How are you doing letting Jesus crack your code during this series?  He knows you and actually knows the combination to your heart…pretty remarkable! Justin gave a great talk this weekend highlighting the very real barrier sin creates in our lives…(thanks, Justin!). As you face what’s being stirred up in you, don’t forget…He made you to love you. That is His biggest goal for your whole life! Here’s a glimpse of what Justin saw this weekend:

———————————-

After 4 years, it’s so incredible to be back in Cracking the Code. The last time we did this series, I (Justin) was sitting in the seats just drinking it in like everyone else. I can’t believe that now…4 years later…I got to be the one tackling the barrier of sin as we brought “Paying the Price” back to the stage in the new 2010 version. Here’s a few of the things that rang out to me…

1. Everything shifted the moment people realized that our drama was the development of an affair right in front of our eyes. We downshifted into real and raw territory right out of the gates. It was uncomfortable and shocking — and it got people ready to deal honestly with sin. Thanks to Amber & Slim for portraying these characters — God really used you to help us see the “series of small missteps” that leads to a great fall.

2. Little by little we give sin the combination to our hearts and then are shocked when we find ourselves locked inside the vault with it. God helped us see that its sin’s place in our hearts that keeps us from experiencing His love. The place intended for the love of God becomes occupied with another lover.

3. Hardly anyone thinks of the sin they are committing as the development of a relationship with sin. The drama left us with an unforgettable picture of the seduction of sin, and gave us the question: “What sin has been your mistress?“

4. I’ll never forget watching people’s faces as I told the story of how Eskimos hunted for wolves. It was a gruesome and accurate picture of the destruction we bring on ourselves when we crave sin… it just leaves us lying dead in the snow. I don’t think anyone will forget that one for a long time!

5. Bringing Part 2 of the drama into the middle of the talk and watching the unfolding brokenness of a relationship with sin was haunting. I couldn’t get over the reality of how we drag innocent people along with us into our relationship with sin, wrecking everything we hold dear. The legacy of sin will not relent.

6. The reality is we can choose — no matter how far gone we think we are. We can break up with the sin in our life. We can leave our mistress (whatever sin it is) lying crumpled on the floor and walk out the door. We can choose a relationship with God over a relationship with sin.

7. The contrast of sin as a “pathetic mistress and cruel master” with the picture of Jesus as “Faithful and True,” “Friend of Sinners,” and the Good Shepherd (from John 10) who wants to lead us into a “rich and satisfying life.” He is the One who bled Himself out in our place, dying on the cross to pay the price so we don’t have to anymore.

8. I think a lot of times we get sidetracked with the fallout of sin in our own hearts and in the lives of people around us, missing that God is the primary person we’ve sinned against. When we’ll acknowledge our sin against Him, we can experience the freedom from guilt that we long for!

9. The simple 3 steps of breaking up with sin:

1. Stop right now: it will never get easier than it is right now.

2. Turn the other direction: Put distance between you and the thing putting distance between you and God. Lean into community!

3. Step toward Jesus: What step can you take to draw closer to Jesus and develop a relationship with Him?

10. So many people were doing real work with the barrier of sin…and they’re letting God set them free. I could see it in our faces, hear it in our worship, and I’ve heard some great things from LifeGroups already. Keep letting the Holy Spirit demolish this barrier in your lives! Jesus didn’t die so you could keep a mistress on the side — He wants your whole heart because only He can truly fill it up!

P.S. I encourage you to consider attending the Mat this Friday for the Chili Cookoff and Open Meeting. Many of you will need the community and structured approach to turn away from the sin in your life. You will find friends that will care for and encourage you as you choose a relationship with Jesus over the sin in your life. You can choose this — just don’t go it alone!

This entry was posted on Tuesday, January 26th, 2010 at 1:00 AM and is filed under Cracking the Code, That Just Happened. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Responses are currently closed, but you can trackback from your own site.