[Membersandfriends] Sunday, August 08, 2004

Sat Aug 7 22:01:56 PDT 2004

The Upper Room Daily Devotional -- E-mail Edition
Brought to You by Upper Room Ministries
Sunday, August 08, 2004

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WHAT WE CANNOT PAY
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Romans 5:12-21 (NRSV)

Therefore, just as sin came into the world through one man, and death came through sin, and so death spread to all because all have sinned-- sin was indeed in the world before the law, but sin is not reckoned when there is no law. Yet death exercised dominion from Adam to Moses, even over those whose sins were not like the transgression of Adam, who is a type of the one who was to come. 

But the free gift is not like the trespass. For if the many died through the one man's trespass, much more surely have the grace of God and the free gift in the grace of the one man, Jesus Christ, abounded for the many. And the free gift is not like the effect of the one man's sin. For the judgment following one trespass brought condemnation, but the free gift following many trespasses brings justification. If, because of the one man's trespass, death exercised dominion through that one, much more surely will those who receive the abundance of grace and the free gift of righteousness exercise dominion in life through the one man, Jesus Christ. 

Therefore just as one man's trespass led to condemnation for all, so one man's act of righteousness leads to justification and life for all. For just as by the one man's disobedience the many were made sinners, so by the one man's obedience the many will be made righteous. But law came in, with the result that the trespass multiplied; but where sin increased, grace abounded all the more, so that, just as sin exercised dominion in death, so grace might also exercise dominion through justification leading to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

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Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends.
- John 15:13 (NIV)
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PICKING a path through throngs of people, I made my way up the busy city street.  My attention was drawn to a man standing in line at a sidewalk hot-dog stand.  The leftover hot dogs from lunchtime were selling for half price.  The man's gnarled fingers fumbled with a small plastic bag he had withdrawn from the same broken shoe he had probably used as a pillow earlier in the day.

Without warning, a man dressed in a business suit stepped into the line and pushed his way in front of the street person.  Briskly he held out his money and waved it in front of the clerk's face.  How unfair, I thought.  Then I heard the businessman say, "He's mine."  The man in the suit pointed toward the homeless man and said, "He's mine.  I'll pay his bill."

The moment passed quickly, but it left a lasting impression.  In God's eyes we are like the man on the sidewalk - poor, alone, and unable to pay the debt we owe.  But Jesus stepped to the head of the line and said, "They're mine.  I'll pay their debt."  And he paid what we cannot pay.

Prayer:  Thank you, God, for the love you have shown to your people.  Help us to show your love to others.  Amen.

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:
Christ says, "You're mine," and extends his arms to us in love.

-- Elaine Ingalls Hogg (Nova Scotia, Canada)

PRAYER FOCUS: People in need

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RELATED READING ...

Learn how to show Christ to others by reading THEN SHALL YOUR LIGHT RISE. This inspiring Upper Room book expresses the importance of social witness or outreach as a means of deepening your knowledge of Christ. THEN SHALL YOUR LIGHT RISE is enriched with compelling real-life stories from author Joyce Hollyday's time as a journalist and peace activist.
http://www.upperroom.org/bookstore/desc.asp?ep_id=30&item_id=12583

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The scripture quotation is from the NEW REVISED STANDARD VERSION of the Bible, copyright (c) 1989, by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of Churches of Christ in the U.S.A.  Used by permission.  All rights reserved.