When my kids were young (think 4 or 5 years old), I could do magic tricks easily. Pulling quarters out of ears or making a penny disappear were standard. Throw in a few cards tricks and they would be amazed.
As an adult, I enjoy a good magic show. It amazes me how these magicians can make big things disappear! How does a helicopter vanish into thin air!?!?
But all of that is just slight-of-hand or misdirection. The helicopter does not really vanish.
The Word – Magic
The Worth – God is magic. No, not Harry Potter magic or Gandalf the Grey type stuff. He really can make stuff disappear!
If you have not read the post “What do you want?”, please click here. It will give you a context that will make more sense when reading this post.
In that post, I had written a line near the end;
He took action so we can take action.
Let me unpack that a little more.
2 Corinthians 5:21 states, “God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.”
John 1 tells us to “behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!”
This is God doing magic! He took away the sin of the world. He made it disappear! The action that God took was to make it possible for us to be sinless. We now can become the righteousness of God!
He loved us so much and was longing to be connected with us again. He wanted us so much that he took His son and used Him to take away our sin.
When I was 16, I got my first speeding ticket. This was 1989 so it probably was not too much of a fine. It was more embarrassing because I had three friends in the car with me!
I broke the law and deserved to pay the fine. But then my dad performed a magic trick.
He told that he would pay for the first one. He paid my ticket. That was both merciful and gracious all in one simple act.
God did a magic trick 2000 years ago. Jesus became our sin. See Isaiah 53:6
The Work – This part takes faith.
Understand that Jesus is the way back to God.
Jesus also took our sin upon Him.
Our part is to accept that payment. Just like my dad paying my speeding fine, we can accept this gift.
We can now live our life because of what has already been done.
Stop trying to earn salvation and enjoy the magic that God has performed!
Live to reflect your righteousness!
After all, God is not going to bring back your sin.
You are free. Go out and live it!
Two Minutes With Tim 