I Said YesSample

You Meet Jesus

Over the past five days, we’ve encountered several people who met Jesus and chose to say “Yes!” to His life-changing invitation. 

But did you know God's invitation is extended to you too?

I was 4 years old when I first met God. It was Easter Sunday. As was their tradition, my parents took me to church. That morning my Sunday school teacher told me the true story about the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ. I’m sure I didn’t comprehend everything my teacher told me. But I was, however, aware I needed something. I didn’t know what the word was at the time, but what I needed was grace. I needed forgiveness. I needed someone to lead my life instead of me. I needed a Savior. I needed Jesus!

But let’s pause for a second. You’re probably skeptical about a child’s need for God. I mean, how bad can a 4-year-old be? 

Here’s the thing – the Bible teaches us that it’s not a matter of how bad we’ve been but a matter of who we are. As humans, we’re all born with a propensity to sin. Have you ever seen a two-year-old throw a temper tantrum? I bet you've seen more than a few adults throw a fit as well. Theologians call it our “sin nature.” Sin started long before us, was passed down to us and still remains in us. The Apostle Paul put it this way in Romans 3:23, "For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.”

To sin simply means to fall short of God’s standard. Even at the young age of 4, I was aware I had fallen short. I’d made choices I knew were wrong but did them anyway. I had sinned.

And because of my sin, I incurred a debt to my creator, God. Romans 6:23 tells us, “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

Think about the words: wages, sin and death. 

Wages are what we earn for the work we do. If we work hard at our jobs and are not compensated, we can become quickly discouraged. We may even get angry. Why? We deserve to be paid back for what we do!

Sin is anything that falls short of God’s perfect standard. It’s when we do something we know is wrong in God’s sight, but we choose to do it anyway.

Death is eternal separation from God. Just like we are separated from someone who passes away in this life, the same is true spiritually and eternally with God.

What you and I have earned for our sin is eternal separation from God. That’s what we deserve. That’s where we’re headed when we ignore God and live life on our own terms. If Romans 6:23 ended here, this would be some really bad news.

But Romans 6:23 doesn’t end there! With that little conjunction, but, the entire verse turns into Good News. 

...but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Now, think about the words: gift, God and life.

Gift is the opposite of wages. We don’t earn gifts. They are given out of the love and thoughtfulness of others for us to receive with joy.

God has no sin in Him. Jesus is perfect in every way. He has never sinned, and never will. God is perfect, holy and pure in every way.

Life is the opposite of death. And eternal life? That’s being with God forever.

Even though we've all gone wrong, God made everything right through Jesus, who extends His invitation of forgiveness and eternal life to us. That's how much God loves us! He took our death and offers us life.

When you say “Yes!” to Jesus, God literally saves you! He erases your past, transforms your present and secures your future. He forgives all your sins and transgressions. Psalm 103:12 puts it this way, “as far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us.” He sees you as perfect, because He now sees His Son Jesus living in you.

That’s Good News! And it’s available for everyone who places their trust in Jesus by faith. 

You have the opportunity to say “Yes!” to Jesus! A brand new relationship with God is available for you.

Romans 10:9 says: If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.

That’s how you can say “Yes!” to Jesus. Declare that Jesus is your Lord. Tell Him you believe in who He is. Ask for His forgiveness. Receive God’s invitation. Say “Yes!” to His grace, to making Him the Lord of your life and to following Him. 

If you would like to say “Yes!” to Jesus for the first time, or maybe the first time in a long time, you can pray this simple prayer to express your heart’s desire to God:

Dear God, I know I’ve done things that are wrong and deserve punishment. I’m a sinner. But today I’m saying "Yes!" to your forgiveness and grace. I believe that your Son Jesus died on the cross as a substitute in my place. I believe He rose to life from the grave and defeated death. I receive His gift of salvation and want to begin a new relationship with You. Today I’m saying “Yes!” to Jesus and your gift of eternal life. Help me to follow You all the days of my life. In Jesus Name I pray, Amen.

If you just prayed to say “Yes!” to Jesus, all of heaven is celebrating over your new and restored life! We celebrate with you, too!

Reflection Questions

1. When did you say “Yes” to Jesus? How has your life changed since making that decision?

2. What are some of the examples of God’s grace you see in your life?

3. What does God’s gift of salvation through Jesus mean to you personally?