HE paid the penalty…

chuck colson writes this story. “near the city of san jose in brazil is a remarkable prison facility. twenty years ago the brazilian government gave up on this prison and so they turned it over to two CHRISTians who renamed the prison and decided to build this prison based on CHRISTian principles. with only two full employees all the work is done by inmates.” chuck colson visited this prison in brazil and he said this, “i found the inmates smiling particularly the murderer who held the keys to the prison and opened the gates and let me in. wherever i went in the prison i saw men at peace. i saw clean living areas. i saw people working cheerfully. this is the power of the gospel. the walls were decorated with bible verses. then my guide escorted me to the notorious prison cell that had once been used for torture. he told me that it now houses only one inmate. as we walked down the long hall and he put the key in the lock he paused and asked, ‘chuck, are you sure you want to go in?’ ‘of course,’ i said impatiently. ‘i’ve been in isolation cells all over the world.’ slowly he swung open the massive door and i saw the solitary prisoner in that cell. it was a wooden statue carved by the inmates of JESUS hanging on the cross. my guide said softly, ‘he’s doing time for the rest of us.’”

think about that for a minute. JESUS CHRIST took your place on the cross. HE’s doing time for you so you don’t have to do time in hell. HE paid the penalty for your sin.

once you’re set free, once a prison sentence has been paid for and the doors open do you hang around the prison? no. you walk out into the light. i’m saying to you, whatever has had you imprisoned in JESUS CHRIST you can walk out of it.

some of you have been imprisoned by guilt. you can’t forget what you did. some of you have been imprisoned by resentment. you can’t forget what other have done to you and you’re still locked in the prison of bitterness and hatred and anger and resentment. or you’re locked in the prison of loneliness. or worry and anxiety and fear. or you’re locked in the prison of addiction. you can’t stop it no matter how hard you try. i want to tell you today. this power, the power of JESUS CHRIST, is there to help you to walk out of that prison and be free. GOD wants to bless your life. you receive him through CHRIST. you celebrate him through worship. i want to remind you and challenge you to never let a day go by that you don’t thank JESUS CHRIST for the cross.

just a thought from the front porch…