If you have stepped outside this morning, I can guarantee you felt cold. If you haven’t gone outside, let me tell you something about the outside: it’s cold. Not just the random shiver and you get used to it cold; this is bone chattering, thick, blood freezing, did I teleport to Alaska without knowing it cold…So button up (and by button I mean put on everything you own, then maybe stick your cat in your shirt for warmth).

Okay, now that we’ve cleared that up, let me give you some insight about cold weather– it’s not new. The earth has experienced it before, and it was just as bad if not worse (ahem, looking at you Ice Age).

Yes, it is cold, but what’s your point…Well, Jesus was cold too. When Jesus came down to Earth, he wasn’t the first class citizen who could just grab three coats and a supes cute scarf. He wasn’t even the second class citizen, grabbing wool socks and a light jacket. When Jesus came to Earth, He came as a third class citizen. I am talking, shivering never having enough clothes, where is my next hot meal going to come from, citizen.

He lived an uncomfortable life by Earth’s standards (and if you’ve ever seen what most people had for sandals, you would agree). But that is exactly what Jesus wanted and what is shown in another example in John 8. Jesus is seen speaking to both men and women outside of a Jewish temple, meaning there were both Jews and Gentiles present, for this is where the market and the tax collectors were generally posted up.

He came to them to present the Gospel and show love.

Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” John 8:12 

Where else have we seen Him do this? Where else has he not only gone to the masses, but done so with love when He himself was the third class citizen I was talking about… This is what Jesus has done for all of John.

He comes to us with the gift of love and eternal life. Not only does He show us His example of perfect love, which would have been incredible enough to begin with, but He pursues us. He finds us. He leads us to eternal life and everlasting peace.

Maybe we’re not going to church every Wednesday and going to FCA or going to the service on Sunday morning, but He is with you. Jesus wants us and it’s clearly evident through His actions while He was here.

The point is, we are not ever ever alone in the cold. We have freedom waiting for us. Christ has come out of His heavenly throne to not only walk with us in the cold, be there for us while the world slowly tears us down, but to lead us to His perfect Kingdom. We don’t deserve it, we deserve Hell. Our sins should keep us from God, but Jesus died for us so that we could have eternal life. Eternal warm, full of peace, wool socks on, life.

“Truly, truly, I say to you, everyone who practices sin is a slave to sin. The slave does not remain in the house forever; the son remains forever. So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.” John 8:34-36. 

We are free from the powers of Satan! That is huge news. It means that we can admit we do wrong and turn away from those sins. Jesus is waiting for us there.

 “For our sake He made Him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God.” 2 Corinthians 5:21.

“He is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world.” 1 John 2:2.

He died for YOU. The ultimate death, the ultimate resurrection. He conquered your depression, your anxiety, your temptation, your lust, your desires, your cussing, your lying. He promised you freedom–take it. Find Jesus because He is always searching for you.

“What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound? By no means! How can we who died to sin still live in it? Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life,” Romans 6:1-4.

Father, hear us today.

We are not good enough to be in your presence yet you seek us earnestly. Show us how incredible that fact is today. As we bear the worst of Alabama cold, help us to understand that you came here and lived a hard life too, facing all of the cold, all of the temptations, all of the darkness that we see every day, but You conquered that Lord. And through You, we can too. Thank you for that gift, thank you for freedom from the cold and darkness. You are beautiful and your grace is literally enough for all of us. I love you Lord, Amen.

–TK