SCRIPTURE
Jeremiah 25:15-29 (NRSV)
For thus the Lord, the God of Israel, said to me: Take from my hand this cup of the wine of wrath, and make all the nations to whom I send you drink it. They shall drink and stagger and go out of their minds because of the sword that I am sending among them.
So I took the cup from the Lord's hand, and made all the nations to whom the Lord sent me drink it: Jerusalem and the towns of Judah, its kings and officials, to make them a desolation and a waste, an object of hissing and of cursing, as they are today; Pharaoh king of Egypt, his servants, his officials, and all his people; all the mixed people; all the kings of the land of Uz; all the kings of the land of the Philistines - Ashkelon, Gaza, Ekron, and the remnant of Ashdod; Edom, Moab, and the Ammonites; all the kings of Tyre, all the kings of Sidon, and the kings of the coastland across the sea; Dedan, Tema, Buz, and all who have shaven temples; all the kings of Arabia and all the kings of the mixed peoples that live in the desert; all the kings of Zimri, all the kings of Elam, and all the kings of Media; all the kings of the north, far and near, one after another, and all the kingdoms of the world that are on the face of the earth. And after them the king of Sheshach shall drink.
Then you shall say to them, Thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel: Drink, get drunk and vomit, fall and rise no more, because of the sword that I am sending among you.
And if they refuse to accept the cup from your hand to drink, then you shall say to them: Thus says the Lord of hosts: You must drink! See, I am beginning to bring disaster on the city that is called by my name, and how can you possibly avoid punishment? You shall not go unpunished, for I am summoning a sword against all the inhabitants of the earth, says the Lord of hosts.
DEVOTION
Scripture teaches us that the wages of sin are death. Since all of us are sinners, our rightful punishment is death and damnation.
Thanks be to God for Jesus Christ, who took our death upon himself as he died on the cross and then conquered sin, death, and the grave when he rose again in victory on the third day!
Isn't it an Amazing display of unconditional love on the part of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, that he was willing to "pay our bill" for us? We were presented with a bill we could never hope to pay and he stamped it "PAID IN FULL" with his blood!
The next time you feel like you've messed up so bad God could never forgive you, I want you to remember that JESUS says, "You are free!"
As you put all of your hope in Jesus to forgive your sin and fill you with the Holy Spirit, you will find that burdens are lifted, anxieties reduced, and joy returns!
Trust in him my friends!
Let us pray: Loving, Kind, and Compassionate God, have mercy upon me. I have sinned against you in thought, word, and deed. Please forgive my sin and fill me with the Holy Spirit. I put all of my hope for salvation in you. I pray this in Jesus' Name, Amen.
INVITATION
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