My wife and I are suckers for a good fixer-upper show. We enjoy seeing these homes that were once a beautiful oasis for a family that have fallen into disrepair being brought through a redemption process to live out their lives once again as was originally intended. Of course, there are always a few twists and turns and unexpected problems that come up in the show. Usually a few times we are left wondering, “how are they going to pull this one off?” In true 43-minute TV show fashion, there is always a beautiful finished product at the end with glamorous video angles showing off this massive transformation.
That story arc is so compelling because that is the story that each of us are born into: Creation – Fall – Redemption – New Life. Throw in a few twists and turns and wow moments. However, many of us don’t realize the larger drama of life happening all around us.
Most of us think that our lives are totally normal and there aren’t any issues… until there are. Like some of these homes being repaired we begin to realize that the foundation isn’t quite as stable as we thought. The roof in our lives is leaking in a few spots. The bones of the home may be good, but the heart of the home is broken and hurting.
This story arc is compelling because this is the story of the Gospel Story. Let’s ponder each of these movements.
CREATION: We live in a created world. Seeing the world around us, it is pretty hard to deny that the world was made from something. Look at the marvels of the grand canyon, a view of a mountain ridge in the Rockies, or the flow of a mighty waterfall. It is hard to ignore that Something – or Someone – greater than us exists. The Bible shares the story of how God created the world, and then made mankind in His own image and put them in the middle of a perfect creation that was called “good”.
This first introduction to the world would have been akin to those early nights in a brand new home. The smell of fresh carpet and paint. The clean light switches that don’t yet have smudgy little finger prints on them. All of the newness around without any decay.
FALL: The story pretty quickly takes a turn for the worse. Unlike a stately home that was once beautiful for decades and then falls into disrepair, the biblical story turns pretty quickly. While mankind was created to worship, enjoy, love and serve God, the desires of mankind quickly turned away from God and onto themselves. The same natural desires that introduced sin are still evident in your life and in mine. By nature and by choice we break away from the good plans of the Good Creator God and create a separation between the creature and the Creator.
The curse of the Fall was that death was introduced and humanity was separated from God. We are left wondering, “how is He going to pull this one off?”
In that process, we begin to create other gods we turn to in our lives. These substitute gods are things like our identity, our happiness, our careers, our meaning, etc. Each of these substitute gods are a sorry exchange in comparison to the real thing. Like a bad contractor brought in to fix the faulty wiring in this renovation home, usually something else gets broken in the process. Ultimately, these pursuits leave people more burnt out and hopeless in the end.
REDEMPTION: Every story needs a hero. We have a tendency to place ourselves in the place of the hero of our own story, however, I’m a pretty lousy hero. Maybe you are better at that than I am, but I’m guessing if we stacked our accomplishments next to each other both would be found lacking. Instead, the Gospel Story puts Jesus on display in the center of this redemption story.
If the curse of the Fall is humanity’s separation from God, then the way of redemption is God breaking that separation by entering into humanity. In that similar 43-minute TV show fashion, Jesus enters humanity in order to create the way back to a redeemed relationship with God. Jesus is this way. Jesus said “I am the way, the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” Jesus was able to make this possible because he lived a perfect life in order to take my place (and yours) and to bear the brunt of God’s wrath to be poured out on. After His temporary separation from the Father and death, Jesus rose from the grave to show that He has control over sin, death, and the curse that led to separation.
In this redemption, Jesus is making all things new. He is not just redeeming lives, but restoring the whole creation back to God’s original design and purpose. What was once broken and dilapidated is being put back together and made whole.
NEW LIFE: What does this mean for you and for me? Well, In God’s plan of redemption He has defined the way to renew His creation. For those who surrender to God’s plan and submit to the King of kings and Lord of lords, there is a new life that is being put into the hearts of His people. To believe in Jesus means to submit Him and trust Him. When we release our own control and desires to Him we can surrender into a life with Jesus.
This does not mean that everything will be perfect or easy in your life. What it does mean is that it will be redeemed and renewed. What it means is that Jesus’ promise to always be with you becomes new.
So, if you have been still living in the midst of the dilapidated version of your life and you are waiting for the renovation crew to head over, maybe what you have been waiting for is the renewal that only comes in the person of Jesus Christ. Maybe this Easter, as you are ready to eat ham and potatoes, you can point your heart back to the reason we celebrate this weekend. Remember the God-Man that walked out of the grave and has invited you to new life in a relationship with Him.
Photo by Johnny Briggs on Unsplash
Steve Bensema 
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