PUT THAT BACK!!

PUT THAT BACK!!!

I can still remember those words echoing off the walls as my hand emerged from Grandma’s cookie jar with that cookie between my fingers.  What I still can’t figure out is how she knew I was sneaking a cookie out of the jar.  She was in the other room listening to the radio.

I had two choices: 1) I could keep the cookie, run, and take my punishment later, or 2) I could let it go and remain in the good graces of my grandma.  I decided to put the cookie back.  This was not the last time in my life I heard those words.

One day, I was walking through a flood control ditch and found a peach tree.  One particular peach looked rip, so I reached up and grabbed it.  Suddenly, I heard a voice yell, “Put that back!” I turned to see an older gentleman leaning on his backyard fence glaring at me.

I stood there fruit in hand and realized that even if I wanted to, I could not put it back.  This man said that even though that tree wasn’t in his yard, he cared for it.  I was not sure what to do.  The best I could do was give the fruit to him, which I offered to do.  He told me I could keep that one, but that I needed to leave his tree alone from now on.

Each of you have heard those words ring out and found yourselves deliberating the potential outcomes of obedience verses disobedience.  It was the same in the Bible.  Adam and Eve probably heard those words in their minds as they took the forbidden fruit.  When Jesus was arrested, Peter took out his sword and cut off a man’s ear.  Jesus seeing Peter drawing a sword said, “Put it Back!” but it was to late Peter had already cut a man’s ear off.  Peter stood there knowing he had done something that he could not undo.  Peter couldn’t “Put it Back”. Knowing Peter didn’t have the ability to restore the man’s ear Jesus reached down and picked up the ear and “Put it Back” for him (Luke 22:47-53).

Just like Peter, at the time we sin our conscience screams, “Put That Back!”.  We find that just like Peter, we cannot put our sin back.  Once it is done, the best we can do is minimize the effects it may have on others.  This is why Jesus came.

God knew that we would not be perfect, and we were going to sin.  Our sin would result in our death and eternal separation from God.  God did not want us to be separated forever, but knew we could not take our sins back, so he sent Jesus.  Jesus led a sinless life, which meant he could live forever with God.  It was then that Jesus showed his love for us by offering us a trade.  Jesus would take the death we deserved because of our sin and give us the eternal life he deserved.  Jesus died on a cross to take the punishment you deserved.  In exchange he offers you his sinless life.

When he took the punishment and died for our sins, he, in love, offered us the reward he deserved, which is eternal life with God.  Jesus “put it back” for us.  Now all you must do is accept the free gift and follow Christ righteous example. 

For a more detailed description of this see the home page of this website.  The Good News or the Gospel.