Law to Grace. 
Religion to Relationship.

JESUS WILL TAKE YOU JUST AS YOU ARE, NO MATTER WHAT YOU HAVE DONE…RELIGION WON’T. 

One cannot be reconciled to the Creator by ones own works or understanding. God has provided a way and that way is Jesus Christ, God manifest in the flesh.
He became flesh to shed His Royal Blood for the payment of sin. He traded His perfect sinless life for yours.
Mankind is redeemed, reconciled, justified, glorified and sanctified, by His blood. Once and for all, never to be repeated, not by religion.
He finds us. We have not the capacity as humans to reach into divinity.
Religion doesn’t work! We failed at it and continue to fail today.
God gave us standards so high we couldn’t meet them to show us our need for grace- the need for a Savior.
Hear His voice while you can and turn to Him.
He will do the rest.
Jesus worked… so you wouldn’t have to.

If you only have a few minutes, this sums up the following message. Read the entire message for a deeper understanding and explanation to include scripture.

He was four years old and loved everything about life, especially the visits to the beach house. This July day represented “peak” season at the beach,  with an estimated one hundred thousand people occupying the shoreline. He was chasing the waves out, and would then run from them as fast as his legs would carry him; all under the watchful eyes of his entire family to include Mimi and Pappy. Beach Real Estate was at a premium that day due to the crowds, so the family was quite far back. Dad, stationed at waters edge watched as the little man ran to Mom on the blanket. 

It took only a few seconds… he was lost, nowhere in sight! Immediately, they began frantically calling his name. Mom and big sister went north, Dad east, Mimi to the lifeguard, as Pappy headed south. After what seemed like an eternity, (maybe 15 minutes) Pappy spotted him approximately 100 yards down the beach, wandering evermore southward in bewilderment. When he heard his name frantically being yelled, he turned, and his look of terror at being lost, changed to relief. He began to run to that familiar old man waiting with open arms. The old man was elated to find him, took his little hand and walked him back. Nobody hit him over the head and told him how bad he was! 

He was lost… and found. 

I suspect most, if not all, have been on either end of “lost and found” at some point in life and have their own story. 

As I reflect on this event, I see the history of mankind with a loving heavenly Father played out.  Once again, God uses the visible things of the world to show us the invisible – The physical to show us the Spiritual. [20] For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse: (Romans 1:20 KJV)
There is nothing in time and space more precious to God than the lost…and found. 
He will is that none should perish. (2 Peter 3: 9)

Nothing in life is more devastating than the loss of a child. We lose rings, watches and all kinds of things but nothing compares to the loss of a child. 

God lost His children. 
[17] But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die. Genesis 2:17 KJV

God lost His children and His children lost paradise; they lost their standing and their state. They lost eternal life, their God life. These first humans became mortal, lost as lost can get!

The Hebrew word for lost “abedah”,  carries the meaning of death and destruction, separated, as in Hades (#9 Strongs Concordance). In the context of lost children the Hebrew word is “shakkuwl” and is bereavement, barren, robbed, whelp, as for a lost child ( #7621
Strongs Concordance). 

The different words indicate that the lost penny is different than a lost child. A penny knows not when it is lost, a child knows. 

Lost has many connotations. For the purpose of this writing, lost is cut off,  as one that is dead. One can be saved and get off on a wrong road, heading in the wrong direction, lose ones way without being cut off or dead. We do it every day. 
The first two children of God knew they were lost – naked and afraid. God calls them. “Where are you?” (Genesis 3:9)
He knew where they were.  He couldn’t look upon their sin with their feeble attempt at covering it with leaves. He covered them with skins from an innocent animal, (Genesis 3:21) blood shed to cover sin…temporarily. 

They had sinned. (missing God’s mark)They were separated from Him, lost. God loved them so much that He found them and covered their nakedness. Do you see any religion here? The covering was that of an innocent animal, a foreshadowing of the “Passover Lamb” and of our blessed Savior, God the Son, the Word that became flesh – Jesus the Christ, the perfect Lamb that would “take away” the sin of the world. Not cover, take away. A story that would end at the cross, and begin at resurrection; the dividing line of human history, never to be repeated.  “When I see the blood, I will pass over” (Exodus 12:21-23, the Passover story). 

[29] The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world. John 1:29 KJV

There is a great contrast in the first children in Exodus who were hiding “from” God to now rescued souls hiding “in” God after the Cross – Lost and found. 
[3] For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God. (Colossians 3:3 KJV)

How? The blood. 

Sin had been covered in all of history until the coming of Christ. With Christ, sin was taken away. 

There had been a death, the first of its kind. Only life can conquer death and life is in the blood. [11] For the life of the flesh is in the blood: and I have given it to you upon the altar to make an atonement for your souls: for it is the blood that maketh an atonement for the soul. Leviticus 17:11 KJV

In the case of the first Adam, and all that came after, God would continue this temporary covering through the ages in different ways to those who were obedient to His word. It was always temporary and a shadow of many “types” of what was to come.  

In the case of the second Adam, our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, the sin of the world was taken away. Only His perfect royal blood shed at Calvary could have been presented on Heaven’s alter to satisfy the payment for man’s sin, once and for all. 

You see, we all inherited that same death from Adam; God can not look upon our sin either, without the washing away of our sin by the precious blood of Christ. God sees the believer now as He sees Christ. By Faith, you died with Him, were buried with Him and now raised with Him! You say How? God can make a universe just by His Word, He can bring you from death to life. It’s what He has put into place. Can you or the Pope make a universe?[3] Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? [4] Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. [5] For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection: Romans 6:3-5 KJV

No water here folks, no religion. You get the ring but didn’t play in the game. 

God Himself, became flesh in the person of Jesus Christ, so this perfect blood (blood that had not mingled with a human) could be offered. The flesh was that of Adam through the mother, taking on the sin of the world, and sacrificed unto death on the cross. 
Oh, but the blood! The blood was not of a human, but provided by the Holy Spirit. Eternal, incorruptible, life giving blood. Not human life, but God life!
……………………………………………………………..

Please allow me to digress for a moment and share a few explanations of “Royal Blood”. 

“The fetal  blood in the vessels of the chorionic villae AT NO TIME GAINS ACCESS TO THE MATERNAL BLOOD in the intervillous spaces, BEING SEPARATED FROM ONE ANOTHER by the double layer of chorionic epithelium.”

Williams’ Practice of Obstetrics, Third Edition, page 133: 

“How wonderfully God prepared for the virgin birth of His Son. When He created woman He made her so that no blood would be able to pass from her to her offspring. In order to produce a sinless man who would yet be the son of Adam, God provided a way whereby that man would have a human body derived from Adam but have blood from a separate source.“
M. R. DeHaan, The Chemistry of the Blood. …………………………………………………………….

Is it not amazing to think that the very first woman was created this way to accomplish this Divine birth at a perfect date later in time?
[12] Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us. [13] For if the blood of bulls and of goats, and the ashes of an heifer sprinkling the unclean, sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh: [14] How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God? Hebrews 9:12-14 KJV

In both cases the lost were found, not by religion, not by the works of man, but by grace and mercy through faith.[8] For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: [9] Not of works, lest any man should boast.  Ephesians 2:8-9 KJV

Let me stop and share the entirety of the Bible with you, God’s plan from the beginning to redeem His lost Children:[5] Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will, [6] To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved. [7] In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace; The blood! There’s no life apart from it. (Ephesians 1:5-7)

Do you see that it’s all by the finished work of Christ. His blood, His suffering, His death, His, His, His!

Religion can’t save you, there’s no blood in it! Sacraments can’t save you, there’s no blood in them. 

Your money can’t save you, there’s no blood in it!

Your suffering can’t save you, your blood is corrupt. 

Only Royal blood can quicken your spirit to new life in Christ! Born again, not from the womb but from above! [5] Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. [6] That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. (John 3:5)

Watch this: [53] Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, ye have no life in you. (John 6:53) 

Men took this and made a religion out of it!  There’s no blood in wine or grape juice! There’s no flesh in the wafer or bread. KEEP READING: [63] It is the spirit that quickens ; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life. (John 6:63 KJV)
It was Christ’s flesh and His blood that was given for you…on the Cross!  “HE” said: “do this in remembrance of me!” (Luke 22:19) Remembrance! Remember what I have done for you when you partake of the bread and wine! It’s a celebration of HIM!!

Friends, you are either lost or found, there’s no in between. 

You are either “ in Adam” and lost or “in Christ” and found, there’s no in between. 

You are either totally forgiven or unforgiven, there’s no in between. 

If you think you have to be a good person to be right with God, you are lost. (How good is good enough?)

If you think your affiliation with a religious institution or denomination makes you right with God, you are lost. 

If you think your tireless work at the shelter or your providing a meal to the needy makes you right with God, you are lost. 

If you think Christ is in the wafer you eat or the celebration of mass makes you right with God, you are lost. 

If you think being dipped or sprinkled in water makes you right with God, you are lost.  

If you think ceasing to sin makes you right with God, you are lost. (there’s none on the planet that have ceased from sin). Faith in Christ’s finished work on the cross frees you from the penalty of sin. 

If you think giving a percentage of your income makes you right with God, you are lost. 

If you think keeping the Ten Commandments, (do you honestly think you have kept them? Could you even right now, list them?) or any other number of rules makes you right with God, you are lost. If you break one, you’ve broken them all. (James 2:10)

If you are unsure, confused, or apathetic about being right with God, you are lost. 

Please understand that all of these are good things, and every bible believing, born again, possessing Christian does them …, not because they have to, but because they have God, Himself, living within them, and desire to do them.
We do them not “for” salvation, but “ from” salvation. 

True Christianity (one who possesses Christ by faith, not merely professes Christ) is a relationship with the God of eternity on His terms: Faith in Him reaching down to us in the Person and finished work of Jesus Christ – God in the flesh. 
He has done all that needs to be done, even death on a cross to rescue you.  He traded His perfect sinless life for your life of sin. It’s finished! It’s a gift to His beloved Creation, not only for salvation, but abundant life now, free of worry, guilt, fear, and yes, WORK! 

His blood frees us, rescues us, redeems us, justifies us, claims us from the lost to the found. 

Religion doesn’t  work, it leaves you lost. It leaves you tired and confused, never sure if YOU have done enough. (You haven’t)

If Religion works, why do you have to work?

Jesus said, “My yoke is easy and my burden is light” [28] Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. [29] Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. [30] For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light. (Matthew 11:28-30 KJV)
Emphasis mine.

 Does this sound like any religion you know of?
Religion is man attempting to reach up to God. What on earth do you have in common with the author of the universe?

God becoming flesh in the person of Christ makes us compatible with Him. Divinity reaches into humanity. Humanity can’t reach into Divinity. Can the clay form the potter?

How can we know religion doesn’t work? 
Just look at the world! Global, National, and local polls reveal that after thousands of years of religion, people are still lost. They don’t know what to believe, they’re confused. One religion will say one thing and then another, never unity. 
If religion worked, why are billions leaving it? If religion worked, why do 85% ( cited by Pew, to include those who profess to be Christians but practice religion) of people not know God or where they will spend eternity? Isn’t that the purpose of their religion? All religions have one thing in common: you do, and it will be done for you. Sound familiar? Forgive, and you will be forgiven? If you do not forgive, you will not be forgiven. Sound familiar? Go and give all you have and you will inherit the kingdom. Sound familiar? Cut off you hand and pluck out your eye. Sound familiar? It’s Jesus to the Jews…under the law, before the cross and age of grace. Before the great rescue! 
Religion says DO! Jesus says DONE! 
Religion says work. Jesus worked. Once and done, never to be repeated. 

You no longer have to identify yourself as black, white, male, female, Jew or Greek. No longer, homosexual, heterosexual, transsexual, Asian or American, Methodist or Buddhist, murderer or adulterer. We merely say, I was lost… and now I’m found. 

One body, one Spirit, one baptism. (1 Corinthians 12:13)

Jesus stands at the door of the “lost and found”…and knocks. If anyone opens, He will come in. (Revelation 3:20 KJV)

We must remember that the most important to God are the lost. He would leave 99 righteous to find one lost.[7] I say unto you, that likewise joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that repenteth, more than over ninety and nine just persons, which need no repentance. (Luke 15:7 KJV)
He came for the lost.[10] For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost. (Luke 19:10 KJV )

He doesn’t want ornate vestiges of human design, temples, spires, gold chalices and burning incense. You are His temple, your faith is a sweet fragrance to Him. He came to find you, to claim that which is His. He would have died to rescue you, if you were the only one in all of time that was lost. 
God lost His “first children”, (Genesis)

His “chosen children”, (Jewish nation)

His “adopted children, (Gentiles)

He has promised not to leave any lost. He made a covenant that can never be broken. He Swore by Himself. ( Hebrews 6:13)

It’s as close as the sinner’s pulpit. 

[13] For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. (Romans 10:13)
Amen. 
THE SINNER’S PULPIt

“ Come in a sinner and leave a Saint”