Monday - "Who am I, really?"

Greetings Internet Campus,
2 Corinthians 5:21 (NIV) 21God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.

When I was in elementary school, we used to come in on cold days and hang our jackets up on hooks mounted to the wall. It never failed that when it was time to go home...the only jacket hanging up when I went to get mine did NOT have my name in it. Somebody had my jacket. They had my name on my label in my coat. They were going to go home in MY jacket.

My name was on the label. All of the scratches and tears in the jacket were from me...all the stains on the pockets from exploded pens...mine. All of the imperfections...my doing. Someone else was wearing the mistakes that I had made...

I got to go home without all of those rips and tears. I didn't get into trouble for spilling paint on the sleeves or scuffing the leather... I didn't get punished for ruining the zipper or cutting the pocket. Somebody else was wearing my jacket. Somebody else was going to pay the price. Somebody else was going to be punished for my shortcomings...

When God looks at you, He doesn't see the messed up jacket. Jesus put that one on. Christ Himself took the blame and wore your messed up life. He wore mine, too. In fact, I know that even as He hung from the cross, He was thinking of you. He never regretted or struggled with the switching of jackets...He put ours on willingly and paid the ultimate price for our sins...

But He didn't stay dead. He came back to life...and we all got new jackets... Flawless, perfect, and untouched coats... and it's in those new clothes that God sees us...

Through Christ's sacrifice, we all get a new identity...a new chance...God sees us wearing the coat of righteousness through the sacrifice of His Son.

Never forget that. Jesus loves you so much He died for you. Might sound simple...but it establishes our very identity in the eyes of God. What a powerful thought.

Let's have a power-filled day.

Pastor Brian