The Cost of Hope
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Jesus
Jesus
All Have Sinned — Every single human being who has ever lived, with the exception of Christ Himself, is born a sinner. Born with the curse of original sin. A slave to sin. The power of sin is at work upon us before we are old enough to be conscious of what it is.
for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,
The Wages of Sin — The price for our sin is death. There are two kinds of death and sin cursed us to endure both of them…a physical death and a spiritual one. Ultimately, death leads to eternal separation from God. And there is no hope for rescue.
For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,
Hopelessness — This is where the human race was from the fall in the Garden to the Cross of Jesus. Complete and utter hopelessness. We could understand that we were sinners and separated from God but were utterly incapable of doing anything about it.
Martin Pistorius was just 12 years old when a mysterious illness began slowly robbing him of his ability to walk, talk, or communicate on any level. Finally, he descended into a vegetative state that left the doctors baffled and his family despairing. His parents were told to “take their son home because his time left was limited.” But his time wasn’t limited. “Martin just kept going, just kept going,” said his mother.
Martin Pistorius was just 12 years old when a mysterious illness began slowly robbing him of his ability to walk, talk, or communicate on any level. Finally, he descended into a vegetative state that left the doctors baffled and his family despairing. His parents were told to “take their son home because his time left was limited.” But his time wasn’t limited. “Martin just kept going, just kept going,” said his mother. The first two years, Martin was indeed in a coma-like condition, motionless, unresponsive, and utterly unconscious. But some two years into his ordeal, his mind began to wake up. Unfortunately, his mind was the only thing that began to awaken. Martin was soon fully conscious, but unable to communicate with the outside world. No one, not even his closest caretakers or doctors knew that he could hear and see everything going on around him. Martin felt trapped, claustrophobic, terrified, and felt that he would surely go insane. His lowest moment came when he heard his mother say, “I hope you die.” So full of despair, she later (unsuccessfully) attempted to take her own life. As for his father, “For the next decade, his father's life consisted of getting up early in the morning, driving his helpless son to a special care center, then picking him up eight hours later and driving him home, where he would be bathed, fed and put to bed,” reports the UK DAILY MAIL. But Martin remained trapped in a frozen body. “‘I knew who I was and where I was, and understood I’d been robbed of a real life.” Suddenly, after more than a decade of imprisonment within his own body, Martin began to once again feel his members. Slowly and painstakingly, movement followed, and then came rigorous rehabilitation. In his late 20s, he learned to use a computer to speak. Soon after, he got a government job. Then he graduated from college with a degree in computer science, started his own web design company and married his wife Joanna in 2008.
Spiritually speaking the human race is trapped from birth with only the knowledge of our condition…knowledge of our brokenness but helpless to do anything for ourself.
The first two years, Martin was indeed in a coma-like condition, motionless, unresponsive, and utterly unconscious. But some two years into his ordeal, his mind began to wake up. Unfortunately, his mind was the only thing that began to awaken. Martin was soon fully conscious, but unable to communicate with the outside world. No one, not even his closest caretakers or doctors knew that he could hear and see everything going on around him.
Martin felt trapped, claustrophobic, terrified, and felt that he would surely go insane. His lowest moment came when he heard his mother say, “I hope you die.” So full of despair, she later (unsuccessfully) attempted to take her own life. As for his father, “For the next decade, his father's life consisted of getting up early in the morning, driving his helpless son to a special care center, then picking him up eight hours later and driving him home, where he would be bathed, fed and put to bed,” reports the UK DAILY MAIL.
Jesus looked down upon our helplessness…looked upon our hopelessness…and left heaven to save us.
But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.
But Martin remained trapped in a frozen body. “‘I knew who I was and where I was, and understood I’d been robbed of a real life.”
The Cross is God’s answer to our sin, death and hopelessness -- The suffering of Jesus was payment for all of the sinfulness of our life and the wrath of God do us on account of those sins. The suffering itself demonstrates the ugliness and horror that sin is! The physical, mental, and spiritual suffering of Jesus is incomprehensible. Yet it was completely necessary…because sin is no minor infraction…it is not an accident or misstep…sin is rebellion against God. It is willful disobedience and wickedness.
Jesus loves us and willingly came to die for our sins. In Him is the gift of forgiveness, love and hope of eternal life.
Suddenly, after more than a decade of imprisonment within his own body, Martin began to once again feel his members. Slowly and painstakingly, movement followed, and then came rigorous rehabilitation. In his late 20s, he learned to use a computer to speak. Soon after, he got a government job. Then he graduated from college with a degree in computer science, started his own web design company and married his wife Joanna in 2008.
“This is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent.
In Christ and through His Cross we may have a relationship with God forever…but tonight…we remember…we focus upon…we meditate upon…the sacrifice…the cost…the priceless sacrifice and suffering of the One who loved us so much that He set aside the glory of heaven to be born and die for our sins.
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My Hope is Built on Nothing Less than Jesus blood and righteousness…I dare not trust the sweetest frame but wholly lean on Jesus’ name. On Christ the Solid Rock I stand, all other ground is sinking sand. All other ground is sinking sand.