Nailed to the Cross

Dear Fellow Children of God,

 

Again this week we heard the revolting news that another person was executed in Syria.  American aid worker, Kayla Mueller, was beheaded by the terrorist group most often known as Isis.  Imagine, a woman who is helping others was brutally killed to a group wishing to express their religious and political views.  What a horrible crime!  I have sometimes heard people say they don’t believe in God because He cannot be proved.  However, I personally believe there is one spiritual truth which is easily verifiable.  Sin and Evil are all around us.  Just look at this act of terror!

 

The beheading of the American aid worker in Syria speaks of the truth of sin and evil.  But so do many other events in the world around us.  Bernie Madoff was discovered to have cheated Americans out of $18 billion in an illegal investment scheme.  He became rich and thousands of people lost their retirement funds.  The importation and dealing of illegal drugs may earn big dollars for those who import and sell the drugs.  But, the drug trade also causes addictions, leads to broken families, and even to untimely deaths.  And, the recent Florida tragedy of a father who killed his wife and children and then took his own life can only leave us shaking our heads. 

 

These are not natural disasters over which no one has control.  These are obviously evil actions where one person pursues their own wants and desires in a way that willingly and deeply hurts others.  These actions are contrary to God’s law and obviously evil to everyone else.

 

What we don’t always remember, however, and what we don’t like to admit is that there are evil desires active in each of our hearts.  Have you ever lashed out at another in anger?  Have you held a grudge?  Have you lied, or stolen, or acted on sexual desires in an ungodly way?  No, these are not heinous crimes like those I mentioned earlier.  But, we each struggle with selfish desires that put ourselves ahead of others and ahead of God.

 

We don’t like to admit evil, or that our “sin is crouching at the door.”  The problem is that the sin and evil in the world hurt and causes problems for others.  Think of the results of the actions of the terrorist, or the actions of drug dealers.  And, the trouble is that the sin and evil with which we struggle also causes troubles for others in our lives and hurts them.  Think of what happens when our anger flares, or our selfishness rears its ugly head.  And, no matter what we do we cannot undo the past.

 

But, when the reality of our sin convicts us and overwhelms us, there is a place to find triumph over our sin and the evil of the world.  Victory is found in the forgiveness found in the cross of Jesus.  Colossians 2 says, 13 When you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your sinful nature, God made you alive with Christ. He forgave us all our sins, 14 having canceled the written code, with its regulations, that was against us and that stood opposed to us; he took it away, nailing it to the cross. 15 And having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross.

 

Wednesday is Ash Wednesday.  Worship will include the imposition of Ashes.  The ashes do not in and of themselves do anything.  But, the ashes remind us of the sin and dirt with which we still fight.  And, this reminder then points us to our only hope, the cross of Jesus. 

 

We can’t make ourselves sinless.  But, Jesus forgives us our sins.  We can’t win victory over the evil of this world.  But, by His death on the cross Jesus triumphs over our sins, and over the evil in the world around us.  Our struggles point us to the need for a Savior.  Jesus is the Savior we need.

 

It is not pleasant to consider the evil in the world.  We don’t like to admit the sin with which we struggle.  It makes us feel dirty, like we are covered with . . . ashes.  But, God provides victory over the sin and over the evil in Jesus.  He forgave us all our sins, 14 having canceled the written code, with its regulations, that was against us and that stood opposed to us; he took it away, nailing it to the cross.

 

A Child of God, Trusting in Jesus’ victory on the cross over my sin,

Pastor Jonathan

 

P.S. Ash Wednesday worship is held at 6:30 p.m. at St. John.  There is a Lenten meal beforehand at 5:30 p.m.  This year’s Lenten theme is “Nailed to the Cross.”

 

 

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ABOUT ‘THOUGHTS FROM THE PASTOR’ -   I am sending these e-mail messages, hopefully weekly, to all St. John members and friends whose e-mails I have.  (I am always adding new names of friends and members – in case you are just receiving this e-mail for the first time.)  However, if you don’t want to receive this e-mail, please let me know, and I’ll gladly leave your name off my list for this message. . .

 

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