Chapel Blog
Beyond Cure
by John Bishop, Director of Spiritual Formation, based on this week's MS/HS Chapel
You sometimes hear people say, “I’m planning to drive that car into the ground.” I’ve said it myself. We all know what it means—but most of us never actually experience it. Usually, we replace our cars long before they come close to dying.
But I had an old Honda Pilot that I truly did drive into the ground. One morning, I was heading to work on a one-lane road during school traffic. Out of nowhere, it sputtered and died. Lights flashed across the dashboard, the steering wheel seized, and the entire vehicle shut down. I couldn’t even turn the key in the ignition. I was stuck—completely helpless—as angry drivers inched around me, some having to veer into the grass just to get by. It was humiliating.
That moment reminded me how we often underestimate the seriousness of sin. We treat it like a car with 50,000 miles—maybe not perfect but still running fine. But the truth is, in our sinful state, our hearts aren’t just worn—they’re dead on the road.
The Bible doesn’t sugarcoat this. “All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23). “There is no one righteous, not even one” (Romans 3:10). Sin isn’t a minor maintenance issue—it’s a total breakdown.
The good news? Jesus doesn’t offer a quick fix—He offers a full heart transplant. But before we can receive the new life He promises, we must first recognize the severity of our need. When we stop pretending we’re just a little broken and admit we’re spiritually dead, that’s when grace becomes real—and transformation begins.
But I had an old Honda Pilot that I truly did drive into the ground. One morning, I was heading to work on a one-lane road during school traffic. Out of nowhere, it sputtered and died. Lights flashed across the dashboard, the steering wheel seized, and the entire vehicle shut down. I couldn’t even turn the key in the ignition. I was stuck—completely helpless—as angry drivers inched around me, some having to veer into the grass just to get by. It was humiliating.
That moment reminded me how we often underestimate the seriousness of sin. We treat it like a car with 50,000 miles—maybe not perfect but still running fine. But the truth is, in our sinful state, our hearts aren’t just worn—they’re dead on the road.
The Bible doesn’t sugarcoat this. “All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23). “There is no one righteous, not even one” (Romans 3:10). Sin isn’t a minor maintenance issue—it’s a total breakdown.
The good news? Jesus doesn’t offer a quick fix—He offers a full heart transplant. But before we can receive the new life He promises, we must first recognize the severity of our need. When we stop pretending we’re just a little broken and admit we’re spiritually dead, that’s when grace becomes real—and transformation begins.
Westminster Christian School, located in Palmetto Bay, Florida, is a private, college-preparatory school for children from preschool through twelfth grade.