What's your Label?

Labels. They are on everything. 

Labels will tell you how you should wash a piece of clothing. 

Labels will tell you how much of the cheesecake you should consume. (I’ll save you the trouble of reading the label. eat the he entire amount.)

Labels will tell you when you take your medication; they will tell you how to bake a cake, they will even tell you how to apply shampoo to your hair. 

No matter where you go, you will always find a label. 

People have labels too, don’t they?

You mean you've never heard of Jack the smoker? Jane the glutton? Jimmy the Janitor? (this one isn't made up Jimmy the Janitor isn't really a janitor but a “comedian”)

You get the idea. People come with labels. If they don’t come with them, we tend to give them labels. 

Don’t cross him; he’s __________

Don’t tell her about the sale at the mall, she’ll run right out, because she a shopaholic. 

Even Judas had a label. “Judas Iscariot (who later betrayed him)” (Luke 6:16, nlt2)

Just about every time Judas is mentioned in the Bible, he is identified by his label.

Forever Judas is known by this label. It’s not one that I would want to have, but, I must admit, I have had more than one label in my life. Most, if not all of them, hurt me to no end. 

You’ve probably had a label you did not like either. Maybe you still do. maybe you’re wondering if you're ever going to shed this label. 

Well, the Good News for you today, is Yes, you can! 

Take a look at a very of these preselected verses just for you and me:

“See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are!” (1 John 3:1a, NIV)

The take away label from this verse is: You are a child of God. You are a LOVED child of God. 

How about this one, spoken by Jesus himself: “So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.” (John 8:38, NIV)

The take away label from this: You are forgiven! How about walking around with that label? 

Just a few more: “For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.” (Eph. 2:10, NLT)

The take away label from this: We are Gods Picasso! He has created us for Good works because of Jesus. 

One more: “Once we, too, were foolish and disobedient. We were misled and became slaves to many lusts and pleasures. Our lives were full of evil and envy, and we hated each other. 4 But—

When God our Savior revealed his kindness and love, 5 he saved us, not because of the righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He washed away our sins, giving us a new birth and new life through the Holy Spirit. 6 He generously poured out the Spirit upon us through Jesus Christ our Savior.” (Titus 3:2-6, nlt2)

There are many labels that you can take away from this passage, here’s just a couple: Loved. Forgiven. Given New life. 

I wonder how we would live our lives if we focused on the label God gave us, instead of the label we give ourselves?

Today, tomorrow, and next week, lets focus on our real labels of Loved. Forgiven. Child of God. His Masterpiece. 

Let God of the labels you've been "given" by the world. They don't matter. The only thing that matters is what God has to say about us, and if we've placed our trust in Jesus, then we have the best label of all: Forgiven! Live in this label. 

And go ahead and eat that cheesecake. (if you’re reading this and live close to me, I’m home for you to drop one off)