Taking On Responsibility

I was watching a commercial the other day where the children were being asked if they had done something wrong. One child was asked if she had been playing with the make-up and she said no but here painted face and stained hands proclaimed differently. Two boys in the shower stall covered from head to toe in paint of a variety of colours both denied to painting up the other and pointing accusatory fingers at the other. A young girl with black felt marks all over herself and the pen still in her hands was asked if she drew all over the hardwood floor. Her response was complete denial of any involvement. Denial, deflection and blaming others seems to be the norm as of late. I long for the days where people flat out accept responsibility for an error and accept the consequences for their actions without screams of persecution or deflecting the attention to those around us just to avoid the punishment.

Look back in time to the days of Christ. The Pharisees and the Sadducees knew the laws and wisdom of God and yet they manipulated the rules and laws to suit their own purposes. Now granted, many had been taught those ways but, truth be told, ignorance of the law is not an excuse. We are to hold the Word of God in utmost esteem but mankind has a habit of making their errors and then declaring “the devil made me do it”. The rulers of the day, religious and secular, took the opportunity to deny the teachings of Christ because to accept His directions meant they were wrong so they decided to shift the blame off themselves and onto the Author of their discomfort. The more He preached the Truth, the more awkward they felt and the more they needed to shift the focus so they would not be found out yet Christ did not come to condemn anyone, prince or pauper, Priest or heathen, rather He came to set us all free from our filth. The first thing we need to recognize is that we are all broken and open to sin but Christ came to forgive. I can see the look on the young children’s eyes in the commercial and the thought of “I am in for it now”. There is that same look in the eyes of those who are trapped in sin and are confronted. Jesus did not come to condemn but rather to save. Confess your sins, take responsibility for your errors and do not shift the blame. Ask for His forgiveness and it shall be given.

When the Saviour returns, He will be looking for those who have declared they are not perfect and taken on the responsibility for their errors, those who have asked forgiveness and shed off the mask and are born again renewed in His grace. Only the Truth can set us free. We invite you to join us if you can at 10:30 MST on Sunday or watch live online on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/MainAvenueFellowship/ ) or view it afterwards on our website (www.mainavefellowship.blogspot.ca).

Blessings
Pastor Todd