January 11-Replacement

Scripture Lesson: 1 John 3:16a

Today in 1965, Wally Pipp died. Pipp played in the big leagues with Detroit, the Yankees, and Cincinnati from 1913-1928. He played with the Yankees from 1915 until he was traded to the Reds after the 1925 season. Pipp is best known for asking out of a game because of a headache allowing a young first baseman from Columbia University in New York to make a start on June 1, 1925. Lou Gehrig would play 2,130 consecutive games( having started the streak on May 31,1925 with a pinch-hit appearance) for the Yankees in a Hall of Fame career. Pipp would never start another game at first for the Yankees. One of the greatest replacements in baseball history was when Lou Gehrig replaced Wally Pipp as the Yankees’ first baseman.

Today’s Scripture lesson tells of the greatest replacement of all times. John in writing to the churches tells of the greatest of all replacements. Jesus died for us, He died in our place for our sins. The one who was sinless became sin for us when he died on Calvary’s tree. When we look for a definition of love that is it…Jesus laid down His life for us! We deserved death, but Jesus died so that we might live and spend eternity with Him in heaven. He died in our place, we deserved Calvary’s death, Jesus did not. But Jesus loved us enough to be our replacement.

1. Think about what Jesus endured on Calvary’s cross to bridge the gap that sin brought between God and us.
2. Now thank Him for being our replacement.
3. What can we do today to show Jesus how much we love Him?

Jesus loved us enough to be our replacement and to pay the price for our sins. If He was willing to die for us, should we not be willing to live for Him?