Lee Strobel

He takes off his robe and he walks down in front of the bench and he opens his checkbook and he writes out a check for $10,000. and he rips it off and he says, I want to give this to you so you can pay the penalty that you deserve, but I'm going to pay it for you. Now, she has a choice. She could turn it down, say, no, no, no, I'd rather go to jail. I don't think she'd do that.

I think she'd say, thank you, Father, for loving me so much that you paid the penalty I deserve because I'm guilty. And she receives that check, and she's set free.

I think she'd say, thank you, Father, for loving me so much that you paid the penalty I deserve because I'm guilty. And she receives that check, and she's set free.

I think she'd say, thank you, Father, for loving me so much that you paid the penalty I deserve because I'm guilty. And she receives that check, and she's set free.

That is a analogy for what goes on with Jesus, why Jesus came into the world to die in our place as our substitute so that our sins could be wiped out, because only perfect people can go to heaven. And so we have to be forgiven, completely forgiven. And we have to be clothed in the righteousness of God, which also happens when we receive him as our forgiver and leader.

That is a analogy for what goes on with Jesus, why Jesus came into the world to die in our place as our substitute so that our sins could be wiped out, because only perfect people can go to heaven. And so we have to be forgiven, completely forgiven. And we have to be clothed in the righteousness of God, which also happens when we receive him as our forgiver and leader.

That is a analogy for what goes on with Jesus, why Jesus came into the world to die in our place as our substitute so that our sins could be wiped out, because only perfect people can go to heaven. And so we have to be forgiven, completely forgiven. And we have to be clothed in the righteousness of God, which also happens when we receive him as our forgiver and leader.

And then the doors of heaven are flung open for us. But that was the only way, because God is a righteous judge. He is holy. He can't just wink and say, yeah, yeah, yeah, forget it. I know you've done all these evil things in your life, but yeah, yeah, yeah, let's just forget about it. No, they have to be paid for.

And then the doors of heaven are flung open for us. But that was the only way, because God is a righteous judge. He is holy. He can't just wink and say, yeah, yeah, yeah, forget it. I know you've done all these evil things in your life, but yeah, yeah, yeah, let's just forget about it. No, they have to be paid for.

And then the doors of heaven are flung open for us. But that was the only way, because God is a righteous judge. He is holy. He can't just wink and say, yeah, yeah, yeah, forget it. I know you've done all these evil things in your life, but yeah, yeah, yeah, let's just forget about it. No, they have to be paid for.

If I lend you my car and you're gone for a day and you come back and it's got a big scratch down it, I could say, oh, I just forgive you. But then I got to pay for the scratch. I got to pay to have it repaired. Or if I don't, when I sell the car, I'm going to take a loss for the amount equivalent to fixing that scratch. I'm going to have to pay the penalty in one way or the other.

If I lend you my car and you're gone for a day and you come back and it's got a big scratch down it, I could say, oh, I just forgive you. But then I got to pay for the scratch. I got to pay to have it repaired. Or if I don't, when I sell the car, I'm going to take a loss for the amount equivalent to fixing that scratch. I'm going to have to pay the penalty in one way or the other.

If I lend you my car and you're gone for a day and you come back and it's got a big scratch down it, I could say, oh, I just forgive you. But then I got to pay for the scratch. I got to pay to have it repaired. Or if I don't, when I sell the car, I'm going to take a loss for the amount equivalent to fixing that scratch. I'm going to have to pay the penalty in one way or the other.

I can't just wink and say, forget it. So God can't just wink and say, I'm going to ignore the fact that you're sinners. No, no, no, because that would be a lie. And he can't lie. So do you see? So the purpose of Christmas, ultimately, is Easter. Now, along the way, God showed us how to live life.

I can't just wink and say, forget it. So God can't just wink and say, I'm going to ignore the fact that you're sinners. No, no, no, because that would be a lie. And he can't lie. So do you see? So the purpose of Christmas, ultimately, is Easter. Now, along the way, God showed us how to live life.

I can't just wink and say, forget it. So God can't just wink and say, I'm going to ignore the fact that you're sinners. No, no, no, because that would be a lie. And he can't lie. So do you see? So the purpose of Christmas, ultimately, is Easter. Now, along the way, God showed us how to live life.

He talked about how we should care for others, how we should prioritize people who are hurting, how we should reach out in love to people who are in need of our love and our kindness and so forth. He showed us how to live the perfect life. But if he only did that, none of us would get to heaven. He had to, Easter had to happen.

He talked about how we should care for others, how we should prioritize people who are hurting, how we should reach out in love to people who are in need of our love and our kindness and so forth. He showed us how to live the perfect life. But if he only did that, none of us would get to heaven. He had to, Easter had to happen.

He talked about how we should care for others, how we should prioritize people who are hurting, how we should reach out in love to people who are in need of our love and our kindness and so forth. He showed us how to live the perfect life. But if he only did that, none of us would get to heaven. He had to, Easter had to happen.

He had to go, he had to not only die on that cross, but then be resurrected from the dead so that when we die, we can be resurrected as well.