Pastor Tom started by revisiting the idea of scars, in his sermon from two weeks ago Jesus Shares Every Scar You Have. He shared a personal story from his early days in ministry when he accidentally cut his finger down to the bone while preparing food for a church gathering. Despite the severity of the injury, which required stitches, years later, he realized he couldn’t even find the scar. The experience was a profound reminder that God can heal wounds so completely that it’s as if they never happened.

Drawing from the story of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego in the book of Daniel, Pastor Tom illustrated how God’s presence in our lives can protect us even in the most intense trials. When King Nebuchadnezzar looked into the fiery furnace, he saw not just the three men he had thrown in but a fourth figure—Jesus. When the three men emerged from the fire, they were completely unharmed, with no sign that they had ever been in the flames. Pastor Tom encouraged the congregation to remember that, just as Jesus was with Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego in their furnace, He is also with us in our trials, walking alongside us and protecting us.

Pastor Tom then turned to the story of the woman caught in adultery, whom the Pharisees brought before Jesus, hoping to trap Him. Instead of condemning her, Jesus told her accusers, “He who is without sin, cast the first stone.” One by one, they left, and Jesus told the woman to “go and sin no more.” Pastor Tom emphasized that Jesus didn’t just forgive her—He erased her past sins, making it as if they had never happened.

In a modern example, Pastor Tom shared the story of James Clear, a baseball player who suffered a severe injury when he was hit in the face with a baseball, causing significant brain swelling. Despite this traumatic event, James went on to break baseball records at Denison University and later became a famous author. Pastor Tom used this story to illustrate that, no matter how severe our scars may be, God can redeem our past and bring us to a place where those scars no longer define us.

The central message was clear: through a relationship with God, our scars—whether they are physical injuries, emotional wounds, or spiritual struggles—can be so thoroughly healed that it’s as if they never existed. God’s grace not only heals but also restores, allowing us to move forward in life with a renewed sense of purpose and freedom.