I do not nullify the grace of God,

 for if righteousness were though the law,

then Christ died for no purpose.

— Galatians 2.21 —

If you could always put God first, Jesus died for no purpose.

If you could always tell the truth, Jesus died for no purpose.

If you could always make promises and keep them, Jesus died for no purpose.

If you could always rest one full day a week, refraining from all work, in order to attend church, read Scripture, and meditate on God’s blessings of life and love, Jesus died for no purpose.

If you could always obey your parents, bosses, and government leaders, Jesus died for no purpose.

If you could always think well of others, Jesus died for no purpose.

If you could always speak well of others, Jesus died for no purpose.

If you could always be pleased with your spouse, Jesus died for no purpose.

If you could always speak about the opposite sex with honor and respect, Jesus died for no purpose.

If you could always think about the opposite sex with completely pure thoughts, Jesus died for no purpose.

If you could always respect the property of others, Jesus died for no purpose.

If you could always tell the truth to protect others, Jesus died for no purpose.

If you could always be content with what you have, Jesus died for no purpose.

If you could always be grateful for what others have even though you do not also have it, Jesus died for no purpose.

However, you can do none of those things perfectly.

With each of those statements, you can respond, “I cannot always do that.  It is impossible for me.”

God’s rules for life and love are non-negotiable.

According to this short list of God’s rules for life and love, it is easy to see that we are experts at breaking them all.

And as law breakers, we are subject to punishment for our law breaking.

The punishment for breaking God’s law is death.

The purpose of Jesus’s death on the cross is to provide a substitute for you so that you do not receive the punishment that your disobedience to God’s law deserves.

The cross of Christ has purpose.

On the cross of Christ, His body is nailed along with your sexual immorality, your impurity, your sensuality, your idolatry, your sorcery, your enmity, your strife, your jealousy, your fits of anger, your rivalries, your dissensions, your divisions, your envy, your drunkenness, your disobedience to your parents, your love of money, your love of yourself, your pride, your arrogance, your abuse, your heartlessness, your lack of thanksgiving, your slander, your gossip, your love of evil, your recklessness, your lying, your cheating, and your stealing.

Your law breaking is nailed to the cross with Jesus and it does not come off.

Your sin is eternally imprinted there with Jesus’ blood, to never see the light of day again.

It is paid for.

You are forgiven.

Righteousness is yours through faith in Jesus’s death for you.

It cannot be achieved or earned through your human effort.

The cross of Christ has purpose.

You have not always put God first, Jesus died for that purpose.

You have not always told the truth, Jesus died for that purpose.

You have not always made promises and keep them, Jesus died for that purpose.

You have not always rested one full day a week, refraining from all work, in order to attend church, read Scripture, and meditate on God’s blessings of life and love, Jesus died for that purpose.

You have not always obeyed your parents, bosses, and government leaders, Jesus died for that purpose.

You have not always thought well of others, Jesus died for that purpose.

You have not always spoken well of others, Jesus died for that purpose.

You have not always been pleased with your spouse, Jesus died for that purpose.

You have not always spoken about the opposite sex with honor and respect, Jesus died for that purpose.

You have not always thought about the opposite sex with completely pure thoughts, Jesus died for that purpose.

You have note always respected the property of others, Jesus died for that purpose.

You have not always told the truth to protect others, Jesus died for that purpose.

You have not always been content with what you have, Jesus died for that purpose.

You have not always been grateful for what others have even though you do not also have it, Jesus died for that purpose.

Jesus died for your disobedience.

The cross of Christ has purpose.

The purpose the cross is to show you the seriousness of your sin.

And, the purpose of the cross is also to show you the greatness of God’s love in providing a substitute to be punished for you.

This is why the Friday of Jesus’ death is called Good.

Amen.

Pastor Fred.

March 30, 2018