9-26-2014

 Good Morning All,

         1 John 2:1; “My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.”

     I still try to watch “Perry Mason”.  I still think this is a better lawyer show than any other on TV right now.  He could always seem to figure out what was going on in just the nick of time.  Not matter how grim the situation would look, he could always get the judge to see that his client was innocent of all the charges.  The man on trial could have been found holding the gun over the dead person’s body and he would still be found innocent.  Someone else would always come forward in the end and take the punishment and Perry Mason’s client would always go free.  You sometimes wonder if the prosecuting attorney would walk in and see Perry Mason and think, “rats, gonna lose again.”

    If I were ever going to have to go to trial, I would want a lawyer like Perry Mason.  He is tenacious and never gives up.  He continues to dig and sift through the evidence until he can prove that his client is innocent.  He doesn’t use a lot of tricks just solid hard work that he then presents in a manner that gets his client declared innocent.  His client leaves the courtroom a free man and is able to either begin anew or return to the life that he had.

    When you and I stand before God, accused of the sins which we have committed, we have the greatest advocate, a lawyer if you will, to argue our case.  Jesus is our advocate.  He makes our case and defends us before God.    As sin after sin is listed, we are declared innocent because the penalty has already been paid.  Because of this, we walk away from the penalty of our sin.  Jesus, our advocate, is also the surrogate who takes our place and receives the punishment which we deserve.  Our punishment is paid for so we are free; we are free to be holy people; God’s people.

    Because we are God’s holy people, we have the free gift of eternal life.  Because we are God’s people, we have the blessings of his presence in our life giving to us the peace and comfort that this world denies us.  We have the blessing of being able to boldly stand before his throne and ask of him to give to us all that we need and want.  Because we are free, we are no longer the devil’s playthings.  Because we are free, we can live with the confidence that God will never abandon us.  We are always safe within his arms.

Father, your tender mercy is poured out upon us like the rain upon the land.  We give you thanks that because of Jesus we are free.  Lead us to use that freedom to aid and comfort our neighbors.  Help us to give them the direction to lead them back to you so that they too may be able to hear those loving words of forgiveness and hope.  Restore all those who are hurting to you loving flock.  In the precious name of Jesus we pray, amen.

God’s Peace,

Pastor Bret