Under Review

As far as the east is from the west, so far does He remove our transgressions from us.

Psalm 103:12

If you like to watch sports like I do, one of the challenges is making sure that every call made by the referee or umpire is the correct one. But it seems as though the only way this is going to happen is by going to the replay. It all depends on the video.

It seems as if everything these days is somehow, somewhere, on video. Whenever something happens, it’s either on someone’s cell phone, a surveillance video, a dashboard camera, or body cameras. This can be put to good use - many crimes are being solved these days because of this technology. But it can also be bad - just ask the candidates running for president. Every misstep or misstatement is captured and played back over and over again by their opponent. To sear it into the public’s mind, that this is what this person is all about. So don’t vote for them. You can’t possibly vote for them. See?

But this isn’t necessarily a new thing. In one sense, it is. The advancement of technology has brought us to this point - relying on the replay of video. But in another way, this is nothing new. It’s a tool that satan has been using for a very long time. Because if you’re like me, he keeps replaying the vidoes of your sins in your mind. Over and over again. He doesn’t want you to forget all the mistakes you’ve made, all the regrets, all the shortcomings and failures.

This Easter season, rejoice that Jesus gives you a new video to re-play in your mind - not of your sins and failures and regrets, but of His triumph and forgiveness. You might not be able to stop satan from replaying those horrible videos in your mind, that show you how sinful and unworthy and unqualified you are to be a Christian, but every week you come back to God’s house and hear and see something else. New images put into your mind. You learn that is not your faithfulness, not your obedience, not your success, not your dedication that makes the difference - but Jesus’.

Christ is risen and lives to mercy you, absolve you, wash you, cleanse you, and raise you with Himself. To give you who are unholy His holiness. To give you who are unworthy His worthiness. To give you who are dead His life. To give you who are spiritual orphans His Son-ship. That no matter what your past, no matter what your video replay shows, in Him, you have a glorious future.

So while satan may keep replaying the video of your sins over and over in your mind, know this: that video has been erased in heaven. Those sins and videos no longer exist in Christ. They’ve been erased with His blood and buried in His tomb. Your sin?  Separated from you as far as the east is from the west.

Easter means you have a glorious future, now and forever. You’ve been set free from the past. To forgive, to be forgiven, to live without fear, to hit the delete button for others who have sinned against you, that’s the joy of Easter. The joy of our risen Savior, for you, and for all. The joy that enables you to proclaim that Christ is risen! He is risen indeed! Alleluia! Amen!