Let’s make a deal!

Pastor Don Porter

In John 12:25 it says, “He who loves his life will lose it and he who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life.” At first this would seem to be an oxymoron. Most of us are suspicious of the trade-in deal. Maybe you have tried to buy a car and trade in something else. The salesman says, “Trade that in, and I’ll give you a deal.” Then you tell your friends, “I got this great deal for my trade-in.” The real question, however, is what they charged you for the new one you bought. On this earth you can’t get something for nothing. No matter what the ads may say no business is going to give you something for nothing. If they did, then they would be out of business. But God Almighty says to us, “I will give you eternal life. I will give you the forgiveness of sin.” So we say, “What’s the catch? Surely there is something I need to do.” It is hard for us to accept that God could simply forgive us. So we try to earn our salvation by doing good works. Or, when we sin we try to make up for it by promising God that we will do extra penance to make up for our sin. I’m like everyone else. I prefer it when my future is in my own hands. If I can do something that will guarantee me the outcome that I want, then I will do everything I can to get the desired result. But God looks at our attempts to earn his forgiveness as bribes and rejects them. God says in the Bible that our sacrifices and offerings He has not desired. God says, “No, if you have broken one of my laws then you have broken all the laws. There is no way you could earn my grace or forgiveness. So, I offer it to you for free. I will give you everything. If only from now on you will give Me your life.” But you say how could God want my life that has been ruined and rusted by sin? To this God says, “I don’t care what shape it’s in. I’m in the restoration business. You watch what I can do.” Someone told me about a trip to China. He rode past Tiananmen Square in a bus full of Westerners. We tried to recollect the causes and consequences of the revolt. Our knowledge of history was embarrassing. One gave one date; another gave a different one. One person remembered a certain death toll; someone else disagreed. All this time our translator remained silent. Finally, one of us asked her, “Do you remember anything about the Tiananmen Square revolt?” Her answer was solemn. “Yes, I was a part of it.” We quickly grew quiet as she gave firsthand recollections of the bloodshed and oppression. We listened, because she’d been there. We who follow Christ do so for the same reason. He’s been there . . . He’s been to Bethlehem, wearing barn rags and hearing sheep crunch. Suckling milk and shivering against the cold. All of divinity content to cocoon itself in an eight-pound body and to sleep on a cow’s supper. Millions who face the chill of empty pockets or the fears of sudden change turn to Christ. Why? Because he’s been there. He’s been to Nazareth, where he made deadlines and paid bills; to Galilee, where he recruited direct reports and separated fighters; to Jerusalem, where he stared down critics and stood up against cynics. We have our Nazareths as well - demands and due dates. Jesus wasn’t the last to build a team; accusers didn’t disappear with Jerusalem’s temple. Why seek Jesus’ help with your challenges? Because he’s been there. To Nazareth, to Galilee, to Jerusalem. But most of all, he’s been to the grave. Not as a visitor, but as a corpse. Buried amidst the cadavers. Numbered among the dead. Heart silent and lungs vacant. Body wrapped and grave sealed. The cemetery. He’s been buried there. You haven’t yet but you will be. And since you will, don’t you need someone who knows the way out? Now, I don’t know about you, but if someone who is as honest and as reliable as God our Creator made me an offer and if the offer meant the difference between spending my eternity in heaven or hell, then I am inclined to accept the offer. All God asks from us is to give our life to Him unconditionally. So we are to bring our life to Him. Then what happens? In Matthew 16:25, Jesus said, “Whoever loses his life for My sake will find it.” And in 2 Corinthians 5:17 we read, “You will be a new creation, because in Him, all things have become new.” Do you want to find life? Jesus says to us, “You won’t find it by looking within yourself. You won’t even find it by looking for life. You will find it by looking to Me. And as you trade your life in, I will give you life. The very thing you want, you’ll find by coming to Me.” This is God’s trade-in deal. How can you pass it up! How can you do this? It’s as easy as accepting that Jesus Christ is the Son of God and asking Him to forgive your sin and making Him Lord of your life. Maybe because it is so simple many don’t believe it will work. Maybe if it was harder many more would try to do it. But think of it! Jesus made it easy for us, but it cost Him His life to make it possible.