Thursday, July 11, 2002
Wendy was my first real crush. I was 13, and she was beautiful. But I didn't know how to let her know my feelings toward her. So I saved up my allowances and went downtown and spent everything I had on this necklace. I put it in an envelope with a mushy note I wrote, and I nervously handed it to her in study hall. I was really swave, uh, suave at that age. Well, the next day in study hall she walked by my desk and handed me back a familiar looking envelope. Inside was the note and the necklace. I was crushed.
I'm Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A Word With You today about "Rejected Love."
I spent everything I had on someone I loved - and it was rejected. God knows that feeling. He spent everything He had on you because He loves you. The question is - have you opened up to His love or, one way or another, have you failed to respond? No matter what the reason, it's rejected love.
Our word for today from the word of God asks one of the most unsettling questions in the Bible. In Hebrews 2:3, the Bible says, "How shall we escape if we ignore such a great salvation?" Exactly what is this "great salvation" you ignore when you fail to respond to Jesus' love?
Well, the word "salvation" itself is a life-or-death word. When a bridge on the Arkansas River collapsed recently, nearby fisherman pulled people out of the water. They rescued them from a situation in which they otherwise would have died. Well, that's salvation. Just like the rescuers pulling people out of the rubble of the collapsed World Trade Center. Again, salvation is rescue. And that's what Jesus gave His life for when He bled and died on the cross.
The Bible says that God "did not spare His own Son, but gave Him up for us." (Romans 8:32) That's how much He loves you. You and I are under the eternal death penalty for hijacking a life that was supposed to be run God's way and running it our way instead. That death penalty is called hell. And it is your hell, your punishment that Jesus absorbed Himself as He took all your sin on Him when He died. Nobody has ever loved you like that.
So it is no wonder the Bible asks how we can ever escape if we ignore this greatest love of all, this massive sacrifice Jesus made for you. God will never forget what you do with His Son. And as He has extended His love to you over and over again, it may be that you've never given yourself to Him. You can reject His love directly - or just passively and politely. You can agree with everything about Jesus, you can associate with Jesus, but never swallow your pride and say, "Jesus, I'm putting my total trust in You and Your death for me on the cross - I'm Yours from this day on."
If you've never done that - and you don't want to risk one more day without Him - then would you tell Him that you want to be His? Tell Him right where you are. And I hope you'll let me send you the booklet that I wrote about beginning your personal relationship with Jesus. It's called "Yours For Life." Just let me know you want it.
Jesus spent everything He had on you. He spent His life! He loves you more than anyone else ever has, or ever could. Do not make the forever mistake of turning your back on His love.