Romans 8:1-2

So now there is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus. And because you belong to him, the power of the life-giving Spirit has freed you from the power of sin that leads to death.

You ever have one of those moments where everything just seems right with the world?

I went for a walk downtown Monday night. It was a spontaneous idea I had while eating dinner that night. The timing was perfect. I headed down to Northshore Park at 8pm and started up the sidewalk, headed toward downtown. I put on one of my favorite playlists and just walked.

It was like being in a movie with a soundtrack playing. Each song seemed to work in tandem with what was going on around me. I couldn’t hear what people were saying. I just watched as they passed by.

Young couples in love. Families playing together. Friends talking and laughing. Middle-aged couples walking their dog. People working on their boats. Dolphins swimming by. Little kids chasing after their siblings. Older couples out for an evening stroll. Tourists walking in circles.

Each little event was amazing in and of itself, and the backdrop of downtown St. Pete only made it better.

I had to thank God for that moment. As the blue sky faded into peach and purple, and eventually dark blue behind the sky scrapers of the city I love, I felt at peace. All I could do was smile and enjoy the walk.

And while I could look closer and find the imperfections in the evening, I chose not to. I chose to focus on God’s amazing plan. I let go of the worries of the day. I let go of the guilt of my past. I threw aside the regret of what I didn’t accomplish that day, and let God have it all.

I turned toward love.

I think that’s what Paul is trying to get across in this part of his letter to the Roman church. Let it all go; your sin, your past, your regret. The price has been paid. When you believe in Jesus, and follow him, there is no room for any of that in your life. Let go of the condemnation of the world, and be free to live in peace; in peace with yourself, in peace with others, and in peace with your creator.

We try to convince ourselves that God is mad at us, and so we end up mad at ourselves. When we are mad at ourselves, it tends to be easier to be mad at our neighbors. But God is looking at us through the filter of Jesus, who paid the ultimate price so that we didn’t have to live with the fear of God’s judgment.

If there’s one thing I love about Radius as a church, it’s that we focus on a God who loves. We focus on spreading that love. We don’t focus on the fear of God’s wrath. We don’t focus on the possibility of spending eternity in hell.

No! We are a people freed from that fear.

We are free to love. We are free to live. We are free to spend eternity with our creator.

Find your downtown moment. Hand it all over to God and let go of the condemnation. Remember that moment when the world is weighing down on you.

Please come join us this Sunday as we move forward in Romans 8. And, if you weren’t able to join us last Sunday, click here to catch up on the conversation.