Good morning and welcome in everybody. Today, we are going to take a look at a passage of scripture, but before we do that, I wanted to tell you a little story.
As spring approaches us up here in our neck of the woods, rummage sales are going to begin popping up once again. But have you ever been to a sale and found a few cardboard boxes that were filled up with free things? A lot of the time, people will put things out on the end of their driveway, items that are free for the taking. Although some people might shuffle their feet about reaching into the box, I’ve never felt bad in my life about taking free things. After all, people give gifts to each other at weddings and at other types of special functions. There are many diplomats who present gifts to each other when they gather together for a world summit. But the question that I have for you today is, are you the kind of person who is willing to accept a free gift? Would you reach down inside one of those free boxes, and pull out whatever you needed?
This reminds me of the Christian Life.
God has an incredible free gift that is waiting for you. It is the complete forgiveness of all your past sins, when you place your faith in the Lord Jesus, and are baptized into His name.
Acts 2:38-41 Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call. And with many other words did he testify and exhort, saying, Save yourselves from this untoward generation. Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls.
Scriptures are clear that all of us have sinned at one time or another, but now it has become possible to enter into a state of grace with the Lord, when we come forth to be baptized into His name. Even though we are sinners, He loved us so much that He shed His own blood for us on the cross.
Romans 5:6-8 For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. For scarcely for a righteous man will one die: yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die. But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.
Remember that the Apostle Paul was once trying to prevent the gospel of Christ from spreading, and was even putting Christians in jail, but he had done it ignorantly and in unbelief. But when he finally believed in the Lord Jesus with all of his heart, he was baptized into the faith, and washed away all of His sins.
Acts 22:16 And now why tarriest thou? arise, and be baptized, and wash away thy sins, calling on the name of the Lord.
Many people today are walking in a state of darkness and unbelief, completely resisting the grace of God and the teachings of our faith. But an incredible opportunity has been presented to all of us through our precious Lord Jesus. Even when we were dead in our own sins, He shed His blood on the cross to redeem us from all iniquity, and when we are baptized into his name, He graciously forgives us and then opens up the doorway to a brand new life. I think that the mercy of God is the most incredible gift that you could ever obtain. Sometimes a judge in a courtroom will expunge your record for the purpose of you being able to restart your life. Sometimes the bank will completely forgive a debt, so that you can get out from underneath the bill and start afresh. This is what the Lord does for us, when we plunge underneath the waters of Holy Baptism. It is a death to the old person that we once were, and a rebirth as a child of God.
Ephesians 2:1-10 And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins; Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience: Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others. But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;).And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus: That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus. For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.
The Apostle teaches that it is by grace that we are saved,…but it is through faith. Genuine faith will produce works of repentance, and striving to become pleasing unto God. John the Baptist warned the religious leaders of his day that they needed to bring forth fruits that were meet for repentance. These activities will be produced by an active faith, along with the love and grace of God working deep inside of somebody’s heart. This type of faith is so important that without it, you will never be able to please God.
Hebrews 11:6 But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.
Some people will get baptized into the Christian Life and then later on completely forget that they were cleansed from their sins. Baptism is only the first step in the Christian Life, because in order to enter into eternity, we are required to walk in faith towards God. This means that your whole life is going to change as your heart lovingly submits to His will. Forgiveness is only part of the equation. We must walk in faith, something that is a key ingredient in our lives to overcoming sin and the carnal nature.
Hebrews 4:2 For unto us was the gospel preached, as well as unto them: but the word preached did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in them that heard it.
The Apostle Paul is an example of what it means to be saved by grace, through faith. He got forgiven for his past sins, turned to the Lord Jesus in faith, and his obedient behavior ultimately resulted in a lot of the New Testament that we have today. His life is an inspiration to all of us of what God can do when the seed of His word is planted deep inside of an obedient heart.
God can do incredible works through a contrite and penitent heart, and it all begins with Baptism. But the first thing that we have to do is fill up with the riches of his grace, by reaching deep down inside of,..….
…….The Free Box
Let’s think about these things for right now. We can be found on your web browser by searching, tlkjbc where you can find our diaries distributed through various platforms. We are not associated, nor affiliated with any other religious groups. You can get our entire podcast feeds directly, along with transcripts at tlkjbc.com or I suppose that you could find us somewhere up here, in the Great Northern Minnesota woods. Peace to you all, and Lord willing, we will talk with you some more tomorrow. Till then, bye bye everybody.
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