Happy Easter! We celebrated the work of Jesus Christ this past week. Scripture tells us, through this work, God reveals His love.
7 Dear friends, let’s love each other, because love is from God, and everyone who loves is born from God and knows God. 8 The person who doesn’t love does not know God, because God is love. 9 This is how the love of God is revealed to us: God has sent his only Son into the world so that we can live through him. 10 This is love: it is not that we loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son as the sacrifice that deals with our sins. (1 John 4, CEB)
Jesus loves us so much He was willing to be beaten and die on the cross. Thankfully, He defeated the power of sin and death in rising again!
Too often, we see this as the end. We hear these familiar words and rest in the knowledge that when we die we will get to go to Heaven.
His work is so much greater than this. He makes us new now!
So then, if anyone is in Christ, that person is part of the new creation. The old things have gone away, and look, new things have arrived! (2 Corinthians 5:17, CEB)
You are a new creation, the power of sin and darkness no longer define who you are!
His work is greater than any sin committed against you. You do not have to see yourself through the lens of violence or evil. You are made new.
His work is greater than any self doubt that has come your way. Doubt can establish a stronghold in our lives by a mere sentence spoken years ago, “You are not good enough”. You do not have to keep speaking those words over your life anymore. You are made new.
His work is greater than anything you've ever done in your life. It is so easy for us to see ourselves as “just a sinner”. We can make a list of deeds and thoughts that justify in our minds we are not worthy. Scripture says God knows all of this, and even then, He gave His life out of His love for you. He knows who you were created to be and through His work He makes you new.
His work is greater!
Do you see what we do when we place the circumstances of life, what we have been through or experienced, over God’s truth? We’re saying with our lives that His work is not sufficient. We believe our feelings and all of our thoughts have to match the reality of what is being said.
We think, if God truly made me new, then my feelings will be different, and I won’t have the same struggles. We give greater power to life over the work of Jesus Christ.
Notice your feelings. Notice your thoughts and actions. Allow them to turn back to praise, thanking God for His work in your life. Thank Him that you see things differently, and you know the truth of who you are in Him.
Place His truth over anything else in your life, and you will be amazed to see who God already knows you are!
Blessings,
Pastor Matt