Over the past few weeks we have been discussing loneliness, combatting loneliness, and friendships. Next week we will jump back into that series, but this week, Holy Week, let’s pause together and reflect upon the work of Jesus on the Cross.
Easter. The completed redemptive work of Jesus. Jesus’s death and resurrection. The forgiveness of sins.
In the Christian community there can be a tendency to hide our “messes.” To try to appear perfect. But when we do this we sell Jesus’ redemptive work and others short. Because:
We meet Jesus in our Mess.
Jesus meets us in our greatest areas of need, which is typically our mess. Sin. Trauma. Loss. A diagnosis. A betrayal. Jesus meets us there. At our lowest.
In fact, the Bible tells in Psalm 34:18:
“The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit.”
ESV
And we see this play out time and time again in Jesus’ ministry on earth.
He sought out the outcasts, the broken, the hurting, the lame, the diseased, the afflicted, and even the dead.
And he met them in the area of their greatest need, healing and delivering them.
From our mess comes our ministry.
The first evangelist, the Samaritan woman at the well (John 4:1-42). Because Jesus saw her and knew her mess, she ran and told any who would listen. Many were saved because of her testimony.
The demon possessed man who was naked and living in tombs (Luke 8:26-39). Jesus met him in his mess, cast out the demon, and restored him to his right mind. We are told at the end of his account that he begged Jesus to go with him, but instead Jesus instructed him to:
““Return to your home, and declare how much God has done for you.” And he went away, proclaiming throughout the whole city how much Jesus had done for him.”
Luke 8:39 ESV
May we never try to clean up or hide our messes so we too can freely and confidently proclaim what God has done for us.