Message in a Bottle

Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God. Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us. For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. For one will scarcely die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die—but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Since, therefore, we have now been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God. For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life. More than that, we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation. (Romans 5:1-11 ESV). It took about a year for Marissa Risman, age 9, to send a letter from Massachusetts to France. But don't blame the post office: the letter went 3,000 miles by sea! Last year Marissa and her third-grade classmates wrote letters that were put in bottles and thrown into the Atlantic Ocean. Marissa's bottle washed up on the French coast in February. A couple found it and gave it to the local school children. They wrote to Marissa, asking her to write back: "We are very excited to know you better." Says Marissa: "I forgot I even sent the letter!" God sent you such a message many centuries ago. The difference is that He hasn’t forgotten that it was sent. You’ve heard the saying “It's the thought that counts.” The Cross Company has turned that into their slogan: "It's Still the Thought That Counts. It's Just That Some Count More Than Others." In eternity past God thought of us. Indeed, He prepared for the temptation and fall of man. His only Son was marked out to be the Lamb of God. His sacrifice makes it possible for us to enjoy life instead of suffering death. Many people have difficulty with the concept of grace. After hearing the gospel explained, people often say, "you mean there's nothing I can do to deserve it? That's too easy." It seems natural for people to object to the idea that God's unmerited favor can be given so freely to unworthy sinners. Many find it difficult to trust a God who offers salvation as a free gift. Bible teacher G. Campbell Morgan told of a coal miner who came to him and said, "I would give anything to believe that God would forgive my sins, but I cannot believe that He will forgive them if I just ask Him. It is too cheap." Morgan said, "My dear friend, have you been working today?" "Yes, I was down in the mine." "How did you get out of the pit? Did you pay?" "Of course not. I just got into to cage and was pulled to the top." "Were you not afraid to entrust yourself to that cage? Was it not too cheap?" Morgan asked. "Oh no," said the miner, "it was cheap for me, but it cost the company a lot of money to sink the shaft." Suddenly the truth struck him. What had not cost him anything, salvation, had not come cheap to God. This miner had never thought of the great price that God paid to send His Son so He could rescue fallen humanity. Now he realized that all anyone had to do was to "get into the cage" by faith. That’s the message sent to you centuries ago. It is not “love in a bottle,” but love on a Cross! Read His message and believe it today!