Jesus Messiah

"Sin didn't make us bad, sin made us dead!"

Wow, I don't know why, but when I read this, it hit me hard. It's so easy to refer to sin as no big deal because it is so prevalent in our lives, but it really is a huge deal! It separates us from God, but sometimes, I don't live as though it does. I think it makes the story of Jesus' death and resurrection so much more beautiful. What a great reminder as we enter into the beginning of Easter week. Jesus didn't die so that we could be good people; He died so that we could be alive! So that we could live for Him! God sent His only Son to die on a cross so that we may have life and live it abundantly! With that, the only way I can think to respond is to give Him all the glory, to give Him all of my worship! But, it doesn't always seem to work that way. I would love to say the end of that comment is where it ends - I give Christ all my praise and nothing else strikes my attention; but, unfortunately, Satan is just as real and living with one goal in mind - to set me apart from Christ - to pull me so far away that I don't see Jesus and His perfection. But, the power of the cross saved me from Satan and his wrath and regardless of what my day looks like, it is my goal to live solely for Him.

"God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in spirit and in truth."

You know, this is something I struggled with a lot growing up. I didn't accept Christ until middle school and I always thought that I needed to pray "right" for God to hear me. Now, talking to the students I do life with, some of them feel the same way. The beauty is, God doesn't set guidelines to talk to Him, heck; He just wants us to communicate! He wants us to worship from the heart! Ultimately, He knows what we are thinking and what we are going to do before we do it; He just wants us to keep Him involved in it! 

"God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in spirit and in truth."

It's like the story of the woman at the well when she asked Jesus which people were right - the one worshiping on one mountain (Samaritans) or the other (the Jews). His simple response wasn't the Jews; it was the answer that there is something so much more important of where they worship, what's important is who they are worshiping. It goes back to that relationship God longs to have with us. It doesn't matter which church we belong to or which type of worship music we prefer listening to, the importance lies within the God of all creation calling us to be His children and that we respond to that calling through praise (however we do it best.) Hence the reason we were each given different talents and abilities. For example, you couldn't catch me dead successfully singing and playing guitar on a stage, but Shayne, that's his gift, it's how he worships. Me, I'm more behind-the-scenes kind of girl who makes coffee and greets people as they come in. Neither is better or worse, in fact, both are equally as important because we are worshiping God with the gifts He has blessed us with!

"I waited patiently for the Lord; he turned to me and heard my cry. He lifted me out of the slimy pit, out of the mud and mire; he set my feet on a rock and gave me a firm place to stand. He put a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise to our God. Many will see and fear and put their trust in the Lord."

That verse gives me chills. Think about those words, He lifted me from my troubles, from my sin, from my shame, and gave me a place to rest, a place to stand, a place to rejoice! But, He didn't do it for free. He paid for our sin - slowly and painfully. His life wasn't taken from Him, it was given to us. Jesus became sin so that we could be free.

"God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God."

It reminds me of the Chris Tomlin song, Jesus Messiah. These words are great but the truth of them is so much better.

He became sin
Who knew no sin
That we might become His Righteousness
He humbled himself and carried the cross

Love so amazing
Love so amazing

Jesus Messiah
Name above all names
Blessed Redeemer
Emmanuel
The rescue for sinners
The ransom from Heaven
Jesus Messiah
Lord of all

His body the bread
His blood the wine
Broken and poured out all for love
The whole earth trembled
And the veil was torn

Love so amazing
Love so amazing, yeah

Jesus Messiah
Name above all names
Blessed Redeemer
Emmanuel
The rescue for sinners
The ransom from Heaven
Jesus Messiah
Lord of all

All our hope is in You
All our hope is in You
All the glory to You, God
The light of the world

Jesus Messiah
Name above all names
Blessed Redeemer
Emmanuel
The rescue for sinners
The ransom from Heaven
Jesus Messiah
Lord of all