THRILLED TO HAVE SINS MADE KNOWN

We all have them, despite the modern world’s insistence that there is no such thing. We are not proud of them. We are ashamed. We feel the guilt--despite the insistence that we need not feel it. I am talking about our sins. Sin in its most basic understanding is a violation of God’s moral law. Only the degraded, deluded, and debauched broadcast and boast of their sins. Most of us try to keep them hidden. Some of our public sins are known to the world, at least our world. Some of our private sins are known to those closest to us. Then, there are some very personal sins so hideous even to ourselves, that we keep them hidden deep in the far regions of our mind, deeper yet in the recesses of our heart. If each reading this thought for a moment, he could think of an example of such a sin. It is something he would never ever like to be made known. Not to anyone. If you have thought of such a sin, can you imagine being excited and thrilled that someone found out about that sin and confronted you with it? In Scripture, there is that wonderful scene of a weary Jesus sitting on the side of the well in the heat of the noonday sun in a to-be-avoided part of the country, waiting for one woman with whom the Father had arranged a divine encounter. I marvel how Jesus took the time for such a woman of ill repute. I marvel, as she did, that Jesus would converse with someone His people felt was a mongrel, one to be avoided. There is not space here to recount Jesus’ conversation with the woman and how His dialogue with her led her from a recognition of her spiritual thirst to an exposing of her sin, but, I marvel at how gently and masterfully He did so. I marvel that Jesus would reveal to such a woman that He was the Messiah. I marvel, as the disciples did, that He would talk to a woman alone by himself, which no holy teacher would ever have done. I marvel about a lot of things. Not a marvel of How could He?, or Why would He?, but a marvel at the mercy, love, kindness, and grace He manifested doing so. But I marvel most at the woman’s response. As the disciples who had gone to bring back lunch approached the well, the woman hurried from Jesus. I see her running and waving her arms, as she shouted to all in her path, “You’ve got to meet this Man who just told me everything I ever did.” In effect, she was exuberantly shouting, “You’ve got to meet this Man who brought to the surface and pointed out my worst sins!” Can you imagine being excited and exhilarated that your sins had been found out? There can be but one explanation of why the woman was so thrilled. Of course, it had to do with Jesus’ revealing to her that He was the Messiah. That had to be overwhelming. But, it really must have been that in revealing her sin, Jesus also forgave that sin. He not only brought it out to the light of day, He cleansed her of it. He rid her of its guilt and shame. He freed her from it. Jesus does not reveal sins that He does not intend to forgive. Only Jesus knows your deepest sins. He knows you inside and out. And, only Jesus can and will forgive that sin. If you will let Him, you may find yourself joining the woman and shouting to your neighbors as you go down your street, “Come see a Man who uncovered my sin—and forgave me of it.” Only Jesus can do that! And He will! He’ll not only bring up your sins, He will bring you out of your sin.

THRILLED TO HAVE SINS MADE KNOWN

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