For YOU By Rev. Christopher Esget
“God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.” +INJ+ For you, God made the world. Because of you, it is a sewer. For you, God gave parents. Because of you, they have wept. For you, God made a body. But you have done corrupt things with it. For you, God made a mouth. But you have used it to speak lies, gossip, and words that tear down but do not build up. For you, God made ears. But you have paid more heed to pop culture than the Word of God. So because of you, people have been hurt. Because of you, teachers have been angry. Because of you, angels have mourned. Because of you, demons rejoiced. Against you are arrayed those demons.They desire to have you, to bring you to their hellish, never-ending death. Against you is the world, beckoning you to follow the broad path leading to destruction. Against you is your own flesh, urging you to give in to temptation.
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But rejoice, O children of God! Rejoice and sing, for God gave His only-begotten Son for you! For you, “the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men” (Titus 2:11). For you, God became a child, that you might no more be children of Adam but children of God! For you, God fulfilled His ancient promise. For you, God kept His Word. For you, the Word became flesh. To you, who have not done works of righteousness, the Righteous One comes. To you, who could not draw near, God draws near. For you, God sentenced His Son to death. For you, the Son died to set you free. For you, He gave the washing of regeneration—the Sacrament of Baptism. To you this day is delivered the invitation:“[Let us] draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water” (Hebrews 10:22). You, born of blood and the will of the flesh and the will of man, He makes to be reborn of God (John 1:13).
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