as yourself.” (Matthew 22:37,39).

“Love is the fulfilling of the law” (Romans 13:10).

We are praying here that our lives may be lives of Christian love that comply with God’s will. There’s a thought for Valentine’s Day.

Keep in Touch

Cowboy Poetry by Bill Jones

Jake, the rancher, went one day to fix a distant fence.
The wind was cold and gusty and the clouds rolled gray and dense.

As he pounded the last staples in and gathered tools to go,
The temperature had fallen, the wind and snow began to blow.

When he finally reached his pickup, he felt a heavy heart.
From the sound of that ignition, he knew it wouldn’t start.

So Jake did what most of us would do if we had been there.
He humbly bowed his balding head and sent aloft a prayer.

As he turned the key for the last time, he softly cursed his luck.
They found him three days later, frozen stiff in that old truck.

Now Jake had been around in life and done his share of roaming.
But when he saw Heaven, he was shocked — it looked just like Wyoming!

Of all the saints in Heaven, his favorite was St. Peter.
(Now, this line ain’t needed but it helps with rhyme and meter)

So they set and talked a minute or two, or maybe it was three.
Nobody was keeping’ score — in Heaven time is free.

“I’ve always heard,” Jake said to Pete, “that God will answer prayer,
But one time I asked for help, well, he just plain wasn’t there.”

“Does God answer prayers of some, and ignore the prayers of others?
That don’t seem exactly square — I know all men are brothers.”

“Or does he randomly reply, without good rhyme or reason?
Maybe, it’s the time of day, the weather or the season.”

“Now I ain’t trying to act smart, it’s just the way I feel.
And I was wondering’, could you tell me — what the heck’s the deal?!”

Peter listened very patiently and when Jake was done,
There were smiles of recognition, and he said, “So, you’re the one!!”

“That day your truck, it wouldn’t start, and you sent your prayer a flying,
You gave us all a real bad time, with hundreds of us trying.”

“A thousand angels rushed, to check the status of your file,
But you know, Jake, we hadn’t heard from you in quite a long while.”

“And though all prayers are answered, and God ain’t got no quota,
He didn’t recognize your voice, and started a truck in Minnesota.”

It is good to keep in touch. That is what prayer is for, what it is all about. You keeping in touch with God. I wrote about prayer yesterday, and may stay on this topic for a few more days yet. For today, just consider what Luther’s Small Catechism says about prayer.

What is prayer? Prayer is speaking to God in words and thoughts.

To whom should we pray? We should pray to the true God only, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, not to idols, saints, or anything God has created.

What should be the content of our prayers? In our prayers we should ask for everything that tends to the glory of God and to our own and our neighbor’s welfare, both spiritual and bodily blessings. We should also praise and thank God for who He is and what He has done.

How does God answer prayer? God hears the prayers of all Christians and answers in His own way and at His own time.

Think on this today, and I’ll share some more thoughts about prayer tomorrow.

Keep in Touchrevmattil2023-02-13T10:42:13-06:00

Are Your Prayers Big Enough?

How often have your prayed for something and did not get what you asked for? I’ve heard people say, “God didn’t answer my prayer!” What they mean is that God did not answer it the way they wanted Him to answer it.

How often have you asked God for something and He gave you even more than what your requested?

Paul prayed “three times” for God to take away the thorn in his flesh. But it stayed. And God did something even better. Paul received God’s grace and power, which enabled him to be a mighty messenger and apostle, spreading the message of Jesus as Lord and Savior throughout the world.

I heard a story years ago of a man whose brother was dying of cancer. The entire family prayed for his recovery, but death came all too soon. When speaking of it, the man refused to believe that God had not heard their prayers. He simply said that his brother “took a better offer.”

Philippians 1:21 For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain.

This confidence belongs to those who know that Jesus lived and died and rose again to give us victory over death, new life here and now, and eternity with Him in heaven. We need to remember that when we pray, boldly approaching God with our petitions and listening for His loving response.

Ephesians 3:20–21 Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.

Are Your Prayers Big Enough?revmattil2023-02-11T10:50:02-06:00

Remember No More

In the two and a half years since I retired, we have had the opportunity to visit with a lot of friends and reestablish connections with people we had not seen in quite some time. In some cases, we had not seen these people for thirty or forty years. It has been fun catching up and remembering the times we had together in college and seminary days.

As part of that remembering, we recalled things we did back then that were foolish and stupid and not in keeping with God’s desire for our lives. We were amazed that we survived! And on more than one occasion, someone said, “I’m just glad they didn’t have cell phones with video cameras back then!”

We all have things in our lives we should not have done, that we would like to forget or keep from others. Whether there is a video record of our misdeeds or not, they were done. We know what we did. And so does God. Nothing is hidden from Him. That is a frightening thought, a stern proclamation of God’s Law.

Psalm 69:5 You know my folly, O God; my guilt is not hidden from you.

Hebrews 4:13 Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account.

Even though God knows all about our sin, He does not want to punish us for it. He never did. That is why He promised to send a Savior immediately after the first sin. That is why He kept that promise and sent His Son down here. Jesus was our substitute, lived without sin and took our place in punishment. Those who believed God’s promise before Jesus came were forgiven. Those who believed in Jesus once He got here were also forgiven. And those who believe in Him still today receive the forgiveness and life and salvation that He accomplished for us.

Proverbs 28:13 He who conceals his sins does not prosper, but whoever confesses and renounces them finds mercy.

When we admit our sin and ask God to forgive, He does so. We have His word on it. And then He forgets all about our sin.

Hebrews 8:12 For I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more.”

We have that blessed assurance because of our faith in Jesus. But those without faith in Jesus will, unfortunately, be held accountable for their sins. They will not get the forgiveness Jesus earned. It is available to everyone, freely, because Jesus already paid the price.

Those of us who live in the certainty of God’s grace need to ask ourselves what we can do to help others discover this wonderful news.

Remember No Morerevmattil2023-02-11T08:06:39-06:00

You’ve Got a Friend

I’ve mentioned before that I like the music of James Taylor. One of his most popular songs is one he did not write, but he sang it well. It was a little piece written by Carole King.

When you’re down and troubled and you need a helping hand
And nothing, nothing is going right Close your eyes and think of me
and soon I will be there To brighten up even your darkest night.
You just call out my name And you know wherever I am
I’ll come running to see you again. Winter – spring – summer – or fall
All you have to do is call And I’ll be there – You’ve got a friend.

We all need friends. Not the ones who say they will be our friends but don’t live up to their promise. We need the friends who will come through for us. Friendship is vital, especially when you are lonely. You want someone to listen to your problems, someone who cares, someone who loves you, even when you mess up! We need friends like that. And we need to be friends like that.

You’ve probably heard the expression “He (or she) doesn’t have a prayer.” Those words are used to describe a hopeless situation. Have you ever felt that way? Wouldn’t it have been nice to have someone to talk to? Wouldn’t it be nice to talk to God and know that He is listening? He is. This is what He says to you:

You just call out my name And you know wherever I am
I’ll come running to see you again. Winter – spring – summer – or fall
All you have to do is call And I’ll be there – You’ve got a friend.

With God on your side, you are not hopeless. And God doesn’t just make promises and then ignore you when you call out to Him. He’s there. He comes running. He is by your side. You need to know without a doubt that God is your friend. You’ve Got a Friend.

Those first disciples of Jesus had times when they felt lonely, isolated and uncertain. They needed a friend. They might even have felt betrayed. Jesus was their friend, but He started talking about leaving them. He was talking about dying. The disciples had left everything to follow Jesus. They walked away from their fishing businesses. They left their homes, their families. They allowed themselves to believe that Jesus was the one who would change everything, who would make everything right. They believed he was the Messiah, the Savior, the Promised One. And now he was talking about leaving them? Imagine how they felt! Why had Jesus asked them to follow Him if he intended to leave them? Why had he brought them this far only to abandon them? I’m sure the disciples felt that they needed a friend. Jesus knew that his disciples were afraid, that they needed a friend. And He would be that friend.

Jesus had come to be their friend, but He also came to be the Savior of everyone. To accomplish that, He would indeed have to die. That would be the payment for the sins of the world. But He rose back to life in victory on Easter. And that friend is still with us today.

Remember that when you feel lonely and isolated and uncertain. You need a friend. And Jesus is that friend you need.

You’ve Got a Friendrevmattil2023-02-08T16:11:51-06:00

Gemütlichkeit

We have had several cold, dreary, rainy days recently. An eye doctor appointment forced me to go out in weather that I would rather avoid. As I sat in the waiting room, filling out the forms that ask for the same information every year, I suddenly had a memory flash into my mind.

When I attended parochial school growing up, there was no lunch program, so I always took my lunch. Mom always made sure I had a nutritious meal and a snack. But on days like we had this week, she would often get out the thermos and put something warm in there. It didn’t matter if it was soup or stew or even ravioli. It was a special treat to have a warm lunch at school on a dreary day.

That feeling was hard to describe. It was what I thought of years later while studying German and coming across the word “Gemütlichkeit.” That term is difficult to translate with one word. It has to do with feeling cozy, comfortable and content. It is a something that warms your heart.

That feeling is a reality in my life. I have been extremely blessed. My life is not without its trials and troubles, but I am blessed. I have a wonderful family and home and friends and possessions, but the mail reason I feel blessed is because I know my Savior. Being in a faith relationship with Jesus reminds me that I have everything I need. The one who paid the price for my sins is my friend, my Redeemer and my Lord. I think maybe the Apostle Paul was trying to describe “Gemütlichkeit” in the passage below.

Philippians 4:11–13 I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do everything through him who gives me strength.

This cozy, warm in your heart feeling may also be what this hymn was trying to convey.

When peace like a river attendeth my way
When sorrows like sea billows roll
Whatever my lot, Thou hast taught me to say
It is well, it is well with my soul

Refrain: It is well with my soul It is well, it is well with my soul

Though Satan should buffet, though trials should come
Let this blest assurance control
That Christ has regarded my helpless estate
And has shed His own blood for my soul Refrain

My sin, oh the bliss of this glorious thought
My sin, not in part, but the whole
Is nailed to the cross, and I bear it no more
Praise the Lord, praise the Lord, O my soul Refrain

And Lord, haste the day when my faith shall be sight
The clouds be rolled back as a scroll
The trump shall resound, and the Lord shall descend
Even so, it is well with my soul Refrain

Gemütlichkeitrevmattil2023-02-08T14:56:48-06:00

He Took Our Place

Joe Serna served three tours in Afghanistan as a Green Beret. Judge Lou Olivera is a veteran, too, who served in the Army as an intelligence officer. But when they met, it wasn’t on base. It was in a North Carolina courtroom.

Serna had been struggling to adapt to life back home, and, after violating probation on a DWI charge, he was sentenced by Olivera to a night in jail. That may not seem like a huge deal, but it was for Serna. It brought back a horrible memory of the war in Afghanistan. Serna was driving a truck with three other soldiers, friends of his, as passengers. He had an accident and flipped the truck into a river. They were all trapped inside, and Serna recalled how the water slowly filled the vehicle, rising from his ankles to his waist, eventually to his chin. The air was filled with diesel fumes, leaving them struggling for air. One friend said, ‘I can’t feel my lips, I can’t feel my arms.’ Then he heard him gasping. Serna was the only survivor.

Locked in a cell, confined to a space without windows or a door that he could open, Serna was remembering the nightmare, and sure that he would relive it all night. Then he heard the cell door rattle behind him. It was Judge Olivera, entering the cell. He knew Serna’s history, and even though he had sentenced him to jail, he was not going to let him go through it alone. The judge spoke to the chief jailer, another veteran, and arranged it so he could spend the night with Serna. Serna later recalled that he had never seen kindness like that before in his life.

During that night, they spoke for a long time, mostly discussing their families. But Serna recalls that he felt the compassion Olivera was showing him. They developed a relationship, a friendship that endured.

Jesus comes to meet us where we are. He wants to be with us and encourage us every step of our lives. This act by Judge Olivera was incredible, but Jesus took it a step further. He wanted a relationship with us, his brothers and sisters, but He did not come simply to suffer with us. He came to suffer for us. He took our place in punishment so that we could get out of our prison and be free.

2 Corinthians 5:17–21 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come! All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting men’s sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation. We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God. God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.

Jesus took our sin and gave us His righteousness. He paid for our wrong so that it would not be held against us. We have taken this Good News to heart.

How can you share that love of God in Christ with someone else today?

He Took Our Placerevmattil2023-02-07T14:56:22-06:00

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