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Tuesday, May 29, 2012

Free Gifts Are Awesome: Motorcycles and Salvation

So in case you haven’t yet heard, last week I won a Harley Davidson motorcycle in a raffle drawing. Read that again: I won a Harley Davidson motorcycle! On a ticket that I didn’t even buy. Talk about some unbelievable news! This sounds too good to be true. And if it turns out I’m dreaming, don’t wake me up.

When Bo Collins called from Tallula and told me I had won, my first reaction was to think this was some kind of prank. I’ve often joked around with others about wanting to have a Harley, and the conversation has even made its way into Sunday morning sermon material occasionally. But never did I actually plan on getting a motorcycle. At least not anytime soon. I thought somebody was pulling a good one on me.

But when he invited me to come on over and see for myself, well, it was worth the effort even if I was being set up. Then when I got there the crew insisted I go ahead and sit on it, start it up and take it for a spin. Nobody in their right mind would let me ride their bike if this were not for real. Although, it wasn’t until Bo handed me the title that it truly sank in that I was now the owner of a Harley Davidson motorcycle.



It’s not a brand new Harley, and it’s not a Super Glide Custom or a Heritage Softail Classic. Maybe some day. It’s a used 1988 Sportster 883. But, man, if somebody’s going to give you a bike, believe me, you take it and you’re thrilled!

But there’s better news than that! I didn’t deserve the gift of a motorcycle, and somebody else paid the price for it. Nor do I deserve the gift of eternal life, and somebody else paid the price for that, too. Only the gift of eternal life is one that will last forever and ever. Someday that bike is going to quit working, rust out, get stolen or crashed. But the gift of salvation will never quit, never fail, never disappear and never disappoint. There’s no greater gift than the salvation God offers in Christ Jesus the Lord.

See, I was a sinner, by nature and by choice, like everyone else. I don’t deserve heaven, and neither do you. We’ve all sinned against the holiness of God, whether a little or a lot. There is no one righteous, not even one! And the Bible clearly says that “the wages of sin is death” (Romans 6:23a). That’s what we all really deserve: death!

But thank God that He made a way for us to be saved from death, and saved to everlasting life! He displayed the greatness of His love for us in that “even while we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8). Jesus lived the perfect, sinless life that we never could, and His blood shed on the cross became the only way in which our sins could be forgiven and our hearts made perfectly clean. He paid the price for us.

Yes, the wages of sin is death, “but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord” (Romans 6:23b). Talk about unbelievable news! Maybe you think that’s too good to be true, but isn’t it worth finding out? If I had not believed Bo when he called, I would not be the owner of a Harley today. And, friend, if you don’t believe in Jesus as the Son of God, then you’re not the owner of eternal life, either.

The gift is offered freely, “for everyone who calls upon the name of the Lord will be saved” (Romans 10:13). Jesus is handing you the title to eternal life! The question is: will you believe Him and receive Him as Savior and Lord? Will you call upon Jesus today and be saved from death to life? Not even the thrill of riding a motorcycle holds a candle to the thrill of living everyday in the power and strength of Christ Jesus.

On a final note, I’m looking forward to seeing you at the First Baptist Church’s block party this Friday evening from 5-8. Let me personally invite you to come and bring the whole family for free food and games, fun activities, live music, a cakewalk and a whole lot more. Should be a great night for a community get-together!

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