Worship Ministry - November 2022
Evidence
At the beginning of this year, I got the dreaded (at least for most people) letter saying that I was summoned to jury duty. I was rather excited because I had never done it before, and it was a chance for me to put my law knowledge to use from all the true crime podcasts I have listened to. On the day of selection, I got there early, picked up my badge, and waited patiently for my name to be called, and it was. I was the last juror selected for the DUI case that was going to start in 20 minutes. As the evidence was laid out in front of us, as witnesses were called and questioned, and testimony was heard, I wrote as many notes as possible not wanting to miss anything that may be important. Unfortunately, my fellow jurors took notice of my note-taking and later voted me the foreman of our group.
At the end of it all, I stood in the jury box and read out our verdict for the man on trial. We found him guilty, forever changing his life. Forever blotting his record in the eyes of
society.
I was struck by the seriousness of the moment. The burden that was placed on my shoulders to lead a group of strangers, peers, to decide whether or not a man was guilty or innocent, hit me. I was flooded with the realization that this is all of our stories when it comes to the judgment of our sin against God. We are all guilty of crimes, sins, against a holy God that makes it impossible for us to be in His presence, impossible for us to spend eternity worshiping Him; and yet when we surrender our lives to Jesus Christ, we are found not guilty. Not because we deserve it, not because we are perfect, found sinless, but rather God the father looks at His blameless Son for evidence of our righteousness. Jesus is our witness, and His record becomes our testimony, His blood our payment. May we never forget the goodness we have in Jesus Christ and never lose our thankfulness to Him for bringing salvation to us on the cross.
“See the cross, the empty grave the evidence is endless. All my sin rolled away because of You, oh, Jesus.” (Evidence by Josh Baldwin)
Lyric of the Month
My name is graven on His hands
My name is written on His heart
I know that while in heaven He stands
No tongue can bid me thence depart