Salvation In Christ
Stories
Contents
"Salvation In Christ" by John Fitzgerald
Salvation In Christ
by John Fitzgerald
Hebrews 4:14-16; 5:7-9
A great storm ravaged America’s East Coast. Waters were fierce and washed ashore thousands of starfish who were struggling to get back into the ocean. After the weather had passed a man went down to a shoreline and picked up individual starfish. He tossed each poor creature back into the sea. A curious bystander passed by the man and asked, “Why are you spending time with each starfish. There are so many of them, and you can select only a few to take care of?” The man replied, “I may not be able to rescue all the starfish. But I can make a difference in the life of at least one.”
On Good Friday we remember that Christ Jesus came to save the life of every person. There are millions of folks in this world. Jesus wants to rescue each person. But just like the struggling starfish, not everyone will be saved. Only those who put their hope and trust in our Lord will receive his gift.
This is our day to declare that we believe what happened at Calvary is something that is intended for mankind of every generation. Jesus poured out his blood on the Cross for sake of all of us: past, present, and future. Christ the Lord bore the sin of all folks in every time and place. However, salvation is an individual experience.
We can not lean upon the salvation that our parents, family, or friends have received. Each person must trust in their own way that Jesus has died on the Cross for them.
Our scripture reading for this day gives us more information about the importance of Jesus and his sacrificial death. Hebrews 4 tells us that Christ the Lord can empathize with our weaknesses, because he too has been tempted in every way -- but yet did not sin (verse 15). Nothing in human experience is foreign to Jesus. He knows about our depravity because of being human. Yet, he is without sin because of his divinity. Jesus is Perfect God and Perfect Man.
The Bible says we can approach God’s throne of grace with confidence and without fear of sin (verse 16). This is possible because of what Jesus accomplished on Good Friday. He took on his shoulders the offense of our sin. We can receive mercy and grace in time of need on account of our sin no longer being a hindrance in relating to God (verse 16).
Hebrews 5 goes on to share about the obedience of Jesus to his heavenly father. Christ the Lord suffered a terrible death at Calvary as part of God’s plan. Obedience to his father made Jesus perfect as an eternal source of salvation for all who followed in his footsteps (verse 9).
Jesus invites us this day to take up our Cross and follow him. The world is in a sorry state. Our culture is filled with sin and violence. To counteract the wickedness you and I must choose Christ crucified as Lord of our life. Imagine what a difference in our world if each one would come to Christ’s salvation and bear his Cross this day.
John Fitzgerald lives in Leesburg, Ohio, with his wife Carolyn and has served as pastor at the Leesburg Friends Meeting for the past 27 years. Cornfield Cathedral (Fairway Press, 2013) is the second book authored by Pastor Fitzgerald. John has earned a Master's of Ministry Degree from the Earlham School of Religion in Richmond, Indiana.
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StoryShare, April 14, 2017, issue.
Copyright 2017 by CSS Publishing Company, Inc., Lima, Ohio.
All rights reserved. Subscribers to the StoryShare service may print and use this material as it was intended in sermons, in worship and classroom settings, in brief devotions, in radio spots, and as newsletter fillers. No additional permission is required from the publisher for such use by subscribers only. Inquiries should be addressed to permissions@csspub.com or to Permissions, CSS Publishing Company, Inc., 5450 N. Dixie Highway, Lima, Ohio 45807.
"Salvation In Christ" by John Fitzgerald
Salvation In Christ
by John Fitzgerald
Hebrews 4:14-16; 5:7-9
A great storm ravaged America’s East Coast. Waters were fierce and washed ashore thousands of starfish who were struggling to get back into the ocean. After the weather had passed a man went down to a shoreline and picked up individual starfish. He tossed each poor creature back into the sea. A curious bystander passed by the man and asked, “Why are you spending time with each starfish. There are so many of them, and you can select only a few to take care of?” The man replied, “I may not be able to rescue all the starfish. But I can make a difference in the life of at least one.”
On Good Friday we remember that Christ Jesus came to save the life of every person. There are millions of folks in this world. Jesus wants to rescue each person. But just like the struggling starfish, not everyone will be saved. Only those who put their hope and trust in our Lord will receive his gift.
This is our day to declare that we believe what happened at Calvary is something that is intended for mankind of every generation. Jesus poured out his blood on the Cross for sake of all of us: past, present, and future. Christ the Lord bore the sin of all folks in every time and place. However, salvation is an individual experience.
We can not lean upon the salvation that our parents, family, or friends have received. Each person must trust in their own way that Jesus has died on the Cross for them.
Our scripture reading for this day gives us more information about the importance of Jesus and his sacrificial death. Hebrews 4 tells us that Christ the Lord can empathize with our weaknesses, because he too has been tempted in every way -- but yet did not sin (verse 15). Nothing in human experience is foreign to Jesus. He knows about our depravity because of being human. Yet, he is without sin because of his divinity. Jesus is Perfect God and Perfect Man.
The Bible says we can approach God’s throne of grace with confidence and without fear of sin (verse 16). This is possible because of what Jesus accomplished on Good Friday. He took on his shoulders the offense of our sin. We can receive mercy and grace in time of need on account of our sin no longer being a hindrance in relating to God (verse 16).
Hebrews 5 goes on to share about the obedience of Jesus to his heavenly father. Christ the Lord suffered a terrible death at Calvary as part of God’s plan. Obedience to his father made Jesus perfect as an eternal source of salvation for all who followed in his footsteps (verse 9).
Jesus invites us this day to take up our Cross and follow him. The world is in a sorry state. Our culture is filled with sin and violence. To counteract the wickedness you and I must choose Christ crucified as Lord of our life. Imagine what a difference in our world if each one would come to Christ’s salvation and bear his Cross this day.
John Fitzgerald lives in Leesburg, Ohio, with his wife Carolyn and has served as pastor at the Leesburg Friends Meeting for the past 27 years. Cornfield Cathedral (Fairway Press, 2013) is the second book authored by Pastor Fitzgerald. John has earned a Master's of Ministry Degree from the Earlham School of Religion in Richmond, Indiana.
*****************************************
StoryShare, April 14, 2017, issue.
Copyright 2017 by CSS Publishing Company, Inc., Lima, Ohio.
All rights reserved. Subscribers to the StoryShare service may print and use this material as it was intended in sermons, in worship and classroom settings, in brief devotions, in radio spots, and as newsletter fillers. No additional permission is required from the publisher for such use by subscribers only. Inquiries should be addressed to permissions@csspub.com or to Permissions, CSS Publishing Company, Inc., 5450 N. Dixie Highway, Lima, Ohio 45807.
