Northwestern Publishing House Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Transcription

1 Kenneth R. Kratz Northwestern Publishing House Milwaukee, Wisconsin

2 In thanks to my Savior for his gifts of family to me. For my life partner: Diane. For our three children: Benjamin, Emily, and Peter. For our grandchildren: Hannah, Lydia, Norah, Thaddeus, and Marcus. May we all grow in Christ. Art Director: Karen Knutson Designer: Pamela Dunn All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION. NIV. Copyright 1973, 1978, 1984 by Biblica, Inc. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. All hymns indicated CW are taken from Christian Worship: A Lutheran Hymnal by Northwestern Publishing House. All rights reserved. This publication may not be copied, photocopied, reproduced, translated, or converted to any electronic or machine-readable form in whole or in part, except for brief quotations, without prior written approval from the publisher. Northwestern Publishing House 1250 N. 113th St., Milwaukee, WI by Northwestern Publishing House Published 2011 Printed in the United States of America ISBN

3 Contents 1. Jesus the Messiah (Mark 8:29) 2. Is Jesus God? (Matthew 16:17) 3. The Son of Man (John 3:13) 4. My Father (Luke 2:49) 5. Lost Are Saved (Luke 19:10) 6. The Proper Course (Matthew 3:15) 7. Beyond the Comfort Zone (Matthew 4:4) 8. Overcoming Temptation (Matthew 4:7) 9. Caution: Shortcut Ahead (Matthew 4:10) 10. A True Israelite (John 1:47) 11. His Timing (John 2:4) 12. Zeal for the Lord (John 2:16) 13. Forced to Think (John 2:19) 14. Precious Birth (John 3:3,5) 15. Power for Birth (John 3:6) 16. Life Is Healed (John 3:14,15) 17. Amazing Love (John 3:16) 18. Believe in Whom? (John 3:16) 19. Sure of Heaven (John 3:18) 20. Will You? (John 4:7) 21. Living Water (John 4:10) 22. Soul Thirst (John 4:13,14) 23. Can t Fool Him (John 4:16-18) 24. Know What You Worship (John 4:22) 25. True Worship (John 4:23) 26. Open Your Eyes (John 4:35) 27. Repentance Blasé or Real? (Matthew 4:17) 28. Ongoing Repentance (Matthew 4:17) 29. Words Are Enough (John 4:50) 30. Fishermen Are Made (Matthew 4:19) 31. Amazing Power (Luke 4:35) 32. Heart Talk (Mark 1:38) 33. Know Better (Mark 1:44) 34. Forgiven (Matthew 9:2) 35. He Couldn t Want Me! (Matthew 9:9) 36. God s Desire (Matthew 9:13) 37. The Doctor Is In (Matthew 9:12) 38. New Wine (Matthew 9:16,17) 39. Something Worse? (John 5:14) 40. Jesus Claim (John 5:19) 41. Equal Honor (John 5:22,23) 42. Empty Graves (John 5:28,29)

4 43. Good in Christ (John 5:29) 44. Don t Miss the Point (John 5:39) 45. Why Worship? (Mark 2:27) 46. Poor in Spirit (Matthew 5:3) 47. Comfort for the Mourning (Matthew 5:4) 48. Meek Is Good (Matthew 5:5) 49. Fulfilled Life (Matthew 5:6) 50. Rich in Mercy (Matthew 5:7) 51. Heart Integrity (Matthew 5:8) 52. Be a Peacemaker (Matthew 5:9) 53. Love for Insults (Matthew 5:11) 54. Preserved to Serve (Matthew 5:13) 55. You Are Light (Matthew 5:14) 56. Bright Lights (Matthew 5:16) 57. Perfect (Matthew 5:17) 58. Our Righteousness (Matthew 5:20) 59. Restoring Relationships (Matthew 5:23,24) 60. Quick Resolution (Matthew 5:25,26) 61. Private Thoughts (Matthew 5:28) 62. S-O-S (Matthew 5:29,30) 63. Not an Option (Matthew 5:32) 64. Swear to God (Matthew 5:37) 65. Your Left Cheek (Matthew 5:39) 66. Love Your Enemy (Matthew 5:44) 67. Perfection at Last (Matthew 5:48) 68. Self-Deception (Matthew 6:1) 69. Secret Generosity (Matthew 6:2,3) 70. Show Off Prayer (Matthew 6:5,6) 71. Meaningless Chatter (Matthew 6:7,8) 72. God Knows (Matthew 6:8) 73. The Forgiven Forgive (Matthew 6:14,15) 74. Secret Piety (Matthew 6:18) 75. Heart Treasure (Matthew 6:19-21) 76. Two Masters (Matthew 6:24) 77. Worrywart (Matthew 6:25) 78. First Things First (Matthew 6:33) 79. Worry-Free Tomorrows (Matthew 6:34) 80. Judgmental Assumptions (Matthew 7:1,2) 81. Just Ask (Matthew 7:7) 82. Good Gifts (Matthew 7:11) 83. Golden Opportunities (Matthew 7:12) 84. The Narrow Gate (Matthew 7:13,14) 85. Watch Out! (Matthew 7:15,16) 86. Washout Dams (Matthew 7:26,27) 87. Life Foundation (Matthew 7:24,25) 88. A Model of Strong Faith (Matthew 8:10)

5 89. Jesus Cares (Luke 7:13) 90. Ever Have Doubts? (Matthew 11:4,5) 91. Kingdom of Force (Matthew 11:12) 92. Shallow to Deep Love (Luke 7:47) 93. More Powerful (Matthew 12:25,26) 94. Stand With Jesus (Luke 11:23) 95. Good Fruit (Matthew 12:33,34) 96. Miraculous Power (Matthew 12:39) 97. Part of the Family (Mark 3:34) 98. Power to Practice (Luke 8:21) 99. Hardened Soil (Matthew 13:3,4,19) 100. Spiritual Depth (Matthew 13:5,6,20,21) 101. Heart Weeds (Matthew 13:7,22) 102. Productive Life (Matthew 13:8,23) 103. The Kingdom Will Grow (Matthew 13:31,32) 104. Unexpected Treasure (Matthew 13:44) 105. Calm in the Storm (Matthew 8:26) 106. Tell of His Mercy (Mark 5:19) 107. Don t Be Afraid Believe (Luke 8:50) 108. Advantage Lost (Luke 4:24) 109. Compassion for the Lost (Matthew 9:36,38) 110. Shrewd Innocence (Matthew 10:16) 111. Stand Firm (Matthew 10:22) 112. Worst-Case Scenario (Matthew 10:28) 113. No Peace (Matthew 10:34) 114. First Love (Matthew 10:37) 115. Joyful Crosses (Matthew 10:38) 116. Finding Life (Matthew 10:39) 117. Even the Little Things Matter (Matthew 10:42) 118. Get Some Rest (Mark 6:31) 119. Rattled or Reliant (John 6:5) 120. Waste Not (John 6:12) 121. What s in Your Wallet? (John 6:26,27) 122. God s Work (John 6:29) 123. His Will (John 6:38) 124. No One (John 6:39) 125. Drawn by the Lord (John 6:44) 126. The Source of Problems (Matthew 15:19,20) 127. Vain Worship (Mark 7:6,7) 128. Great Faith (Matthew 15:28) 129. Victory (Matthew 16:18) 130. God Forgives You (Matthew 16:19) 131. Things of God (Mark 8:33) 132. Lousy Exchange (Mark 8:36,37) 133. Nothing Is Impossible (Matthew 17:20) 134. Like a Little Child (Matthew 18:3)

6 135. Don t Cause Sin (Matthew 18:6) 136. No Fence-Sitting (Mark 9:39,40) 137. He Searches for You (Matthew 18:12-14) 138. Serious Battle (Mark 9:43) 139. Freeing the Ambushed (Matthew 18:15) 140. Breaking Satan s Grip (Matthew 18:16,17) 141. With Them (Matthew 18:20) 142. Forgive How Often? (Matthew 18:22) 143. Forgive From the Heart (Matthew 18:35) 144. Christ Before Everything (Matthew 22:37) 145. Christ Before Everyone (Luke 9:59,60) 146. Look Ahead to Jesus (Luke 9:62) 147. Credentials (John 7:16,17) 148. Streams From Within (John 7:38) 149. Leave Sin (John 8:7,11) 150. Remain in My Word (John 8:31) 151. Truth and Freedom (John 8:32) 152. Belonging to God s Network (John 8:47) 153. Trials to Glorify God (John 9:3) 154. Make Hay While the Sun Shines (John 9:4) 155. Never Hopeless (John 9:7) 156. Spiritual Insight (John 9:39) 157. By Name (John 10:3) 158. Know His Voice (John 10:4) 159. A Full Life (John 10:10) 160. Valued (John 10:11) 161. Other Sheep (John 10:16) 162. Harsher Judgment (Matthew 11:21,22) 163. Rest for the Weary (Matthew 11:28) 164. It Ain t Heavy (Matthew 11:29,30) 165. Speaking Through Us (Luke 10:16) 166. The Guest List (Luke 10:20) 167. Mystery Revealed (Luke 10:24) 168. Do Likewise ( Luke 10:37) 169. Better Choices (Luke 10:41,42) 170. A Smiling Heart (Matthew 6:9) 171. His Holy Name (Matthew 6:9) 172. Pray for the Lost (Matthew 6:10) 173. Vital Will (Matthew 6:10) 174. Blessings From Him (Matthew 6:11) 175. I Forgive You (Matthew 6:12) 176. Defeating Temptation (Matthew 6:13) 177. Deliver Me (Matthew 6:13) 178. Amen (Matthew 6:13) 179. Clean Inside (Luke 11:39,40) 180. Seriously Generous (Luke 11:42)

7 181. Key to Knowledge (Luke 11:52) 182. The Real Deal (Luke 12:1) 183. Because of His Love (Luke 12:4,6,7) 184. Acknowledged (Luke 12:8,9) 185. Guard Against Greed (Luke 12:15) 186. Foolish or Foolproof (Luke 12:20,21) 187. The More of Life (Luke 12:22,23) 188. Just One Hour (Luke 12:25,26) 189. Treasure in Heaven (Luke 12:33) 190. Be Ready (Luke 12:40) 191. Expectations (Luke 12:48) 192. No Peace on Earth (Luke 12:51) 193. A Call to Repent (Luke 13:4,5) 194. Miracles That Speak (John 10:25) 195. Held Firmly (John 10:28) 196. I Am (John 8:58) 197. Soul Bread (John 6:35) 198. Light Into Darkness (John 9:5) 199. Shepherd Par Excellence (John 10:11) 200. Resurrection Hope (John 11:25) 201. Truth for Turbulent Times (John 14:6) 202. Productive Life (John 15:5) 203. One at a Time (Luke 13:23,24) 204. The Right Side of the Door (Luke 13:25-27) 205. At the Feast (Luke 13:29) 206. Our Fearless Ministry (Luke 13:32) 207. Stubborn of Heart (Luke 13:34) 208. Easy to Be Humble (Luke 14:11) 209. No Payback Now (Luke 14:13,14) 210. Our Cross (Luke 14:27) 211. Give Up Everything (Luke 14:33) 212. Joy in Heaven (Luke 15:7) 213. Spiritual Pride (Luke 15:29,30) 214. Use Worldly Wealth (Luke 16:9) 215. When Money Is Detestable (Luke 16:15) 216. Growing Unity in Marriage (Matthew 19:5) 217. Married for Life (Matthew 19:6) 218. Faithful in Marriage (Matthew 19:9) 219. The Powerful Word (Luke 16:29) 220. Sin Is Serious (Luke 17:1,2) 221. Humble Service (Luke 17:10) 222. For God s Glory (John 11:4) 223. So You Will Believe (John 11:14,15) 224. Sent by the Father (John 11:41,42) 225. A Thank-You List (Luke 17:17,18) 226. A Kingdom Within (Luke 17:20,21)

8 227. Prideful Prayer (Luke 18:11,12) 228. Humble Prayer (Luke 18:13) 229. Children Are Welcome (Luke 18:16) 230. Like a Child (Luke 18:17) 231. A Camel and a Needle (Luke 18:24,25) 232. Blessings Are Coming (Matthew 19:29) 233. The Great (Mark 10:43,44) 234. Ready to Serve (Mark 10:45) 235. Call Him (Mark 10:49) 236. Individual Opportunities (Luke 19:5) 237. A Wretch Like Me (Luke 19:10) 238. Well Done (Luke 19:17) 239. A Beautiful Thing (Matthew 26:10) 240. He Knows All (Matthew 21:2) 241. Hearts Lifted in Praise (Luke 19:40) 242. House of Prayer (Luke 19:46) 243. Pray Big (Matthew 21:22) 244. Anything Against Anyone (Mark 11:25) 245. No and Yes (Matthew 21:29) 246. Yes and No (Matthew 21:31,32) 247. The Capstone (Matthew 21:42) 248. Given to You (Matthew 21:43) 249. The Best Is Yet to Come (Matthew 22:2) 250. Whose Garment? (Matthew 22:12) 251. Chosen by Grace (Matthew 22:14) 252. Taxes (Matthew 22:21) 253. Unending Relationship (Matthew 22:29,30) 254. No Limits (Matthew 22:32) 255. Love With My All (Matthew 22:37) 256. Love: A Verb (Matthew 22:39) 257. Whose Son? (Matthew 22:43,44) 258. Whose Eyes? (Matthew 23:5) 259. A Blind Eye (Matthew 23:23) 260. Willing Givers (Luke 21:4) 261. Glorify Your Name (John 12:27,28) 262. War and Peace (Matthew 24:6,7) 263. To All Nations (Matthew 24:14) 264. No One Knows (Matthew 24:36,44) 265. Watch! (Matthew 24:42) 266. Spiritual Terrorists (Mark 13:5,6) 267. Firm to the End (Mark 13:13) 268. Words Given (Mark 13:11) 269. Return in Glory (Matthew 25:31) 270. Separated (Matthew 25:32) 271. Come (Matthew 25:34) 272. For Jesus (Matthew 25:35,40)

9 273. Depart (Matthew 25:41) 274. Motives Matter (Matthew 25:42,43,45) 275. No Accident (Matthew 26:17,18) 276. Foot Washing (John 13:14,15) 277. Betrayed (Matthew 26:21) 278. Remember Me (Luke 22:19) 279. Blood Poured Out (Matthew 26:27,28) 280. Mountaintop (Matthew 26:29) 281. Facing Temptation (Luke 22:31,32) 282. Spiritual Overconfidence (Luke 22:34) 283. Love One Another (John 13:34,35) 284. Trusting Hearts (John 14:1) 285. Home Sweet Home (John 14:2) 286. I Will Come Back (John 14:3) 287. Whatever You Ask (John 14:13,14) 288. Pray in My Name (John 14:13,14) 289. The Promised Spirit (John 14:16,17) 290. Christ Lives in Me (John 14:18) 291. They Go Together (John 14:23) 292. Spirit Inspired (John 14:26) 293. Peace (John 14:27) 294. Prune Today, Fruit Tomorrow (John 15:2) 295. No Greater Love (John 15:13) 296. Chosen (John 15:16) 297. Not Greater (John 15:20) 298. Total Joy (John 16:22) 299. Overcome the World (John 16:33) 300. The Cross and Glory (John 17:1) 301. Universalism (John 17:3) 302. Spiritual Protection (John 17:11) 303. Destined to Hell? (John 17:12) 304. Not of the World (John 17:14) 305. Left for a Purpose (John 17:15) 306. Sanctify Us (John 17:17) 307. God s Truth (John 17:17) 308. Sent (John 17:18) 309. Consecrated (John 17:19) 310. Jesus Prays for Us (John 17:20) 311. All My Sorrows (Mark 14:34) 312. Jesus Alone (Mark 14:34) 313. Submissive Prayer (Mark 14:36) 314. A Willing Spirit (Mark 14:37,38) 315. Knowingly (John 18:4) 316. I Am He (John 18:5) 317. Secret Sins (Luke 22:47,48) 318. Friend (Matthew 26:50)

10 319. Not One Lost (John 18:8) 320. Our Powerful Sword (Matthew 26:52) 321. Angels Watching Over Us (Matthew 26:53) 322. When Darkness Reigned (Luke 22:53) 323. Speak Openly (John 18:20,21) 324. Defending Ourselves (John 18:23) 325. I Am (Mark 14:62) 326. Returning in Power (Mark 14:62) 327. From Weakness to Strength (Luke 22:61) 328. From Another Place (John 18:36) 329. Truth Tellers (John 18:37) 330. Compassion for Desperate Souls (John 19:11) 331. Tears of Sorrow (Luke 23:28) 332. Love During Difficulty (John 19:26,27) 333. Rescued by the Lord (Luke 23:34) 334. Heaven Today (Luke 23:43) 335. Forsaken for Us (Mark 15:34) 336. Thirsty (John 19:28) 337. Finished (John 19:30) 338. At Death s Door (Luke 23:46) 339. Why Are You Crying? (John 20:15) 340. Personal Interest (John 20:16) 341. Present (John 20:17) 342. Fan the Embers (Luke 24:17) 343. Don t Be Afraid (Matthew 28:10) 344. Peace to You (Luke 24:36) 345. Bodily Resurrection (Luke 24:38,39) 346. Forgiven (John 20:22,23) 347. Overcoming Doubts (John 20:27) 348. Haven t Seen Yet Have Believed (John 20:29) 349. Pride Removed (John 21:15) 350. Different Plans and Purposes (John 21:22) 351. Authority Over All (Matthew 28:18) 352. Go With the Gospel (Matthew 28:18,19) 353. Recall Your Baptism (Matthew 28:19) 354. God s Tools (Matthew 28:19,20) 355. With You Always (Matthew 28:20) 356. Witnesses of These Things (Luke 24:48) 357. The Jesus Connection (Acts 9:4) 358. Strength in Weakness (2 Corinthians 12:9) 359. Faithful to Jesus (Revelation 2:10) 360. First Love (Revelation 2:4,5) 361. Hang On (Revelation 3:11) 362. Listen Up (Revelation 2:7) 363. No Limits (Revelation 22:13) 364. Forbidden Fruit (Revelation 22:14) 365. Soon (Revelation 22:20)

11 1 Jesus the Messiah (Mark 8:29) Five hundred twenty-eight times the person named Jesus is connected to the word Christ in the New Testament. Christ means the anointed one. The Old Testament Hebrew word with the same meaning is Messiah. Throughout the Old Testament, God repeatedly promised to send his specially appointed rescuer for the human race. He anointed one to carry out our divine deliverance from certain godly destruction. The Lord didn t just repeat the same promise over and over but added more and more details to identify the Promised One when he came. In fact, there are more than three hundred prophecies about the Messiah. When Jesus asked the twelve apostles, Who do you say I am? Peter blurted out, You are the Christ (Mark 8:29). He was convinced that Jesus was the Promised One, the Messiah. Little did Peter or the others realize how limited their understanding of the fulfilled prophecies was at this point. The evidence would continue to grow as their eyes were opened to more of Scripture. The New Testament writers inspired by the Holy Spirit and convinced from Scripture intimately connected Jesus and the Christ. They frequently called him Jesus Christ, Jesus the Messiah. They believed Jesus was the Messiah not just by blind faith or simply because of human experiences with him but because of Scripture. The Old Testament testified to Jesus followers that he had to be the Messiah. Matthew s gospel alone has 29 prophecies connected to Jesus, but that is less than 10 percent of the total. The evidence that Jesus is the Messiah from prophecies alone is overwhelming, not to mention the words of God and angels and the miracles Jesus performed. With Peter we too confess, You are the Christ. Father, we praise you for promising and sending the Messiah into the world to be our Savior. Amen.

12 2 Is Jesus God? (Matthew 16:17) If a skeptic asked you, Why do you believe that Jesus is God? What would you say? There are three basic reasons from Scripture for believing Jesus is God. Today we look at one. At the baptism of Jesus, we are told that a voice from heaven said, This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased (Matthew 3:17). God the Father personally and directly communicated the true identity of Jesus. Three years later, Jesus revealed his glory on a mountaintop, and a voice said, This is my Son, whom I love (Matthew 17:5). The Father reaffirmed his previous statement. Probably shortly before this incident, Jesus asked the disciples who they thought he was. Peter blurted out, You are the Christ, the Son of the living God (Matthew 16:16). Jesus responded, Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by man, but by my Father in heaven (verse 17). Peter and the apostles reached this conclusion of faith because the Father revealed it to them. They heard the voice of the Father, saw the miracles, realized the fulfilled prophecies, and listened to Jesus teaching. They believed Jesus was God, and Jesus himself affirmed their confession. John wrote, We are in him who is true even in his Son Jesus Christ. He is the true God and eternal life (1 John 5:20). The Father, the Bible, and Jesus himself all say the same thing Jesus is God s Son. There are many passages in the Bible that affirm this truth. It is clear: Jesus is God. The belief that Jesus is true God, who came here to earth, is based on solid, God-given evidence. Believe it. Father, thank you for revealing your Son to me through the Scriptures. Amen.

13 3 The Son of Man (John 3:13) What title did Jesus use most frequently for himself? He identified himself 81 times with this term in the gospels: the Son of Man. He used the word the. He is set apart from every other human being. Yet he loved to identify himself with us as a human. He had a human nature just as we do, with one exception he had no sinful nature. Jesus said to Nicodemus, No one has ever gone into heaven except the one who came from heaven the Son of Man (John 3:13). The Son of Man didn t go into heaven and then return to earth. He simply came from heaven. He was always there because he was the Son of God and now is also the Son of Man. The Messiah is the Son of Man. Like every human, he faced temptation. Like every human, he dealt with the limitations of a human body: hunger, fatigue, pain, yes, even death. He walked in our world and lived in it. He never grumbled about his lot or mission in life. He defeated every temptation and lived a perfect life. He did it all for us, for you. Are you trying to meet some kind of standard so God will accept you or keep you as his own? Give it up! You can t do it; Jesus already did it for you. He came from heaven and as the Son of Man lived, died, and rose again for you. The Messiah, the Son of Man, has come. Get out of the spiritual rat race and be in the grace of God through the Son of Man, Jesus. Son of Man, forgive me when I think I can live a life good enough to become your child. Keep me in you. Amen.

14 4 My Father (Luke 2:49) How aware were you of life s complexities at age 12? I was in seventh grade. Quite honestly, I wasn t too aware of anything outstanding. How about you? Only one incident is recorded in Scripture about Jesus from baby to preacher. It contains the first recorded words of the Messiah. Jesus, Joseph, and Mary had traveled to Jerusalem for the yearly Passover Feast. After the joyous celebration, Mary and Joseph, along with relatives and friends, started back to Nazareth. Later, Joseph and Mary realized Jesus wasn t with them. Frantic, they returned to Jerusalem to search. Eventually they found him in the temple. He was listening to Bible scholars and asking questions. In answer to Mary s question of why, Jesus said, Didn t you know I had to be in my Father s house? (Luke 2:49). In my Father s house already at age 12, Jesus was aware of his identity. Twenty-one years later, during the Passover celebration, Jesus said, In my Father s house are many rooms.... I am going there (John 14:2). Nine verses later he said, Believe me when I say that I am in the Father and the Father is in me (verse 11). Over a period of at least 21 years, Jesus made the claim that God was his Father. Some thought he was insane to make that outlandish statement. Some thought he was possessed by a demon. Some were puzzled. Others were led to believe. We reflect on the Messiah s words. We consider his miracles as signs from the Father, authenticating his claim and teaching. We ponder the prophecies fulfilled. Greatest of all, we try to comprehend his resurrection and the ascension to heaven. Make no mistake; he is the Messiah sent by his Father. Lord, thank you for giving me so much evidence that Jesus and the Father are one. Amen.

15 5 Lost Are Saved (Luke 19:10) We hear a news report. A child or a family is missing in the mountains out west. A massive and intensive search is organized. Most lost people realize they are in trouble. But people who are spiritually lost don t always realize how lost their condition before God really is. For those living in the cesspool of sin, being lost is normal and natural. In our world, living for the here and now is typical. We are surrounded by selfish attitudes. It s easy to believe that we re better than others and that God will surely give us some credit for the good we ve done in our lives. But we too are lost from God. Born with a sinful nature, we are not naturally connected to him. No one can survive in the spiritual wilderness to find his or her way back to God. Every human being is in the same lost condition. The Messiah s mission is captured in the words spoken to a lost man named Zacchaeus. Jesus the Messiah said, The Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost (Luke 19:10). He entered the world to save the lost. The guilt of all our wrongs was placed on him. He accomplished the perfection that was so obviously missing in our lives. He came to restore people to a spiritual relationship with the Father. The Messiah s mission was to save the lost. No matter how badly you have messed up your life Jesus came to save the lost. No matter how long you have lived without God Jesus came for the lost. No matter how guilty you may feel and be Jesus came for the lost. The Messiah s mission was to save you. Messiah, without you I am lost. Thank you for finding me, saving me, and bringing me to faith. Amen.