Colossians 2:13-15
Even when you were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made you alive with Christ by forgiving us all our trespasses. God erased the record of our debt brought against us by his legal demands. This record stood against us, but he took it away by nailing it to the cross. After disarming the rulers and authorities, he made a public display of them by triumphing over them in Christ.
Dear Heavenly Father,
You sent Jesus to pay the price for the world’s sins. The debt we owed for sin was a death, an atonement sacrifice to pay for all the ways we sin in our thoughts, words, and deeds. And as Paul wrote to the Colossian Church, we were made alive with Christ by his forgiveness while we were still dead in our trespasses. He paid the price for all our sins, and you erased the record of our debt. This gift of forgiveness is brought to us by faith in Jesus, faith which your Holy Spirit began in us through your Word and Sacrament. The record of our sins was nailed to the cross with Jesus, the King of the Jews. As King, he fought for us and on our behalf, defeating sin, death, and the devil. Our sins separated us from you, and we could never live according to the perfection the law demanded, but Christ lived his life without sin, so we are credited with his righteousness. Thank you for sending your Son, allowing him to take our place for our sin’s punishment, and redeeming us the poor miserable sinner we are. So now, please grant us opportunities to share this message of your love and mercy with someone who does not know about you, so they, too, will come to know, trust, and believe Jesus is their Savior, who has forgiven all of their sins. So that too will have eternal life and salvation. Amen.
Written through Pastor Roger Emmons
Before you were born, Christ made you alive through his forgiveness of sins. It is your gift through faith in Jesus and for his sake.