Offended by Jesus

As February rolls around, many of us start thinking about Valentine’s Day and, with it, love.

So, what is love?

“In this is love, not that we have loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to the propitiation for our sins.” (1 John 4:10)

Propitiation is a big word!  What does it mean?  

It means that Jesus Christ, the Son of God, was sent into the world to shed His own blood to forgive your sin.  

But how did people react to God sent into the world, in the flesh, to forgive sin?

They grumbled.  They complained that He ate and drank with tax collectors.  They denounced Him for blasphemy and even accused Him of being in league with Satan.  At one point, after Jesus had driven a demon out of a man, people “began to beg Jesus to depart from their region” (Mark 5:17).

Why were (and are) people so offended by Jesus?

Because to have your sin forgiven, first you must hear that you are a sinner.  

Sinners don’t want to hear that.  They don't want God that near – they want to keep Him at a safe distance.  

Now, back to that word: propitiation.  Jesus Christ shed His own blood to forgive those who sinned against Him.  He was killed to try to keep God at a safe distance; but Jesus Christ doesn’t remain there – and He won’t.  Even death can’t stop Him.  He was resurrected to deliver this promise to the very ones whose sin got Him killed, which includes you.  He keeps coming, to name your sin and then do what only He can: forgive it with the full authority of God.  

That's what love is.

-Pastor Raleigh