Transformed – teen devotion – March 1, 2020
So then, just as sin entered the world through one man and death through sin, so also death spread to all people because all sinned. But the gracious gift is not like Adam’s trespass. For if the many died by the trespass of this one man, it is even more certain that God’s grace, and the gift given by the grace of the one man Jesus Christ, overflowed to the many!
Romans 5:12,15
Death and life
Whenever you prepare for an event, you will get so much more out of it. Let me illustrate. On the one hand, there’s the person with no Star Wars background going to see the newest Star Wars movie. They saw it and thought, “Meh, it had some good action scenes, it was ok.” On the other hand, there’s the person who watched all eight previous Star Wars movies. As they watched the final movie, they laughed, cried, cheered, and departed with a feeling of satisfaction. Why? Preparing to watch the movie allowed the person to enjoy it much more.
During the season of Lent (the six weeks before Easter), we take the opportunity to prepare ourselves for Holy Week. Don’t miss out. We prepare ourselves, so that when Good Friday and Easter Sunday come (the days we remember the death and resurrection of Jesus), we will better appreciate all that God has done for us. Why? Because the story of his death and life intersects our life and death.
Imagine taking a class in which failure was a guarantee. No matter what you did or how well you did in that class you fail. This is the story of our sin and death. Because Adam sinned, all people sinned—you sinned! Since all people are sinful, then all people are doomed to hell and eternal death.
Now imagine taking a class in which you were guaranteed an A+. Wrong answers wouldn’t matter because you would get an A+ in the end. Even though you are a sinner, you don’t have to be scared to die in hell. God has freely given you the gift of eternal life in through the death of Jesus. Why? Because the God of Lent and Easter LOVES you.
As you get ready for Easter and to celebrate the resurrection of Jesus from the dead, spend the time of Lent remembering the life and death of Jesus. It’s a story of God loving you. It will give you much more joy in your celebration.
Prayer: Lord Jesus, help us to focus our hearts on you as we prepared ourselves for Holy Week. Show us the depth of your love for us and the impact it has on our lives. In your name we pray. Amen.
