We are working our way through Galatians and today we were in chapter 5. The
sermon today just moved me. In just the first few verses we see the remarkable; we
see that by grace we are saved; we see that Jesus (and his finished work) plus
nothing equals everything (borrowing from Tchividjian).
As beautiful as this is it is so hard for broken humans to rely on this, we just need to
be doing something. Many times it is Jesus plus something – it is as our Pastor said
this morning Grace but... Galatians clears this up for us. In verse 2 Paul cries out
(screams) “Mark my words! I, Paul, tell you that if you let yourselves be circumcised,
Christ will be of no use to you.” This is a remarkable statement and Martin Luther
says of this verse that if we try to add to grace, add something to justification
other than Jesus, that Jesus becomes “utterly useless” to us.
He is not saying that Christ is useless but that the finished work of Christ, the loving
sacrifice is of no use to the one trying to earn/prove his way. Wow, so verse one
tells us; “It is for freedom that Christ set us free. Stand firm then and do not let
yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.” So if we rest in Christ, if we rely
on His magnificent and perfect sacrifice, we are free from the chains of performance,
from the chains of circumstance, from the chains of our brokenness.... Wow again!
Verses 5 and 6 wrap this up for us; verse 5 telling us that, “by faith we eagerly await
through the Spirit the righteousness for which we hope.” That when we have faith
we patiently, but eagerly await. This phrase has the overtone of persistence and we
eagerly await with hope. This is not the modern kind of wishful thinking hope, but a
confident assurance kind of hope – hope with certainty in the promise or the
accomplishment - the only uncertainty in this kind of hope is the timing so we
eagerly await.
Then verse 6 is to me our application – “For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor
uncircumcision has any value. The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself
through love.” Oh my! So none of our efforts to impress, none of our traditions in
and of themselves, none of our striving for perfection has any value at all and the only
thing that counts is heartfelt faith in the saving grace of Jesus Christ and if we truly
have that kind of faith we see it expressed in love. Love for Christ, love for each
other and love for our neighbors!
Amen!
Grace and Peace!
Well, we are a few months into our Church Plant and I got to tell you there is a great
deal of effort required. More than I thought, but I love it. We are growing closer and
closer to God and closer and closer to each other.
There are also a number of emotions involved. You arrive early to set up and there
is always this great hope. Time approaches and some days you are so encouraged
by our worship. Some days only a few show up and it can be
discouraging.
I have found on the discouraging days that at some point God moves and you just
know that God is in this thing. It is a great lesson in reliance; reliance not on our
efforts, but on God. I find myself humbled and grateful.
I think about Christ on the cross and how alone he was and what a great work, a
new thing, a new way, water for the thirsty. I am not sure this is making any sense,
but know that I am greatly encouraged about Harbor Community Church. That
because of the finished work of Christ it will become a safe harbor for the thirsty,
the tired, the lonely, the hurt, the confused, the needy, the hopeless; people just like
me.
And we will find in Christ all we need, eternal hope! I may be proof texting a bit, but
found a passage in Isaiah that kind of fits this so well. Isaiah 43:19, 20b-
See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am
making a way in the desert and streams in the wasteland...because I provide
water in the desert.
Father, thank you for the blessed privilege of serving you; thank you for eternally
quenching our thirst; for our water in the desert; thank you for doing a new thing!
Amen...
Grace and Peace!
In John 10:9 Jesus tells us; “I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved.”
I have been thinking about this for a while and particularly hanging on the word
gate.
In our world gates have many uses; they provide access to an area, they separate
one place from another, they can protect, they provide the entrance or the way into.
I believe that only begins to touch on what Jesus means.
One thing we should all be able to agree on is that there will be something different
on the other side of the gate. I remember having a job where we sold and installed
fencing and gates. Our customers were mostly families and there were many
reasons they wanted fences – privacy, the look, separation of property – but the
most common reason was safety for their children. They wanted something
different for their families once inside the gate.
Isn’t that what Christ is telling us? He is the gate into the safe pasture. In verse 11
he adds clarity saying, “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his
life for the sheep.” Only by coming through the gate can we experience the true
safety, the radical love of the Shepherd, the total protection, and the transforming
restoration as a child of God.
Greg Matte explains; “Gates make a huge difference. There are gates at stadiums,
gated communities, gates at airports and gates on ranches. There is a difference
between life with Christ and life apart from Him. Life is vastly different on the other
side of a gate.”
Abba Father, thank you that through Christ; through our Gate, our lives can be
transformed. That through that Gate we can be restored, rescued, protected, and
loved like never before.
Father, thank you for all Christ did so that our lives can be
vastly different.
Grace and Peace!
