As we evaluate the ultimate sacrifice, Jesus not only went to the cross for our salvation, but He mended the broken bridge between God and mankind. When Adam and Eve lived in the garden, they lived a perfect life. They had a direct link to God with no need for a mediator. However, when Adam and Eve sinned, the bridge that connected God and them crumbled. So, when Jesus went to the cross, He became the mediator between us and God. Once we received salvation, by accepting Jesus in our heart, we have a direct link to God because He now sees us through the blood of Jesus Christ. What makes this more amazing is that the ultimate sacrifice not only gave us a way back to God, but it produced so much more.
I would like to focus on one of those benefits that Jesus has given us.
There was a story that I recently read. It was about a song titled, "Tie a Yellow Ribbon Around an Old Oak Tree." It is about a man who will be freed from prison and he had a letter written to his wife. In the letter, he asks her for forgiveness and if she still wants him, tie a yellow ribbon around an old oak tree. This will let him know that he has been forgiven and there is still a family waiting for him. As he was riding on the bus, thoughts and pain crept into his mind of not seeing that yellow ribbon tied around the old oak tree. He was in fear that he would not be forgiven for all the things he have done wrong. He couldn't face this fear so he asked the bus driver to look for him. Nevertheless, he finally took the courage to look for that yellow ribbon as he got closer to his destination. To his amazement, he not only saw one yellow ribbon tied around the old oak tree, but hundreds of them!
If we take this story in the context of the Bible, there were many people who felt like they couldn't be forgiven. Two example is Peter and Judas (Jesus' disciples). During the time that Jesus was captured, Peter denied Jesus three times when people recognized him to be a disciple of Jesus and Judas betrayed Jesus by turning Him over to the authority and accepting the money given to him for this act. Due to these two men's action, Peter felt shamed and troubled for what he has done. After Jesus was crucified, Peter felt the shame and guilt of his action and maybe thought that he lost his chance of asking for forgiveness, while Judas couldn't bare what he has done and hung himself. Judas committed suicide because he felt condemned. With Peter, he suffered for three days with his shame and guilt, but when he heard that Jesus was resurrected, he rejoiced and seek the Lord. He asked for forgiveness and devoted his entire life to serving Jesus.
What Judas didn't realize is that forgiveness was already his. Jesus has forgiven us for all of our transgressions. All we have to do is repent and ask Jesus to forgive us. Like the man in the song, he was afraid to face what was ahead. Not only that, he was hoping to just see one yellow ribbon around that old oak tree. He was believing for a small hope. When he saw hundreds of yellow ribbons, he was overwhelmed with what he saw. Like him, we may think that Jesus will not forgive us because it seems that what we did can never be forgiven, but I tell you today, your transgressions have been laid at the foot of Jesus and all we have to do is receive in faith that we are washed in the blood and made white as snow. That one single yellow ribbon only represented our small hope of being forgiven, but the hundreds of yellow ribbons represented not only forgiveness, but the ultimate love that God has for us. Jesus not only forgave us, but He loves us unconditionally! The vastness of God's love for us exceeds our own expectation of what we deserve.
Readers, if you have not received Christ in your heart and would like to take this opportunity to accept Him, please pray the following prayer out loud.
Dear God,
I come to you in the name of Jesus. Your word says, "Whoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved. And if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus, and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you shall be saved (Acts 2:21; Romans 10:9)." You said my salvation would be the result of Your Holy Spirit giving me a new birth by coming to live in me (John 3:5-6, 15-16; Romans 8:9-11) and that if I would ask, You would fill me with Your Spirit and give me the ability to speak with other tongues (Luke 11:13; Acts 2:4).
I take You at Your Word. I confess that Jesus is Lord. And I believe in my heart that You raised Him from the dead. Thank You for coming into my heart, for giving me Your Holy Spirit as You have promised, and for being Lord over my life.
Amen.
If you have just prayed this prayer, please contact us and let us know of your decision. We would love to send you a free Salvation Package to help you begin your new life in Jesus! Please go to our church contact page and email us your contact information and write Salvation Package under the Subject. Congratulations! We like to welcome you into God's marvelous kingdom!
There is a song that we would like you to listen to. It is called, "Sweetly Broken."
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