Over the past few weeks, secrets have been revealed.  Paula Deen was forced from off the Food Network after things said in secret were revealed.  The NSA’s big secret, the storing of meta-data records for every phone call made in the United State, was revealed by Edward Snowden a few weeks ago.  So, what do these have to do with Jesus?  Simply this: neither Mrs. Deen nor the NSA would be in trouble if they only remembered one of Jesus’ most basic teachings, “There is nothing hidden that will not be revealed” (Luke 8: 17).

You do not have to believe that Jesus is the Son of God to recognize the truth of this teaching. Experience confirms it.  We’ve all experienced the anxiety that comes with trying to keep a secret, especially when it’s something of which we are ashamed. We’ve all felt the burn of embarrassment on our face when something we did not want anyone else to know was revealed.  Jesus said, “I’ve come to set the prisoners free.” One way he does this is by freeing us from the burden of trying to live a life full of secrets.

I am persuaded that a life devoted to learning from and following Jesus is the best way to live there is.  The Jesus way of life is a life of peace, strength, and freedom. It’s a way of life available to us when we come clean and bring into His healing light any the secrets we have been desperately trying to keep hidden.  Over the past fifteen years, I have dedicated my life to learning from and following Jesus. As the new pastor of First United Methodist Church, I look forward sharing with our community what I have learned and what I am learning about Jesus’ way of life.

One thing I have learned is that life is simpler when we accept the truth of Jesus’ teaching, “there is nothing hidden that will not be revealed” and choose to live openly and transparently in the power of the Spirit.