John 18:37-38

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There’s a scene in the movie The Matrix that has always struck me. The main character, Neo, is offered two choices. A choice between a red pill and a blue pill. The blue pill will allow him to stay in his current reality what he thinks is his truth. What he thinks is what’s going on in the world around him. But the other pill, the red pill, will show him what reality actually is. It’ll show him these life changing truths, and his world will never be the same if he takes that pill.

That red pill really symbolizes the truth for Neo. The Holy Scriptures contain truths for us as well. They are, in a way, a red pill. It tells us about God’s judgments and it tells us about our Redeemer as well.

Let me ask you a question. Have you ever told a lie? Well, if you’re like me, you have. And that earns you the title of liar. It’s a title I have as well. Have you ever stolen something? Even if it wasn’t physical? If you stole somebody else’s idea. Then you’re a thief. I have that title as well. And God’s Word contains a truth about those two titles and about other sins. First, it says that we are sinners, that we have violated God’s holy law, and that there is judgment for sinners like us. That we cannot be in the presence of a holy God with those sins attached to us, that we would be lost and condemned if they were not removed from us.

So what truth is there about our Savior? Jesus in the pretorium on Good Friday morning, when, under questioning by Pontius Pilate, said that he testified to the truth. Let us read from the Gospel of John.

Jesus answered, “I am, as you say, a king. For this reason I was born, and for this reason I came into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone who belongs to the truth listens to my voice.”
“What is truth?” Pilate said to him. (John 18:37-38)

Well, let’s answer Pontius Pilate question first. God’s Word is true. It tells us about our loving God. It also tells us about ourselves. It also says that Jesus came to live and to die for sinners. That he lived a holy, a perfect life for you and for me. That he never once sinned, but took his holy, perfect life to the cross, and he paid for all sins for all people.

So my friends, take the red pill and learn about in Scripture and remind yourselves about the precious truths that are in Scripture. That are about you, that yes, you are a sinner and more importantly, that yes, Jesus is for you. That he has come to redeem you from all of your sins past, present, and future. And that by knowing Jesus and Him crucified, you have complete and total forgiveness. Amen.

Isaiah 53:5

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I wasn’t raised in the church. In fact, it was my now wife who invited me first to go when I was in high school. When I first attended church, I remarked at how often Jesus’ suffering and death were mentioned. I thought to myself, why are we talking so much about death and suffering? Isn’t church supposed to be a place that’s joyful and happy?

But it is only through the lens of the crucifixion that we see our true peace with God and know that Jesus has borne all of our sins for us. Isaiah wrote how Jesus the Messiah would suffer,

But it was because of our rebellion that he was pierced. He was crushed for the guilt our sins deserved. The punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed. (Isaiah 53:5 EHV)

Why did Jesus go to the cross? He didn’t go because he was under some sort of a punishment. He had done nothing wrong. He only went for one purpose. He went to pay for sins. Sins are what separate us from a holy, just God. No actions we can do can pay for our own sins. Only the perfect life and innocent death of Jesus, who was both God and man, could do that for us.

Isaiah wrote, with his wounds we are healed. But healed from what exactly? We are healed from the sickness of sin that so permeates us. The Bible teaches that we are born in sin and that we sin from day number one, that we have done evil things and have failed to do good things. Jesus came to take away that sin, that sickness of sin that so lives within us. He has taken it and nailed it to the cross. And he went there willingly and joyfully, knowing that by his chastisement he would bring us peace.

Yes, the image of the crucifixion can be an uncomfortable one. It can be one that makes you wonder why? But the reason is because Jesus knew that with his wounds, just as Isaiah wrote, we would be healed from the great sickness that lives within us. That there will be nothing that separates us from a holy, just God. Jesus has given us peace by his sufferings and death. Amen.

Galatians 4:4-5

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There’s a legend in my hometown. It goes like this. In order to get through the DMV line, you have to show up at the DMV office, that’s the Department of Motor Vehicles, right when they open. Otherwise, you’re going to be stuck there for an hour. Two hours. When I bought my first car in high school, I got a chance to try out this legend firsthand. I showed up there 15 minutes after they opened, and sure enough, I had to wait an hour and a half.

Certainly many faithful Old Testament believers knew what that was like. They had read in the scriptures how God was going to send the Christ, that he would be coming soon. And yet they looked around and they didn’t see any signs that he was here. The prophets have been silent for over 400 years. Maybe they doubted God’s timing. They wondered when would the Christ come? And we read in the scriptures.

But when the set time had fully come. God sent his Son to be born of a woman, to be born under the law, to redeem those under the law, so that we would be adopted as sons. (Galatians 4:4-5)

We hear in these verses why Jesus has come. To redeem those under the law. And we see this specifically at Christmas time. We hear about how in the Ten Commandments that we have failed to meet up to God’s expectations, that we have sinned. That we have fallen short of what God expects for us. But Jesus never did this. Jesus was perfect. He always trusted his heavenly Father’s timing. Jesus fulfilled the law perfectly in our place. When God views us, when by faith in Jesus, he sees the perfection of his own son. And that’s why we can claim adoption as God’s own child by faith in Jesus.

Jesus came to the right place at the right time. He came to tiny little Bethlehem in Judea. And yet he came for one purpose to fulfill the law and release us from the bondage of sin. Here at Christmas, we recall the promises that God has set forth. We know that he has sent a Savior to redeem those under the law that is us, and that by faith in him we have perfect righteousness. That there is nothing that stands between us and the glorious throne in heaven.

Let that fill you with joy this Christmas season. Amen.