In last night's Maundy Thursday service, Pastor Ron quoted Bill Hybels saying "The difference between 'religion' and 'Christianity' is the difference between 'do' and 'done'."
Think about that for a minute. Chew on what that means.
Francis Chan says it this way in his book Crazy Love (p.60):
Many people look at their lives and weigh their sins against their good deeds. But Isaiah 64:6 says, "All our righteous acts are like filthy rags." Our good deeds can never outweigh our sins.
The literal interpretation of "filthy rags" in this verse is "menstrual garments" (think used tampons... and if you're disgusted by that idea, you get Isaiah's point). It's hard to imagine something more disgusting that we could brag about or put on display. But compared to God's perfect holiness, that's how our good deeds appear.
God's mercy is a free, yet costly, gift. It cannot be earned. Our righteous acts, just like menstrual garments, certainly don't help us deserve it. The wages of sin will always be death. But because of God's mercy, sin is paid for through the death of Jesus Christ, instead of the death of you and me.
It's not something we do. It's something that's already been done.
I'd like you to take a few more minutes of your day to please watch this video. When I was in middle and high school, my youth group would act out a dramatization of this song for our church's Good Friday service. I've been thinking about it a lot this past week, remembering the people who played the different roles.
I pray you will no longer feel the need to "do" something and bring your "lamb" to the sacrifice, but realize that because of this day, it has been "done" for you. Jesus said, "It is finished."
(note the video begins with about 10 seconds of black screen)
Now -- Jesus didn't just die on Good Friday. He conquered death. And that is something to celebrate -- it's Friday, but Sunday is comin'...
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