Your Debt is Paid
Something very awesome and meaningful happened at church yesterday.
Exactly a year ago, we moved into our new Family Life Center that was newly built. During the past year, we continued to pay down the loan that was still owed on the building project. There was a substantial amount left and it continued to creep lower and lower each week.
However, yesterday it was announced that someone had anonymously come forward and paid the remaining debt! Tears filled my eyes as I comprehended the depth of this gift.
Somebody made an incredible sacrifice to pay our debt in full.
An undeserved gift made to unworthy people.
A gift given out of love.
What made this even more powerful was that we celebrated Communion yesterday too. It shed a whole new light on the gift of salvation that Jesus grants each of us when He paid our debt in full on Calvary. With the sacrifice of His life, my sins are forgiven and I can experience eternal life in Heaven.
An enormous sacrifice to pay my debt in full.
An undeserved gift made to unworthy people.
A gift given out of extreme love.
The passage from Matthew 18:23-35 comes to mind:
For this reason the kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who wished to settle accounts with his slaves. 24“When he had begun to settle them, one who owed him ten thousand talents was brought to him. 25“But since he did not have the means to repay, his lord commanded him to be sold, along with his wife and children and all that he had, and repayment to be made. 26“So the slave fell to the ground and prostrated himself before him, saying, ‘Have patience with me and I will repay you everything.’ 27“And the lord of that slave felt compassion and released him and forgave him the debt. 28“But that slave went out and found one of his fellow slaves who owed him a hundred denarii; and he seized him and began to choke him, saying, ‘Pay back what you owe.’ 29“So his fellow slave fell to the ground and began to plead with him, saying, ‘Have patience with me and I will repay you.’ 30“But he was unwilling and went and threw him in prison until he should pay back what was owed. 31“So when his fellow slaves saw what had happened, they were deeply grieved and came and reported to their lord all that had happened. 32“Then summoning him, his lord said to him, ‘You wicked slave, I forgave you all that debt because you pleaded with me. 33‘Should you not also have had mercy on your fellow slave, in the same way that I had mercy on you?’ 34“And his lord, moved with anger, handed him over to the torturers until he should repay all that was owed him. 35“My heavenly Father will also do the same to you, if each of you does not forgive his brother from your heart.”
Am I fully accepting the forgiveness Christ offers to me? Do I live in the daily freedom that grace and forgiveness can give me? Do I take the enormous gift of salvation for granted?
Am I fully extending the grace and forgiveness that has been extended to me? Am I a person who extends love and mercy to everyone, even those who are undeserving?
Do I mirror the foolish slave where much grace has been extended, but I'm quick to judge and expect repayment from others? Am I slow to be patient and quick to judge?
As these thoughts were coming together, God brought this song on the radio and it spoke deeply to me. The cross meant to kill is our victory.
As you go throughout your week, I pray that you can experience anew the grace and forgiveness of the cross. May we all live in the freedom, knowing that our debt is truly paid in full.
Exactly a year ago, we moved into our new Family Life Center that was newly built. During the past year, we continued to pay down the loan that was still owed on the building project. There was a substantial amount left and it continued to creep lower and lower each week.
However, yesterday it was announced that someone had anonymously come forward and paid the remaining debt! Tears filled my eyes as I comprehended the depth of this gift.
Somebody made an incredible sacrifice to pay our debt in full.
An undeserved gift made to unworthy people.
A gift given out of love.
What made this even more powerful was that we celebrated Communion yesterday too. It shed a whole new light on the gift of salvation that Jesus grants each of us when He paid our debt in full on Calvary. With the sacrifice of His life, my sins are forgiven and I can experience eternal life in Heaven.
An enormous sacrifice to pay my debt in full.
An undeserved gift made to unworthy people.
A gift given out of extreme love.
The passage from Matthew 18:23-35 comes to mind:
For this reason the kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who wished to settle accounts with his slaves. 24“When he had begun to settle them, one who owed him ten thousand talents was brought to him. 25“But since he did not have the means to repay, his lord commanded him to be sold, along with his wife and children and all that he had, and repayment to be made. 26“So the slave fell to the ground and prostrated himself before him, saying, ‘Have patience with me and I will repay you everything.’ 27“And the lord of that slave felt compassion and released him and forgave him the debt. 28“But that slave went out and found one of his fellow slaves who owed him a hundred denarii; and he seized him and began to choke him, saying, ‘Pay back what you owe.’ 29“So his fellow slave fell to the ground and began to plead with him, saying, ‘Have patience with me and I will repay you.’ 30“But he was unwilling and went and threw him in prison until he should pay back what was owed. 31“So when his fellow slaves saw what had happened, they were deeply grieved and came and reported to their lord all that had happened. 32“Then summoning him, his lord said to him, ‘You wicked slave, I forgave you all that debt because you pleaded with me. 33‘Should you not also have had mercy on your fellow slave, in the same way that I had mercy on you?’ 34“And his lord, moved with anger, handed him over to the torturers until he should repay all that was owed him. 35“My heavenly Father will also do the same to you, if each of you does not forgive his brother from your heart.”
Am I fully accepting the forgiveness Christ offers to me? Do I live in the daily freedom that grace and forgiveness can give me? Do I take the enormous gift of salvation for granted?
Am I fully extending the grace and forgiveness that has been extended to me? Am I a person who extends love and mercy to everyone, even those who are undeserving?
Do I mirror the foolish slave where much grace has been extended, but I'm quick to judge and expect repayment from others? Am I slow to be patient and quick to judge?
As these thoughts were coming together, God brought this song on the radio and it spoke deeply to me. The cross meant to kill is our victory.
As you go throughout your week, I pray that you can experience anew the grace and forgiveness of the cross. May we all live in the freedom, knowing that our debt is truly paid in full.
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