Radical Sacrifice

How many sermons about Jesus dying for us do we need to listen to before we will become a different church? Sometimes I wonder if saying some bad words will get our attention & awaken us to the radical truth, this unparalleled story of God dying for man. Can I grasp the magnitude of such a gift, the expense, the radical act of sacrificial love, the depth of unselfishness, the expanse of mercy & grace that rescues a chaotic world from the destruction of sin & selfishness? Can I grasp the intensity of sin, its hideousness, its hellishness, it destructive power & damning purpose? When I see Jesus broken, beaten, abused, mocked, tortured beyond comprehension, am I awakened to the putrid reality of my sin? God in his infinite wisdom declared that without sacrifice there would be no redemption. That sacrifice was a life given to redeem. Not merely something, but a living being had to be given to pay the price. A sacrifice that cost-a life was given, death was experienced, someone had to stop breathing & enter the darkness of death to become my Savior. The gap, the chaos of sin & selfishness that exists between man & God demanded a sacrifice greater than I can give. The Son left heaven, emptied himself, laid down His life, took my place, died my death, became sin for me-hideous, obnoxious, repulsive sin-the holy, sinless one got the raw end of the deal so that I can be alive & free & know rest of God & escape chaos.

Radical Sacrifice

How many sermons about Jesus dying for us do we need to listen to before we will become a different church? Sometimes I wonder if saying some bad words will get our attention & awaken us to the radical truth, this unparalleled story of God dying for man. Can I grasp the magnitude of such a gift, the expense, the radical act of sacrificial love, the depth of unselfishness, the expanse of mercy & grace that rescues a chaotic world from the destruction of sin & selfishness? Can I grasp the intensity of sin, its hideousness, its hellishness, it destructive power & damning purpose? When I see Jesus broken, beaten, abused, mocked, tortured beyond comprehension, am I awakened to the putrid reality of my sin? God in his infinite wisdom declared that without sacrifice there would be no redemption. That sacrifice was a life given to redeem. Not merely something, but a living being had to be given to pay the price. A sacrifice that cost-a life was given, death was experienced, someone had to stop breathing & enter the darkness of death to become my Savior. The gap, the chaos of sin & selfishness that exists between man & God demanded a sacrifice greater than I can give. The Son left heaven, emptied himself, laid down His life, took my place, died my death, became sin for me-hideous, obnoxious, repulsive sin-the holy, sinless one got the raw end of the deal so that I can be alive & free & know rest of God & escape chaos.

In Christ Hope

The amazing hope that is prepared in Christ for His followers does not negate the reality of our humanity with all its weakness, nor does it negate the reality of life's uncertainties. Hope in Christ is our bridge to tomorrow. The follower of Christ awakens each day to new grace and the opportunity to journey with the living God. This hope is not a mind game with the realities around us, but is a settled state of spirit and mind as one embraces the truth that Jesus Christ reigns. Watchman Nee captures the tension that we often experience as we live as aliens and strangers in this world. "The chistian life is a paradox of power in weakness, joy amid pain, faith triumphing in the presence of doubt. When the Christian is strongest in the Lord he is often most conscious of inabiilty; when he is most courageous he may be profoundly aware of fear within; and when he is most joyful a sense of distress readily breaks upon him again. It is only the exceeding greatness of the power that lifts him on high (Nee/Table In The Wilderness, 3/24)."

Consider Jesus

At Amarillo First Naz we have been exploring Hebrews 12:1-4-The Great Race. The writer at one point exhorts us to 'consider Jesus'. In the middle of the race, when it is difficult, painful, unfair we are called to consider Jesus. The people receiving the letter were suffering for their faith in Christ. Life was not fair, God did not seem to be hearing their prayers because the circumstances weren't getting any better. The answer to their problems?-'consider Jesus.' Remember His suffering and pain. Remember the injustice He experienced. Remember that He was sinless, innocent, underserving of anything that He received. Remember that He did what He did because of my sin and ungodliness. Remember that God didn't even spare His Son but freely gave Him up for us all. Remember that there is no other message like it. Remember that there has never been or will be a greater sacrifice. Remember and be thankful, humble and available. Remember and be wholly His. Always remember the three nails.

The Great Race & Holiness

I've been digging in Hebrews 12: 1-3 for preaching material for the new year. The great race, the race of faith, following Christ. As I continue to dig into Hebrews you come to grips with the fact that the race is about holiness. Christ our sanctifier, died to make us holy (13:12, 2:11). We are called to live in holiness (12:14). We are his brothers, his family as we share in His holiness (2:11). How tragic that the church has abandoned the call to holiness, or watered it down to merely something positional. This holiness is to be personal and practical. This holiness is Christlikeness and sets the body of Christ apart from the confused world. The throne of grace is to provide grace and strength to live the holy life. We share a 'heavenly calling'(3:1) holy brothers-called to be different and make a redemptive difference-to be holy. This holiness is not legalism, but the life of Christ in us. The better covenant is for this purpose. We can draw near so our hearts will be transformed and we will find the faith that presses forward. We are holy in Christ and we are being made holy as the Father disciplines and the Spirit leads and we obey (10:14, 12:10). Let us go to the throne of grace to receive what we need for holy living. In a confused world I have a purpose and calling.

The Great Race

The writer of Hebrews is making a call to faith. Living in a confused world, sometimes it's not easy to live by faith, to trust in the true and living God. Faith is not something we create or work up, but a response to God, who He is and what He has said. Faith is a response to something else and as Christians we are responding to the person and work of Jesus Christ. The race we are running is a marathon. It's not easy, it's not a quick fix, it demands concentration, focus, commitment, sacrifice. The marathon runner builds his/her life around running the marathon. Every day decisions are made according to the commitment to run the long distance. We must build following Christ into everyday. Jesus said, deny self, take the cross and follow me daily. Daily we decide to follow Christ. Daily choices are driven by the commitment to be pleasing to the Lord. Our confidence to run the race is Jesus Christ. Let us focus our attention on Him and run and keep running the race. The world is in confusion. They don't know where they are going, or who they are following. Christ's people are confident about the future. The Author and Finisher of their faith calls us to keep running.

Christmas Blessing

The argument concerning Christmas continues. I choose to embrace the opportunity to focus on the great act of God's redemptive grace, He gave His Son. However it all came to be, it is an opportunity to call attention to an act like no other. The indescribable gift has been given and the world needs to be aware of this generosity. The Word became flesh-let that sink in. The Word became the sin offering for mankind (2 Corinthians 5:21). A price so great, a sacrifice so significant, an act of mercy so intense and awesome-who cares about the date, or the origins of a holiday. Let's worship and adore the living and true God who sometime, somewhere became flesh so that we might know Him. The world affords us an opportunity to focus attention upon this mercy. Celebrate every light, song, tree, gift, decoration-in some way they point to the King of kings. Christmas is God blessing a broken world. Let's be a blessing to Him!