10-24-2014

 Good Morning All,

         Romans 8:1; “There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.”

      One of the saddest conversations that I have ever been part of was with a young lady who was bemoaning her future.  She was a good student who studied intensely and worked hard in class.  She was a musician and a decent athlete.  She also was a very nice young lady.  She had a scholastic scholarship waiting for her at the college she was attending.  Yet she was looking for and waiting for something catastrophic to occur.  She kept telling me that she didn’t deserve the good things that were happening; something bad was bound to happen.

    She had this sense that somehow she was unworthy of what she had.  She had a lot of explanations as to why she didn’t deserve what she was getting.  “The school was small so it distorted her class ranking”; “her teacher helped her fill out her scholarship papers”; “she just guessed the right answers”.  She lived a live where she felt incredible self-condemnation.  She felt that she was completely unworthy and worried what would happen when the rest of the world “figured that out.”

    Many of us live with this deep seeded fear.  We do not believe that should have what we have.  We hear a voice that tells us that we are not good as a parent, as a spouse, as a child, or worker or co-worker.  We hear the voice tell us what a disappointment we truly are and when everyone else figures this out and the truth comes out; then we know that we are the loser.

   This is why this message from Paul is so wonderful.  There is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.  God does not condemn.  If you are hearing the voice that condemns you, that attacks you it is from the devil and the old sinful nature in us.  It is not God telling you that you are worthless or unworthy.

    God sent Jesus to die for you.  He sent his only Son to suffer for you.  He did this so that you would be made worthy.  He did this to give you the peace that comes with the knowledge that you are his redeemed child.  He seeks not to condemn but to give you salvation and to give you hope.  God does not condemn you rather he frees you from sin and from the condemnation of sin.

    This is a great blessing but one that we must remember and we must focus on God’s voice of forgiveness rather than the devil’s voice of attack.  We are free from the slavery of sin and the bondage of the law.  We can live a life that is not filled with condemnation, self or otherwise.  We are free because of his grace.  We are free to live a life of joy and peace which he gives to us.

Father of grace, in you we have hope and in you we have no condemnation.  Give us the courage to stand up to the devil’s lies.  Be with those who are especially tormented by the devil’s attacks.  Give them peace that they may rest secure in your loving arms.  In the precious name of Jesus, our Risen Savior we pray, amen.

God’s Peace,

Pastor Bret