Impossible Debt

And since he could not pay, his master ordered him to be sold, with his wife and children and all that he had, and payment to be made. - Matthew 18:25

We can't begin to appreciate the good news of the gospel until we see our deep need. Most people, even believers, have never given much thought to how desperate our condition is outside of Christ. Few ever think about the dreadful implications of being under the wrath of God. And none of us even begins to realize how truly sinful we are.

Jesus once told a story (Matthew 18:21-35) about a king's servant who owed his master ten thousand talents. (By the way just one talent was equal to about 20 years' wages for a working man - you do the math that means a lot). Why would Jesus use such an unrealistically large amount when He knew that in real life it would have been impossible for any servant to accumulate such a debt?

Jesus was fond of using an over the top example to make His point. The immense sum represents a spiritual debt everyone of us owes to God. It's a debt of our sins. For each of us, it's a staggering amount.

That is what the gospel is all about. Jesus paid our debt to the full. And He did far more. He also purchased for us a eternal inheritance of infinite worth. That's why Paul wrote of the "unsearchable riches of Christ" (Ephesians 3:8). And God wants us to enjoy those unsearchable riches in the here and now, even in the midst of difficult and discouraging circumstances.

Without heartfelt conviction of our sin, we can have no serious feeling of personal interest in the gospel. What's more this conviction should and needs to actually grow throughout our Christian lives. In fact, one sign of spiritual growth is an increased awareness of our sinfulness. Are you aware of what Christ has really done for you? Think about it this week and thank and love Him for what he has done for YOU!