December 23 - Romans 5:6-8

Hi, Northland Church. Merry Christmas. We're almost there. If you've joined us on this advent season. We've been talking about the hope, the joy, the peace, and now the love of God that he gives us not only at Christmas, but all season long. And uh, sometimes I find that my life, instead of being marked by these 4 qualities, is actually marked by their opposite. And instead of peace, I have discontent and turmoil instead of joy, I feel downcast and burdened and weary. Instead of hope, I'm discouraged and frustrated and irritated by what's not happening in my life. And instead of love, I find selfishness and pride and conceit, and everything ugly in life in my heart. And so at Christmas, um, a time that's meant to be joyful and, uh, anticipation of, of merriment and wonder, um, I find instead, the reality that my own heart is full of everything unlovely and ungodly. And we're uh, asked the question, what do we do with this? And so our scripture reading today is from the book of Romans, chapter 5 versus 6th through 8. And in these verses, God just shares amazing truth with us, truth that we need to remember that sets our hearts to think rightly about his love for us. He died for us while we were still sinners, and he shows his love for us. By not waiting for us to become righteous or godly or good, but by entering into what he knows is already unrighteous and ungodly, and not good, and transforming us from the inside out. So this Christmas, I too am learning to die, learning to die to my own self, my own way of thinking, my own way of doing things. Instead, asking God to teach me how to love him and to love others in a way that reflects his love for me. So this Christmas, I'm celebrating that I have a savior, a savior who loves me while I was still weak, while I was still a sinner, and is teaching me how to love other people in the midst of their brokenness too. I hope that you will join me in celebrating the savior and in learning to love like Christ.

Romans 5 · chapter mention