Jesus – the Sinners’ Savior

God lives and works today, and of all the miracles that He performs today, the greatest miracle is that He changes lives. Have you ever longed to be able to start over again, to make a new beginning in life with a clean slate? Today's program by Basilea Schlink shares how we can really experience a new life and a joy that lasts forever. What an urge for repentance must have seized the people in Jesus' day.

From all over Judea they came in droves to be baptized. And where did they come? Into the scorching heat of the wilderness, the tropical Jordan Valley. Their willingness to come all this way showed the sincerity of their desire for repentance.

The hearts of the people who gathered there cried out for the forgiveness of sins. Could it be otherwise, that Jesus too should come to the Jordan before beginning His ministry? For He had come to make sinners whole. So He belonged with these people, the Savior with the sinners.

Surely, He must have rejoiced to find that John had prepared the way. Here were crowds assembled who not only confessed their sins, but asked, what shall we do to be saved? And so Jesus stood at the Jordan, on the side of the sinners. He came with such humility that He, the pure and sinless One, allowed Himself to be baptized in the Jordan River.

Here truly could be seen the Lamb of God, who a few years later was to hang on the cross, made sin for our salvation. Only because the Lamb of God let Himself be baptized for the sins of His children, could the waters of the Jordan wash away sin. This was a foreshadowing of Jesus' finished redemption.

The homeward journey of the crowds must have been a happy one, for their sins had been forgiven. The heat and difficulty of the way would be even less felt than when they came. Their hearts were intent on performing only one thing, the next step they had been told to take in order to seal their forgiveness.

This step was to turn away from their old sinful ways, to repent. Today Jesus is standing in our midst. He is waiting for those who will thank Him for taking away their sins, and who will ask, What can we do? How can we praise You with our new life? Jesus has made repentance the gateway to heaven.

Where souls repent, they will already taste heaven here on earth, the kingdom of joy and peace and love. And then they can cause the kingdom of heaven to shine forth in this dark world. What a joyous message, the kingdom of heaven is at hand.

Whoever receives Jesus with a repentant heart will also receive the kingdom of heaven, and something of the peace and love of that kingdom will radiate from his life. You have been listening to a program written by Basilea Schlink of the Little Land of Canaan. To learn more about how God lives and works today, visit us at our website, www.canaan.org. If you contact us, we would be happy to send you a free inspirational booklet.

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