CHRIST THE SINNER’S SUBSTITUTE

The more I see of Christ the sinner’s substitute, the more I see of God’s grace and God’s wisdom. What grace that God would send His dear Son to be the substitute for a sinner like me! Oh the depths of grace that God would make His Son to be what I am and suffer everything that I deserve so I could be made what He is and enjoy everything that He earned as my representative! Oh the wisdom of God seen in Christ the sinner’s substitute that God might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus (Rom 3:26). Thank God for Christ the sinner’s substitute!

Thy words were found, and I did eat them; and thy word was unto me the joy and rejoicing of mine heart: for I am called by thy name, O LORD God of hosts Jeremiah 15:16

God’s Word is food to the believer. God’s Word gives both life to the soul and joy to the heart. That life and joy can only be had by BELIEVING God’s Word; not just tasting, but eating the Word. Believing God’s Word is to receive God’s Word in its entirety into the heart and digest God’s Word so that the Word becomes part of us. Even a message like Jeremiah’s message of sorrow will bring joy and rejoicing to the hearts of God’s people because we can only rejoice in Christ Jesus after we see the sorrow of our sin. May God grant us a heart to receive God’s Word like a hungry person receives good food.

Children
Proverbs 22:6 "Train up a child in the way he should go."

One of the most difficult things I face as a preacher is children. How to speak to them is a matter in which I do not excel. One of the folks in our church asked me, "I know we are sinners, and the Bible refers to us as worms, etc. But how do we give our children any self-worth in this life in the light of this?" What a question! Maybe this will help!

1. It is a settled fact that all are born in sin and shapen in iniquity (Psalm 51:5). We are all estranged from the womb and go astray as soon as we are born, speaking lies (Psalm 58:3). We do teach children this great fact in order for them to see their condition before the Holy God, and their need for a righteousness which they cannot produce.
2. However, they must live in this world with some idea of self-worth, and to know the difference between worth in the eyes of man and the eyes of God. We must NOT give them self-worth in a spiritual sense. Fleshly religion is guilty of this atrocity. Let me tread on a sacred cow of religion. Children are taught the little song, "Jesus loves me, this I know; for the Bible tells me so." So they grow into adulthood with the idea that Jesus loves them, without ever being faced with the truth that He loves only those who believe He is the Lord and Redeemer.
3. Children are worth something, and I hold them in the highest esteem. You are to be commended for living obedient, truthful, industrious lives. You fathers, don't always degrade and put down your children (Ephesians 6:4). Learn to commend and approve of them, keeping in mind that they must have a Savior from sin! They are sinners in need of the atoning blood of Christ, but at the same time they have a worth, and we must let them know both of these truths.

Our children are ourselves, and that oneness with them causes that great love that molds and melts your heart. Are your children worth anything? More than I can tell.