3-14-21 | Because Jesus | Jeremy Hudson
This was the question asked verbatim of me recently after one of our weekend services. Their emphasis was on the “like me” part. The person standing in front of me didn’t offer to explain the pain I could clearly see behind their eyes, and I didn’t press. Because the ‘reel of regret’ that was replaying in their head wasn’t what was important. What mattered in that moment was a discussion, or in this case a reminder, that God deeply loves and highly values them; not because of what they have done, but rather who He has decided to make them. The identity of His son or daughter that our Heavenly Father has given to and knows us by, is all the answer their question needed in that space.
This weekend, we rolled into our Easter sermon series, entitled “Because Jesus…” The point of this multi-week conversation is to not only prepare our hearts for celebrating the death and resurrection of our Lord, but also to help point us back to the answers to the deep questions our souls are asking. Questions like the ones spilling out of my friend’s heart that day after church.
We all have questions, don’t we? That’s the thing about the season that we are in— and I am not talking just because Easter is around the corner. I believe that right now everyone is in a season of asking deep questions.
Deep questions are coming from those sitting in the rows or pews around us each weekend.
Deep questions are being considered by our colleagues grinding out work in the cubical next door and our classmates pouring over text books at the study table 6ft away.
Deep questions are weighing on the heart of the cashier while he rings up our purchases and the barista while she secures the lid atop our cup of coffee.
And, if we are honest, we have some deep questions of our own. Questions about who God is, how we can relate to Him and what a connection to Him is supposed to look like.
Though it may seem overly simple, Because Jesus… is still the complete answer.
Because Jesus Lived we can know that God comes near to us.
Because Jesus Lived, we can know who God is.
John 1:14 says that “…the Word [Jesus] became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.”
In other words, John is saying— no, John is exclaiming the fact that because Jesus lived, we know that God has fulfilled His promise to bring His presence to us. And because Jesus lived we get to connect to Him completely, we get to experience Him fully.
All of His glory.
All of His grace.
All of His truth.
So, “why would Jesus ever want someone like you and me?” Because Jesus lives to completely save those who come to God through Him. And He is lives to intercede for each of us today (Hebrews 7:24-25).
In short, God’s doesn’t care as much about who we’ve been. He is in this because of who He has made us to be because of Jesus!