Access Granted: Embracing God's Presence Through Christ

Devotional

Day 1: God’s Justice and Justification Through Christ

God presented Christ as a sacrifice of atonement, demonstrating both His justice and His mercy. In His forbearance, God did not ignore sin but placed its full weight upon Himself in the person of Jesus. The cross was not a case of divine cruelty but of divine self-sacrifice, where Jesus willingly laid down His life so that we might be made right with God. Through faith in Jesus, we are not only forgiven but declared righteous, as God satisfied His own justice and became both just and the justifier of those who believe. [11:42]

Romans 3:25-26 (ESV)
"God put forward [Christ] as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith. This was to show God's righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over former sins. It was to show his righteousness at the present time, so that he might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus."

Reflection: In what area of your life do you struggle to believe that God’s justice and mercy are both fully at work for you? How can you trust Him today to be both just and your justifier?

Day 2: The Blood of Jesus Brings Us Near

Once separated and far away from God, we have now been brought near by the blood of Christ. This nearness is not just about a change in location but a change in relationship—no longer outsiders, we are welcomed into God’s presence as family. The blood of Jesus is our access pass, our key card, that opens the door to intimacy with God. We are not merely tolerated; we are invited to draw close, to be up close and personal with the Lord, because the cross didn’t just clean our record—it pulled us close. [14:42]

Ephesians 2:13 (ESV)
"But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ."

Reflection: When you feel distant from God, what practical step can you take today to remind yourself that you have been brought near by the blood of Jesus?

Day 3: Boldly Approaching the Throne of Grace

Because of Jesus’ redemptive work, we are invited to approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, not shame. The throne is not a place of judgment for the believer, but a place where mercy and grace are found in every time of need. Access to God is not just a theological idea—it is a practical, daily reality. No matter the hour or circumstance, you can come to God boldly, like a child coming home, knowing you belong and will always find grace. [19:26]

Hebrews 4:16 (ESV)
"Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need."

Reflection: What is one specific situation you are facing right now where you need to approach God’s throne with boldness? Will you take a moment today to do just that?

Day 4: Stay Close to the Source

Access to God is not just for Sundays—it’s for every day. Staying close to God means living in His presence, reminding yourself throughout the day that you have been brought near. Whether it’s through worship, opening your Bible, or simply whispering the name of Jesus, you can cultivate a sense of nearness to God. Just as a Bluetooth signal fades when you move too far from the source, so too can our sense of God’s presence fade if we drift. But God hasn’t moved; you can always return and draw near again, because you have access. [26:51]

James 4:8 (ESV)
"Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded."

Reflection: What is one daily habit you can start or renew this week to intentionally stay close to God and keep your “signal” strong?

Day 5: Live Like You Belong—Adopted as God’s Children

You are not a guest in God’s house—you are family. Through the Spirit, you have been adopted as God’s child and can cry out, “Abba, Father.” Shame, fear, or condemnation may try to tell you that you don’t belong, but the truth is that the blood of Jesus has given you all-access. You are invited to walk boldly, not sneaking in, but coming home as a beloved son or daughter. It’s time to stop standing outside and step fully into the presence and privileges God has given you. [29:36]

Romans 8:15 (ESV)
"For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, 'Abba! Father!'"

Reflection: Where in your life are you still living like an outsider with God? What would it look like to step into your identity as His beloved child today?

Sermon Summary

Romans 3:25-26 reveals the heart of God’s redemptive plan: through the sacrifice of Jesus, not only are sins forgiven, but access to God’s very presence is granted. The journey began with the reality of our separation from God—sin didn’t just make us bad, it made us distant. The price for reconciliation was steep; grace is free to us, but it cost Jesus everything. Yet, the story doesn’t end with forgiveness. The cross is our activation key, granting us access to places we could never enter on our own. Just as a hotel key card is useless until it’s activated, so too is our access to God made possible only through the blood of Jesus.

God’s justice and love are perfectly displayed at the cross. He didn’t ignore sin or simply pardon us by bending the rules. Instead, He satisfied His own justice by taking the punishment upon Himself in Christ. The cross is not divine child abuse, but divine self-sacrifice—God Himself, in the person of Jesus, willingly bore the weight of our sin. This act didn’t just change our status; it changed our location. We were once far off, but now, by the blood of Christ, we are brought near—not just tolerated, but welcomed into intimate relationship.

Access means more than forgiveness; it means we can approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, not shame. This access is practical and real-time. No matter the hour or circumstance, we can come boldly to God, finding mercy and grace in every need. We don’t have to wait for Sunday or for the “right” moment—our access is daily, continual, and unearned. Like children who know they belong in their parent’s house, we are invited to live with kingdom boldness, acting like sons and daughters, not guests or outsiders.

To live in this access, we must use it daily—praying with confidence, staying close to God’s presence, and walking in the boldness of our adoption. The veil is torn, the door is open, and the invitation is clear: don’t stand outside any longer. Through Jesus, access is granted. All that remains is to receive it, walk in it, and let it transform every part of our lives.

Key Takeaways

1. The cross is not just about forgiveness, but about access. Jesus’ sacrifice didn’t merely wipe our record clean; it opened the door for us to enter God’s presence freely. We are not just pardoned criminals—we are welcomed children, invited to draw near without fear or shame. [07:12]
2. God’s justice and love are not in conflict at the cross. Rather than bending the rules or ignoring sin, God satisfied His own justice by bearing the penalty Himself in Christ. This reveals a love so profound that it transforms our understanding of both justice and mercy—God is both just and the justifier. [11:42]
3. Access to God is not a one-time event, but a daily reality. We are called to use our “key card” every day, approaching God in prayer and confidence, not waiting for special occasions or religious rituals. Our relationship with God is meant to be lived out in the ordinary moments, as well as the extraordinary. [22:46]
4. Closeness to God is not something we earn, but something we live in. The blood of Jesus has brought us near, and we are invited to remain in His presence. When we feel distant, it is not God who has moved; we are always one step of faith away from restored intimacy. [26:51]
5. We are called to live with kingdom boldness, acting like we belong in God’s house. Shame, fear, and condemnation have no place in the life of a child of God. Our adoption is secure, and we are invited to approach God as sons and daughters, not as outsiders or guests. [29:36]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[01:06] - Reading Romans 3:25-26
[02:31] - Series Recap: The Gap, The Price, The Access
[03:10] - The Hotel Key Card Analogy
[04:38] - Activation and Access Explained
[05:32] - Protecting Your Access
[07:12] - The Blood of Jesus: Our Access Pass
[08:35] - God’s Patience and the Cross
[09:37] - Divine Self-Sacrifice, Not Divine Child Abuse
[10:32] - Justice and Love at the Cross
[14:42] - Brought Near by the Blood
[17:15] - The Door is Opened: From Outside to Inside
[18:00] - Approaching the Throne with Confidence
[22:46] - Three Ways to Live with Access
[23:47] - Staying Close to the Source
[26:51] - Restoring the Signal: Returning to God’s Presence
[29:36] - Living Like Family, Not Guests
[31:28] - Stop Standing Outside: Walk In
[32:00] - The Veil is Torn: Access Granted
[33:24] - Responding to the Invitation
[35:51] - The ABCs of Salvation
[37:32] - Making Jesus Lord and Final Blessing

Bible Study Guide

Bible Reading

Romans 3:25-26 (ESV) — > “whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith. This was to show God’s righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over former sins. It was to show his righteousness at the present time, so that he might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.”

Observation Questions

According to Romans 3:25-26, what did God do to demonstrate His righteousness? What does it mean that He is both “just and the justifier”?
In the sermon, what was the significance of the hotel key card analogy? How does it help us understand what Jesus did for us? [[04:38]]
What does the sermon say about the difference between being forgiven and having access to God? [[07:12]]
How does the sermon describe the way God dealt with sin at the cross? Was it by ignoring sin, bending the rules, or something else? [[10:32]]

Interpretation Questions

The sermon says, “Sin didn’t just make us bad. It made us separate.” How does this idea change the way we think about our need for Jesus? [[02:31]]
The pastor said, “The cross was not divine child abuse. It was divine self-sacrifice.” What does this mean about God’s character and His love for us? [[09:37]]
What does it mean that we are not just “tolerated” by God, but “welcomed” into His presence? How does this affect our relationship with Him? [[14:42]]
The sermon mentions that access to God is not a one-time event, but a daily reality. What are some ways this truth can impact the way we live each day? [[22:46]]

Application Questions

The sermon used the analogy of a hotel key card that must be activated to work. Is there an area of your life where you feel like you’re holding the “key card” but not using it? What would it look like to “activate” your access to God this week? [[04:38]]
The pastor said, “You don’t have to wait for Sunday to access God.” When are you most likely to forget that you have daily, real-time access to God? What practical step can you take to remind yourself of this truth? [[20:29]]
The message challenged us to “pray with confidence” and “stay close to the source.” What is one specific way you can build a habit of approaching God with confidence in your daily routine? [[22:46]]
The sermon talked about “restoring the signal” when we feel distant from God. If you feel far from God right now, what is one step you can take this week to draw near again? [[26:51]]
The pastor encouraged us to “act like you belong” and live with kingdom boldness. Are there places in your life where you still feel like a guest or outsider with God? What would it look like to live as a welcomed child instead? [[29:36]]
Shame, fear, and condemnation were named as things that don’t belong in the life of a child of God. Is there a specific area where you struggle with these feelings? How can the truth of your access to God help you respond differently? [[29:36]]
The invitation was clear: “Don’t stand outside any longer.” What is one area of your life where you need to stop “standing outside” and step into the access Jesus has given you? [[31:28]]

Sermon Clips

The cross was not the father against the son. The cross was the father, son, and the spirit working together for us. Are you hearing what I'm saying today? God didn't take it out on Jesus. God took it on himself through Jesus. Lord, I thank you today. I thank you today. The full weight of sin's judgment fell on Jesus, who is God in the flesh. So the cross isn't divine child abuse. No. It's divine. self -sacrifice. That's what the cross is. [00:09:54] (43 seconds) #FatherSonSpiritUnity

Sin had to be punished. But rather than placing it on us, God himself bore it in Christ. Look at 2 Corinthians 5 and 21. God made him who had no sin be sin for us so that in him we might become what? The righteousness of God that shows not cruelty but unfathomable love. I can't even explain the type of love. What matter of love is this? That man would lay down his life for his friend. The cross was not divine child abuse. It was divine love in action. Jesus wasn't a victim. He was a volunteer. [00:10:46] (54 seconds) #LoveNotCruelty

God satisfied his own justice, which was sin must be punished and made sinners right with him. So he was just and the justifier. He's not like people in authority that take liberties and pardon their family members when they know their family members are wrong. God is just. and the justifier god did not bend the rules to let us in because he is just oh i can feel i wish i could preach this thing like i feel it he he fulfilled the rules through jesus uh that's why we now have legitimate blood -bought access because he was just in his fulfillment god didn't cheat justice to let us in he completed justice in christ jesus he did it to bring us in [00:11:54] (79 seconds) #JustAndJustifier

It's the blood somebody shout the blood that is the access pass the blood is the key card the blood is the all access lanyard that can get you backstage pulling the curtain back y 'all ain't saying nothing because without the blood we're still at a distance because the gap is real but it was through atonement that you're not just tolerated by God you're not just tolerated into God's presence we're actually welcomed closer than ever before [00:14:48] (59 seconds) #BloodIsTheKey

Because of Jesus' redemptive work on the cross, we have identified this through this series title called Atonement. We don't crawl into God's presence ashamed. We come boldly. Lord, I, I, I. I want you all to say, we come confidently. The throne is not the throne of judgment for the believer. It's a throne of grace for the believer. Access isn't just about forgiveness. It's about real -time help in real -life situations. [00:18:58] (53 seconds) #BloodIsKeyCard

Access means that you don't have to wait for Sunday morning. You can go to him no matter what day of the week it is because you have. Would y 'all help me preach this thing? You're not sneaking into the throne room. You're walking in like a child coming home. Why? Because grace isn't just what saves you. It's what sustains you. [00:20:29] (33 seconds) #AccessEveryday

You got to use your key card daily. In other words, you got to pray with confidence. We just read it. Let us then approach God's throne of grace with confidence so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need. Let me tell you something. Stop waiting until Sunday to access God. Every time you pray, whether it's in your car, on your lunch break, in the middle of the night, you're walking through a door that Jesus... Let me tell you something. already unlocked for you are y 'all hear what i'm saying today don't wait for the church doors to open when heaven's door are already unlocked [00:22:59] (46 seconds) #ConfidentPrayerAccess

Stop living like a guest in God's house. You are family. We are family. Family. I've got all my sisters and I've got all my brothers. We are family. And when shame or fear, listen to me good, or guilt or condemnation tries to tell you you don't belong, all you've got to do is answer back and say, I'm a child of God with all access. Yes. I got all access because the blood of Jesus gave me my key card. You're not sneaking into the throne room. You're walking like a son. You're walking like a daughter coming home because you have access. Yes. [00:29:54] (62 seconds) #ComeInAccessGranted

You don't have to wait on the outside any longer. You have access. Access through the blood of Jesus. Doesn't matter what you've done. Doesn't matter where you've been. Let me tell you something. Jesus' blood already paid it all. All you have to do is receive. Receive his love. Receive his grace. Receive his mercy. Receive his love. [00:35:39] (41 seconds) #ReceiveGraceMercyLove

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