December 26 I Thursday

Haggai

Revelation 17

“For God was pleased to have all His fullness dwell in Him, and through Him to reconcile to Himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through His blood, shed on the cross.”

  —Colossians 1:19-20

Common sermon topics talk about love, forgiveness and salvation. Rarely do churches talk about sin. Many years ago, a lady came up to me at the end of the service saying, “I normally go to another church but our church never talks about sin. I have never heard a message about sin.” Yet, sin should be as common for churches to address as it is for hospitals to talk about diseases.

What kind of doctor would he be, if we visit him and he refuses to talk about disease? All he does is give us something to quell the symptoms, possibly a painkiller or something to cover the physical issues, but he does not deal with the source of the problem. This would not make sense because dealing with disease is the business of a doctor. Sin can destroy the soul and, therefore, churches must be as concerned about the effects of sin in the soul as health workers are concerned about the effects of Ebola in the body.

We will know either the condemnation in our sin or the cleaning from our sin. If we stay in our sin, we will be condemned in our sin. We, however, will not know condemnation for our sin because Jesus Christ has been condemned on the cross for our sin. He came to take upon Himself the penalty that we deserved as our substitute. It is at the cross of Christ that the soul can be reconnected with God again. Paul tells us, “Once you were alienated from God and were enemies in your minds because of your evil
behaviour. But now He has reconciled you by Christ’s physical body through death to present you holy in His sight, without blemish and free from accusation...” (Colossians 1:21-22).

In our natural state, we are alienated from God but by Christ’s death, we are reconciled. Why? Because the Lord Jesus Christ, who is sinless, hung on the cross before God as our substitute and endured the death that we deserve. Jesus’s death was not only physical but also spiritual. On the basis of His death, we are pronounced clean and forgiven. Through His resurrected life, we are imparted with the gift of His Holy Spirit to empower us to live new lives.

We cannot overlook sin in our lives and the church. Dealing with sin is the business of the church because it is the business of Jesus Christ and it is the need that every one of us has. Like the role of a doctor, may we boldly share with others the antidote to sin.

Prayer: Lord Jesus Christ, thank You for dying on the cross in my place for my sin. Help me to live for the glory of God and boldly share Your antidote to sin with others.