IMG_9534No sin is too sinful for the cross. Through Christ, we are able to go to the foot of the cross and be cleansed from our dirtiness, brokenness, and past, future, and present mistakes and be perfectly clean.

Last night in service, we focused on the dirtiness of our hearts and going before God in humility. At the end of the sermon, the worship team began playing a closing worship song as ushers handed out stained, dirty, and gross rags, resembling our sin, to everyone in the tabernacle. Jeremy read us a story, “The Ragman,” by Walter Wangerin, Jr.; this story is told in a first person perspective about a man known as the Ragman, who found the broken, the dirty, the outcasts who had filthy garments for possessions and gave them new, clean rags. He traded his own belongings and took their rubbish as his own.

The story continues through The Ragman’s death and remarkable resurrection three days later, concluding with The Ragman clothing the storyteller in new garments and his stains being washed whiter than snow.

At the end of the story, pew by pew the campers and staff were released to go to the cross, exchange their dirty rag and pick up a clean cloth that was laying on the alter. As each person went forward, it was a reminder of the work Christ did for us over 2000 years ago. He took our sin and shame and made us new, through Christ, we wear new, spotless, robes.