Read Colossians 1:21-23
The gospel is mentioned throughout the New Testament; by Jesus and His followers. But really what is it? What's the message of the gospel?
While in seminary one professor referenced 1 Corinthians 15 where the Apostle Paul writes the gospel is about Jesus' life, death, burial and resurrection as a great passage to help explain what the gospel is. And for years it's been where I've turned for perhaps one of the best explanations of what the gospel is all about. However, the other day I read Colossians 1:21-23 and saw something perhaps even better (if that's even possible to compare one part of scripture as "better" than another).
Paul writes to the Christians at Colosse and says the gospel is simply this - before you came to know Jesus as the forgiver of your sins and leader of your lives you were alienated, living as enemies of Christ because of our evil and sinful behavior. But now God has reconciled our relationship with God by the physical death of Jesus. He writes anyone who believes this is "holy in his sight" because by faith we've accepted Jesus' work on the cross, His paying for our sins sacrifically what we could never pay by our own effort.
Friends this is the gospel that was proclaimed in Jesus and Paul's day; and it's this gospel we are to share today with every creature under heaven. Listen, God desires that no one should perish and experience eternal separation from Him. So let's be part of sharing this message so all mankind can go from alienation to reconciliation with our heavenly Father.
Sunday, October 16, 2011
Sunday, October 9, 2011
My Soul Sings
Read Psalm 57
What is it that makes your heart sing? Do you know what I mean? What is it that lifts you up and gives you a sense of hope and possibility even when your circumstances appear to be calling for doubt and frustration?
The Psalmist in Psalm 57 gives us great wisdom. He gives us direction to trust in God in our troubles and to allow our soul to sing the praises of God Most High. Psalm 57:2 tells us to cry out to God Most High, to God, who fulfills his purpose for me. Think about that. It is God's purpose for us that He is working out in our lives. He sends His love and his faithfulness at all times, no matter what. And while verse six describes people spreading traps to trip us up, ultimately they will receive their due; their own traps will ensnare them.
We are called to be steadfast - like a rock, unwavering in times of trouble because our trust is in the One who can be trusted. Will you praise Him in your storm? Will you exalt His Holy name, desiring His holy name and glory to reign over your life? No one is immune from the trappings of life, where people are attacking our character, our faith, our families, and even our God. But when we wake up every morning and commit to live with the response - My Soul Sings - we can face everything because our trust in God rises above all these trappings in life. Allow your soul to sing His praises when you face trouble. Allow your soul to sing when people try and trip you up. And allow your soul to sing because our God is greater than everything we face; He has a purpose for our lives and He deserves our praise. Father God receive our praise this week. Amen!
What is it that makes your heart sing? Do you know what I mean? What is it that lifts you up and gives you a sense of hope and possibility even when your circumstances appear to be calling for doubt and frustration?
The Psalmist in Psalm 57 gives us great wisdom. He gives us direction to trust in God in our troubles and to allow our soul to sing the praises of God Most High. Psalm 57:2 tells us to cry out to God Most High, to God, who fulfills his purpose for me. Think about that. It is God's purpose for us that He is working out in our lives. He sends His love and his faithfulness at all times, no matter what. And while verse six describes people spreading traps to trip us up, ultimately they will receive their due; their own traps will ensnare them.
We are called to be steadfast - like a rock, unwavering in times of trouble because our trust is in the One who can be trusted. Will you praise Him in your storm? Will you exalt His Holy name, desiring His holy name and glory to reign over your life? No one is immune from the trappings of life, where people are attacking our character, our faith, our families, and even our God. But when we wake up every morning and commit to live with the response - My Soul Sings - we can face everything because our trust in God rises above all these trappings in life. Allow your soul to sing His praises when you face trouble. Allow your soul to sing when people try and trip you up. And allow your soul to sing because our God is greater than everything we face; He has a purpose for our lives and He deserves our praise. Father God receive our praise this week. Amen!
Sunday, October 2, 2011
What's Our Ministry?
Read 2 Corinthians 5:11-21
Second Corinthians 5:11-21 answers the question what's our ministry. It tells us we are to be in ministry trying to persuade people to fear the Lord. This phrase fear the Lord is familiar in the Old Testament and conveys the image of awe and reverence. It's about putting God first in our lives and then being compelled by Christ's love, living for Him.
Writing to the Corinthian believers in this second letter, Paul reminds them and ultimately us that we are not to regard anyone from a worldly point of view. Instead since we ourselves are a new creation because of our faith in Jesus Christ, we are to be compelled by the same love Jesus has for us. Compelled to love others so much that we are God's ambassadors willing to do whatever it takes to help others in this world know what God's word says. In other words, since we have been reconciled to God (since we now have a right relationship with God because of faith in Jesus) we are to help others be reconciled as well.
Listen, our ministry is simple - preach and teach and model Jesus Christ. Motivated by Jesus' love for us, we are to love others in this world so much that our ministry is to persuade people to come into a reconciled relationship with God through faith in Christ.
Will this ministry be easy? No. Will it be received by everyone? No. Will our ministry glorify God? Yes. Because we are living for Him and doing what He has asked us to do, helping people become rightly related to our living God as we learn to place our faith and trust in Jesus as the forgiver of our sins and leader of our lives.
Second Corinthians 5:11-21 answers the question what's our ministry. It tells us we are to be in ministry trying to persuade people to fear the Lord. This phrase fear the Lord is familiar in the Old Testament and conveys the image of awe and reverence. It's about putting God first in our lives and then being compelled by Christ's love, living for Him.
Writing to the Corinthian believers in this second letter, Paul reminds them and ultimately us that we are not to regard anyone from a worldly point of view. Instead since we ourselves are a new creation because of our faith in Jesus Christ, we are to be compelled by the same love Jesus has for us. Compelled to love others so much that we are God's ambassadors willing to do whatever it takes to help others in this world know what God's word says. In other words, since we have been reconciled to God (since we now have a right relationship with God because of faith in Jesus) we are to help others be reconciled as well.
Listen, our ministry is simple - preach and teach and model Jesus Christ. Motivated by Jesus' love for us, we are to love others in this world so much that our ministry is to persuade people to come into a reconciled relationship with God through faith in Christ.
Will this ministry be easy? No. Will it be received by everyone? No. Will our ministry glorify God? Yes. Because we are living for Him and doing what He has asked us to do, helping people become rightly related to our living God as we learn to place our faith and trust in Jesus as the forgiver of our sins and leader of our lives.
Sunday, September 25, 2011
Make it our goal...
Read 2 Corinthians 5:1-10
The Apostle Paul writes some pretty deep stuff - have you ever noticed that? Second Corinthians 5 is no exception.
Writing to the Corinthian believers he compares our lives saying now we live in these temporary bodies, in tents; but what awaits us is our eternal house in heaven, our future heavenly home. We are to live by faith, not by sight confident in knowing what is to come. We are to make it our goal to please Him, whether we are at home in the body or away from it. Because all of us will one day face judgment. Believers will appear before the judgment seat of Christ where we will receive what is due us for the things done while in the body. I told you these were some deep things.
Paul encourages these believers to remember that what we do matters for our future because all of us will face judgment for what we do, whether good or bad. Now before we mistake what Paul is and is not saying, let's start with what he is not saying. He is not saying what we do determines our eternal destiny, because we can't earn our way into heaven. What he is saying is there will be judgment (he writes about this kind of judgment in 1 Corinthians 3 if you'd like to read more about this) where rewards in heaven will be received or lost based on our faithfulness to Christ now in this life. So no matter what we are to always make it our goal to please who? That's right - Jesus Christ.
Today, this week, let's take a life inventory and determine if there's anything getting in our way of making it our goal to please the Lord. If there is, what's it going to take to release it and let it go? Remember the Christian life is about declaring the praises of God, living and doing and being about what is pleasing in God's sight. May His glory always be our first goal.
The Apostle Paul writes some pretty deep stuff - have you ever noticed that? Second Corinthians 5 is no exception.
Writing to the Corinthian believers he compares our lives saying now we live in these temporary bodies, in tents; but what awaits us is our eternal house in heaven, our future heavenly home. We are to live by faith, not by sight confident in knowing what is to come. We are to make it our goal to please Him, whether we are at home in the body or away from it. Because all of us will one day face judgment. Believers will appear before the judgment seat of Christ where we will receive what is due us for the things done while in the body. I told you these were some deep things.
Paul encourages these believers to remember that what we do matters for our future because all of us will face judgment for what we do, whether good or bad. Now before we mistake what Paul is and is not saying, let's start with what he is not saying. He is not saying what we do determines our eternal destiny, because we can't earn our way into heaven. What he is saying is there will be judgment (he writes about this kind of judgment in 1 Corinthians 3 if you'd like to read more about this) where rewards in heaven will be received or lost based on our faithfulness to Christ now in this life. So no matter what we are to always make it our goal to please who? That's right - Jesus Christ.
Today, this week, let's take a life inventory and determine if there's anything getting in our way of making it our goal to please the Lord. If there is, what's it going to take to release it and let it go? Remember the Christian life is about declaring the praises of God, living and doing and being about what is pleasing in God's sight. May His glory always be our first goal.
Sunday, September 18, 2011
Chosen People
Read 1 Peter 2:9-10
Did you read 1 Peter 2:9-10? If not please stop and take a minute to read it before continuing.
Now that you've read the passage - take a second look at Peter's words. One word describes my feelings and thoughts when I come across this passage - powerful. Did you see what we are? We are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation and a people belonging to God. Wow! That is just so powerful.
That the God of all creation would choose us, call us a royal priesthood and holy nation and claim us as people belonging to Him - I can't wrap my head around the magnitude of that. We are the chosen people of God and while we can get stopped dead in our tracks, amazed at the connection we have with God, I love even more what Peter says next. He tells us what we are to do as a result of being God's chosen people.
He says we are all these things so that we may declare the praises of Him who called us out of darkness and into His wonderful light. The question I believe God wants us answering every day is how are we declaring His praises. Are we declaring His praises every day, no matter what's happening in our lives?
What helps you and I declare God's praises is remembering. Remembering we are God's chosen people; remembering we were once in darkness but now we're in His light; and remembering we have received God's mercy. It's by His mercy that we are the people of God. Let's praise Him with everything we have because after all that is why we are here and what we are called to do.
Did you read 1 Peter 2:9-10? If not please stop and take a minute to read it before continuing.
Now that you've read the passage - take a second look at Peter's words. One word describes my feelings and thoughts when I come across this passage - powerful. Did you see what we are? We are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation and a people belonging to God. Wow! That is just so powerful.
That the God of all creation would choose us, call us a royal priesthood and holy nation and claim us as people belonging to Him - I can't wrap my head around the magnitude of that. We are the chosen people of God and while we can get stopped dead in our tracks, amazed at the connection we have with God, I love even more what Peter says next. He tells us what we are to do as a result of being God's chosen people.
He says we are all these things so that we may declare the praises of Him who called us out of darkness and into His wonderful light. The question I believe God wants us answering every day is how are we declaring His praises. Are we declaring His praises every day, no matter what's happening in our lives?
What helps you and I declare God's praises is remembering. Remembering we are God's chosen people; remembering we were once in darkness but now we're in His light; and remembering we have received God's mercy. It's by His mercy that we are the people of God. Let's praise Him with everything we have because after all that is why we are here and what we are called to do.
Sunday, September 11, 2011
Always Remember
Read Psalm 77
September 11, 2001 is a day to always remember. We will always remember the horror, the hurt and the disbelief of that historical day 9/11.
Yet as believers we need to always remember that our God is greater than anything we will ever face. In times of chaos, times of pain and times of loss we are called to always remember that our God is able to do more than we can think or imagine.
The Psalmist tells us in Psalm 77 what he did as he wrestled in his time of chaos and pain and loss. First, he cried out to God for help and for God to hear him. In his anxiety he stretched out his hands and yet he was still without comfort and he grew weary.
Next he rattled off question after question - Will the Lord reject forever? Will He never show His favor again? Has His unfailing love vanished forever? Has His promise failed for all time? Has God forgotten to be merciful? Has He in anger withheld His compassion?
Now before we're too hard on the Psalmist, stop and consider what we do when tough times come our way. Do we take it in stride or do we begin asking all kinds of questions just like the Psalmist?
But then the Psalmist appeals to the goodness of God. He remembers who God is, the deeds He has done in the past. He recalls the miracles of long ago and begins meditating on all God's mighty works. And what happens next is what we see in sports when momentum shifts. The Psalmist turns a corner and begins rallying in spirit because of who God is!
He rejoices in God because He is holy; because no one is so great as our God. He praises His miracles, His power among the peoples and the redemption He brought the descendants of Jacob and Joseph. All nature responded to God's power - the waters, the clouds and skies, the thunder and lightning and the earth trembled and quaked. And the Psalmist closes with verse 20 recalling how God led His people like a flock by the hand of Moses and Aaron.
When tough times come what do you do? Do you ask questions? Do you demand answers? All these are natural for us. Yet the Psalmist teaches what is so important - always remember our God is greater. Always remember to worship - rejoice and declare His praises - in the good times and bad.
September 11, 2001 is a day to always remember. We will always remember the horror, the hurt and the disbelief of that historical day 9/11.
Yet as believers we need to always remember that our God is greater than anything we will ever face. In times of chaos, times of pain and times of loss we are called to always remember that our God is able to do more than we can think or imagine.
The Psalmist tells us in Psalm 77 what he did as he wrestled in his time of chaos and pain and loss. First, he cried out to God for help and for God to hear him. In his anxiety he stretched out his hands and yet he was still without comfort and he grew weary.
Next he rattled off question after question - Will the Lord reject forever? Will He never show His favor again? Has His unfailing love vanished forever? Has His promise failed for all time? Has God forgotten to be merciful? Has He in anger withheld His compassion?
Now before we're too hard on the Psalmist, stop and consider what we do when tough times come our way. Do we take it in stride or do we begin asking all kinds of questions just like the Psalmist?
But then the Psalmist appeals to the goodness of God. He remembers who God is, the deeds He has done in the past. He recalls the miracles of long ago and begins meditating on all God's mighty works. And what happens next is what we see in sports when momentum shifts. The Psalmist turns a corner and begins rallying in spirit because of who God is!
He rejoices in God because He is holy; because no one is so great as our God. He praises His miracles, His power among the peoples and the redemption He brought the descendants of Jacob and Joseph. All nature responded to God's power - the waters, the clouds and skies, the thunder and lightning and the earth trembled and quaked. And the Psalmist closes with verse 20 recalling how God led His people like a flock by the hand of Moses and Aaron.
When tough times come what do you do? Do you ask questions? Do you demand answers? All these are natural for us. Yet the Psalmist teaches what is so important - always remember our God is greater. Always remember to worship - rejoice and declare His praises - in the good times and bad.
Sunday, September 4, 2011
Worry Knots
Read Matthew 6:25-34
Think about this - have you every met anyone who likes to, wants to be restricted? Ever met anyone who prefers limited movement instead of unlimited. Here's the point - when it comes to worry, worry ties all of us up in knots. Worry knots keep us from the experiencing the freedom we were meant to have as new creations in Christ.
Worry simply gets in our way, restricts us and prevents us from being the people God intends us to be. Yet so many of us live with one worry or another and we allow it (whatever it is) to rent space in our heads.
Read Matthew 6:25-34 this week and spend time meditating on these great words from Jesus. Instead of focusing on worry, focus on God's kingdom and His righteousness and the worry slips away, far away from the space it was never intended to rent in the first place.
Think about this - have you every met anyone who likes to, wants to be restricted? Ever met anyone who prefers limited movement instead of unlimited. Here's the point - when it comes to worry, worry ties all of us up in knots. Worry knots keep us from the experiencing the freedom we were meant to have as new creations in Christ.
Worry simply gets in our way, restricts us and prevents us from being the people God intends us to be. Yet so many of us live with one worry or another and we allow it (whatever it is) to rent space in our heads.
Read Matthew 6:25-34 this week and spend time meditating on these great words from Jesus. Instead of focusing on worry, focus on God's kingdom and His righteousness and the worry slips away, far away from the space it was never intended to rent in the first place.
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