There is darkness in our past. We have made embarrassing choices. We’ve been harmed and, whether we meant to or not, we’ve been the cause of harm in others lives. We have done harm to God’s creation, and in rebellion raised our fists to Him. Wounds that we’ve received and wounds we’ve caused others are on almost every page of the story of our lives. And hear me, I’m not dismissing or minimizing the pain that we’ve experienced or the choices we’ve made, but I’m offering good news from the pages of Ephesians.
The good news that because of the new work of Jesus, in his life, death, and resurrection- painful things that have been done to us and that we have done are now swallowed up in this new reality and find a new order.
Paul is clear- our sins are forgiven and our pain can be redeemed. The guilt has been removed, the unhealthy shame that clings to us can be shed. We are saved and raised up with Christ. Not because we worked hard to pay ooff our sin and the wrath we’d earned, but because we were saved from them and Jesus took them on himself.
The gospel speaks to our dark and painful pasts and says that they can change and be part of our redemption story. What do we do with our pasts? We bring them to Jesus.
This is good news for the world. It’s good news for Mesa. It’s good news for us.
May this reality guide our steps this week and prompt deep joy as we walk in the world!
“But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved”