TO THE EVER-FAITHFUL CREW LIVING REAL LIFE,
Tonight we started a discussion about the swear words in our
lives, about which ones we can say. But I hope you walk away from our time
together not with boxes of “okay”/”not okay” in which to put those words, but
something much deeper: an understanding of the potential of sinfulness of all
we say, and the possibility for us to speak words full of life to others at any
moment. As a friend of mine used to say: “SPEAK LIFE!” Let’s talk less about
which bad words are in the music we listen to, and more about the messages of
the music. This applies to the real lives we are living as well, and the words
we type, swipe, text, and speak.
I have to believe that Jesus used a few words that were
deemed rated-R by the religious folks of his day. He said many things that made
people blush, clench their teeth, run the other way, or point their finger at
him. Jesus did not come to make us into good girls and boys, but to bring life
to dead things. I invite you to receive this abundantly awesome new way of
life, and seek in God’s Word what this means for us. Let’s do this together.
I end with these words from Martin Luther:
“If you are a preacher of mercy, do not preach an imaginary
but the true mercy. If the mercy is true, you must therefore bear the true, not
an imaginary sin. God does not save those who are only imaginary sinners. Be a
sinner, and let your sins be bold, but let your trust in Christ be bolder still,
and rejoice in Christ who is the victor over sin, death, and the world. We will
commit sins while we are here, for this life is not a place where justice resides.
We, however, says Peter (2 Peter 3:13) are looking forward to a new heaven
and a new earth where justice will reign. It suffices that through God’s glory
we have recognized the Lamb who takes away the sin of the world. No sin can
separate us from Him, even if we were to kill or commit adultery thousands of
times each day. Do you think such an exalted Lamb paid merely a small
price with a meager sacrifice for our sins? Pray hard for you are quite a
sinner.”
We know our sin. Now know our Savior.
Peace in Christ,
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