Judges Seat

We wanted to be on time. A man who comes late to a court hearing could be classified as a fool. The Judge has the gavel, and with the gavel comes the power. Others came with us. We were not the only convicts that day. If that was not true, there would be something dramatically wrong with the way that we as a society identify suspects.

We knew we were guilty. It was just a matter of learning what our punishment would be. The bailiff came in first, and said something like, “when the Judge comes in, everyone needs to stand. Turn off your cell phones now and no talking.” We did as we were told.

When the Judge entered, the bailiff said, “All rise!” We did. He immediately got down to business. He told us he would not let us plea “nolo contender.” Nolo contender means that you do not contest the charges, but you do not plead guilty to them. So we knew that we were boxed in. Guilty would be our plea.

One by one the convicts came forward, and one by one the Judge ruled. Some pleaded not guilty. He set a trial date for them. Some pleaded guilty. The fine was set, and they went off to pay the cashier.

Finally, our turn came. “How do you plead?”

“Guilty.”

There was something freeing about admitting it. We were guilty, and there was a fine to pay. We paid it.

As we left the court house, I reflected on guilt and payment. And yes, it came to my mind. We are all guilty of worse things than running a stop sign, and we cannot pay the fine. The Judge will not let us plead nolo contender and there will be a court date.

At PERIMETER, we want you to explore what that means. We don`t want you to think that we are all about punishment and crime. Just the opposite. We have advocate who pays the price for us by His Grace and unconditional Love.

So if you ran a red light, having some heavy burden, we may be the place for you. All of us stand guilty, and we know the Judge. He won`t give you time off for good behavior, but He will grant you pardon because of the One who behaved to perfection, and His name is Jesus! Courts in. All rise.

Recommended Resources for this message:
“A Hunger for God” – Desiring God Through Prayer and Fasting
By John Piper (Crossway Books)

“From Fear to Freedom” – Living as Sons and Daughters of God
By Rose Marie Miller (Shaw Publishers)

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