You know it is the Holiday season when nearly everywhere you look you find colorful advertisements boasting “great deals.” Looking at the top of today’s paper my attention was drawn to big bold letters screaming, “Buy One Get One Free.” On the next page, a similarly attentive ad with the headline, “Buy One Get Two Free!”
Yet in all these good deals, there is one deal that continues to stand out. A deal that has stood out for nearly 2,000 years, and a deal that doesn’t require rain-checks or even getting up at 4 in the morning. If we were to give this deal a similar title, I’m sure it would read something like, “By One, Billions Free!”
This deal, of course, is salvation through Christ. Freedom from Satan’s power, freedom from eternal punishment and as a bonus, a personal relationship with God Himself (John 8:36). In essence, it is the only deal that let’s you start over and be something even better (2 Corinthians 5:17)… And the best part is, it’s already been paid for! This amazing, life changing, deal was paid for by God Himself, who came down to die so that you would not have to [spiritually] (Romans 5:8).
And all this deal requires is you “cashing in the coupon.” Like going to the store and buying something you do not have, all you have to do is realize that without God you have nothing… and without God you cannot be freed from your sins (Romans 3:23). And once you realize this, all you have to do is ask God to forgive you, and change your life because you know that Jesus has already paid for your sins. Just like that coupon, all you have to do is ask the cashier to take it, knowing by faith it is good, and you’re going to get a great deal… a life saver (Ephesians 2:8-9).
If you have already accepted this deal, then you know how much joy it has brought into your life (Romans 5:1). You know how amazing it is to have a personal relationship with a God who loves you so much, that He died to save you. This Christmas season, I ask you to share this “Great Deal” with others unashamedly (Romans 1:16); just like you would a great coupon in a newspaper. I ask you to share this wonderful coupon, the Gospel, with anyone and everyone, so that they too may know the joy that fills your life (Mark 16:15).