The Jesus Bible Reading PlanSample

THE GREATEST NEED

Poverty, disease and oppression are just a few of the issues that plague the world’s population. But none of those can supersede humanity’s most basic need: the forgiveness of sin. When Adam and Eve disobeyed their Creator in the Garden of Eden, sin tainted the entire human race, and Adam’s legacy of spiritual death was passed on to all of his descendants (Ro 5:12). Since then, all people have been born with a corrupted nature and cannot please God. Ephesians 2:1 describes this condition as being “dead in your transgressions and sins.” People are not just sick. A little help or a little more effort will not suffice. The undeniable fact is that without Christ, a person’s spirit is dead, and no person can pass from death back to life alone. Because of God’s compassion for the helpless state of the world, he sent Jesus Christ to pay the price for sin (Ro 4:25; 6:23 – 24). 2 Corinthians 5:21 explains the purpose of Christ’s death: “God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.” He stood in the place of those who were dead in sin so that they could be made spiritually alive.

The apostle Paul helped Christians understand the radical change that takes place at the time of their salvation and grasp the enormity of their new standing with God by reminding them of verses from Psalm 32 (Ro 4:6 – 8). Through faith, sin is removed and righteousness is credited to all those “who believe in him who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead” (Ro 4:23 – 25). Simply put, that means Jesus received the just punishment for the sins of humanity, and as a result, those who believe in him receive the righteousness of Christ and are reconciled to God.

This great exchange is offered to all people through God’s grace and mercy and is received through faith (Eph 2:8 – 9). Once a person acknowledges his or her desperate need for a savior (Ro 10:9 – 10), God delights in forgiving their guilt (Ps 32:5) and in so doing, meeting humanity’s greatest need through the person of Jesus Christ.

Jesus, there is so much need in this world. Please use me to meet the needs of people, especially their greatest need—help me to introduce them to you. Amen.