Gambling on Grace




Dice is a game of chance. To enjoy throwing dice something has to be on the line. It can be as little as being deemed 'lucky' or as great as all your earthly worth, but there must be something to win or to lose for it to be a game. For some reason, man has the need for risk, that is beyond competition to be the best.There is some twisted thrill in taking a chance. From shooting marbles in the playground to risking life and limb on a race track, we create games that can have tragic consequences.

 The Gospel of Jesus Christ is not a crap shoot.  As much as it seems right that a joyful life and eternal salvation be a result of the turn of a card or an unknown balance sheet in the sky, The Gospel of Christ is simple. God has laid all His cards on the table. He's played a Divine Hand. He's loaded the dice. His dice spell "GRACE", no matter how many times you toss them. He's said, "here, take the pot. All you have to do to scrape it all into your lap."  

 Jesus did not die to save animals from being sacrificed on temple altars, or to keep people from having to give away their livestock, grain, oil and wine because the dice were loaded against them. He was born to replace everything man believed about God with the gift of The Grace of God. Grace is getting something you do not deserve, something you did not win, something you cannot earn. Jesus suffered the loss so you could have God's treasure.  

 Could it be that easy? I assure you that it is that easy. Whose twistedness requires that we suffer to win?  God's?  No, ours.  Our twistedness drives us to take lethal chances. Our twistedness maintains a win is sweeter if we would have been wiped out unless our toss was good or our hand was a winner.  As any successful gambling establishment will tell you, there are way more losers than winners and all winners become losers if they play long enough.

 Many can't accept the Gospel of Grace in Jesus Christ, because they have nothing to do with it.  Many pervert the Gospel of Grace, because they need to have something to do with it.  The win, the win is what we want control of.

 We refuse to see that the final Card has been laid. God has called all  bets. He demands you show your cards. Read em and don't weep.  Yep, that's the Gospel of Grace. No matter how pitiful you hand looks, you can't lose. Jesus has bought all your bets, paid them off.

 Now, God says, "Game over, dude!" Believe I did that for you, and all of Heaven is yours, now and forever."

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