It’s All a Gift!

The weekend has come to an end as we start this 2nd week of the month of December MAN! Christmas is fast approaching but lets NOT get ahead of ourselves let take a moment to reflect on these words of wisdom. Read: Ephesians 2:1–9 Bible in a Year: Hosea 5–8; Revelation 2 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God.—Ephesians 2:8 London’s Café Rendezvous has nice lighting, comfortable couches, and the smell of coffee in the air. What it doesn’t have are prices. Originally started as a business by a local church, the café was transformed a year after it started. The managers felt that God was calling them to do something radical—make everything on the menu free. Today you can order a coffee, cake, or sandwich without cost. There isn’t even a donation jar. It’s all a gift. I asked the manager why they were so generous. “We’re just trying to treat people the way God treats us,” he said. “God gives to us whether we thank him or not. He’s generous to us beyond our imaginations.” Jesus died to rescue us from our sins and reconcile us with God. He rose from the grave and is alive now. Because of this, every wrong thing we’ve done can be forgiven, and we can have new life today (Eph. 2:1-5). And one of the most amazing things about this is that it is all free. We can’t buy the new life Jesus offers. We can’t even donate toward the cost (vv. 8-9). It’s all a gift. As the folks at Café Rendezvous serve their cakes and coffees, they give people a glimpse of God’s generosity. You and I are offered eternal life for free because Jesus has paid the bill. —Sheridan Voysey Let the one who is thirsty come; and let the one who wishes take the free gift of the water of life. Revelation 22:17 Eternal life is a free gift ready to be received. INSIGHT: What does the phrase “dead in your sins” mean? (Eph. 2:1). Dead means lifeless, powerless, inanimate. It means we were incapable of doing anything to change our situation. Sin refers to our rebellion against God. Humanity instinctively rejects God, and this rebellion is expressed through words, deeds, and attitudes. The spiritually dead have no relationship with God. To be spiritually dead means we are completely cut off from Him and unable to reach out to Him. We cannot fix the things we’ve done that offended Him. We can’t apologize to God for rebelling against Him, for pretending He doesn’t exist, and for living as though we are God. Any solution to our deadness must come from somewhere other than us. Through Jesus God took action to bring our spiritually dead hearts to life and restore us to a right relationship with Him. What amazing grace! Adapted from Grace: Accepting God’s Gift to You by Constantine Campbell. Read more at discoveryseries.org/q0613.