1/4/26, Melrose Community Church, Sunday Service

This message takes us deep into John chapter 6, where we encounter one of the most liberating truths of Christianity: salvation isn't something we earn, it's something we receive. In a world where every religion seems to demand a checklist of accomplishments, Christianity stands radically different. We're reminded that when people asked Jesus what works God requires, they were operating from a legalistic mindset that still traps many today. The beautiful paradox is that salvation is both completely free and impossibly expensive—free for us because God already paid the price we could never afford. Through powerful illustrations like jumping across the Grand Canyon or a single drop of poison contaminating pure water, we see why our good works could never bridge the gap to a perfect God. The Greek word for belief, used nearly 90 times in John's Gospel, reveals that faith isn't a one-time transaction but an active, continuous trust in what Christ has accomplished. This doesn't make us passive Christians; rather, it transforms our motivation entirely. We don't obey to earn salvation—we obey because we've been saved. The communion elements beautifully illustrate this truth: God looks at us through the lens of Christ's completed work, seeing us differently not because of what we do, but because of what He's done.