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© 1997 Ron Hutchcraft Ministries, Inc.
Last Update: 03/23/1997
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When our son Doug was little he started a hobby that would later help to pay his way through college - collecting baseball cards! Now, he was still pretty young when he asked me to start going to this baseball card show circuit with him. One Summer I was scheduled to speak at Ocean City, New Jersey, and he begged me to go down a day early so we could catch the last day of this huge card show. We got there in time and Doug entered that large hall with all of the money that a little guy could have saved from recent chores and allowances. And as we strolled along the displays together something caught my eye, it was the baseball card I had tried so hard to get as a little boy, and I never could. You see, growing up in Chicago, my hero was the second baseman of the Chicago White Sox, Nelly Fox. He was the hero of a lot of kids. I bought tons of cards. I had the whole team but I could never get Nelly Fox. Well, there on that table was one of those very Nelly Fox cards I could never find as a kid! Doug said, "Are you going to buy it Dad?" I said, "No, it's nice to see it but I'm just going to keep looking around." So we went our separate ways for a few minutes until I felt a tug on my pants. It was Doug looking up at me with eyes I think I'll never forget, "Here Dad, I love you," He said. He reached up and he handed me a piece of cardboard protected in plastic. It was that Nelly Fox baseball card. My son had basically spent everything he had on that gift for me. That card is on my desk right now next to me, in a big plastic protector. There are few times in my life when I have ever felt so loved as I did that moment.
I'm Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A WORD WITH YOU today about EXTRAVAGANT SPENDING.
Our word for today from the Word of God, I Corinthians 6:20, "You were bought with a price." Pretty startling words. The thing that was purchased for a very high price was YOU. The book of Revelation pulls the curtain of Heaven and it lets us see Jesus there being worshipped by billions of angels and people who have died and gone there . . . and part of what they sing about is something that seems to amaze everyone in Heaven. It says in Revelation 5:9, "With Your blood You purchased men for God." So this price you were bought with was the lifeblood of Jesus, God's one and only Son.
Now, I could tell how much my son loved me, he showed it by how much he spent on me that day. Everything he had! You can tell how much God loves you, He spent everything He had on you! No one has ever loved you like this. Why this price tag of the shed blood of God's Son? Well, the Bible reveals the answer in these words, "Without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness." Forgiveness means erasing our sins from God's Book. The penalty is clear, it is death. My sin can only be paid for by dying. If you've ever wondered if God really loves you, here is His overwhelming YES! He sacrificed His Son to die your eternal death penalty on the cross. He spent it all on you.
It may be hard for you to accept this kind of love from God. Maybe there hasn't been much unconditional love for you. I don't know who should have been there for you in your life, I don't know who has betrayed you, who's abandoned you, but I do know that the One who made you, the One who holds your eternity in His hands, loves you very, very much. Just look at the price he paid for you. This is the love you've spent a lifetime looking for - and it is yours for the taking when you tell Jesus Christ that you're pinning all your hopes, all your trust on what He did on the cross for you. If you've never done that, if you want to know His love, I want to encourage you to let me know that so I can send you this booklet, "Steps To Peace With God" and some help in beginning a relationship with Jesus.
You see, the day I realized my son would sacrifice everything because he loves me, was a day that I will never forget. But that's only a tiny example of what this day could mean to you forever. The day that you come face to face with the Son of God and finally experience His love. The Savior that wants you to have a relationship with Him so much that He bought it with His life.
Copyright © Ron Hutchcraft Hutchcraft Ministries, Inc. Permission to reproduce this material is automatically granted on the condition it will be used for non-commercial purposes, will not be sold, and will be distributed for the sole purpose of expanding the Gospel.
© 1997 Ron Hutchcraft Ministries, Inc.
Last Update: 03/23/1997