Gift of Salvation

 

    Salvation is where we find hope in this life.  It changes our lives for the better and gives us a mission.  It is a gift from God that so many people take advantage of.  We need to find our path with Jesus and follow him.  It is the only way our mission can be shared in a way that touch the lives of other people.  People need to see the Holy Spirit living in you.  

    There is so much history of people searching for God and His promises.  We have the answers.  We need to use them.  God's Word makes the journey clear.  It shows that faith and salvation is so much easier than the people from the beginning of time until after Jesus came.  Yet, we reject God possibly more than any of them ever did.  Prophets just wanted to understand Jesus and when to expect him.  He came and changed everything.  He fulfilled every single prophecy that came from God and was written about Him throughout all of history.

    His life here fulfilled the promise of salvation in a way that we could actually understand if we want to.  It gives us grace.  We can see God's signs and read Jesus' promises.  We can see how history revealed what would come, so that we can trust the the promises Jesus made will happen.  He is our roots.  The Holy Spirit is what makes it clear in our heart and mind.  Salvation is not a hidden secret.  It is truth that anyone can obtain.

    Jesus suffered so that we could have salvation.  It is foolish to believe that if you follow Jesus that life will be perfect.  We will suffer for following him, but he is with us.  He reminds us that we are suffering now, but it is only for now.  He was born to die.  When we become Christians, we are reborn to sacrifice.  We will die due to our sins, but we will rise again into Jesus' family.

    Jesus accomplished the Old Testament.  He fulfilled it.  The New Testament is about the Good News, how to live out faith, and what will come next.  That is still a mystery.  No one will know that until they know.  We know that salvation gets us into Heaven, but we can't fully comprehend how wonderful that will be.  We are tainted by the sins of the world, so we can't comprehend perfection, but we can come close with salvation.

    At the moment that we accept the gift of salvation we are adopted into Jesus' family.  Our lives are no longer about ourselves, but about being a productive part of that family.  It becomes a life of service, but you learn that service fulfills you in a way that selfishness never could.  It doesn't make sense, but it is true.  Salvation transplants the Holy Spirit into our heart and soul.  He shows us a better way to live that goes against everything the world tells you is the way it should be.

    The gift of salvation gives you a new heart that is stronger, but softer.  You learn humility, meekness, and the strength that it actually gives you.  Loving people is not easy.  It is easy to shut your heart down.  Your new heart kneels before Jesus.  Only then can Jesus mold us into who we were always meant to be.  

Genesis 3:22-24, Isaiah 9:6-7, & Matthew 1:18-25