Traditionally, today is a day when people all over the world think in a special way about Jesus, His death on the cross and resurrection from the grave. He went to the cross to die for the guilt of the sins of all humanity for all time (Heb. 7:27; 9:27-28). For all humanity? Yes, for all humanity. For all time? Yes, for all time. But Jesus’ death on the cross holds its greatest meaning for you personally when you view His death as being for you. You cannot make the death of Jesus have meaning for all humanity. You can only make His death have meaning based upon how you personally react to it. So, are you worth the death of Jesus That question can make a person feel uncomfortable, huh? We do not like such personal focus upon ourselves in such matters. Ultimately, it spurs us to examine ourselves, individually. It makes us think about personal responsibility. Each one of us is responsible for Jesus going to the cross. Each one of us made His death necessary. Not the whole world, not all mankind; you and me. You caused Jesus to go to the cross, and so did I.
“For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life” (Jn. 3:16). That word “whoever” in that verse refers to you and me. “But God demonstrates His love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Rom. 5:8). Christ died for “us”- again, that’s you and me. It is true that Jesus sent His apostles into “all the world” (Mk. 16:15), to “all the nations” (Matt. 28:19) in order to preach the gospel message of salvation, the message which Jesus left Heaven to bring to mankind, the message of His death on the cross as the ultimate sacrifice for our sins. But response to the gospel message has to come on an individual basis. “He who believes and is baptized will be saved” (Mk. 16:16). Notice it is “he” who believes and is baptized who will be saved, the individual. “Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins...” (Acts 2:38). Again, “every one of you.” Each one of us must respond on an individual basis to the invitation to salvation that Jesus left Heaven, was born into this world and ultimately died on the cross in order to extend to us. All mankind cannot respond for you or me. All humanity for all time cannot make Jesus’ death worthwhile for you individually and personally. Only you can do that. Only you can answer the Savior’s call to you. You are the only one who can make His death have meaning for you. Jesus went to the cross for you. He was tortured for you. He was mocked by the crowd for you. He wore the crown of thorns for you. He died on that cross for you. The spear was rammed into His side for you, so you could have the chance to be baptized in order that His blood shed on that cross could cleanse you of your sins. It was all for you... So, are you worth the death of Jesus? Have you responded in repentance and obedience to Him for what He did for you? Comments are closed.
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