First, we must acknowledge our gods: career, family, wealth, church, friends, etc. The place we put our most time and money is usually where our allegiance lies. Time is a sure indicator of our gods. Of Course, we have to spend time at work, eight plus hours per day, and yes, we spend money on bills. Do we give to the work of the Kingdom, or do our bills contain things we couldn’t afford unless we charged them on credit?
Again, the question: Does your god care about you?
My favorite TV show can bring me momentary joy, but it doesn’t care about me. My jetski can bring immense fun, but it doesn’t care about me. Nor does my car, my job, or my money. So, what god do we have that cares about us?
There is only one answer to this question: Jesus.
Jesus loves us so much that he endured the most horrendous death on a cross, between two convicted criminals who deserved to be there. Jesus went willingly because He loves us, you specifically. Our sin, the stuff in our lives that falls short of God’s perfect standard, was placed on Jesus when He was on the cross. Crimes that we should have to pay for with our lives were paid for willingly by Jesus. It’s the greatest exchange in all of history.
But why would Jesus choose to do this? LOVE! He loves us. He didn’t want us to be doomed to hell, or to have to continue the daily and yearly sacrifices for forgiveness that the original law required. He died as the perfect sacrifice, once for all time. And what does Jesus want from us? He wants us to choose Him as our God. The object of our affection and worship.
But I’m a good person. As good as we can be, it still falls short of perfection. It’s like a giant scale with all of our sins on one side, and on the other side is either Jesus or nothing. The scale has to balance, or we get what we deserve: to die for our own sins. But Jesus is the perfect balance, and He offers his life in exchange for our death, freely. It’s a no-brainer choice, really. Choose life in Jesus, or death in eternal darkness. Choose you this day whom you will serve.