Today we’re going to take what I would call a very theological complex passage in the Bible and read it in The Message to help us understand it better. And we’re going to talk about what it means to be friends with God, how Jesus made that possible. So, are you ready? Join me in the Apostle Paul’s letter to the church in Rome.
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Transcription:
Have you ever thought this or said this out loud? I don’t get the language in the Bible. Well, you’re not alone because that is the third most popular reason people give for not reading the Bible. Welcome to the Bible for Busy People. My name is Erica and it is so fun going on this month long journey with you called “The Bible is Rated E for Everyone”.
The first week of January, you and I talked about how we actually do have time to read the Word of God. We take it piece by piece as we would enjoy a delicious slice of cheesecake with a rich, delicious cup of coffee.
Second week of January, we found out the Bible actually is pretty exciting. It’s far from boring, and here in the third week of January, you and I are going to dive into the fact that God’s message is actually very simple, and sometimes we just need to hear it in more modern language. So, this week we are going to be reading God’s word in The Message version. It’s the most modern translation of all of them that you’ll find out there. Normally we read the NLT [New Living Translation] or the NIV [New International Version]. But if you are new to the faith, new this family, this community, I want to encourage you, get yourself a copy of the message version of the Bible. Or even if you’ve been a Christian for a long time, and sometimes when you’re going through a hard time, you just need to keep it as simple as possible. Are you with me? So, have it there on your shelf, or Google a favorite Bible passage in the message version when you’re feeling that way. So, today we’re going to take what I would call a very theological complex passage in the Bible and read it in the message and we’re going to talk about what it means to be friends with God, how Jesus made that possible. So, are you ready? Join me in the Apostle Paul’s letter to the church in Rome. We call it Romans chapter five, beginning in verse one.
By entering through faith into what God has always wanted to do for us—set us right with him, make us fit for him—we have it all together with God because of our Master Jesus. And that’s not all: We throw open our doors to God…
Don’t you love that picture?
…and discover at the same moment that he has already thrown open his door to us. We find ourselves standing where we always hoped we might stand—out in the wide open spaces of God’s grace and glory, standing tall and shouting our praise. 3-5 There’s more to come: We continue to shout our praise even when we’re hemmed in with troubles, because we know how troubles can develop passionate patience in us, and how that patience in turn forges the tempered steel of virtue, keeping us alert for whatever God will do next. In alert expectancy such as this, we’re never left feeling shortchanged. Quite the contrary—we can’t round up enough containers to hold everything God generously pours into our lives through the Holy Spirit! 6-8 Christ arrives right on time to make this happen. He didn’t, and doesn’t, wait for us to get ready. He presented himself for this sacrificial death when we were far too weak and rebellious to do anything to get ourselves ready.
I want to pause here for a moment because it’s so important. Let’s pitch a tent on this verse. He didn’t and doesn’t wait for us to get ready. You can come to Jesus just as you are today. If you have never asked him to come into your heart and forgive you of your sins… If you have never accepted the great love that he is holding out to you with both hands, hands that have nail scars in them, he did that for you. Come to him now as you are. There’s a beautiful hymn that they would always sing at Billy Graham Crusades when he would invite people to come to Jesus at the end of his sermon. I want to read you a few lines from it right now,
Just as I am without one plea, but that thy blood was shed for me. And that thou bidst me come to thee, oh lamb of God. I come. I come. Just as I am though tossed about with many a conflict, many a doubt. Fighting and fears within without, oh just as I am. Oh lamb of God. I come. Just as I am. Thou wilt. Receive wilt welcome. Pardon, cleanse relieve, because thy promise, I believe. Oh lamb of God, I come, I come.
I know it’s ironic that we’re reading these words from a hymn that are sort of not simple. Are they? Thou wilt! But they’re beautiful as well and it’s an open invitation. You don’t have to be clean to come to Jesus. Come as you are. He’ll do the cleaning. That’s what he did for me when I was 16. Alright, we’re going to pick up our passage today, now, back in Romans chapter five,
He presented himself for this sacrificial death when we were far too weak and rebellious to do anything to get ourselves ready. And even if we hadn’t been so weak, we wouldn’t have known what to do anyway. We can understand someone dying for a person worth dying for, and we can understand how someone good and noble could inspire us to selfless sacrifice. But God put his love on the line for us by offering his Son in sacrificial death while we were of no use whatever to him. 9-11 Now that we are set right with God by means of this sacrificial death, the consummate blood sacrifice,
By the way, that’s what it means when Jesus is referred to as the lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world.
…there is no longer a question of being at odds with God in any way. If, when we were at our worst, we were put on friendly terms with God by the sacrificial death of his Son, now that we’re at our best, just think of how our lives will expand and deepen by means of his resurrection life! Now that we have actually received this amazing friendship with God, we are no longer content to simply say it in plodding prose. We sing and shout our praises to God through Jesus, the Messiah!
Let’s just take a moment and soak up the fact that friendship with God is possible because of Jesus’s sacrificial death on the cross. It’s beautiful. I know it may sound strange to your ears if you’re new to the faith, but Jesus gave up His life for you and for me, and He didn’t stay dead. He rose again three days later. More on that next time. Until then, boy, you are really loved.
Thank you for making time for the Bible for Busy People today. If being part of this community is a blessing to you, it’s super easy to share this podcast with someone you love. We’re all about spreading the hope of Jesus like butter. So, if you’ve got a moment to write a review, boy, we’d really appreciate that. Maybe you need a little prayer today, or you are ready to take that next step with God. I invite you to check out our show notes. You’re going to find lots of encouragement there. This podcast is one branch on a tree called Purposely, a podcast network designed with practical podcasts to help you find and thrive in God’s purpose for your life. If you’ve got a pulse, you’ve got a purpose.
