That He Gave His Only Son – Text Version

Who am I? What is the purpose of my life? Many go through life unfulfilled, unfocused, searching − a blank canvas waiting for a picture of purpose to be painted on us. What does it all mean? It was once said that there was a God-shaped blank in all of us, and we look for many things to fill this: friends, fashion, false faith, fornication and the façade of drug-induced fantasies, but follow me. Follow me to the edge of an abyss where deep down inside we all know something’s missing. See, from the moment God spoke time into existence and shaped us with His own hands in His own image, His plan was for man and Him to be one, Creator and creation communing together in beautiful harmony. Sounds perfect, right? So what happened? Sin. We’re sinners by nature. Sin opened this void. Sin drove us away from our Friend. Sins separated us from Him, and for many centuries since, we as human beings have attempted to bridge this ever widening gap with philosophies and religion, wealth and so-called moral decisions, but the divisions became more instilled − that God-shaped hole in our heart still unfilled and mankind seemed doomed, until: “For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord, and ye shall find the baby wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.” Oh, but this wasn’t no ordinary baby. See, He grew into a boy, then a man, then a preacher, leading a multitude of people with radical and really off-the-wall teachings like, “Love your enemies.” “Bless those that curse you.” “Turn the other cheek.”He’s the greatest teacher that ever was. But this was no ordinary preacher. See, the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ, so for our sins, He had to pay the price.

They put nails in His hands. Betrayed and denied, they hung Him high and stretched Him wide on a cross for you and I and over 2,000 years ago.

A spike through His side. The Son of God, our Lamb slain before the world began, died one of the most agonising physical deaths that a person can suffer.

They buried Him in the tomb of a friend, and for three days, His mother cried. And for three days, His disciples ran. But thanks be to the Most High, that’s not how the story ends because three glorious days later, Jesus rose from the dead again. Oh, but this just wasn’t any ordinary sacrifice because He became the way, the truth and the life, and we now have a way through the Father through Him. Through the cross, we’re now able to get across that great divide caused by sin, separating us from Him, and He’s calling us, but we’ve got to come. See, the choice is still ours, but He has provided all the love. “For God so loved the world that He gave His only Son,” and if we only believe that Jesus Christ paid this price …

Jesus Christ said, “You shall know the truth.”

No more separation, no more fear of death, no more holes in our heart. We can now have eternal life.

You see, God gave man a choice. You either accept it or reject it.