Hello, my name is Brennan Weller! I am honored and super excited to give the Devo this week. When I was planning this, my mind was racing with so many ideas of what I can talk about. I was thinking about how I was going to talk about how you can be saved, or I could talk about how much STP means to me. I noticed I was talking about myself a lot. I took a step back and realized that I was doing this so that I would be glorified instead of God. So naturally, I am going to talk about how sinful we are and about how wonderful, merciful, and awesome God is to us.
As humans, we have a history of being consumed by rebellion and selfish desire. Through all our history’s twists and turns, we can be sure that man will do whatever is best for himself. This is human depravity, otherwise known as sin. Sin in its simplest form is the deliberate and purposeful violation of the will of God. You don’t have to teach sin. For example, you don’t have to teach a toddler to lie about stealing and eating candy. From a young age, we know what the word no means and we continue to despise that word for the rest of our lives. Human depravity has been present since Adam and Eve disobeyed God and ate the fruit from the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil. As we read in the Bible about people like the Israelites who repeatedly sin against God even after He had done so much for them. There is also doubting Thomas, big mouth Peter, and the persecutor Saul. Like many of you, I grew up in a Christian home surrounded by people who love God and His word. It is easy for me to think that I am not as bad as other people – “those people.” I mean I never worshipped a golden calf or killed Christians. I have never betrayed Jesus as Judas did. I have never murdered, committed adultery; I always went to church. This is where I say what Romans 3:23 says, but I’m pretty sure most of you know what that verse says (…”for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.”)
The problem is we know we are sinners, but we do not understand how great our sin is. Exodus 32:33 says, “The Lord said to Moses, “Whoever has sinned against Me, I will blot him out of My book.” One sin, one lie, one unholy thought, one unselfish action, and you are separated from God forever. But God loved you enough to come down as a man who was fully God. His name is Jesus Christ; He came and died the death you were condemned to die and took the punishment that was yours to bear. He is strong when you are weak, He loves you when you are unloveable, and He is standing right there waiting with His arms open wide ready to accept you.
John Newton was a slave trader turned pastor. He penned the famous song Amazing Grace.
Amazing Grace how sweet the sound,
That saved a wretch like me.
I once was lost but now I’m found,
Was blind, but now I see.
Remember that wherever you lack (and you do lack) God’s grace fills in the gaps.
Thank you! Come see Tom Sawyer!