Grace

Ephesians 2:^8-9 “God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God. Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it.”

Pilate said to Jesus, ‘They are saying all these things about you, and you say nothing? If you do not respond it means what they are saying is true.Don’t you know I can set you free?’ At that point, Jesus said,

‘You do not have the power to set me free. I am here because I am obedient and on mission.’ (John 19 paraphrased). This is the same Jesus that when they came to arrest Him, they could not pick Him out from His disciples. Jesus asked them, ‘Who are you looking for?’ they said, ‘Jesus’. Jesus said, ‘I am He’ and everyone that came to arrest Him fell down (John 18). In the Name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, everyone that has come to arrest you will fall completely.

That is the power of Christ, and we can wield it because Jesus died for us. When Peter brought out his sword, Jesus said to him, ‘If I wanted legions of angels to come and fight this battle for Me, do you think I cannot command them, and they will come? Even if it means that I will not go to the cross, they will still obey Me regardless.’ Easter is all about come backs. Our God is a comeback God. God can take your life as it is and orchestrate a comeback. If you are reading this today, I am excited because I have been praying that God will do a comeback in your life. Everyone that has written you off is in for a shocker. You will be glorified in Christ Jesus. Amen.

John 18:^39-40 “But you have a custom of asking me to release one prisoner each year at Passover. Would you like me to release this ‘King of the Jews’?” But they shouted back, “No! Not this man. We want Barabbas!” That point was the strangest time in history when they needed to choose between Barabbas (the thief and sinner) and Jesus (the righteous Son of God). When we get to this point in our lives, who do we choose, Jesus or Barabbas? Let me put it this way, imagine you are supposed to go and join a gang and fight. But at that point, Jesus knocks on your heart and says, ‘Do not do it.’ But Barabbas is shouting, ‘Let’s go, let’s go!’ Barabbas is always loud. Yet Jesus is saying, ‘I am here, choose me.’ Who do you choose, Barabbas or Jesus? Even right now, who are you choosing, Barabbas or Jesus?

On the flip side of this, when we look at the cross that Jesus was crucified on, we are the Barabbas that were set free, and Jesus was crucified. We owe Jesus our lives, we owe Him our all. Our God, our King, our Maker, our Defence, the Lover of our souls. He took our place, and He was crucified.

Prayer (song): Thank You Jesus for the grace that You have given me. I could never repay but from my heart, I’d like to say that I thank You. Amen!