Lord, as we consider who we are and what we have done, we must confess, that we too, because of our sins, cannot stand in the presence of God. We are unclean. We are men of unclean lips and we dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips. We inherited our propensity to sin from our parents. We were born into sin. Also, we have chosen to sin. Knowing God’s law, we have broken God’s law. We have broken every commandment because Jesus taught us that if we break only one of them, then we break them all. We have sinned in thought, in word, and in deed. There are many things we ought not to have done, and we did them. There are many things we ought to have done, and we did not do them.

Lord, we need forgiveness. We need a Savior. We need a Mediator. We need someone to go between us and the Father. We cannot rush into the presence of God apart from one who will plead our case. Lord, we come this morning to confess before You and before men, that Jesus Christ is that Mediator. He accomplished on the cross the atonement that appeased the wrath of God, and he imputes that forgiveness and his own righteousness to his elect. Everyone for who Jesus died will be clothed in the white robe.

Let us not study whether we belong to the elect. Let us come without hesitation to Jesus. Remind us that whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son that whosoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have everlasting life. There is not one who comes to Jesus who shall be rejected. If we have faith in the Son of God, then we are the elect of God, and we have been redeemed by the blood of Christ.

Lord, our only hope is in Christ. We do not trust in how good we are. We do not trust even in the faith we have. We do not trust even in the repentance that comes from our hearts. We do not trust in the good works that we do. We trust in Christ alone. We do not look inward to see if our hearts are clean enough. We look outward and see that the heart and life of Christ was clean enough. God assigns to us that which belongs to another. It is not stealing. It is perfectly legal because it is a gift. Lord, Jesus is pure therefore by being united with Him we are judicially pure, even if we are not actually pure. The Judge has passed the sentence and Jesus took upon Himself our verdict. We are sent home from the court room free from the penalty which we deserve. From our home we watch the death penalty being executed upon Christ. It makes us sad, but it also makes us glad. We are sad for Christ, but we rejoice that His death delivers us from the curse which we deserve. Lord, help us to shout Hallelujah again, and again, and again.

Our Father, as we think on all these things help us to live in peace. We have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. We ought to have peace with men. As much as is in us, help us to live at peace with all men. Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called the sons of God. To make peace is not always to compromise. Sometimes is shows the grace of God that dwells in our hearts.

Lord, grant that as we have been justified by faith, that we also remember that it is by faith that we shall be sanctified. We must study the word. We must pray. We must be faithful in being present in the Assembly of God’s people. We must put ourselves under the means of grace. Faith cometh by hearing and we must hear the teaching and the preaching of God’s word. Raise up preachers who will herald the very truths that God has revealed in His word. Make them men whose belly is full of fire. Give them zeal for the Lord of hosts.