A New Day

By: Pastor Johnie Akers     

2 Corinthians 5:21, “For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.”  Actor Kevin Bacon gave the following account of a conversation with his 6-year-old son after he viewed Footloose for the first time:  “‘Hey, Dad, you know that thing in the movie where you swing from the rafters of that building?  That’s really cool, how did you do that?’  I said, ‘Well, I didn’t do that part—it was a stunt man.’ ‘What’s a stunt man?’ he asked.  ‘That’s someone who dresses like me and does things I can’t do.’  ‘Oh,’ he replied and walked out of the room looking a little confused.  Later, he asked, ‘Hey, Dad, you know that thing in the movie where you spin around on that gym bar and land on your feet?  How did you do that?’  I said, ‘Well, I didn’t do that.  It was a gymnastics double.’  ‘What’s a gymnastics double?’ he asked.  ‘That’s a guy who dresses in my clothes and does things I can’t do.’”  Bacon said, “There was silence from my son, then he asked in a concerned voice, ‘Dad, what did you do?’  ‘I got all the glory,’ I sheepishly replied.”  Our Scripture lesson today echoes the same principle.  Jesus donned our human persona.  He dressed in our clothes.  He lived in our flesh.  Then, He did the things you and I could never do.  He fulfilled the righteous requirements of God’s law.  What did you and I do?  We accepted the credit.  In the movies, the double who stands in for the starring actor performs their role to such a degree, that when the final version of the film is edited and released, there is no differentiation between the stunt double and the film’s star.  The roles are seamless.  Thus it is in God’s view.  When we place our trust in the finished work of Jesus Christ, God imputes His righteousness to us.  The roles are seamless.  To see Him is to see us.  To see us is to see Him.  No longer are we sinners, but we have been “made the righteousness of God in Him.”  It is this right standing with God that enables us to be forever accepted in His presence, with this and each new day.