Spiritually also we are all in debt, indeed we are bankrupt we owe so much to God and we have no possibility of meeting the debt from our resources. What is that debt? It is our failure to keep God’s laws and meet his standards. As Paul writes quoting the Old Testament (Romans 3.10-12) There is no-one righteous, not even one; there is no-one who understands, no-one seeks God. All have turned away ... What has gone wrong is not only have we broken the law but we have offended God who wants to be our loving father. Supposing you or I are stopped for speeding; that is an offence but sometimes it is not so serious; maybe the guard will be annoyed that we did 40 in 30 or maybe he will even smile as he writes the ticket and try to show that it is nothing personal. Suppose however that one of the guard’s children does something that is serious crime; how does the father feel? It is not just that the law has been broken, something is affected in the relationship also.

You see God cares that we should live the right way and so when we break a commandment be it taking his name in vain or stealing or bearing false witness it is not as if he takes out his note book and shakes his head; it goes much deeper than that, God is grieved by our disobedience, we may even say that he is angered and if we think it strange that God should feel angry, how do you feel when you hear about murder or drug dealing or sexual abuse, or people deceiving others or even getting off a debt because they have powerful contacts? it would be strange if you did not feel angry at the injustice -- why should God not be angry at our sin?

You see, it is not just part of God’s law in the Bible, it is also his law written into the way we are as human beings that wrong has to be righted, a punishment has to be suffered God does not just lightly say, ‘I’ll let you off, it doesn’t matter’ Sin does matter! The cross of Christ shows how much it matters, for on the cross Jesus died to take the punishment we could not take, to pay the debt we could never hope to pay. That is why Paul can write that righteousness from God which means a right clear relationship with God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe There is no difference, he says between Jews and non Jews, between those who had the OT Law and those who did not just as a guard may prosecute equally you and me who know the limits and a foreign visitor who may not be clear about them. for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus or in other words: Jesus Christ paid our debt to set us free. He is the perfect sacrifice that deals with God’s just wrath and puts things right.

As George Herbert puts it so beautifully Having been tenant long to a rich Lord, Not thriving, I resolved to be bold, And make a suit unto him, to afford A new small-rented lease, and cancel the old. In heaven at his manor I him sought: They told me there that he was lately gone About some land, which he had dearly bought Long since on earth, to take possession. I straight returned, and knowing his great birth, Sought him accordingly in great resorts: In cities, theatres, gardens, parks, and courts. At length I heard a ragged noise and mirth Of thieves and murderers: there I him espied, Who straight, Your suit is granted, said, and died.

And in his death we receive the relief we need deeper than any financial burden but only as we believe righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe These days at Easter time it seems that more people go to the shopping centres than go to church, but how burdened they are with all their concerns and with a deeper need for a new relationship with God They are in debt and they do not know that their debt is paid and that they are free to know God in a bright new way If you don’t believe you are not free, you are still in debt.

Or how many of us in church, we hear the good news that our debt is paid, we sing about it but to judge from the way we look the way we rarely smile the fear that grips us, the lack of peace people might think we were watching out for the debt collector. It is not enough to hear that our debt us paid we are called to believe that we are free and to live accordingly otherwise could it be that for us Christ died in vain?

And from one word we don’t like that begins with D to another DEATH something we have found in our survey that many honest people otherwise happy with their lives tell us it does concern them. Why are we afraid of death if it is only like a long deep sleep? surely we fidn death difficult because of this debt of sin? we can only face death positively when we know that the death of Jesus settles the account for us with God wehn we know that at judgem,ent we can lookl God in the face not because we are good, but because Jesus has paid our debt and set us free. When we die those who know Christ have that blessing made deeper and richer those who don’t are in deeper and desperate darkness

but the cross tells us that out of the darkenss of Christ’s death becomes the light of God’s peace and love the debt is paid death is defeated.

Thank you dear Father that Jesus died to set us free from the treadmill of trying to keep your commandments and knowing in our heart that we are never good enough Thank you that when we have given up and have sunk into despair He comes and unlocks the door of our prison cell and tells us the punishment is paid, we are forgiven, we can go

Thank you that even at the moment of our death we may have confidence through him who died and is alive for ever

So help us to rise up and rejoice in his freedom.