Christ Died For UsSpeaker: Dr. Paul Dhinakaran Gist: Are you perturbed by sorrowful loneliness, having lost the love of your parents, Kith and Kin, because of sinful deeds? Be not dismayed. Your heavenly Father is looking steadily at you to cleanse you and embrace you and kiss you. When Jesus was doing His ministry on this earth, He narrated a parable about a young man (Luke 15:11-20). This youth was the second son to his father. The intemperate younger son, in his caprice, demanded from his father his share of the property: ’Father, give me the portion of goods that falls to me’. So the father divided his property, the second son journeyed to a foreign country, and wasted all his money through prodigal living. But when he had exhausted all his resources, there was a severe famine. Because of dire poverty, he joined himself with a citizen of the country, who sent him into his fields to feed swine. He would have gladly satisfied his hunger with the pads that the swine ate, and no one gave him even that. Only then when he was wandering on the streets, having lost everything when he was languishing in sorrow and distress with no one to console him he came to himself and wondered: “How many of my father’s hired servants have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger.” He made a decision, “I will arise and go to my father, and will say to him, ‘I have sinned against heaven and before you, and I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Make me like one of your hired servants’” Musing thus, but with no hope that his father would accept him, he went to his father. His father, seeing his son, worn out by work and sorrow, coming towards him with faltering steps, at a distance, ran to him, fell on his neck and kissed him.
Many years ago, a young man studied the Bible and the life of Christ thoroughly and chose to write out and act short plays to malign Him; he found great delight in belittling Jesus. One day he was passing by a church where a huge crowd was busily involved in the Worship Service. He peeped in, through the window with the ulterior motive of finding some ‘stuff’ for some derogatory parody on Jesus. The Pastor was dwelling on the key theme of how Jesus died on the Cross shedding His holy blood to show His exceeding love for the human race and bring salvation to the whole sinning humanity. The Pastor suddenly and unconsciously pointed his accusing finger at the young satirical dramatist and said loudly, “Young man. Jesus loves you too! He shed His blood and died on the Cross for you!” The power-loaded words pierced through the heart of the young man like sharp arrows. His heart was broken; he wailed, “O, I have vitiated my life by writing dramatic pieces parodying THIS JESUS! Does He still love me, who is sorrowing, deeply entangled in the mire of sin?” Repenting for his blasphemous sin, he surrendered his life at the hands of the Lord. That very day, his life was transformed completely. His sin and sorrow, having been completely wiped out, a new heaven and a new earth full of new joy and peace came before his vision and into his heart. Today through him, our Lord’s matchless love reaches thousands and thousands of people.
My friend, are you perturbed by sorrowful loneliness, having lost the love of your parents, Kith and Kin, because of sinful deeds? Be not dismayed! Your heavenly Father is looking steadily at you saying, “Son. Come to Me! I surrendered Myself as a sacrifice on the Cross just for you and your sins. Come to Me; let Me embrace you and kiss you”. Will you, here and now, humble yourself pleading with Him, “Lord, I have sinned against You and my parents; but You died on the Cross for me; I surrender my life to the indescribable love of Calvary”. He will show His compassion toward you, change your sorrow, born out of your sin, into inordinate (excessive) joy!
Prayer:
Loving Heavenly Father,
I come to You with a broken heart. I am so hurt and grieved. I have no one to turn to but You Master. The Scripture says that Your ears are open to cries of the afflicted and that You never forsake a broken and contrite heart. I have no words to express my sorrow Lord - I pour out all my tears at Your feet. Heal me of my iniquities and lead me in Your path. Forgive me, Lord. Let Your Holy Spirit deal with me in the correct way and restore in me the joy of salvation. Please cover me and keep me under Your precious blood and help me from falling into the trap of the enemy. Please fill me with Your mighty Spirit and bring about a great transformation in my lives. I commit my whole being into Your loving hands, Lord! In Jesus' name I pray.
Amen. |