The danger of turning away from God has been a peril throughout the history of humanity. Satan loves to deceive us into thinking we can turn away from God without consequences. If you have turned away, the Lord calls you back to Himself in His mercy. He is the Good Shepherd who cares for lost sheep and loves you more than you can imagine.
Luke 15:3 So Jesus told them this story: 4 “If a man has a hundred sheep and one of them gets lost, what will he do? Won’t he leave the ninety-nine others in the wilderness and go to search for the one that is lost until he finds it? 5 And when he has found it, he will joyfully carry it home on his shoulders.[1]
People Mocked Jesus on the Cross
People mocked Jesus as He hung on the cross. They did not realize that He was dying for their sins. Mark 15:31 The leading priests and teachers of religious law also mocked Jesus. “He saved others,” they scoffed, “but he can’t save himself! 32 Let this Messiah, this King of Israel, come down from the cross so we can see it and believe him!” Even the men who were crucified with Jesus ridiculed him. [2]
The people of Jerusalem knew about Jesus and His ministry, yet they chose to turn away from Him. The words of mockery reflected what was going on spiritually in their hearts. Jesus is always calling people back, but we have free will to turn away from God. Jesus’ heart must break for those who turn away from Him.
The Gift of Turning Toward God
No matter what situation we are in or the sins we have committed, the Lord receives us as we confess our sins and ask for forgiveness. All the sins we will ever commit have been paid for by Jesus when He died on the cross. His last words on the cross were, “it is finished,” meaning He paid the debt of our sin in full. Some people may think they have gone too far down the wrong road for Jesus to forgive them, but that is not true.
As we humbly come to Jesus to ask for forgiveness, He mercifully embraces us, assuring us of His love and forgiveness like the prodigal son’s father. Luke 15:20 “So the prodigal son returned home to his father. And while he was still a long way off, his father saw him coming. Filled with love and compassion, he ran to his son, embraced him, and kissed him.[3] Many people resonate with the son’s story who returned to his father because they have been in that situation with Jesus. Remember that if you are struggling, the Lord loves you and welcomes sinners to come to Him. To hear more about the danger of turning away from God, listen here:
https://podpoint.com/light-of-christ-church-podcast/mark-the-one-jesus-didnt-save
[1-3] Tyndale House Publishers. (2015). Holy Bible: New Living Translation . Tyndale House Publishers.