This year, the month of March holds some significant dates. We continue through the season of Lent, and come at the end of March to Holy Week. This point in the year is rough as we really come face to face with the consequence of sin. The Law of God is just and wise, and in it, the penalty for sin is death. All sin is a rebellion against God, therefore all sin is treated the same way.

When we think about sin, it becomes worthwhile to consider our catechism from so many years ago. Sin comes to us in two ways. Original sin is the one that gets us and causes the most problem. Original sin is that inward rebellion that you just inherit. Since you are a human, born on planet earth, you are sinful. It is something that you inherited all the back to Noah, and then to Adam. There's no escaping it. It is the worst virus to plague mankind. There's nothing we can do about it. We simply have it.

The other form of sin is what the historic church has called actual sin. I really don't care for this name as it downplays the reality of original sin. Instead, I prefer to call this active sin. This is the stuff that original sin causes you to do. Don't want to go to church? That's ok. You don't have to. Original sin sets your will against the will of God and you act out on it. Active sin is the stuff that we do that does not bring glory to God Himself. This is the outflow of our sinfulness.

The cross of Jesus deals with both of these sins. By the work of Jesus on our behalf, all mankind, all the world, receives an incredible promise. It's a promise of hope. It's a promise of life. It's a promise of salvation. Jesus, doing His good work on our behalf, comes to us and brings us everything. The rebellion of original sin is done away with at the cross. Death, the consequence of sin, is destroyed in the empty tomb. The devil loses his ability over us as he no longer has a say. His authority is broken. As we come to Holy Week at the end of the month, we take a good hard look at ourselves and see everything that is lacking. We take an even harder look at the cross of Jesus, and there we find forgiveness of every single thing.

Brothers and sisters, as we move through the season of Lent into Holy Week, we mourn. As we move into the festival of the Resurrection, we cast off our ashes and rejoice that Jesus has set us free. Our enemies are destroyed. Christ has conquered all. He is our risen Savior.

Blessed Resurrection,