Consider that the blood was enough

Sinner:
I see. I see for the first time. It’s clear to me. You died for me and for my sin. You took my verdict.

God:
I did.

Sinner:
So tell me what I can do to show you how grateful I am.

God:
You’re not ready for that.  You have forgotten what Anselm said: "You have not yet considered the depth of your sin."

Sinner:
But I want to show you I have. I really have. I know it is really deep. Talk to me. Teach me sanctification.

God:
I told you. You aren’t ready for sanctification yet. You just imagine that you are ready. You are arrogant and you don’t know it.

Sinner:
Well, what then?

God:
Just sit there. Sit there for a long while.

Sinner:
And do what?

God:
Consider the shed blood. Consider that the blood was enough. Think about the fact that it isn’t your repenting that has saved you. Think about the fact that it isn’t your faith that is saving you.

Sinner:
Can’t I just, as you said, just think about my sin and the depth of it?

God:
That is a start. But you like doing that. You like it too much.

Sinner:
This makes no sense. What are you saying?

God:
I am saying that you like atoning for yourself by feeling guilty. And you like atoning for yourself by thinking about your faith.

Sinner:
Well, what else is there?

God:
There is Jesus Christ – but you don’t consider Him. You are not used to gifts. You don’t think much about them. Gifts make you nervous and tense. You don't know what to do, so you jump to trying to impress Me. I am not impressible.

Sinner:
I’m confused.

God:
You are.

Sinner:
Are you saying that I find a thousand ways to avoid your graciousness to me in the cross of Jesus, the shed blood of Jesus?

God:
I am.

Sinner:
Are you saying that I try to buy your gifts, try to pay you for them so I don't think about them being gifts? Because I’m afraid that if they are gifts, it is really too good to be true?

God:
That is what I am saying.

Sinner:
You mean I don’t like letting you freely justify me? I resist what is really a free justification?

God:
Yes. You like what is inside of you. You like your commitment, your Christian life. My gifts make you nervous. You want to think about you. You like thinking about you. You would walk a thousand miles barefoot over glass shards to avoid My gifts to you.

Sinner:
Why haven’t I seen this?

God:
Because you are a child of Adam.

Sinner:
I know. But I’m not stupid. I have two master’s degrees. I’m a child of Adam with two master’s degrees.

God:
It is not a matter of intelligence. It is a matter of sin.

Sinner:
Well, what’s the answer?

God:
I’ve been telling you the answer all along. The answer is the gift, the blood.  The answer is you looking for once in your life to something other than yourself. Your religiousness is your enemy! You don’t hate it. And you should.  I do.

Sinner:
You mean I worship me?

God:
That is what I mean. Your sanctification is your golden calf. You love thinking about your lack of it. And you love thinking of how full you are of it. Either way, you are your own favorite idol.

Sinner:
That’s not true. I just want to play my part.

God:
You have no part.

Sinner:
Well, a fine kettle of fish this is! A salvation without me as even a part of it.

God:
That’s the only kind of salvation there is.

Sinner:
Well, if You’re not impressed by my thoughts or my feelings, what does impress you, anyway?

God:
Nothing in you impresses Me.

Sinner:
Well, does anything impress You?

God:
My Son’s shed blood impresses Me. And His shed blood is yours. It is reckoned to you.

Sinner:
Oh, Father, I’m sorry.

God:
You are. And I gave you that, too.

Sinner:
You gave me, “I’m sorry?”

God:
Yes.

Sinner:
Is there anything good or true that I don’t get from your generosity?

God:
No.

--Dr. Rod Rosenbladt, excerpts from a conversational sermon
source: here