What price did Jesus Christ pay for the free gifts He offers you and me?

Some of the free gifts Jesus Christ offers you and me include:

Salvation = freedom from the penalty of sin; freedom from the pattern and habit of sin; and someday freedom from the very presence of sin

Justification = standing before God just as if we had not sinned

Reconciliation = made compatible to God

Redemption = bought back from slavery to our sin nature with faults and shortcomings offset

Propitiation = completely satisfied conciliation with all distrust and hostility gone and given   favor with God

Regeneration = revived; renewed; restored; made over especially in a better form

Sanctification = consecrated and set apart; rendered legitimate; made productive

Translation = changed in form, condition, nature and position; moved from the power of darkness into the kingdom of Jesus Christ

Kingdom = realm or sphere of independent control; the domain over which the spiritual sovereignty of Jesus Christ extends, whether in heaven or on earth.

What are the physical costs Jesus Christ paid for your free gifts?

He was accused – Matthew 27

¹²And when he was accused of the chief priests and elders, he answered nothing.

He was ridiculed and mocked

Matthew 27:

²⁷Then the soldiers of the governor took Jesus into the common hall, and gathered unto him the whole band of soldiers.

²⁸And they stripped him, and put on him a scarlet robe.

²⁹And when they had platted a crown of thorns, they put it upon his head, and a reed in his right hand: and they bowed the knee before him, and mocked him, saying, Hail, King of the Jews!

³⁰And they spit upon him, and took the reed, and smote him on the head.

³¹And after that they had mocked him, they took the robe off from him, and put his own raiment on him, and led him away to crucify him.

Matthew 27:

³⁵And they crucified him, and parted his garments, casting lots: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, They parted my garments among them, and upon my vesture did they cast lots.

³⁶And sitting down they watched him there;

Mark 15:

³¹Likewise also the chief priests mocking said among themselves with the scribes, He saved others; himself he cannot save.

32Let Christ the King of Israel descend now from the cross, that we may see and believe. And they that were crucified with him reviled him.

Luke 23:

³⁵And the people stood beholding. And the rulers also with them derided him, saying, He saved others; let him save himself, if he be Christ, the chosen of God.

³⁶And the soldiers also mocked him, coming to him, and offering him vinegar,

³⁷And saying, If thou be the king of the Jews, save thyself.

He was scourged

Matthew 27:

²⁶Then released he Barabbas unto them: and when he had scourged Jesus, he delivered him to be crucified.

Mark 15:

¹⁵And so Pilate, willing to content the people, released Barabbas unto them, and delivered Jesus, when he had scourged him, to be crucified.

¹⁶And the soldiers led him away into the hall, called Praetorium; and they call together the whole band.

¹⁷And they clothed him with purple, and platted a crown of thorns, and put it about his head,

¹⁸And began to salute him, Hail, King of the Jews!

¹⁹And they smote him on the head with a reed, and did spit upon him, and bowing their knees worshipped him.

²⁰And when they had mocked him, they took off the purple from him, and put his own clothes on him, and led him out to crucify him.

John 19:

¹Then Pilate therefore took Jesus, and scourged him.

He was crucified

Matthew 27:

^31And after that they had mocked him, they took the robe off from him, and put his own raiment on him, and led him away to crucify him.

Mark 15:

²⁰And when they had mocked him, they took off the purple from him, and put his own clothes on him, and led him out to crucify him.

Luke 23”

³³And when they were come to the place, which is called Calvary, there they crucified him, and the malefactors, one on the right hand, and the other on the left.

John 19:

¹⁵But they cried out, Away with him, away with him, crucify him. Pilate saith unto them, Shall I crucify your King? The chief priests answered, We have no king but Caesar.

¹⁶Then delivered he him therefore unto them to be crucified. And they took Jesus, and led him away.

He bled

Luke 22:

⁴¹And he was withdrawn from them about a stone’s cast, and kneeled down, and prayed,

⁴²Saying, Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done.

⁴³And there appeared an angel unto him from heaven, strengthening him.

⁴⁴And being in an agony he prayed more earnestly: and his sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground.

John 19:

³²Then came the soldiers, and brake the legs of the first, and of the other which was crucified with him.

³³But when they came to Jesus, and saw that he was dead already, they brake not his legs:

³⁴But one of the soldiers with a spear pierced his side, and forthwith came there out blood and water.

He was thirsty – John 19:

²⁸After this, Jesus knowing that all things were now accomplished, that the scripture might be fulfilled, saith, I thirst.

What are the Emotional costs Jesus paid for your free gifts?

Jesus felt compassion – John 19:

²⁶When Jesus therefore saw his mother, and the disciple standing by, whom he loved, he saith unto his mother,Woman, behold thy son!

²⁷Then saith he to the disciple, Behold thy mother! And from that hour that disciple took her unto his own home.

Jesus felt forgiveness – Luke 23:

³⁴Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do. And they parted his raiment, and cast lots.

Jesus felt forsaken by God –Matthew 27:

⁴6And about the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani? that is to say, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?

Questions for reflection

• What do these free gifts mean to you?
• What does the cost Jesus Christ paid for your free gifts mean to you?
• How does this information impact your Christmas celebration?

Wounded for me – William Ovens

Wounded for me, wounded for me, There on the cross He was wounded for me;
Gone my transgressions, and now I am free, All because Jesus was wounded for me.

Dying for me, dying for me, There on the cross He was dying for me;
Now in His death my redemption I see, All because Jesus was dying for me.

Risen for me, risen for me, Up from the grave He has risen for me;
Now evermore from death’s sting I am free, All because Jesus has risen for me.

Living for me, living for me, Up in the skies He is living for me;
Daily He’s pleading and praying for me, All because Jesus is living for me.

Coming for me, coming for me, One day to earth He is coming for me;
Then with what joy His dear face I shall see, Oh, how I praise Him—He’s coming for me!

Hebrews 12:¹ Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,

² Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God

Dearly Beloved,

Run with your eyes on Jesus alone!

Run in faith that Jesus loves you with an everlasting, unconditional love; has uniquely designed and created only one you; has a good plan for your life; runs with you; and will accomplish His purposes for you and through you!

Run in His strength alone!

Run with your eyes on the prize!

Run with your focus on His mission: to conform you to the image of Jesus Christ!

Run with the desire to finish strong!

Run with the desire to finish with your lamp burning!

Run with the expectation of being in His physical presence when you cross your finish line!

Run to His glory alone!

Run and keep on running!

Coach Patti