You are broken, as are the rest of us.  Brokenness may be visible to those around us or hidden deep within one’s soul.  The answer to this problem is not money, food, shelter, warmth or even kicking addictions.  Nor is it new relationships, changing our gender and how we identify, or even fame. Our problems and suffering go beyond blaming our sordid past, impoverished childhood, unfortunate life circumstances or inheriting bad genes.  We have been born into this issue, otherwise described as the human condition.

It is likened to that of an oil spill.  Picture how birds become drenched in the toxic substance of crude oil. They cannot do anything to help themselves.  They can only hope to be rescued and washed from this insidious poison.  So too, is the plight of all born in the world as the oil represents Sin.  No amount of programs, financial aid, support groups, therapy, wealth, health or whatever – will get us out of its clutches.  Sin’s purpose is destruction, and unless we find a remedy against its power in and over us, we will die.  Not only physically, but spiritually where we will know what separation from God is – forever.  Where the word hopeless comes to life and becomes an everlasting experience.  

This is the bad news that must be told, but now for the Good News and it comes in the form of a man named Jesus Christ, who is not an ordinary man, but the very Son of God. 700 years before Jesus was born, the prophet Isaiah spoke of Him declaring the hope He gives us:

Isaiah 61:1

“The Spirit of the Lord God is upon Me,

Because the Lord has anointed Me

To preach good tidings to the poor;

He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted,

To proclaim liberty to the captives,

And the opening of the prison to those who are bound;

 Jesus would later affirm what Isaiah wrote in His first speaking engagement:

And when He had opened the book, He found the place where it was written and said to the crowd:

 “The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me,

Because He has anointed Me

To preach the gospel to the poor;

He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted,

To proclaim liberty to the captives

And recovery of sight to the blind,

To set at liberty those who are oppressed;

To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord.”

Then He closed the book, and gave it back to the attendant and sat down. And the eyes of all who were in the synagogue were fixed on Him. And He began to say to them, “Today this Scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.” Luke 4:17-21

We are bound and are captives of Sin – and Sin is like a magnet within which only begets pain, worry and fear- for its intention is to kill, steal and destroy our body, souls and minds. It has the power to overcome us, so we need something -rather Someone who has conquered it to move on our behalf against it.  Jesus did this for us when He willingly died on the cross. God gave the world His only begotten Son, so that none would perish but would have everlasting life (with Him).  Jesus not only died for us, He was brought back to life and rose from the grave, taking with Him the power that Sin has over us.  If there was ever a superhero, it is Jesus the Christ.

The good news is that if we believe in Jesus, in what He has done for us, and forsake the Sin we practice in our lives, that is to repent of it, we will receive the Spirit of the Living God to enter our hearts/lives. The same power that has overcome Sin, now in us, so we too may too overcome! 

Jesus invites us when He says these words:

Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.” Matt 11:28-30

Is your life ‘heavy laden’? This is the work and result of Sin because we are like that oil-drenched bird and need to be rescued. 

Can you hear Jesus’s gentle invitation filled with love and compassion for you?  

Whatever difficult place you are in is nothing for the God of the universe to pluck you out of, the only thing standing in the way is you.  For many of us, we have made ourselves god and become slave to our lusts, appetites, pride and fear which keeps us bound.

Do you not know that when you offer yourselves as obedient slaves, you are slaves to the one you obey, whether you are slaves to Sin leading to death, or to obedience leading to righteousness? Romans 6:19

Jesus has freed us from the power of sin’s hold – ONLY if we believe and receive His gift to us – the forgiveness of our sins and take His new life (or yoke), He has died to give to us. It is a gift of hope and restoration and new life.

For “whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.” Romans 10:13

Having done this, we apply our ears to hear God speak. He speaks through His Word, and the Bible contains His Word. He will give us direction in getting out of the mess we have gotten ourselves in—one step at a time. 

He begins His work in us, changing us from the inside that becomes outwardly apparent to those around us.  Our lives begin to testify that Jesus is alive – in us!

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new. 2 Cor 5:17

See also: What is the Good News Anyways?