“If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he who is faithful and just will forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.  My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous; and he is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world.” (I John 1:8-2:2)  On first glance, this Sunday’s epistle lesson might cause you to think that we are still smack dab in the middle of Lent, what with all this talk about sin and self-deception!  What happened to that glorious victory of Easter morning with all the light and the lilies and whatnot?  Well, we are in the season of Easter; we are focused on proclaiming our Lord’s triumph over death and sin and every other ill that may trouble us.  Christ is the victor and yet here is sin still lurking around, not only in the world, but all too often in the church as well.  And let us be brutally honest, not in the church in general, but in our churches and in ourselves.  For me to understand properly this text, I continue to turn to Karl Barth who wrote, “Only those who taste and see how gracious the Lord is can know their sin…Known sin is always forgiven sin known in the light of forgiveness and the triumphant grace of God.”  In other words, one of our great privileges as Christians is to be delivered from self-deception.  It is only in the light of Jesus’ glorious resurrection that we may face the truth of our lives, acknowledge our ongoing broken areas, and diligently seek our full appropriation of our Lord’s victory.  If you are struggling in particular this week with one of those broken areas, do not see your realization of it as condemnation but as our Lord’s gracious call to come to Him.  If you know someone who is struggling, remind them of our Lord’s love fully revealed in the empty tomb and his ongoing gracious beckoning to follow him.  Our Lord is truly risen!  Have a great week.