THE DEVIL MADE ME DO IT

Good Friday to You, 
It was a beautiful summer day. My cousin Timmy and I were motivated, focused, and determined. The mission: to dig a secret underground network of tunnels in grandma’s backyard…and we had shovels to prove it! 
I’m guessing we were about 8 years old, but this detail remains undocumented in the annals of American History. I’m not sure why no one was out detailing our epic venture… it was unmistakably newsworthy. We weren’t underground mining engineers (then or now), but we knew our plan began with a hole. So, we chose a location (about 15 feet from Grandma’s back door) and began digging. This made total sense to two 8-year-olds. We could run out the back door and escape directly into the labyrinth of passages and chambers! 
We worked tirelessly… for about twenty minutes… before the digging became noticeably difficult. After the sod was removed, we discovered the clay dirt to be much harder. The size of our scoops became smaller. The breaks between those scoops got longer. Yet, at this point, we remained undaunted with no comprehension of the impossible nature of our project. So, we kept digging. It was at this point I heard what would sear this event into my mind for what has now been four decades. Timmy pumped his foot onto his shovel, lost his balance, and fell onto the grass. In a sprawled-out position he boldly declared, 
“The Devil made me do it!” 
I don’t know where Timmy came up with this profound theological statement, but it was a new one to me. Nonetheless, I could understand the main point of his declaration. He was not responsible for his actions. It was the “Evil One” who caused his misstep and any resulting consequences. Interestingly, the phrase stuck with me. Of course, in the years since, I’ve heard others make the same assertion – which raises an interesting question: 
Are there situations in life when we are absolved of all responsibility? 
After four decades of reflection, the answer is surprisingly both “Yes” and “No.” And interestingly, it is quite important for us to understand the truth behind both the “Yes” AND the “No.” If you are blaming yourself for what is not really YOU, you will find yourself discouraged, shamed, and wrongly blaming yourself. However, if you don’t own the responsibility for what really is YOU and instead divert blame on the Devil or others, you will fail to realize the victory over sin provided for you by Jesus. 
This Sunday, we have the opportunity to discover the beauty of “owning it” and “disowning it.” I’m absolutely convinced this teaching from God’s Word will be formative in your spiritual victory. You can get an early start by reading Romans 7:18-8:4. (https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Romans+7:18-8:4&version=ESV) As you read, please don’t miss that this is THE Apostle Paul bemoaning his continued struggle with sin…AND… celebrating his victory! 
Hope to see you Sunday, 
Pastor Michael