8-13-2024

Good Morning All,

           Isaiah 24:21; “On that day the Lord will punish the host of heaven, in heaven, and the kings of the earth, on the earth.”

        We were about 10 years old at the time.  We were all over to a friend’s house for his birthday party.  There were about 8-10 of us.  We were healthy, active boys; hence we weren’t always careful, nor did we always think all the way through to the consequences of our actions.  It started out as some harmless horse play and wrestling around.  Then, a shoe went flying and a window was broken.  It went from noisy to quiet real fast.  My friend’s father opened the door, stuck his head in and said, “Someone’s going to get a spanking.”

    Now, being older and knowing what was really going on is one thing but we were 10 at the time.  So, we immediately began to try and figure out the pressing question, “Who?’  Who was going to get the spanking?  Most of us looked down at our feet; we figured if we had both shoes on then we would be safe.  Then one of those who didn’t have shoes on claimed that someone took his shoe and threw it.  Rats, now we were all suspects again.  The idea of taking someone else’s punishment was not something that, at 10, was an option.  We spent too much time avoiding the punishment we deserved, and we didn’t go looking for more.  That is usually how most people, even as adults, act.

    So many may think that we must sit and wait for our death and then we will stand before God and then we will “get off” because of Jesus.  That really isn’t how it works.  We don’t have to wait for judgment for we are already judged, and we are deemed righteous by God.  Wow!  We are deemed righteous by God right now.  We are righteous before him at this present time.  What a wonderful gift!  What a wonderful blessing!  Because of this promise and gift, we are able to stand before God right now and call upon him in times of trouble or to offer our praise to him because of the great things he does for us.

    The sins which we commit are punished; there is no way around this. But the punishment was taken out on someone else and that someone was Jesus.  That is what Isaiah means when he writes “he was pierced for our transgressions” and “he was crushed for our iniquities.”  He was pierced and crushed to pay for our sins.  This means that the debt has been paid.  We are now before God righteous because of Jesus and what he did for us upon the cross.  The punishment for us is paid for by Christ so we now have righteousness before God, not at some later date but right now.  This is God’s promise to us.  This is what makes us his people, redeemed by the blood of Jesus.  Righteous because of him.

Father of all grace, in you we have all our needs filled.  In you our hope lies.  Through Jesus, we are righteous before you and in your holy family where we have rest and peace. Be with those who are especially lost and hurt at this time.  Guard them with your Spirit.  In Jesus’ precious name we pray, amen.

God’s Peace,

Pastor Bret