I was a rambunctious little guy, and I always seemed to be in trouble. My Mom loves to tell a story about one Sunday when I was five. I was particularly bad in church that day, and Mom was fed up.
When she got me to the car she said, “Scott, I sure hope you enjoyed yourself in there, because when I get you home you’re gonna get it!” Without missing a beat, I said, “I know I was bad mama, but from now on I’m living for God and Jesus!”
Apparently calling on the name of the Lord saved me that day. It wouldn’t be the last time.
Even though our harvest has been so great, we are still doomed. All that we harvest in this life is temporary. We don’t own it. We can’t keep it. One day we have to give it back.
Worse yet, we owe a debt we can’t pay. Not for the good things we’ve been given, but for the bad things we’ve done with them.
Though we harvest life and blessings from our Heavenly Father, we inherited a sinful nature from our parents. And we’ve all sinned. We’ve all fallen short of His perfect standard.
And God is completely just. He can’t simply turn a blind eye to our wickedness. Our crimes had to be punished. Our debt had to be paid.
So, God planted another seed – one that would be the first of a great harvest (1 Corinthians 15:23) His only Son, our Lord Jesus.
Fully God, because only God can save. (Isaiah 43:11)
Fully man, because he was tempted in every way we are (Hebrews 4:15), and God is never tempted. (James 1:13)
Sinless, because only a perfect sacrifice could satisfy the Father’s glorious standard. (Romans 3:23)
Jesus left the riches of heaven. He endured the cross and the wrath of God to pay our debt and pave the way for our eternal harvest.