MAKING RESTITUTION!

 

Monday, July 13, 2026

 

MAKING RESTITUTION!

 

Titus 2:9-10

9 Exhort servants to be obedient unto their own masters, and to please them well in all things; not answering again;

10 Not purloining, but shewing all good fidelity; that they may adorn the doctrine of God our Saviour in all things.

Luke 19:8

8 And Zacchaeus stood, and said unto the Lord; Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor; and if I have taken any thing from any man by false accusation, I restore him fourfold.

 

          Restitution is the restoration of something that was stolen, lost, or damaged while under my care or responsibility. When Paul wrote to Titus, he uses the word purloining which simply means “taking something for personal use or stealing.” Exodus chapter 22 outlines some strict rules regarding “paying back” that which was taken.

 

          Liability insurance exists to counter the cost of paying back! It acknowledges liability, culpability, and guilt. The concept is drummed into our moral fiber from the first time our mother shouts “give that back. That doesn’t belong to you!”

 

          Some things we have taken can’t be restored because we have consumed them, lost them, or broken them beyond repair. Zacchaeus understood this and felt the pain of guilt when he met Jesus. He quite literally agrees to the terms outlined in Exodus 22.

 

          You can't be right with God while something is wrong between you and another person, and you are to blame for the conflict.

 

Matt 5:23-24

23 Therefore if thou bring thy gift to the altar, and there rememberest that thy brother hath ought against thee;

24 Leave there thy gift before the altar, and go thy way; first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift.

 

Dear Lord, Thank you for paying my terrible sin debt. AMEN

 

THE GOD OF HOPE!

 

Sunday, July 12, 2026

 

THE GOD OF HOPE!

 

Rom 15:13

13 Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost.

 

          Paul, writing to the Romans, offers multiple views of God. In Romans 15:5, He is the God of patience and consolation. The patience is His and the consolation is ours! Here the word “consolation” is paraklesis and is the same word that is translated “comforter” when Jesus promised the Holy Spirit in John 14:16. The word is made more powerful by using a definite article making it “THE consolation.” Consolation is in the person of Jesus Christ.

 

          He is the God of peace in Romans 15:33 and the word “peace” is eirene and indicates both quietness and prosperity. It also is preceded by a definite article which makes it “THE peace.” Peace, both quietness and prosperity, is in the person of Jesus Christ.

 

          In our text this morning, He is the God of hope. Here hope is elpis (el-pece’) and means both expectation and confidence. Once again, it is forcefully preceded by a definite article. The hope that we have in eternity is an expectant hope. It is like an “expectant” mother large with child. She is confident of delivery but uncertain of the date! Many signs, both visible and known only to her, assure her that her hope is well founded.

 

Dear Father, all around we see signs and evidence of your soon coming. Inside us also there is confidence that our hope is well founded. Thank you, Lord, that our hope, our peace and our consolation is firmly grounded in your person. AMEN

 

MADE SIN FOR US!

 

Saturday, July 11, 2026

 

MADE SIN FOR US!

 

2 Cor 5:21

21 For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.

 

          Scholars see in this verse much to argue about but, I suppose, that is the nature of scholars. One is furious that anyone should think that Jesus might be considered the greatest of sinners because of our sins. Another marvels that the Son of God was made completely sin. For me it is simpler than all that. I, the sinner, became righteous while He, the righteous, bore the punishment!

 

          Perhaps we should listen carefully to the comment of Christ Himself when he looked up into the face of God and said: “My God, My God, Why hast thou forsaken me?” (Matthew 27:46) For the first time ever, Jesus felt abandoned by the Father because either [1] the Father could not countenance sin or [2] He could not look upon the punishment being borne by His Son. Either way works for me and perhaps it is for both reasons.

 

          I think we argue these points so that we don’t have to focus on the truth that we are sinners. Our most horrible sin was laid on Jesus. Now it no longer rests on us. Not only have we been wiped clean, but we have been deep cleaned. It’s not fair now and it wasn’t fair then.

 

          Jesus was just what John said he was. He was the Lamb of God that taketh away the sin of the world. Think of it! A world of sin!

 

Nothing But The Blood

 

For my pardon, this I see,
Nothing but the blood of Jesus;
For my cleansing this my plea,
Nothing but the blood of Jesus.

 

Father, we dare not sanitize religion by ignoring the very blood that saves us. Thank you for becoming my sin offering. AMEN