Over these past years, Christianity have been painted into a picture that makes it appear burdensome, condemning and choking. Consequently you have well meaning people walking into church not expecting much but to pacify their conscience of being in church on a Sunday.
This is contrary to the picture that Jesus gave us. He said “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” (Matthew 11:28). He isn’t the one that lays burdens on us. He’s rather the one relieving us of our burden.
Do you feel like you’re choking in church… always feeling inadequate, condemned and irrelevant? I’ve got some good news for you, God isn’t condemning you. He isn’t disappointed in you neither does He regret giving His life for you. In fact, it pleased the Father to bruise His Son for your sake. (Isaiah 53:10).
Jesus and the Samaritan woman (image in public domain)
During early 2004, Mel Gibbson directed the movie ‘The Passion Of Christ’ that depicted the sufferings, agony and death of Our Lord Jesus Christ. However, this movie elicited the wrong response from many.
Instead of people watching the movie to see how much God loves them and that Jesus took all the stripes and beatings to make them whole,they were filled with guilt and hatred. Guilt in that they blamed themselves for the death of an innocent and a good man, Jesus.
They then turned their attention to the Roman soldiers and considered them as ruthless and wicked. That’s the wrong perspective we have here. Jesus didn’t die to make the guilty, guiltier and the sinner more sinful. That’s the opposite; He freed the guilty from their guilt and the sinner from their sin.
We have in Christ the joy of salvation. Salvation isn’t a burden, it’s a joy. Enjoy your salvation and be unapologetic about it.
Restpiration 