Erasing the Tapes - John 5:22-24
Once upon a time, we were, the team I played on, we were playing really the National Championship College football team, and we were playing in front of 80,000 fans and millions more on television. Well, during that game, I made any embarrassing mistake. In fact, I made several that day, and literally, I wanted to hide my number under the dog pile of players so that no one could recognize me.
Family Discussions:
- How is sin a failure?
- How can a man named Jesus erase the DVD?
- How can you erase the video?
- Should we sin freely since he's erasing our errors?
- How did Jesus pay for our sins?
- How did he erase the film?
Episode Transcription:
00:14 Hey, today I'm smiling because I'm going to tell you about one of the most embarrassing days in my life. But first I want to read to you from John chapter five, verse 22 through 24. And scripture says this, "For not even the Father judges anyone, but he has given all judgement to the Son so that all who honor the Son, even as they honor the Father. He who does not honor the Son does not honor the Father because the Father sent him. Truly, I say to you, he who hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and does not come into judgment, but has passed out of death into life."
00:55 Well, once upon a time, we were, the team I played on, we were playing really the National Championship College football team, and we were playing in front of 80,000 fans and millions more on television. Well, during that game, I made any embarrassing mistake. In fact, I made several that day, and literally, I wanted to hide my number under the dog pile of players so that no one could recognize me. I was incredibly embarrassed. Fortunately, the play went by quickly and our coach couldn't see it well from the sidelines, and he didn't take me out. But when he saw the film of the game, he played it over and over again, and he corrected me, staunchly from my error. You know what? I felt so small in my film room, you know, that day with my teammates as we watch that replay over and over again on the screen. Man, what would I have given to be able to erase the film before the coach saw it.
01:54 You know, man, God is like a coach in that he sees it all. I mean, he knows it all. He's filmed every good thing, and he's filmed every sin, every mistake, every failure. You know, God is no fool. He will not be mocked. And when you and I meet him face to face, the film of our sins, the video, the DVD, you know, will start the play. But a very amazing thing, according to scripture, will happen. A man named Jesus will step forward on my behalf, on your behalf, and he will say to God, in so many words, that film has been erased. That one is one of my children. I live in his heart. His film has become perfect. I died for the bad places in that person's heart. I don't know about you, but I will fall at his feet in praise. I have made so many mistakes. The video of my life is a mess, but by the grace of God as I've given life to him and continue every day to do that, he erases the video. He erases the DVD. I couldn't be more grateful. How about you?
03:09 Here's the question. How is sin a failure? And then, how can a man named Jesus erase the DVD? How can you erase the video? And then here's a big question that Christians really need to ask: should we sin freely since he's erasing our errors? You know, Romans 6 says, "Should we continue to sin that grace might increase?" Paul says, absolutely not. Why not? And then, the last one is how did Jesus pay for our sins? How did he erase the film? Here's the verse with the thought for the day. Let's help each other make good life films with no disappointing, instant replays. That's what the family, a good family, is for.