For by grace you have been
saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not
a result of works, so that no one may boast. Ephesians 2:8-9
Here's a story that was supposed to have taken place
in the early 1900s. It may serve as a good reminder of our need for the Savior.
The story tells of a man who had worked hard all his
life. The earning of a fortune had not stopped him from being a good husband,
father, employer and friend. He had given generously to charities and treated
all men fairly.
Living that kind of good life, as you might imagine,
had been most wearying.
That's why one day the man woke up, looked in the
mirror and decided it's time for a vacation. "I've earned it," he said. A trip
to America seemed like just the ticket. Two days later he was standing in the
shadow of an ocean liner ready to make the crossing to New York. As he waited in
line to board the ship, he felt good about the past and what he felt would be
his future.
In short he was more than ready to take that trip his
many selfless acts had earned.
At the foot of the gangway, the cruise company's
representative asked if he had a ticket. The man replied, he had no ticket,
indeed, he felt no need of a ticket. The representative informed him that
without a ticket he couldn't go on board.
That was when the man reviewed his impressive and
lengthy list of good works. He summed up his feelings by finally declaring, "I
am sailing on this ship. I've earned my vacation."
The representative summed up the cruise line's
position with the words, "No ticket. No travel. You may have been good, but
nobody's goodness will let them take this trip."
This, of course, is the point St. Paul was trying to
make to the church in Ephesus.
He wanted believers in every generation to know that
if you're trying to get into heaven through your own accomplishments, you're not
going to make it. No matter how big, how impressive, how dedicated you've been,
you're not going to make it -- not on your own power.
Seeing our helpless condition, the Lord Jesus was born
into this world to take our place. As our Substitute, He would have to live a
perfect life by fulfilling all the Commandments all the time; He would have to
resist Satan's temptations all the time; He would have to carry our sins with
Him to the cross and die the death we had coming.
That Jesus did everything that was necessary is an
example of love beyond understanding. All we can do with God's grace is say,
"Thank You!"
THE PRAYER: Dear Lord, Heavenly Father, today I give
thanks You continued to love me even as You despised my sin. For having sent
Your Son into this world as my Substitute, I praise and give thanks. May I
always remember I am saved by His works and not mine. In the Name of my
Substitute, Jesus, I pray it. Amen.
Pastor Ken Klaus
Lutheran Hour Ministries
http://www.lhm.org/
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