TEXT: Matthew 22:4
PREACHER: Pastor Bodunrin Timothy
INTRODUCTION:
When man sinned, God declared war against sin and evil, and man was caught in the middle of the war.
People were tangled up with evil and were targeted in God’s fight against sin.
God’s punishments in the old testament were just, because of the sin of man but things have changed.
God’s wrath and punishment against sin in the old testament isn’t seen in the new testament.
We saw Elijah killed 102 men by calling down fire while Jesus rebuked His disciples from doing same when offended by the Samaritan villagers [Luke 9: 54-56]
God isn’t at war with sin anymore because Jesus won the fight. [John 19:30]
Jesus satisfied God’s demand for justice. He bore our sin.
He took all God’s anger against sin upon Himself, and now the wrath of God has been totally satisfied.
All the things you need (including forgiveness) to tie the knot with the bridegroom (Jesus) is readily available through His death and resurrection [Act 5: 30-31]
In the Gospel of Christ, forgiveness is in the package.
All you need to do is to receive it and not ask for it because it’s all yours.
Jesus appeared and told Saul of Tarsus that He was sending him to the Gentiles for them to recieve the forgiveness He had already made available to them [Act 26:18]
Read [1 John 1:9] and notice that it doesn’t say, “ask for forgiveness”; rather, it says to acknowledge your sins. Why? It’s because He’s already provided for your forgiveness.
Therefore, your licence to receiving forgiveness is to confess or acknowledge your sins. This is so important for you to note that Jesus is no longer responsible for your salvation but the choice you make, as He has paid the price once as for all. [Titus 2:11, Hebrew 9: 26-28]
[Matthew 22:4] signifies the completeness of God’s provision for salvation, offering an invitation to participate in His kingdom.
All the necessary preparation for salvation has been completed by God.