Associate Pastor Ron Witbeck, Resurrection Life Church Big Rapids
Courtesy photo/Ron WitbeckWe all have at times received invitations for weddings, birthday parties, graduations, retirements and the list goes on. All of these usually involve the giving of gifts to those we are celebrating. In the planning for these events, it all takes time and effort, including the decisions of who to invite, not wanting to offend anyone.
Now consider the ‘Invitation’ that God has provided for all of us. We find this in the Book of John 3:16-17.
“For God so loved the world (us) that He gave His only begotten Son (Jesus), that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world (us), but that the world (we) through Him might be saved.”
The only thing that is required of us is to accept the fact that He sent His Son, Jesus, to live the sin free life and then to take all of our sins upon His shoulders. The price that Jesus paid was being falsely accused, beaten beyond human recognition, then being nailed to a cross, where He willingly died for us.
This sacrifice was foretold by God through the Prophet Isaiah some 700 years before Jesus was born.
“But many were amazed when they saw him (Jesus). His face was so disfigured he seemed hardly human, and from his appearance, one would scarcely know he was a man.” Isaiah 52:14 (NLT)
We can also read about Jesus’ Crucifixion in Isaiah 53 and His Resurrection from the grave found in Matthew 28:1-6.
God’s ‘Invitation’ offers us forgiveness, salvation (set free) and the ‘Promise’ of eternity with Him. Our response only needs to be the confession of Jesus as our Lord and Savior!
Ron Witbeck is an associate pastor at Resurrection Life Church.
