Romans 5:8
"but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us."
#1 - God Loves Us...and proved it
There are times when it doesn't seem like God cares all that much about you. Times when He doesn't "feel" very close, let alone loving. Times when:
- Things are not great at home
- You aren't getting the playing time you might want
- You are having trouble finding friends
- You are struggling with health or injury
- You you feel like you just aren't good enough
- Everyone seems so against you
In these moments, God's love seems distant. But then along comes Romans 5:8 and a ray of hope shines forth. This short but oh so sweet verse reminds us: God does love and care about us! We have proof in the life, death, and resurrection of Christ. Do you not think that God, who sent his very own Son to die for His enemies, would not also be by our side in all circumstances? Romans 8:39 tells us that we can never be separated from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus. So, when you find your mind thinking thoughts like, "God doesn't really love me," remember Romans 5:8. He does love you and He has already proven that He does.
#2 - We are Sinners
This might come as a bit of a surprise to some of you, but I hate to break it to ya....you are not as good as you think you are. No matter how many times you put the puck in the net, you still stand before God as his enemy a part from Christ because of your sin. We have all fallen short. (Romans 3:23). The excuse that you aren't "quite as bad" as the next guy doesn't hold any water or frozen water at that. You can't brush off all the little wrongs you commit as being "not a major sin" either. Even our righteous deeds are like filthy rags (Isaiah 64:6) Why? Because to a perfectly holy and righteous God, even the smallest of smudges makes us inadequate. In other words, not meeting the standard God has set. This is called sin. And you my friend, along with every other human ever, are a sinner.
#3 - We needed to be Saved
Upon realizing their sin, many people will rush to balance the scales with a bunch of "good deeds." You might try obeying your parents a bit more, being more loving to your teammates, or even doing extra stuff like praying harder. This is all very nice, but it's sadly not enough. The truth is: You can't save yourself. This is why Jesus is called the SAVIOR. You need to be saved by something outside of yourself. You can't clean yourself up. You can't earn God's good graces. You can't "try out" for his team and rely on your skills to draw His attention. God needs to save you. Romans 5:8 tells us that Christ died for us. He saved us.
Questions:
- Do you know you needed to be saved?
- Have you asked God to save you?
