The world is broken. It doesn’t take too much to notice that so many of the news stories on TV, Radio, in print and online are stories of brokenness. Planes that disappear in the ocean. Athletes that shoot their girlfriend. Genocide that kills close to 1 million people. Tsunamis. Bombings. Wars. Riots. All of these are evidence that the world is broken. Things are not as they should be.
But it’s not just “out there” that things are broken. Brokenness is always near by. In our suburbs. In our schools. In our homes. In our minds. You might be reading this and know all too well of the brokenness near to you. Issues with your parents. Issues with bullies. Addiction. Illness. Loss.
According to the Bible the root of all our brokenness is our rejection of God. Not only is the world broken, but our relationship with God is broken. We are cut off from Him. And even if you seem to have things in your life together, this brokenness is the worst of all and effects us all.
Easter is good news for the broken.
The good news of Christianity is that Jesus has done something to fix our brokenness and bring us back to God.
“For Christ died for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God.” (1 Peter 3:18)
What has Jesus done to fix our brokenness?
He died on the cross, on the first Good Friday. Jesus didn’t deserve to die on the cross. The “righteous for the unrighteous” means that Jesus is the innocent one dying in the place of the guilty. So his death for sin is a death to take the penalty for our sin and rejection of God.
Imagine you were playing a game of soccer and were exhausted. You are no longer able to run, kick or keep up with the general play. The best thing your coach can do is take you off and put one of the substitutes on in your place. Fresh legs, able to kick and energy for the rest of the game. The substitute takes your place and does what you were unable to do. They play on your behalf.
Jesus’ death on the cross is as a substitute on your behalf. He plays on your behalf. Jesus lived the life I couldn’t live and died the death I should have died.
This is good news for the broken.
Why? Because it was “to bring you to God”. The death of Jesus fixes our biggest problem. We can be brought back into relationship with God.
That doesn’t mean everything will automatically feel better here and now. We will still live have to live with the consequences of a world that is broken. But inwardly we will be renewed. And there is a day coming when there will be no more tears and no more brokenness for those who belong to Jesus.
Three days after Jesus died on Good Friday he rose again on Easter. This guarantees that all who trust in Jesus will likewise be raised again.
Easter is good news for the broken.
Do you long to be part of a world where there will be no more brokenness? Are you interested in becoming a Christian? Here are 3 simple words of faith that are a good first step in giving your life to Jesus.
Contact me if you have any questions or want to find a church where you can connect with others.
Dave,
Great to see a young Aussie guy preaching the gospel on the internet!
The world surely is broken! One thing I have learned in coming to grips with the cross is that we have exchanged our brokenness for his wholeness. So rather than being renewed, we have become a whole new creation! We no longer have to grapple with the fallen old creation, we have Jesus’ life within us. I think a lot of Christians forget that he is able to keep us from falling and try and fix ourselves, the old man, rather than walk in the new. It is surely a new skill we have to learn and for some of us older christians, we have to go back to the Cross and re-learn!
Thanks for your enthusiasm!