I write this demo today sitting in an airport terminal, people watching.  I’m fascinated by how differently people approach airline travel.  For some this is everyday life.  They travel almost daily for business.  Others are apprehensive travelers and you can tell they are unsettled.  Some are families going on vacation excited for their destination.  Others are traveling home.  Some are dressed formally others prefer sweatpants and T shirts.  Some arrive very early and others stroll in at the very last second. There are so many differences in travel tendencies.  One thing that is true is that while we all travel differently we are all alike as people created in the image of God all equal under the stain of sin.  Let’s look at Romans 3 to see God’s answer to this problem.

 But now apart from the law the righteousness of God has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify. 22 This righteousness is given through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference between Jew and Gentile, 23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. 25 God presented Christ as a sacrifice of atonement, through the shedding of his blood—to be received by faith. He did this to demonstrate his righteousness, because in his forbearance he had left the sins committed beforehand unpunished— 26 he did it to demonstrate his righteousness at the present time, so as to be just and the one who justifies those who have faith in Jesus. 27 Where, then, is boasting? It is excluded. Because of what law? The law that requires works? No, because of the law that requires faith. 28 For we maintain that a person is justified by faith apart from the works of the law. 29 Or is God the God of Jews only? Is he not the God of Gentiles too? Yes, of Gentiles too, 30 since there is only one God, who will justify the circumcised by faith and the uncircumcised through that same faith. 31 Do we, then, nullify the law by this faith? Not at all! Rather, we uphold the law.

Jew or Gentile, expert traveler or nervous one, we all fall short of God’s standard in our life.  That is the beauty of the work of Jesus on the cross.  He did for us what we could not do for ourselves.  By grace through faith we can receive the benefits of this work in our lives.  Today take some time to thank Jesus for this unbelievable gift.  His love for us is so very amazing!  Let’s share it with the world.

In His Grip,
Pastor Dave