God’s Love Story

Most people love a good love story. You know the good, not to corny, love story. "The Christmas Shoes" is a good example. But the love story I am going to share is better than any other love story ever shared. This love story involves you and me and the very God who created us.

The day that He made us was the day that He fell in love with us. Like any boy fighting for the attention of the one he has fallen in love with, God knew everything about us. But unlike the boy next door, God knew because He made us and fell in love with us. Matthew 10:30 says, "But the very hairs of your head are all numbered." Again, unlike the boy next door, God is a gentleman. He does not go demandingly into relationships. He goes in with respect, desiring your love in return because that is true love between a creator and the created. His standards are high. To high for the human to reach on their own. The day He made us was the day He fell in love with us. After He made us, He stepped back, and looking at the master piece He had created, knowing that one day we would reject Him, and said, "Indeed, it was very good."

On the day that we discarded His love and displays of affection for that of sin and death, was the day that He came up for the plan to rescue us. He refused to stand idly by and watch us swimming in sin and death. He loved us to much for that. We were slaves. We sold ourselves so cheaply. We fooled ourselves into thinking sin was the better deal and would give us everything we could want. Sin promised us everything, but in reality God had already given us everything. There was nothing left to promise. While it hurt that we had denied Him, it hurt Him even more knowing that the road that lied in front of us would involve death; something we would never had to have known about had we followed His ideal plan. But with the amazing and awesome God that He is, He took our short comings and sin and made it into a master piece for His glory. He knew our state better than even we knew ourselves. He went to great lengths to rescue us. He was our knight in shining armor, my Tarzan, swooping into the save the day. He purchased us back, Redemption, with His son's blood that was spilt at the hands of the very sinners He was saving. His gift was better than any ring, present, kiss, or hug. He saved the day, He saved our lives. Really and truly, He saved our lives. Not just for the day, but for forever.
He wrote us love letters, The Bible. All we have to do is say YES. Yes I am a sinner. I chose sin. You came to my rescue. You are perfect. You are the only one who can save me from eternal death. Only you can give me eternal life. It is a gift that I have to accept. All of the things that I have ever done or ever will do that were wrong were taken care of on the cross. All I have to do is say yes. It does not matter who we are, who we were, where we are, or where we have been. He takes us where we are and makes us new. 1 Corinthians 5:17 says, "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new." He loves us. Someday very soon He is coming again to take away His bride. Revelation 19:7 says, "Let us be glad and rejoice and give Him glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and His wife has made herself ready."

Why was it Necessary?

After the resurrection of Jesus, He was specific with the people that He met with and talked with. He focused a lot on His disciples. It was very important that they meet and talk with Him. He had a plan for them. To Peter specifically, He showed that He wanted Peter. Peter was forgiven after Peter had denied Jesus at His trial. Jesus, talking to Peter, said, "Follow me." God had plan for the world to hear the story of His Life, Death, and Resurrection. He had saved the world, but what good was it if no one knew and therefore, no one would choose Him. From when Jesus ascended into heaven until He would return would be the Church age, and His disciples would be the leaders in the beginning of the church age and their legacy would be known for the rest of time by their writings. It was vital that they see the risen Savior. Jesus told them that they were to be His witnesses.

"Then He said to them, thus it is written. And thus it was necessary for the Christ to suffer

And to rise from the dead the third day, and that repentance and remission of sins should

be preached in His name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. And you are my witnesses

of these things."- Luke 24:46-48

The resurrection was not hearsay. It was real and it mattered. Their lives were changed after meeting Jesus and many following lives would forever be changed, because Jesus was more than a perfect man. HE WAS THE SAVIOR OF THE WORLD. Jesus commanded them to go out into the world. Action from them was demanded. Acts 1:8 says, "But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth."

It was a personal experience, therefore, it lead to a personal and heartfelt message and mission.

"Men and brethren let me speak freely to you of the patriarch David that he is both dead and buried, and his tomb is with us to this day. Therefore, let all the house of Israel know assuredly that God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ. Now when they heard this, they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, 'Men and brethren, what shall we do?' Then Peter said to them, 'Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission for sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit." – Acts 2:29, 36-39

They had a personal experience with Jesus. And that experience lead to lives that were changed and are continuing to be changed. Others saw the difference.

"Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were uneducated and untrained men, they marveled and they realized that they had been with Jesus"- Acts 4:13

The disciples meeting with the resurrected Christ was essential.