When I was a child, one of my
favorite TV shows was MacGyver. There was something about the way Richard
Dean Anderson’s character could always maneuver his way out of trouble and
ultimately save the day that just drew me in each week. In fact, I often pretended
to be…MattGyver!
On one such occasion in
kindergarten, I was well into character and playing around in the bathroom. We
had just finished recess; so naturally, naptime was up next. That naptime
placement still makes no sense to me, but I digress. Before hitting the mat for a bit of shut-eye, we were encouraged to take a quick potty break. I had
finished my business but a fellow classmate was not quite done. While he was wrapping
things up in the neighboring stall, something came over me and I started to
pretend that I was making a homemade bomb. I grabbed a couple rolls of toilet
paper, a few squirts of hand-soap, positioned them in a certain way in the
sink, turned the water on, and tiptoed out of the room as if my imaginary timer
was counting down to an imminent detonation.
A few minutes later I heard our
teacher’s aid discover the Charmin explosives I had left behind. Unfortunately
for the colleague that had just finished flushing, I had unintentionally framed
him. He knew not what I had done. He had simply left the stall to wash his
hands when he was suddenly faced with the Asian storm known as Miss Mioko. I
heard her questioning turn into scolding as he emphatically exclaimed his
innocence. My heart sank to my stomach. I knew that I must come forward with
the truth, but I was also well aware of the wrath I would incur. I had endured
a Mioko spanking in the past and it was no bueno! So… I just reclined there and
played opossum. Meanwhile, that poor boy was taken into the hallway and given a
terrible whipping that should have landed on my backside.
Here’s the deal… While my
actions were indeed hideous, we all should be able to resonate with the same
weight of guilt. For when we consider Christ’s crucifixion, we know from the Scriptures that we were the ones deserving of the cross – not Jesus. There are
none of us that are good; none that are righteous (Romans 3:10-12). We have all
sinned and fallen short of God’s perfect mark (Romans 3:23). In fact, the wages
for our transgressions is death (Romans 6:23). Damnation, separation, and God’s
wrath is what we have earned. You and I should have been the ones hanging on
that cruel Calvary tree. We are the culprits worthy of such agonizing abandonment. Consider
these words penned from the old bishop J.C. Ryle… “Terribly black must that
guilt be for which nothing but the blood of the Son of God could make
satisfaction.” Sin is serious. It is a big deal.
The good news is that the
illustration from my childhood is quite different in one very important detail.
Unlike my kindergarten “buddy” that was doing all in his might to avoid the
unmerited wrath of Miss Mioko, Christ endured our punishment for the joy set
before Him (Hebrews 12:2). Knowing what the cross would accomplish, Jesus
humbly submitted to the will of the Father and made an atoning sacrifice for
our sins – past present, and future – once for all (Romans 6:5-11)! The murder
of God the Son on Golgotha was not some accident or afterthought, but rather
God’s divine plan all along (Acts 4:27-28).
I share this story today because
my public, written confession and apology is way over due – like 27 years or so. However, I
also do so because my heart is in agreement with Ryle’s assertion that “the
first step toward attaining a higher standard of holiness is to realize more
fully the amazing sinfulness of sin.” Even worse than my iniquity as MattGyver
is the fact that I often go through short spurts of taking for granted God’s
gift of grace. Though I’d never articulate it as such, my actions imply that
I’m doing just fine without Him and that ’ll give God a shout when I need
something. Those seasons reveal how at times I minimize my sin and fail to see the mercy and favor of our Lord.
I pray that our failures and inconsistencies
will not lead us to a place of wearing unnecessary guilt and shame; for those
in Christ have had such a yoke removed. Rather, it is my hope that as we think
on all we’ve been forgiven of, a spirit of gratitude might produce genuine, grace-driven
motivation to live our days in obedient submission to the Father.
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| matt@nbchurch.info Twitter: @FattMowler Facebook: TheFattMowler |
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