Too Good to be True.

Some years ago, the Browning’s returned home to their rural property late one afternoon to find their 20 litre petrol tin in the middle of their garage and a note attached to it that said, “I was stranded and took the liberty of using the petrol tin in your garage, but I am not ungrateful! I refilled the tin and returned it. Here is $30 for a dinner for two, plus tickets to the big game tomorrow night as a token of my appreciation thank you for your help.”

Colin looked at his wife in disbelief, “Lynn, isn’t that incredible? I guess the saying you don’t get something for nothing in this life is wrong after all… this is too good to be true!”

Both could not remember a more delightful evening together. As Colin helped Lynn out of the car, she agreed it had been great and how great and kind their thoughtful benefactor had been.

Moments later as they opened the door to their home their mouths dropped. Everything in the house had vanished. When they explained it all to the policeman, they were told they had been done over by a professional thief. Their sudden fortune indeed was too good to be true because things that seem too good usually are. In 2022 Australians were scammed out of $3.1 billion.

The gospel is about the only thing that seems too good to be true, a gift with no hidden traps. Eternal life, A place in the earth made new, without the curse of sin. No more death, dying, sickness or suffering.

How often the devil offers us the world, but he does not explain the ultimate cost in tears, sorrow and even death. He is the world’s best liar. He offers us a ”free night out” sending us on missions other than our calling. He keeps us from a deep spiritual commitment and strips us of assurance.

If I asked you, “How could you achieve spiritual revival?” You would most likely produce a list of works that would include more Bible study, prayer, fellowship with other believers, witnessing, involvement in church programs, and so on. But let me tell you spiritual revival does not come by producing a list of works. We upturn the process because the “list” is the result of something else.

It is like when the Bible says we are to love everyone, but we cannot do that unless something else has happened. You cannot force yourself to love. You can’t just go out into the world and try and love everyone. This love springs forth spontaneously when Christ is in the heart, but neither can you will Christ into your heart. Christ only comes into the heart as we behold him. If you want to get air out of a bottle you must fill it with water. If you want to get darkness out of a room you have to fill it with light, if you want to get the world out of the heart you must fill it with Christ. It is only as we contemplate Calvary that God can motivate us. God has no other resource because all heaven was poured out there.

You don’t have to be literate or educated to contemplate Calvary.  God’s cross on dead man’s hill, enshrouded in darkness, its vertical beam stabbing the convulsing earth. Lightning flashes the message of God’s wrath. The earth winces and quakes under the impact. God proves that He despises sin. Every sin, however small, is offensive to Him.

The Cross proves that God is unswervingly just and impartially righteous toward all men. The Cross for all eternity proves the immensity of God’s love for you to whom the offer of salvation is made. But it also proves the severity of His justice upon the unrepentant.

This is the message of the cross; love and justice are met together peace and truth have kissed each other. This is the one place where it all stands out clearly. No where is it more movingly seen that God can clear the guilty than at the cross, where He laid all our sin upon His own son. At the cross we see God’s grievous wrath and His desire for your salvation.

We can never achieve anything in this life until we stand at the foot of the cross and look full into the face of Jesus and thereby the heart of God. Multiplying lists does not produce spirituality. Only when we look into His face will the things of this world grow strangely dim in the light of His glory and grace. This is our greatest need – to know Him and Jesus Christ whom He has sent.

Contemplate the intent of these scriptures: Rom 2:4 “the goodness of God….” John 12:2 “If I be lifted up….” Joel 2:13 “Rend your hearts not your garments….” If you were to every day spend a thoughtful time contemplating the life of Jesus and especially the closing scenes, the “list” would flow naturally.