Why did Jesus do miracles during His ministry? Why did He heal people? He wanted to show people that He is The Son of God. More than that, He wanted to show them that He has authority to forgive sins.

This is what Christianity is all about. It’s not about our feelings. It’s not about getting entertained. It’s not about lining our pockets with money or our rooms with toys or our report cards with A’s. It’s about the forgiveness of sins.

Forgiveness – that’s a big word; what does it mean? It means you’re freed from the penalty you owe for your sin. More than that, it means you’re freed from your sin itself. It means it’s no longer charged to your account. If your sins generated a credit card bill, it would be way past maxed out. Instead you have double the credit that won’t go away. How can that be?

The Bible says “there is no forgiveness without the shedding of Blood.” But all the blood you’ve lost from all your cuts and scrapes, and all the blood that will be given today in the blood drive, can’t begin to cover and wash away and drown all our sins. What kind of blood needs to be shed?

Jesus’ Blood. Divine yet human Blood. Blood of God’s Son born of Mary. That’s The Blood that needs to be shed. The blood of bulls and goats couldn’t do it. Your blood can’t do it. My blood can’t do it. Our blood can only fuel the flames of hell. Only The Blood of Christ Jesus can eternally quench them.

That’s why He died. He died to forgive your sins. He was punished for them all. God declared Him guilty of them. Now He declares you not guilty. As for your sins? They’re nailed to His Cross, buried in His Tomb. They aren’t coming back for you. They’re as far away from you as east is from west.

How can this be? This Man Jesus is truly God from all eternity. He’s strong enough to do it. So He did it because you couldn’t. He loves you. Now He tells you about it. So what should you do? Believe. Trust Him. Trust what? Your sin is forgiven. It’s taken away.