By Lamont H. Fuchs, Ed.D.
(author of “Preacher Spurs”, Christian Faith Publishing, Meadville, Pa., 2022)
“For no matter how many promises God has made, they are ‘Yes’ in Christ. And so through him, the ‘Amen’ is spoken by us to the glory of God. Now it is God who makes both us and you stand firm in Christ. He anointed us, set his seal of ownership on us, and put his Spirit in our hearts as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come.” 2 Corinthians 1:20-22 NIV
Small business stores and department stores still use layaway plans. It is better than going into debt, and no interest is required. Sometimes you can take advantage of excellent deals when you find what you want on sale, but you don’t have the money to pay for it. There are worthy comparisons and contrasts to salvation.
Have you ever put a sale item or an expensive purchase on layaway at a store? Maybe you didn’t have the money needed to buy it outright. Perhaps you wanted a place to keep it until it was needed. Sometimes mistakes happen. The store might lose or break what you purchased, and they give you your money back. Sometimes they might make the mistake of putting it back on the shelf and reselling it to someone else. Maybe their accounting gets mixed up, and they don’t have your purchase record or matching layaway ticket, and you must find those receipts and the payments made.
What happens when Jesus saves you? A layaway plan is when you make payments for something someone else is keeping for you until you pay in full. They usually keep your purchase in the back room or storage bin. God’s layaway plan is better. If anything, it’s the opposite of the typical store plan. Jesus has already made the deposit and paid for your eternal future by dying on the cross many years ago in Jerusalem. His one-time sacrifice was for the sins of the world, your sins, and mine. When you earnestly accept His payment by calling on His name to save you from death and sin, He gives you a deposit of the Holy Spirit. You take away the gift of eternal life instantly. Not when you die, but immediately. It’s almost like a reverse kind of mortgage. You not only get to live blessed with an eternal deposit, but you get the whole gift to take with you forever. If it sounds too simple and unbelievable, it almost is.
A layaway plan is when you give money as a down payment to get something reserved that the store keeps as you continue to pay for it. Then, when it is all paid for, you will get it sometime in the future.
God’s plan is that Jesus already paid for it. His gift is waiting for you, sitting on the shelf until you accept it. When you accept His gift of love and forgiveness, the additional benefit is eternal life and blessings from the moment the Spirit enters you. It’s not only a future blessing; it’s an immediate blessing because He changes your life. The Spirit begins to clean your thoughts and actions; He restores you with love for others. The benefits are now, for each day, forever because He is in you – forever. And He promises you that He will never leave you, never forget you, never lose your ticket, never let you go. He will always be with you, beside you, as your defender, comforter, healer, and friend. A friend better than a brother, a father who provides for your needs with mercy, grace, and rewards of heaven greater than anything you can imagine. You will never die. You will live forevermore with Him in all His glory in heaven.
He made the full payment with His life on the cross so you can live forever with Him. You get the whole gift; all you need to do is believe in Jesus, believe He can save you from your sin, and have faith that He is the only One who can and will do this for you. Take the gift home right now.
Lord God and Father, I ask today that this simple idea might be used to Your glory. I ask that someone will see and understand how simple accepting Jesus is and how permanent the results are. Lord, You have no limits in that You can make Your Word come alive and, with Your Spirit, capture the hearts of those You call unto Yourself. Use this message to gather those unto You for Your glory and honor. Amen
