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Rioters, Looters, and Murderers

Steve Carell is one of my favorite actors ("Michael Scott" from The Office). In May, when the protests were highest in Minnesota, Carell  and other noted celebrities stepped forward to help pay in order to bail some of these protesters out of jail. How did people repsond?

Some applauded. These protesters didn't have the money to bail themselves out. They had no lawyers to represent them. It was by the kindness of celebrities/lawyers who graciously gave their wealth to bail these protesters out. 

Some were upset. Some fans of Steve Carell felt betrayed by him.  Why would you bail them out? They hurt local businesses. They disobeyed the orders of their local government. They assaulted police officers. They're violent and destructive! Why post their bail?? They deserve jail time for their offenses! Bailing them out only gives them a chance to go back to more looting and killing!

Similar conversations have popped up on social media once again as more protests are sparked throughout our nation. Pause and listen. A beautiful scene of redemption is unfolding before our very eyes and if we're too caught up in the drama, we miss it. 

Those who have disobeyed an officer's order are breaking the law. Those who rob/loot/vandalize/kill... are all breaking the law. Jail is where they belong. Jail is justice being served. 

That is who we are: enemies of God. Disobeyed His order. Broke His law. Vandalized His temple . And above all, we murdered His Son. We are the rioters, looters, and murders you see on the news... except we did it against a perfect, holy and eternal God. People protest against a government that they feel is corrupt and oppressive. We protested against God's perfect Government that has never done any wrong. What is the punishment but "jail" for eternity? Hell is justice being served. 

No one on earth is wealthy enough to post their own bond. No one has a lawyer who is qualified to represent them before the Great Judge. The Lawyer that we did have, we murdered. He is going to testify before His Father. "Your Honor, standing before me today is [insert your name.]"

This will go one of two ways:
1) You will serve your sentence. All your life, you said "God wasn't fair." On that day, you will see what His fairness looks like. 

Or...

2) Your Lawyer will post bail-- not just to pay the bond so you can go home and come back to court on another day. He will pay it in full. You get to walk out of the courthouse as a free man while Jesus is placed in cuffs. 

Let the questions fly once again:
Why would you bail them out? They disobeyed the orders of King. They assaulted and murdered His Son. They're violent and destructive! Why post their bail?? They deserve Hell for their offenses! Bailing them out only gives them a chance to go back to more looting and killing!

You and I were set free. Yet we weren't set free to go "back to more looting and killing." We are called to turn away from what put us in jail in the first place. 

For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. 10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them. (Ephesians 2)

We may be familiar with verse 8-9. We couldn't pay for our own freedom, so Christ did. By Himself. We didn't "chip in." We couldn't have. He paid for it in full. 

But look at verse 10. We were set free out of the penalty of Hell for good works. The testimony of the Christian is to live a life of transformation rooted in gratitude. "Thank you, Jesus, for bailing me out and paying my fines in full." Then walk out of jail and not go back to our old ways of protesting, rioting, looting, and killing. Instead, we live a life to honor the One who set us free. 

That is your spiritual worship in which God delights. (Romans 12:1)

Society simultaneously wants justice and mercy. Point them to Jesus who mercifully pardoned us and bore the wrath of God in perfect justice. 

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