Remember their sins no more...

 Read Hebrews 8

Jeremiah 31:31-34

We all know to trust in the Lord with all of our hearts, right? Lean not on our own understanding. We know the proverb.

We have talked about this wrestling match before. God’s way or my way? C’mon God, let’s do this one my way.

What about a time when there is no battle in our hearts or minds? There is no dissonance. There is peace. There is no wrestling match anymore.

We are not quite there yet, but we are moving forward knowing that one day God will complete the good work that he began in us. And then his directives and directions will be written on our hearts and fill our minds.

And we will be able to scratch those evangelism events off our calendars for a while. Everyone will know the Lord. Everyone!

And here is a big one.

For I will forgive their wickedness

    and will remember their sins no more.

I will touch more on this in the next service, but these quoted scriptures are sort of an in-your-face taunt to the Hebrew people.  Can’t you see it? God told us this New Covenant was coming.

Why are you clinging to the old?

We could beat up those Hebrew people from so long ago. C’mon, how could you miss it? How could you want to hold on to the old way? Why?

God told you he was going to do this!

We could do some serious finger-pointing here, except we should start with ourselves. Why do we hold on to that old self?

I’m not dragging an animal to the altar. What do you mean?

Does your heart desire the things of this world? Money, status, good looks, shining things, and the newest devices all beckon us to pay homage to them.

The old self wants you to come back home to your life of self-gratification. C’mon, you were just getting the hang of it’s all about me.

The old self reminds you of all the times that you have failed. You will never please God.

The old self beckons you like a shot of whiskey beckons an alcoholic.

But you don’t give up. You don’t give in. You move forward even in your mistakes.  Why? I’ll never get it right.

Oh, but you will. At some point, God will complete what he has been doing in your life and you won’t have to wrestle with what your sinful self wants because the old self is gone for good and only the thoughts and attitudes that are of God now reside in your hearts and minds.

So, whatever it is that you are working through, know that at some point, God takes us with all of our rough edges and finishes the masterpiece that he designed us to be.

So, we keep looking forward with our eyes fixed on Jesus. Cast off anything that hinders—more on that in a few weeks.

Focus forward.

Move forward.

Sin and shame are in the past and God said he would not only forgive our transgressions, but he will forget them.

He will forget them!

Imagine what it would be like for others to forget our sins against them. For so many, holding on to a sin or sins made against them gives them a sense of power, but truly the relationship that leverages sin is not about power but addiction to self-righteousness.

We can’t look forward, focus forward, or move forward if we are focused on the past. Realize how free you feel when you know that God will not remember your sins.

Now do that for all who have sinned against you.

As we move forward in our faith, let us forgive others for what they may have done to us in the past. Let’s focus on the work and service ahead of us.

Let’s build upon our foundation and move forward.

Amen.