We had a powerful message in our Parenting Session last weekend. It had to do with “Jesus’ Armor of Affirmation.” Your kids let you down, or you let your family down, or you let yourself down (you get the idea), and where does that leave you: feeling guilty and insecure. Trust is broken if not shattered. And it’s not something that will be forgotten easily.

Jesus to the rescue. There he suddenly appeared, out of thin air, in that locked room with the disciples on Easter Sunday. Was he there to dwell on their leaving him and letting him down, to face the evils of crucifixion on his own? No, that was over. With his death on the cross two days before, he had forgiven and forgotten their forsaking him. He was there in his “sin-free, death-free body” to greet them with “peace” (all is forgiven). He reminded them “I am sending you” to announce God’s forgiveness to everyone. Jesus was reaffirming his trust in them by entrusting them with God’s mission to save souls.

That’s Jesus’ affirmation for us and our families. When we’ve failed badly, or a family member has. When there are all those destructive feelings of anger, betrayal, lack of trust, guilt. Christ is already there with his affirmation: “I died for you, I rose for you, I rule for you.” And what does that mean for us and others? “You’re forgiven; Jesus is here for you; Jesus has great things ahead for you.”

You see what that does? It sends the guilt away to the cross so the sin doesn’t have to keep coming up. And we see someone (even ourselves) who wasn’t very trustworthy, reaffirmed as just that, because Jesus is there by their side. You & they can say “Jesus is with us to lead us on to great things.” And when you do, you’re reaffirming that “Jesus rules” in our lives.

“Jesus affirmation.” He’s already spoken such words for us. Let’s keep speaking affirmation to each other.

Living life to its fullest (John 10:10),
Pastor Kuske