For the life of the body is in the blood. I have given you the blood on the altar to purify you, making you right with the LORD. It is the blood, given in exchange for life, that makes purification possible. (Le17:11) If you try to hang on to your life, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for My sake, you will save it. (Lu9:24)
This Easter we remember that it is Jesus' blood and death on the Cross that purifies us. There was no other way for us to have a relationship with our Creator. We have heard, For God loved the world so much that He gave His one and only Son so that everyone who believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life. (Jo3:16) We may even believe it but that doesn't mean that we have a right relationship with God or will spend eternity in His presence. Eternal life comes to us through acknowledging that we don't have a relationship with God because of what we said and done. then repenting, that is being sorry for those things, asking for God's forgiveness then living a totally different life, where the Holy Spirit gives us the desire to please God.
When we face this decision we might think, "Not yet. I have some things to deal with first, then I will surrender my life to God." This is just Satan's delay tactic. The fact is God is so rich in mercy, and He loves us so much, that even though we were dead because of our sins, He gave us life when He raised Christ from the dead. (It is only by God's grace that you have been saved!) (Ep2:4,5) If He did that when you didn't want to know Him, how much more will He do for you when you live your life with Him?
When God gave the law to Moses and the people of Israel He instructed them to take two male goats and to offer one upon the altar as an offering to the LORD and the other goat, the scapegoat, to be sent away into the wilderness carrying all the people's sins upon itself. (Le16:7-10,22) You might think that the live goat was the lucky one. But the live goat carried the sins of the people. In the same way, Jesus was our scapegoat, He carried our sins upon Himself, those things that we did which weren't pleasing to God but He did this by dying and rising again. So now we can forgive ourselves just as God has and surrender to God every wrong thing we have ever done because Jesus has paid for it. We are no longer weighed down by the guilt and the memories of the past but excited about our future with Him forever.
...Because of the joy awaiting Him (Jesus), He endured the Cross, disregarding its shame. Now He is seated in the place of honor beside God's throne. (He12:2) We don't know exactly what our life will look like when we leave this natural life for good but we do know that Jesus has gone to prepare a place for us who obey Him. (Jo14:2) And actually, it doesn't matter what life will be like when we leave this natural life because it will be so much better than the life we have now, there will be no tears, sorrow, pain or death (Re21:4)
Perhaps a long time ago you did ask Jesus into your heart, but what about now? Then He asked them, "But who do you say I Am?" (Ma16:15) Who do you say that Jesus is or do you never mention Him at all? Is He really the Lord of your life or the reason you have a holiday twice a year? Jesus knew that many would take the sacrifice He made lightly; He asked, ..."But when the Son of Man returns, how many will He find on the earth who have faith?"(Lu18:8) It is really well with your soul or have you slowly but surely taken back the life you once gave Jesus?
We can become over-familiar with the story of Easter and take the attitude, "yeah, yeah heard it all before". But the significance of what Jesus did for us 2000 odd years ago is still the most important issue we will ever deal with in this life. So we must listen very carefully to the truth we heard, or we may drift away from it. So what makes us think we can escape if we ignore this great salvation that was first announced by the Lord Jesus Himself...(He2:1,3) We don't have to reject God, we can simply drift away, ignoring what was once so important to us. Life is busy and times have changed but Jesus hasn't and there is still only one way to spend eternity with God and one thing really worth worrying about.
Hallelujah! He is still Lord of all whether we admit it or not and His door is open to everyone who wants walk with Him. Hallelujah! He has risen so we have life and hope. Hallelujah! No one can take from us what Jesus did!
Praise the Name of Jesus!
These scriptures are quoted from the New Living Translation second edition except where stated otherwise. Where there are three full stops (...), part of the verse has been omitted.