(from the Wednesday night Lent 2020 series: The Truth Opposed)
It all started out fun, but it went so wrong so quickly. Giggling turned into laughing and laughing turned into sheer carelessness. You see, mom went to run some errands and left the kids home. Since she was gone, it meant they could not go outside. So, they decided to bring the outside inside. A kickball somehow appeared, and even though kicking it around inside was forbidden, they did it anyway. It was fun; they were careful— until the sound of shattering glass broke through the air. He wound up his leg, focused on kicking to his brother, but the minute the ball left his foot, his heart sank. Like a slow motion movie, the ball left the ground, started veering right, almost attracted to his parent’s wedding picture. The frame tumbled off the wall. Glass broke, its shards tore into the picture. He broke the rules; he became enslaved to the consequences. Still, he tried to escape them. He scrambled to piece the glass pieces together, but nothing held them in place. He taped the picture up, but it was obviously destroyed. He even went so far as to punish himself by sitting on his bed in his room. Try as he might, nothing could silence his screaming conscience. Why? Because, he did not have the power to free himself from punishment. Throughout Lent we meet opponents of truth. Each adversary confronts undeniable truth, but fights against its judgments. A man confronts his crime against the blameless and tumbles into despair. ‘I Have Sinned by Betraying Innocent Blood.’ Who could have ever imagined the situation would reach this point? Think about how it all started. Judas Iscariot serves as keeper of the moneybag (John 12:6). (Really, he manages the bank account for Jesus and the disciples.) Wherever this group travels, crowds gather. They flock to hear this marvelous Teacher from Nazareth. He preaches with divine authority. His words penetrate and heal the heart. Jesus brings real peace with God. So, many want to support the expenses associated with his travels. Women give fistfuls of coins. Men slip financial support. Judas handles that money. He pays the dinner bills and the hotel bills. He gives the beggar money for food and helps the financial needs of widows and orphans (John 13:29). Yet, one day, something catches his eye. New sandals. A fine leather belt. Extra dessert. Those little luxuries promise pleasure— and a few coins from the moneybag covers the expenses. At first, the conscience burned. He should not have used church funds for personal expenses, but he promised to repay everything. I mean, no one would ever know the money was gone. You know what? No one ever did. Since no one knew the funds were missing, it did not seem pressing to repay. After all, money not missed must not be all too needed. So, no one gave much thought when Judas said, ‘You go ahead without me, I’ll settle our lunch bill’ or ‘I saw a beggar back by the clothing department, I’ll give him something’ or ‘Why wasn’t this perfume sold and the money given to the poor? It was worth a year’s wages.’ (John 12:5) The inkling of greed blossomed into stealing (and stealing more!), and lying (and lying more!) and conniving (and conniving more!) Then an easy opportunity for quick cash appeared. Judas approached some powerful Jewish officials. “What are you willing to give me if I hand [Jesus of Nazareth] over to you?” (Matthew 26:14). Remember the price? Thirty silver pieces. Three months wages. Judas could take a luxurious vacation to Sicily or buy the fancy camel or get the AD30-Judean-Summer wardrobe collection. He seized the opportunity. After all, Jesus will probably be arrested, roughed up, and then released. Never did Judas ever imagine the situation would reach this point: [He] saw that Jesus was condemned. How did that happen? Judas had travelled with this man for three years! He spent time in his circles, listening to his preaching! Yes, Jesus could condemn the greedy heart and that could be annoying, but he never committed a crime deserving death! When Judas, who had betrayed him, saw that Jesus was condemned, he was seized with remorse and returned the thirty silver coins to the chief priests and the elders. “I have sinned,” he said, “for I have betrayed innocent blood.” That’s how every temptation ends, isn’t it? You see, the devil loves setting up his classic one-two punch. First, he promises that life will become more satisfying, more fulfilling by following your heart. (After all, it cannot be wrong if it feels good, right?) Take the extra drink, finish the bottle. After all, you had a stressful day. Vent your unfiltered frustrations, make unreasonable demands. Your daughter should clear her work- and family-schedule to drive you all over town. Your son should call daily and spend at least one hour on the phone. You are the parent, right? You raised those kids and you have need; your grown children cannot just ignore you. Dig in your heels. I mean, you dedicated years to this congregation. If no one welcomes your help, then let them taste your anger. Criticize. Gripe how you would handle matters differently (and better). Make those who overlook you beg for your unsurpassed value! The devil promises life gets better by dabbling with wrong! Once we stumble into that snare, he pulls it tight! We get caught in terrible consequences. The drunk nights damages relationships and the yelling hurts your daughter and getting revenge does not make you wanted. What makes it worse is not just the consequences, but the devil’s painful reminders. ‘How could you say such horrible things?’ ‘Why did you turn your back on your friends?’ ‘You drank too much again— and you call yourself a Christian! God can’t love someone like you.’ You know what, he’s right! The devil’s absolutely right! We Have Sinned, and Jesus is Innocent. Even Judas realizes that! Compared to Jesus, his greedy heart was one enormous cesspool of filth. Oh, the bone-crushing, strength-sapping guilt! [He] was (1) seized with remorse and (2) returned the thirty silver coins to the chief priests and the elders. (3)“I have sinned,” he said, “for I have betrayed innocent blood.” Judas attempts what so many do: He tries undoing the crime! Feel bad! Return the money! Receive instructions! Those solutions never erase guilt, do they? The devil’s whispers still lingers: ‘Not enough. Do more. Be better.’ Guilty hearts confront a very undeniable truth: We Have Sinned, but Jesus is Innocent. The devil love emphasizing that first point: ‘We have sinned.’ If that is all we hear, then we become The wayward heart that has no answer for guilt. We do not have the power to free ourselves from punishment. Jesus, as he always has, emphasizes the second point. We Have Sinned, but Jesus is Innocent. We stand drenched with guilt, but Jesus has none! He stands faultless, without blame! Judas never quite understands that. You see, Jesus knew about the embezzlement. He knew about the betrayal. He knew Satan filled Judas’ heart. Three times Jesus makes no secret about Judas’ plot (Matthew 26:21-25). He speaks so that Judas can admit: ‘I’m wrong, but Jesus is perfectly right!’ He speaks so that Judas finds complete, restoring forgiveness. He speaks so that we find The Innocent One becomes accountable for us. Greed puts Jesus on death row. Yes, Judas’ action puts Jesus in peril. It brings a death-sentence. Still, greed brings an eternal death-sentence. So does arguing and drunkenness and revenge and lovelessness and arrogance— and every sin. It all demands accountability, that the guilty person carry the consequences. Instead, Jesus carries that heavy baggage up Mount Calvary and makes himself accountable for it all. He hangs before God Almighty and says, ‘Punish me instead. Hold me accountable.’ God does exactly that. He charges all sin to Jesus and makes him pay it off with his life. The Innocent One becomes accountable for us. You know what God finds in Jesus? No guilt. No arguments and regrets and anger and revenge. He finds innocence. He finds a life he loves, a life he raises to be with him, a life that lasts forever. The truth is undeniable: I Have Sinned, but Jesus Is Innocent. The Innocent One becomes accountable for us. Remember that truth the next time the devil comes slinking your way. His reminders burn. ‘How could you say such horrible things?’ ‘Why did you turn your back on your friends?’ ‘You drank too much again— and you call yourself a Christian! God can’t love someone like you.’ How do you end the torment? How can you actually remove the guilt? Point at Jesus; the devil has no answer to that. Go to the cross. Point at it and ask: ‘What happened there?’ [Answer:] Jesus died. For what reason did Jesus die? [Answer:] He died for your crime, for my crime. If God punishes Jesus for our crime, then what does that mean for us? [Answer:] The consequences of sin forever removed. In other words, we stand forgiven! You see, the answer for guilt is not to study guilty people. The answer is found in the One not-guilty. God the Father accepts that innocent life for your (and my) advantage. Jesus literally rises from the dead to say to you: ‘Your sins are forgiven’ (John 20:21-23) Return to him again and again and say, ‘The Innocent One became accountable for me.’ Throughout Lent we meet opponents of truth. Each adversary confronts undeniable truth, but fights against its judgments. Judas confronts his crime against a blameless Jesus and plunges into despair. ‘I Have Sinned by Betraying Innocent Blood.’ He fixates so much on self that he failed to grasp the glorious truth of his sentence. Jesus is innocent! The wayward heart has no answer for guilt. Nothing we do can unlock nagging guilt. We do not have the power to free ourselves from punishment. Yet, Jesus does and he has. The Innocent One becomes accountable for us. His life is more than enough. That’s a truth no one can deny: ‘I Have Sinned, but Jesus is Innocent!’ What soul-satisfying peace! (from the Wednesday night Lent 2020 series: The Truth Opposed)
Ethan Couch suffered from a serious case of ‘affluenza.’ His condition was so severe that it was to blame for the events of June 15, 2013. That evening, on a country road just outside Fort Worth, Texas, Breanna Mitchell’s SUV had broken down. A homeowner saw her distress and went out with her daughter to help Breanna. Another driver had also pulled over to lend a hand. Meanwhile, Wal-Mart security cameras caught 16-year-old Ethan stealing two cases of beer. He dashed out of the store, hopped behind the wheel of his father’s enormous Ford F-350 dually, and along with seven other passengers, sped off, sailing 70-miles-an-hour in a 40-miles-per-hour zone. Ethan and his buddies burned through the beer. They race home, flying 70-miles-an-hour down the same country road where all those busy hands work on Breanna’s SUV. By the time Ethan saw them, it was too late. He loses control, careens into the disabled SUV, flips his truck, rolls across the road, wipes out Breanna and the helpers. He kills them all. He sends four other bystanders to the hospital. His seven passengers survive with injuries, although one friend is completely paralyzed. Police on the scene immediately arrest Ethan for driving with a suspended license, drunk driving, driving under the influence of drugs, intoxicated assault, and intoxicated manslaughter. On the day of the trial, the defense lawyer points at Ethan’s serious case of affluenza. The judge studies those debilitating conditions, the effect it has on Ethan, and drops the charges. Ethan goes free! Do you know what ‘affluenza’ is? ‘Affluenza’ is the condition of thinking that wealth buys privileges. The lawyer argued that Ethan “didn’t know boundaries because his rich parents didn’t give him any.” (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ethan_Couch) That left Ethan unable to process consequences. Therefore, he could not be blamed for underage drinking, driving while intoxicated, speeding, and manslaughter because his parents never taught him those actions are wrong. You realize, pride gets in the way. Pride— holding yourself accountable to no one. Ethan used wealth, status, and influence to escape the consequences of his crime. Pride protects ego at all costs even if that means rejecting truth and denying responsibility. In our Wednesday meditations we meet opponents of truth. Each adversary confronts undeniable truth, but still refuses to bow under that truth. A courtroom advisor pleads with a judge: ‘Have Nothing to Do with that Innocent Man!’ That’s what the judge is trying to do! Pontius Pilate presides as judge over Judea. Before him stands Jesus. Hours earlier, angry Jewish leaders had arrested him. They charge him with conspiracy to overthrow the Roman Empire. Now, they want Pilate’s approval for the death sentence. Yet, look at this pitiful man! He does not fit the mold of an influential figure or charismatic leader. No crown, no rings and fine clothing, no fancy haircut and expensive lotions. No army fights for his release. No loyal band of supporters storm the courtroom demanding freedom. This beaten, bruised, bound man poses no threat to Rome. The charges are obviously false; Pilate clearly sees that the Jews arrest Jesus out of jealousy (Matthew 27:18). He stands innocent! Even Pilate’s wife knows that. She sends an urgent message to her husband: “Don’t have anything to do with that innocent man, for I have suffered a great deal today in a dream because of him.” Literally she says, ‘Let there be nothing between you and that Righteous One.’ She does not merely call Jesus ‘innocent,’ but ‘righteous.’ Not only is Jesus empty of guilt, but he is full of moral purity. Never greedy for world power. Not devouring wealth at the expense of the weak and vulnerable. He carries no faults. No one can dredge up a past regret. Jesus is un-accuse-able! That’s why she pleads: ‘If you wrong this perfect Man, then you owe a debt you can never repay!’ If Pilate condemns an obviously innocent Jesus, then Pilate commits a great injustice! Have Nothing to Do with that Innocent Man? Pilate’s trying! Every Passover Festival he pardons a criminal (27:15-17). This year, he presents an offer no one can refuse. He can either (1) set Jesus free or (2) he can release Barabbas, a man who rebelled against Rome and murdered Jews. (Really, the choice is like releasing Charles Manson or Mother Theresa. Who would you want free in your community?) You realize, even this attempt sidesteps the truth. Jesus is innocent. Enough said! Why doesn’t Pilate simply set Jesus free? Because the crowds stand on the verge of rioting. If the Jews riot, then Rome will take notice. Rome will march its armies and quash the riot. Rome will also remove an incompetent Pilate from power. Pilate cannot have that happen. To prevent losing power, Pilate prevents a riot. To prevent a riot, Pilate caters to Jewish demands. The guilty set free. The Innocent condemned. Pride protects ego at all costs even if that means rejecting truth and denying responsibility. Ethan Couch refuses to think the law applies to him and denies responsibility for his crimes. Pilate refuses to admit to be Jesus innocent in order to protect power, status, and pride. The Jews would rather condemn Jesus than to hear him expose their proud, corrupt hearts. Have Nothing to Do with That Innocent Man? That’s what the proud heart wants! It does not want failures exposed. Each Sunday (even today!) we speak our faults. ‘God, I confess that I am by nature sinful. I have disobeyed you in my thoughts, with my words, and with my actions. I have failed to help the helpless. I have not defended the vulnerable. God, I plead for your mercy.’ Yet, inside is this little voice, this little tug that excuses behavior. Pride denies the truth that that mocking the husband was wrong …that shaming the wife was wrong. Pride denies the truth that your less-than-encouraging words about politicians are not words to be used. Pride puts you above others. It sets you on top of God’s commandments. It even creates excuses why what God calls ‘Wrong’ is acceptable! Pride denies truth so that criminals are not exposed. That proud heart does not even want shortcomings highlighted. Each Sunday (even today!) we focus on Christ. Still, a little part of us wants credit. How often do the fingers bend back at us— pointing at ourselves for confidence? Pride pushes Jesus aside, crying, ‘I do not need you! I am a good person. I am do good. I am enough on my own!’ So many refuse to hear the truth that we can never stand right with God. Instead of hearing accountability, it is easier to ‘Have Nothing to Do with that Innocent Man!’ Have Jesus stand trial so that we do not have to confront responsibility. You realize Jesus does just that, he stands there. Who would even tolerate such injustice? Who would stand there while people literally chant for your demise? Who would stand there in the place of people that clearly do not want you? And if we do not want our (actual) faults exposed, who would stand there silent while fingers lie about you? Jesus could let people have their wish. ‘Have Nothing to Do with that Innocent Man?’ Fine! Tear open the heavens, step up onto his glorious throne, and tower as Judge over every single heart. Instead, he stands condemned by the proud, for the proud. For their benefit. For their advantage. Pilate’s wife speaks truth: Jesus is innocent. God reveals that in a dream. That dream gives Pilate a chance to consider what his own heart is fully capable of doing. Pilate thirsts for political power and control, but Jesus hungers for God’s teaching. That dream gives the Jews a chance to consider what they want. Barabbas actually killed and murdered; he stands red-handed guilty. Jesus physically heals people and even heals hearts with forgiving words. That dream gives you (and me) a chance to compare the condition of our hearts to the heart Christ. Pride arrogantly thinks no need for a Savior, that we are God’s gift to the world. Yet, Jesus is actually God’s gift— because he alone is righteous. He leaves a heavenly throne and lays aside his powerful status as Almighty God. He takes on the greatest injustice of all: sentenced for a crime he did not commit. Christ marches to the cross as our pride is heaped on him. He willingly carries all of it away and disposes of it forever. As the righteous Son of God, Jesus purges pride. He stands condemned for the proud and now we will never be condemned for our pride. Have Nothing to Do with that Innocent Man? Never would we ever want to say such a thing! Instead, we want this Innocent Man! We confess our sins, we can lay out each failure one by one, knowing that Jesus drapes his righteous life over every crime. When someone asks you: ‘Are you sure you will enter heaven?’ you do not need to stare in the mirror. You can point at Jesus, the Righteous One. He has wrapped that righteous life around you (read Galatians 3:26-27). Jesus stands condemned for the proud, for your benefit, for your advantage. That is our pride. In our Wednesday meditations we meet opponents of truth. Each adversary confronts undeniable truth, but still refuses to bow under that truth. No one wants to hear what is true. A courtroom advisor pleads with a judge: ‘Have Nothing to Do with that Innocent Man!’ He doesn’t want to! He does not want Jesus to take away his earthly power and status. The Jews do not want Jesus taking away their power and position over the people. Pride protects ego at all costs even if that means rejecting truth and denying responsibility. So, Jesus stands condemned by the proud. Jesus stands condemned for the proud. He literally removes all boasting. We have life with God! Not because of our awesome efforts, but because of Jesus’ morally pure life. ‘Have Nothing to Do with that Innocent Man?’ Never! Jesus had everything to do with us so that we can live by this Innocent Man! It remains the largest aircraft carrier battle in world history. June 19, 1944. The mighty United States Navy sails fifteen carriers loaded with 900-aircraft into the Philippine Sea. The intimidating Imperial Japanese Navy send out nine carriers and 500-warplanes. The future of sea and air power hangs in the balance. Victor claims control in the region.
The battle is completely lopsided. The Imperial Japanese Navy races to ambush American forces. Yet, two American submarines and multiple radars detect the secret efforts. That’s why The Battle of the Philippine Sea is nicknamed ‘The Great Marianas Turkey Shoot.’ Japanese forces unleash over 500-aircraft at the ready and waiting American fleet. At one point, the Americans literally shoot down planes as they take off. The Japanese lose over 400 warplanes, while the Americans lose only thirty. (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_the_Philippine_Sea#Early_actions) In no way did the Japanese even come close to matching American firepower, machinery, or strategy. Instead, they lose almost all of their aircraft, much of their naval fleet, and more importantly, influence in the region. The Americans cut off supply lines and heavy bombers could now reach mainland Japan. Completely overwhelmed. That best describes this battle. That best describes the battle we confront today. Completely overwhelming! Satan’s ambush on Adam and Eve unleashed devastating results. The same battle he launched against them is the same battle that daily overwhelms us! We never stand a chance for victory— but Christ does. He makes that victory known. Christ Overwhelms Overwhelming Enemies! Sin condemned us to death, but Grace sets us free for life. Do you really know what that is— life? Adam and Eve have life. They have life in Eden’s paradise. Hearts pump blood throughout the body. Lungs breathe in fresh, pure air. Brains command muscle movement. Eyes gaze at beautifully lush vegetation and marvelous fruits. Ears absorb chirping birds and babbling brooks. Yes, Adam and Eve function— they live— but that’s only part of life. Adam and Eve have life with God. Every fiber of their being cherishes him! Absolutely content with all God provides. Totally dependent on God’s care. Entirely willing to approach God for anything at anytime. No barrier exists. No cringe-worthy, regrettable shame. Just this effortless openness. That is real life. Rejoicing as a child under the King’s loving care. That life blows up with just one act. God gave a crystal-clear command: ‘You must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil’ (Genesis 2:17). That command may sound like God is too strict and needs to lighten up. Understand, that command allows Adam and Eve to demonstrate love in a very visible way. For example, your spouse tells you on your wedding day: ‘Love me!’ So you do. Not because you are a slave, but because your love prompts you to love. You hold your newborn child in your arms. Those baby blue eyes pierce deep into your own and command: ‘Love me.’ You do. Not because you must, but because your love for this child pulls you to love in ways never before imagined. Your God tells Adam and Eve: ‘Do not eat.’ They do not. Not because God drains fun from life, but because he loves them. His love fuels their love. Breaking that command demonstrates love for self, not love for God. That defiant act we call ‘Sin.’ Literally, [the word] ‘sin’ means ‘miss the target (or, mark).’ A 12-point buck stands in front of you. You carefully aim your rifle at the heart, pull the trigger, and fire. Does it matter if you miss? Of course it does! The point of hunting is to hit the mark, to strike the bull’s-eye. Miss the mark and you fail! If it is a big deal to miss shooting your 12-pointer, then be sure, it is a big deal missing God’s target for complete obedience. Adam makes it quite known: ‘God, I do not need you!’ That defiant cry for independence brought consequences. [S]in entered the world through one man, and death through sin[.] Sin results in death. And what is death? How is it best defined? Death separates. Death separates people from life. Death separates husband from wife and wife from husband. Death separates grandma and grandpa from family. Death separates child from mom and dad and mom and dad from child. Death separates people from life. Even worse, death separates all people from life with God! That terrible consequence engulfs world like a wildfire and is more unstoppable than the coronavirus. [I]n this way death came to all men, because all sinned[.] All people! No one stands exempt. You inherit the genetic makeup of your parents (the hair color, facial features, your body-shape). That’s not all. You also inherit their sinful heart. I did not teach my daughter to be stubborn. I did not teach my son not to share his toys. I did not teach my daughter to throw a fit when she does not get enough attention. I look at them and see a piece of me; I see my selfishness in them. ‘Sin’ passes down from generation to generation and with it, death. From the moment of birth the clock of life begins counting down. Every single person in the world reaches a day when the heart will stop, the lungs cease, and the brain dies We stand completely powerless to stop it! ‘Sin’ sits on us like a terrible overlord, only pointing at the inevitable grave of death. [D]eath reigned from the time of Adam to the time of Moses, even over those who did not sin by breaking a command, as did Adam[.] Centuries before God wrote out his ‘Right’ and ‘Wrong’ on two tablets of stone, people sinned! Corrupt hearts protect self above all things! (For proof, just consider how everyone ever born died!) No matter how good we try to be, no matter what efforts we try to undo the wrong, we can never escape the deadly consequences of our sin. Sin condemned us to death. We have lost the battle. We cannot reverse the terrible results. ‘Sin’ and ‘Death’ domineer life like two enormous bullies. Those enemies overwhelm us— but those enemies cannot overwhelm Christ. God makes that explicitly known. At the Jordan River, God identifies Jesus as his appointed Warrior. The Father announces Jesus as his perfect Son. The Holy Spirit strengthens Jesus for battle. Immediately after his baptism, Jesus marches off to war to set us free for life. He marches out into the wilderness. There, Jesus confronts Satan head-on. Hungry and thirsty he absorbs temptation after temptation. Doubt God’s constant providing care? Question God’s presence in time of need? No, he will not. Jesus relies on God through every trouble. Take a Bible verse and challenge God to keep his promise? No, Jesus will not dare God with foolish choices. Blatantly replace God’s commands with personal preference? No, every fiber of Jesus’ being loves God too much to commit such evil. (Matthew 4:1-11) For forty days and nights the devil tries to crack the armor of Jesus. He tries to penetrate a mind fortified by the Word. He tries to strike down a heart bound to God— but cannot. Satan is entirely outmatched; he never has a chance of winning. The sinless Son of God drives the devil away. Then, on the cross, he obliterates Satan’s power once and for all. Satan could always point at our ‘sin’ and rightly say that we deserved death. Our enemy ‘Sin’ marked us as rebels. Yet, Jesus covers over every ‘missed mark’ with his innocent blood. Our enemy ‘Death’ demands consequences. Yet, Jesus marches out of death’s grave leaving its filthy, disgusting grip behind. Christ Overwhelms Overwhelming Enemies with his faultless life. He marches into war and never sins, never deserves death. He comes out victorious! Turning to you, he binds up all his work, ties it with a ribbon, and presents it as a gift. Do you grasp what Christ has done? Jesus does not strike down sin, death, and the devil, and leave us to do our part. Our reading says: But the gift is not like the trespass The ‘trespass’— the crossing the forbidden line— meant us paying the penalty. Yet, the ‘gift’? The ‘gift’ is that Jesus paid our penalty. He frees us from an eternal debt! Remember, a gift is something given without any conditions. Your past is not erased because you try hard to be a good person and live a good life. God does not give you a gold star for eating fish during Lent or for giving up caffeine and sugar. God does not put a checkmark into your spiritual record because you worship on Good Friday and Easter Sunday. Thinking that you contribute in order to earn God’s favor means that you push away this gift. God makes it very clear: For if the many died by the trespass of the one man, how much more did God’s grace [his undeserved love] and the gift that came by the grace of the one man, Jesus Christ, overflow to the many! Christ Overwhelms our Overwhelming Enemies. More than that, he shares that victory with us! Picture it: You are thirsty and ask for a glass of water. Jesus does better, he sets you under a raging waterfall. Jesus does not merely empty the heart of sin, but he drenches it overflowing with new life. (1) Jesus strikes down death. Death died— meaning, death can never separate a believer from God (read Romans 8:38-39). Your believing husband walked from earth and stepped into heaven. Grandma, who worshipped Jesus her whole life still worships, but in person. A believer’s life cut short on earth runs eternal in heaven. Death cannot bully you to think otherwise. It has lost its grip. One day you, too, will close your eyes only to open them to the face of God (Job 19:25-27). (2) Jesus stripped sin away. Listen to our closing verse: For just as through the disobedience of the one man the many were made sinners, so also through the obedience of the one man the many will be made righteous. Yes, you are not perfect. You carry regrets. Stupid, foolish decisions haunt you. Terrible words torpedoed relationships. Yes, you are not perfect— but God does not see sin, he sees righteous! That’s what the verse says: so also through the obedience of the one man the many will be made righteous. At your baptism Jesus set his ‘right,’ obedient life on you (read Galatians 3:26-27; Titus 3:5). In the Lord’s Supper Jesus promises you: ‘You are forgiven. You are righteous!’ This is what you are now! ‘Right’ with God! One day you will see in its fullest reality because you will actually stand around the throne of God in heaven. Friends, this is the purpose for Jesus coming. Satan’s ambush on Adam and Eve unleashed devastating results. The same battle he launched against them is the same battle that daily overwhelms us! Without Christ, Sin condemned us to death. We never stand a chance for victory. Grace sets us free for life. God makes that victory known so that we live confident. Death is defeated. Sin removed. Satan powerless. The most lopsided battle in world history—and the results belong to us! Christ Overwhelms Overwhelming Enemies! |
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