SOAP 05/24/2012; Romans 5:7-8

Today's reading: 2 Chronicles 6,7; Psalms 135; Romans 4
     
S)" ⁷ For one will hardly die for a righteous man; though perhaps for the good man someone would dare even to die. ⁸ But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us."
     

Romans 5:7-8 (NASB)

     

O) There are lots of stories and religious texts about self-sacrifice. People willing to sacrifice themselves to save a good man. Heroes who sacrifice themselves in utilitarian fashion, to save the many innocent lives. But, Jesus is unique in this one. Nowhere else, that I've ever seen, read, or heard, has the good guy sacrificed himself to save the bad guy. In Trip Lee's song, One Sixteen, Andy Mineo put's it this way, it's "the hero dyin for the villain." (that's at 2:45).
     
A) The problem, I think, is that most people don't want to recognize that they are, in fact, the villain. But that's the sobering truth of it. Until coming to Christ, I was an enemy to God. I lived my way, not His. I was in rebellion to His kingdom and denial of His sovereignty. Furtheromore, because my actions were really only death to my soul, I was my own worst enemy. I was my own archrival. I was the final boss, the evil twin, the villain in my story. But, then there is this beautiful truth. I hold onto this wonderful promise, this aspect of God which does not change, this testimony to His love for me. I wasn't just "unclean" I was noxious. Yet, in the middle of all my own garbage, His love was so great that He decided to trade His only begotten Son, so that I could live. Jesus volunteered to take the punishment and guilt for my mistakes - not because I was innocent, not because I had potential, not because I had redeeming qualities, but only because of His love for me. I was not a diamond in the rough, I simply had a heart of coal. I'm not trying to vilify who I was. By many measures, I was an ok guy. But in retrospect, my thanks are eternal.

     

P) Father, Your love is grace beyond reason. I can never justify my sins to You, but I thank You that I am not made to try. You know my mistakes; You knew them before I made them. Not only did you know all of the sins that Jesus was redeeming, You knew all the sins that He would redeem. I know I'm likely to sin again, until perfection comes in full it is my plight as a human. But You also knew every mistake I'd make, and You still do. Even knowing that I will sin again, You choose to love me. I commit to the pursuit of righteousness before You, and I thank You for the mercies and grace You've committed to me. Holy Spirit, when the enemy tries to come in to condemn me, when that accuser of the bretheren tries to convince me that my sins are too great, remind me of this simple truth. The love of my Father covers every sin I have already committed and, while repentant, every sin I was ever going to commit Thank You. In Jesus' name, I pray. Amen.