Sin

There was no shortage of “Messiahs” in the days of Jesus. In Acts 5, a prominent Jewish leader named Gamaliel noted two Jewish leaders whose large followings had “scattered” after the self-proclaimed “Messiahs” were killed.

The Spirit of God lives in you. That’s the amazing truth for every true believer. And when the Spirit of Christ lives in us, that changes everything.

There are some things I can’t erase from my memory. Hurtful words and actions against me or those I love are seared into my conscience. I don’t want to remember these things or feel the emotion that goes with remembering. I can’t recall what I had for lunch yesterday, but I can relive the painful interaction with a teacher, coach, boss, or friend that took place decades ago. I have worked to forgive, but I still can’t forget. That’s what makes today’s passage so amazing to me.

What some of the most powerful men in the world are unable to do, God does…every day. Today’s passage, written to believers, reminds us of God’s amazing grace. When we come to him in confession (sorrowful for our sin), he forgives us and wipes away the mess from our hearts. When we acknowledge our sin, he will forgive us every time.

Our sin leaves us in a similar condition as Anna Lyndsey. Life is spent in the spiritual realm of darkness. But Jesus changes everything. Here’s what the apostle Paul tells us.

Do you ever watch those murder mystery series that follows the search for the killer and subsequent trial? The suspense comes when the evidence has been given, and everyone is waiting for the verdict from the jury. Can you imagine standing there waiting to hear the words— “guilty” or “not guilty”? In the next moments, your destiny is revealed—prison or freedom.

In the Old Testament, those who worshiped God participated in animal sacrifice. The believer took their sacrifice to the temple, put the animal to death, and placed its body on the altar to be consumed in the fire. Because of their sin, the worshiper should have been the one who died. But God, in his great mercy, allowed the animal to die in place of the believer. culminated

Many people are confused about Jesus. Many people speak of him in different ways. In today’s passage, we are invited to a fresh start. We are asked to come and see for ourselves who Jesus really is.

When the Light arrived in the darkness, the heavenly Father sent his Son to the back of the line. The Light of the world, the eternal God in the flesh, received no breaks and no advantages. After an unseemly pregnancy and a hard journey from Nazareth to Bethlehem, the fullness of time had come. And…there was no room for Jesus.