Advent: Join the TriumphSample

The Scripture:

"But let us give thanks to God! He gives us the victory because of what our Lord Jesus Christ has done" (1 Corinthians 15:57, NIRV ).

The Story:

Merry Christmas Eve! I know you can’t wait to open gifts tomorrow, and you’re so close you can smell it. Before you pass out from anticipation, I want us to look at this verse. This verse was how we started the devotional, and it remains Good News that Jesus has given us Victory and invited us into Victory. This invitation into God’s Victory just shows how much Jesus loves us.

You see, we do not deserve victory because of what we have done. Every action has consequences, and we have done things that go against who God is and His Plans for us. When we choose our way instead of God’s Way, that's called sin. There is no way we can get out of sin. We can never be perfect, never go to church enough, never have enough manners. We cannot bring Victory on our own. We need a Savior.

That is what makes Jesus so loving. He sees we deserve to lose and to fail. He sees we deserve the punishment of sin, but He loves us so much, He takes our punishment for us on the Cross. Jesus is our only hope because of this. Jesus now invites us to His Victory, and anyone can accept it. You may be thinking to yourself, “I’ve done too many bad things.” No matter what you have done, God stands ready to forgive you. You may think, “But I haven’t read the whole Bible.” Jesus doesn’t want the perfect version of us – that doesn’t exist – He wants us just the way we are.

The Triumph:

Jesus was born so stories like the Prodigal Son could happen. The story of the Prodigal Son is about a son who tells his dad that he hates him and that he wants his share of money. So the dad allows it, and the son goes off and spends it all on wild living. The son does all the wrong things, and with each decision, shows how much he hates his dad. The son wakes up one day eating from a pig pin because he ran out of money.

He realizes he could go back home, apologize to his dad, and be a slave in his dad's house since he gave up his right to be a son. But while the son was a long way off, the father saw him, ran to him, and forgave him.

This story can be yours today. God is running after you wanting to forgive you. Would you accept the Saving Love of Jesus today?