claim His promises

I believe you would agree with me that the greatest man to ever live was Jesus.  His plan given to Him by His father was to let the entire world know of His love.

2 Peter 3:9  NASB

The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance.

The promises of God are things we have to hold on to each and every day.  If we take some time to look through God’s promises to us, we will find that they all have come true.  That means that the promises we are still looking for will come true as well.

John 3:17  NASB

For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world might be saved through Him.

That same journey to examine the promises will lead us to see that the best gift and best promise of God is complete in His son.  There is a thread of God’s grace all the way from Genesis to Revelation, and that grace is embodied in the person of Jesus.

Jesus came to save the world.  He isn’t our judge, although when He is judging it is clear.  He isn’t our king alone, but He is the king above all kings.  He is the forgiveness of God from the start to the finish of Jesus’s life.

Promises laced Jesus’ life.  From the promise of a virgin, miracle birth all the way to the resurrection and His coming again we can and must claim the continued promises of God.

1 Corinthians 1:21  NASB

For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not come to know God, God was well-pleased through the foolishness of the message preached to save those who believe.

We are about 12 days till Easter.  This Sunday is what we traditionally call “palm Sunday” that commemorates the entrance of Jesus in Jerusalem when it seemed all the town came out to praise Jesus.  It was only a few days later that Jesus was nailed to the cross for our sin, His death for our life, God’s grace coming for our forgiveness and peace.

“God was well-pleased” to have Jesus be the sacrifice.  Sin calls for something right to happen.  Sin has to be dealt with.  Jesus is the promise of God to all who will call on Him.

God chose Jesus to be the sacrifice for sin and the savior of the world, but God chose our sharing of His story to be the way that people would come to know Him.  Those two things, Jesus’ sacrifice and our sharing, are eternally linked to the life change that continues to happen in this world.

May we prepare to celebrate Jesus this Easter.  Spend some time in the next week to read the story of Jesus’ death and resurrection.  Think about His life that was exchanged for ours and how we would be doomed without the promises of God that are highlighted for us on Easter!

NOTE: this post was first shared in March of last year.