Category: Sermon

Personal Accountability

1 Now Adam knew Eve his wife, and she conceived and bore Cain, saying, “I have gotten a man with the help of the Lord.” 2 And again, she bore his brother Abel. Now Abel was a keeper of sheep, and Cain a worker of the ground. 3 In the course of time Cain brought to the Lord an offering of the fruit of the ground, 4 and Abel also brought of the firstborn of his flock and of their fat portions. And the Lord had regard for Abel and his offering, 5 but for Cain and his offering he had no regard. So Cain was very angry, and his face fell. 6 The Lord said to Cain, “Why are you angry, and why has your face fallen? 7 If you do well, will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin is crouching at the door. Its desire is contrary to you, but you must rule over it.”

8 Cain spoke to Abel his brother. And when they were in the field, Cain rose up against his brother Abel and killed him. 9 Then the Lord said to Cain, “Where is Abel your brother?” He said, “I do not know; am I my brother’s keeper?” 10 And the Lord said, “What have you done? The voice of your brother’s blood is crying to me from the ground.

Genesis 4:1-10

Introduction

The story of Cain and Abel is a powerful reminder of how fragile human relationships can be. Even when those relationships are within a family. The Story is also a sad one because it captures the first instance of one person taking the life of another.

Life is a precious gift. It is one that we do not always appreciate. But we become aware of its value when we lose a loved one or when we fear losing our own life. In many ways, this is what makes the story of Cain and able so tragic. Not only is a family broken, not only our brothers at out with each other but in the reversible act sets in motion severe consequences.

Personal accountability is something we learn to do as we mature. But it is something we must learn to do.

One of the challenges we all must encounter in life is understanding that every choice we make will have consequences. Some consequences are easier to see. But most consequences to the choices we make may go unnoticed. This is why we should do all we can to be wise and how we conduct ourselves.

The story of Cain and Abel and how God confronts Cain about his actions is a powerful reminder. Not only must we all give an account for our lives but we will give an account for how we treated others. We cannot control what other people do. What we can do is do all we can to live a life that is consistent with God’s character.

With this in mind let’s see what we can glean from the events that took place in the Scripture above.

I. Why did God ask Cain the question, “Where is your Brother?”

  1. I’ve always found God’s question became to be interesting. But when we consider the question in light of who God is and what he knows we can see that the purpose of the question was for the benefit of the reader.
  2. When God asked Cain where his brother was, was it because the God didn’t know? No.
    • Did God want to see if Cain knew where Able was? No, God already knew where Able was.
    • When God asked the question he is not seeking information. Usually when God asks a question it’s to test if we will acknowledge that he already knows. To see if we will lie or tell the truth.
  3. Was it because God wasn’t sure? No, God was not surprised by what Cain had done.
    • Often times we read the Bible we do so based on incorrect assumptions.
    • If when we read the Bible we assume that God is seeking information we will arrive at incorrect conclusions. As I said above when God asked the question he is clarifying something for the person he is questioning.
  4. God asks the question to reveal Cain’s, and ultimately our own inclination to lie about what we’ve done.
    • When we are confronted by what we have done we are not all that quick to admit it.

II. There is no place where we can go to hid from God.

  1. If there is one thing we should learn to accept as followers of Christ and believers of God is that there is no place where we can go that God is not already there.
    • And while this my cause anxiety for some and concern for others, it should really be reason to be thankful.
    • We should be thankful there is no reason to lie to God. Even when we end up doing it anyway.
  2. We shouldn’t even try to do it. But we do and this is where most of us make a critical mistake in our relationship with God.
    • The mistake we make is thinking that if we confess to God that God’s opinion of us will change. But if he already knows and he still desires to have a relationship with us, that our confidence in God’s grace and mercy should increase. Not decrease.
  3. David understood this. What he rights in Psalm 139 can be very scary because of what it implies for us.
  4. Read Psalm 139:1-12

O Lord, You have searched me and known me. 2 You know my sitting down and my rising up; You understand my thought afar off. 3 You comprehend my path and my lying down, And are acquainted with all my ways. 4 For there is not a word on my tongue, But behold, O Lord, You know it altogether. 5 You have hedged me behind and before, And laid Your hand upon me. 6 Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; It is high, I cannot attain it.

7 Where can I go from Your Spirit? Or where can I flee from Your presence? 8 If I ascend into heaven, You are there; If I make my bed in hell, behold, You are there. 9 If I take the wings of the morning, And dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea, 10 Even there Your hand shall lead me, And Your right hand shall hold me. 11 If I say, “Surely the darkness shall fall on me,” Even the night shall be light about me; 12 Indeed, the darkness shall not hide from You, But the night shines as the day; The darkness and the light are both alike to You.

NKJV
  1. David’s recognition that there is no place where we can go to hide from God’s presence should encourage us to accept that there is no place we need to go to hide from his presence.
    • To be in God’s presence is to be where we should long to be at all times.

III. Personal Accountability is about accepting that nothing is hidden and that truth and honesty are always the best way to respond to God.

  1. This is not always easy. As a matter of fact it is pretty hard to do. But that is the challenge.
  2. We may be accountable to many different people for different reasons (work, school, parents, boy/girlfriend).
  3. In the end we are accountable to God and what it is He wants from and for us in our lives.
  4. Cain’s response to God betrayed him because Cain knew that he was his brother’s keeper.
    • There was no hiding it. Anything other than acceptance of this fact was a lie, not so much to the world, but to himself.
  5. I think that Cain knew the moment he asked the question that he was wrong. Cain’s concerns that when others heard what he had done he would be in danger where real.

Conclusion

Personal accountability is something we learn to do as we mature. But it is something we must learn to do. When we don’t we will find ourselves responding to God the way that Cain did. We will know that we have done wrong but because of our guilt and shame, we will try to keep her from God.

Originally Delivered on Sunday, January 21, 2007. It has been edited and expanded.

Regaining Focus in an unclear World

Then Peter, turning about, seeth the disciple whom Jesus loved following; which also leaned on his breast at supper, and said, Lord, which is he that betrayeth thee? Peter seeing him saith to Jesus, Lord, and what shall this man do? Jesus saith unto him, If I will that he tarry till I come, what is that to thee? follow thou me. Then went this saying abroad among the brethren, that that disciple should not die: yet Jesus said not unto him, He shall not die; but, If I will that he tarry till I come, what is that to thee?

John 21:20-23 KJV

Introduction

At the start of every year whether people follow through with it or not it has become accustomed to setting out resolutions what we will accomplish in the new year. One of the greater challenges of following through with these resolutions is that oftentimes we pick things that will require greater changes than we are really prepared to do. We have not really learned that smaller changes over a longer period of time can provide lasting changes for the rest of our lives.

One of the struggles that we will have as we strive to leave a mark in this year is to seek a renewed focus for our lives. If we are not deliberate in our actions we can run the risk of missing what God has in store for us. Today I want to talk with you about regaining focus in an unclear world.

There are so many mixed messages being sent by the world in which we live. We have to do a better job of figuring out how to live our lives in a Christ-like way in a world that doesn’t want to have any part in that. How do we regain focus? How do we get our lives back on a road that will bring us closer to God?

Obey what Jesus has said

The first commitment we should make is Christians in this new year is to obey what Jesus said. I will grant it is not always easy to do what Jesus says. It isn’t easy because doing what Jesus says requires that we acknowledge that He has spoken. We are all on a journey to find meaning and significance. We all are looking for ways of making our lives count. So we make friends and we start families. We get involved in the community and we look for careers that will be fulfilling. We tell ourselves that if we do these things we will find happiness.

But no matter what we do doubt will linger in our minds. “Is this enough?” It is so hard to see what we need to do most of the time, but God desires to be a part of that process. God is looking for you and me to turn to Him and say, “God, I want to have a life filled with meaning and purpose. But I need you if I’m going to get there.” And do you know what He did? He sent Jesus.

Jesus was and is God’s way of saying I want to be a part of your life if you will let me. I find myself rededicating my life to Christ on a regular basis. Why? I do it because I make mistakes. I let people down. I let myself down. I’m not perfect. And it is only when I turn my life over to Him that I know I will be all right? Do you need to give your life to him today? Do you need to recommit your life to Jesus today?

When I look at the story here at the end of John I am reminded that we have to obey what Jesus says. We can’t go and do what we think that Jesus has said. If we do what we think He said we will get hurt and we will hurt others in the process. Our good intentions go wrong when we don’t follow the instructions. Peter had not been restored to fellowship long before he was concerned about somebody else’s status with God. When we fail to obey what Jesus has said we go and do foolish things. This is not something new. It’s something that has been going on from the very first moment that God breathed life into Adam.

Don’t underestimate your own struggles

The second commitment we should make is that we should not underestimate our own struggles. If we want to regain focus we have to be willing to admit that we have struggles. I don’t like to admit it, but if I want to have a chance at enjoying my life I can’t go and stick my head in the sand. Life is hard. We have to account for other people, what they say, what they do, what they mean. I have to account for my actions and how I will react in those situations when I deal with other people.

We have mortgages to pay, jobs to deal with, bosses to please, families to maintain, cars to fix, recitals to go to, students to teach, children to rear, and churches to build. Life is complicated. Because of this, we can’t afford to underestimate our struggles, because any wrench could bring the whole thing to a halt.

I don’t know about you, but some days are a real struggle. Trying to make the right choices, trying to live a good life. I really don’t have the time to be focusing my energy and effort on making sure other people are doing what they are supposed to be doing. If I were to spend my time trying to do this I would go insane.

Not everyone sees things the way that I do. Not everyone is interested in what I am interested in. Not everyone that I come in contact with on a daily basis holds the same things dear that I do. This is all part of the struggle that I must deal with. And yet I find myself in the same situation as Peter. I start looking around wondering, “What about Him?” I have to seek to do the best that I can with what God has given me. And I should do this with the sincere prayer that God would use what I give for His glory.

The comparison game is such a dangerous way to live our lives. God does not compare us to anyone else except Jesus. And that the standard is difficult enough on its own.

Compare yourself to Christ, Not to “John”

The third commitment we should make is to compare ourselves to Jesus and not to “John”. One of the most harmful decisions you can make is to try and compare yourself to someone else. When we compare ourselves to those around us we make assumptions about the other person that may not be true. But the assumptions that could be the most troublesome are the ones that you make about yourself. It doesn’t matter whether the comparison is positive or negative. Whether we are making ourselves better or worse. Do you know what the biggest problem with comparing ourselves to “John” is? We are comparing ourselves to the wrong person.

We too often get caught up in what is going on in other people’s lives at the expense of what is happening in our own. Peter wanted to know what was going to happen to John because he did not want to get any less than what John was getting. We are not here to compete with one another. We are not here to best one another and try to see who can do more for the church than the person next to us.

I think that this boils down to the way that we are taught about success. We are taught and told that success is competition. We have to do better than the person next to us if we want to get that promotion. We have to work harder if we want to get ahead. And what ends up happening is that we all have to maintain where we are just so we don’t fall behind. If we try to keep up with those that are around we will lose sight of something much more important, keeping up with Jesus.

There is a chorus that helps me to put aside that tendency to want to look across the aisle to see how I’m doing against so and so. The chorus says, “Turn your eyes upon Jesus, Look full in His wonderful face, and the things of earth will grow strangely dim in the life of His glory and grace.”

Commitment:

If you need to give your life to Jesus for the first time or if you need to give your life again do it today. You can pray something like this:

Jesus, I am not perfect. I need you to come into my life and help me to regain the right focus in my life. Help me to obey your word, help me to identify the areas of my life where I struggle, and let me look to you to see how I’m doing. In Jesus name I pray, AMEN.

Originally Delivered in 2004. It has been edited and expanded.

Sermon | “Spiritual Injuries and Our Hope on God’s Promises”

This sermon was preached in Spanish on September 4, 2016.

Introduction

  1. The unique vision of Ambassadors of Christ Ministries: Spiritual Health.
    • What is spiritual health?
    • Why do we need to be spiritually healthy?
  2. Definition of Spiritual Injuries
    • A spiritual injury is a contradiction between what I believe to be true and what actually is true.
  3. How are we healed from our spiritual injuries?

Sermon | “The Means of Salvation: The Cross”

This sermon was preached at Ambassadors of Christ Fellowship on May 1, 2016.

8 See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the world, and not according to Christ. 9 For in him the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily, 10 and you have been filled in him, who is the head of all rule and authority. 11 In him also you were circumcised with a circumcision made without hands, by putting off the body of the flesh, by the circumcision of Christ, 12 having been buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through faith in the powerful working of God, who raised him from the dead. 13 And you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses, 14 by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross. 15 He [Jesus] disarmed the rulers and authorities and put them to open shame, by triumphing over them in him [-self, on the cross]. Colossians 2:8-15 (ESV)

Introduction

Today we will be looking at the means that God chose in order to bring about the salvation of this fallen world.

When we talk about our salvation, we are talking about an idea that encompasses other terms and ideas such as atonement, redemption, and reconciliation with God. The reality of salvation is a deeply theological one. What this means is that we are trying to get at the truth that supports what we see enacted in the world. This redemptive drama was played out on the stage of the Judean countryside and culminated at the cross of Calvary.

Last week we saw that one of the reasons that sin is applied to all, that all humanity is under the weight, burden, and condemnation of sin is because it reveals that we have made the same mistake as the Devil. We have robbed God of his glory and have taken for granted God’s kindness and grace. This is the offense. Now, it may not sound like much. However, when we consider that the one offended by our sin is perfect, pure, and incapable of sin we can begin to understand a little bit of why sin is such problem. Because of sin, a means for salvation had to be created and used to allow a fallen and sinful humanity to have a relationship with a holy God.

As I mentioned a moment ago, the subject that we will address this morning has to do with a theological topic that many times, in my mind, is vaguely understood. We will be talking about the means of salvation. Now, before we go any further, it is important to make sure that we understand what we are saying when we say that God has a means to salvation. The word “means,” in this context, is pointing to a method, manner, or process that is used to bring about the salvation of sinners. Because, in the end, that is what we need to know. We need to understand how God was able to accomplish what he says he has done for those who were destined for eternal separation and damnation from him and now are not.

When we talk about a means we should be trying to understand what has to be true about the parts in order for the result to make sense. In other words, we have to understand all, or at the very least, the primary elements of this thing we call salvation if we are going to respond to the Gospel’s call to repent and be saved. To begin with we have to come to a couple of important realizations. The first realization is that we do not and we cannot fathom what the true cost of salvation is. As hard as we may try, what it cost God to save just one sinner, let alone all sinners, is beyond any form of human communication to formulate.

And second, and this in my estimation is the more important realization, when we can begin to glimpse at the extent, breadth, and depth of our salvation we will be compelled to worship because of things that we never considered before. I hope to establish the first by pointing to several realities that Paul tucks into the scripture we read this morning and I pray that I might be able to get us to better see the reason for the second.

Among the writers of the New Testament, Paul is one of the best at packing in an incredible amount of information into a small space. In this paragraph of Colossians, he does that once again.

Because of our time limitations, I would like to point out four realities that we must grasp and do our best to understand if we are going to make sense of why God used the cross as the means of accomplishing his redemptive purpose.

If we are going to understand the means of salvation that God has used we have to take a short trip down theology lane. When we look at the scripture we will see that from beginning to end, redemptive history has been moving steadily toward a particular and specific climax. That point was found in the life and ministry of Jesus of Nazareth. In Jesus, from his birth to his death and resurrection, the purposes of God found their final and perfect expression. When Jesus walked upon the earth, he was, literally, the embodiment of everything God is. This is the first reality that I would like to draw your attention to.

Reality #1: In Jesus we see everything that God is.

For in him the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily (v. 9)

Allow me to summarize what I am about to say over the next few minutes. The mystery of the incarnation is what makes the whole of salvation possible.

I do not remember when it happened, but several years ago I was struck by the reality that Jesus is the complete and perfect expression of God in the flesh on the earth. In theological terms, we call this “incarnation”. When Jesus, the second person of the trinity stepped out of eternity and into the temporal reality of this world, he did so by joining spirit and flesh.

In the first Adam, God established the process by which a living spirit would be joined to a corporeal body. When we talk about the means of salvation, we must keep our focus on what it took for God to establish a way of accomplishing the redemption we enjoy. Therefore, the first incarnation was not Jesus. It was Adam. For the first time in the history of all things, a spirit had found expression in time and in a physical body. However, without the first, we would not be able to make sense of the second.

The second incarnation was not an act of creation like the first was. It was an act of submission. The first Adam was trying to become like God. But in the second Adam, God became like us. When we look at the Advent story of Jesus’ coming we must never lose sight of what it took Jesus to enter into the world.

In the book of Philippians, we find that early hymn of the church that tells us that Jesus, who is God, did not count equality with God something to be grasped but humbled himself and became like a servant. Have you ever heard of a humble God? The God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. The God of David. The God of Bible is the only God in the history of the world that has humbled himself for the sake of those who walk upon the earth.

When we want to understand what God is like, what God is thinking, what God wants for us to do, we have to look to Jesus. When we look at Jesus we are seeing God in the flesh. When we think about Jesus’ love we are contemplating the love of God. When we hear the words of Jesus as we read the scriptures we are hearing the very words of God on the lips the Nazarene carpenter.

Therefore, Paul’s declaration here in Colossians 2:9 is a stark and startling reminder that God has invested a great deal of himself in the salvation of sinners. God is not distant or dispassionate. God is intimately involved in the events and consequences of our salvation. That is reality #1. In Jesus, we see everything that God is.

Reality #2: With Jesus we become everything he is.

God made [us] alive together with him (v. 13b)

There are many in this world that talk about not being religious, but that they are spiritual. I would like to make a clarifying statement about this notion. To say that you are a spiritual person is like saying that you exist. That the ground is down or that the sky is up.

What tends to happen, what people are really saying, is that they no longer want to submit themselves to a structured way of organizing their lives. You see, we are not just spirits wrapped in bodies or bodies with spirits. We are an intentionally integrated whole. This is one of the primary reasons that a resurrection is needed. The union of the spirit with the flesh is an indivisible one. There is no separating the two once they are joined. This again reminds us and points to the true cost of Jesus’ incarnation, but it also points to the promise of what God is going to do to us because of what Jesus has done for us.

Jesus was raised from the grave and so too will we be. Paul tells us that God has made us alive with him. The structure of the statement reminds us that although we have not experienced this reality it is a completed and undeniable one. For those who have accepted the gift of eternal life through faith in Jesus, there is no need to fear or be dismayed. We have been made alive WITH Jesus. So, we must ask ourselves: Where is Jesus? Right now? Is he not seated at the Father’s right hand? Is he not waiting for the appointed time that he will return and bring to a final and conclusive end the tyranny of sin and suffering, of disease and death, of sadness and sorrow that plagues the whole of creation?

Yes, this is what we have to look forward to when we recognize that not only do we see the fullness of God in Jesus, we experience the fullness of Jesus’ life in our very lives when we surrender our assumptions and preoccupations to the will of God.

One of my favorite promises related to what we have to look forward to when Jesus returns is found in John’s first pastoral letter. In chapter 3 we find these remarkable words.

2 Beloved, we are God’s children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is. 3 And everyone who thus hopes in him purifies himself as he is pure. 1 John 3:2-3 (ESV)

This is the second reality that Paul points to in our text: With Jesus, we become everything he is.

Reality #3: The record of our sin has been canceled and transferred so that we no longer are responsible for paying it.

by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands (v. 14a)

The third reality that I would like to point out to you today is that our debt has been canceled. Now, what the text does not say is that it was canceled on our account, but it was still outstanding. That means that someone had to pay it. I could not, therefore, Jesus stepped in and paid it for me.

In other words, a substitution took place. Jesus for me. His righteousness for my sin. His death for my life. His perfection for my imperfection.

Now, there is a curious clause in this part of the verse. It is the “legal demands” part of the verse. When you are reading the bible, it is important to make a note of things like this. Paul is pointing out that there is a real and legitimate reason for the debt of sin to be paid. There is a legal demand. We have to ask ourselves, what transaction took place that placed a lien on my soul.

The legal definition of a lien, according to Merriam-Webster is:

a charge or encumbrance upon property for the satisfaction of a debt or other duty that is created by agreement of the parties or esp. by operation of law; specifically : a security interest created esp. by a mortgage

Let’s walk through this. When I bought my house I did not have the funds to buy the property outright. That means that I entered into a legal and binding agreement with a lender to put up the money for the house. And, I made a promise to pay back the loan with interest until I could finally take hold of the deed. That deed is the document that says that I am now the rightful owner of the property. That mortgage is a lien. It says that if I should default on my payments the property, which I do not own, would go back to the one who paid the complete price for it.

What does this mean for us? It means that when we were born into this world we were born with a mortgage debt of sin that we did not choose for ourselves. It means that when I became aware of my debt I could make one of three choices. I could acknowledge that I had a debt that I needed to pay and try to pay it. Or, I could ignore the problem and live like a wanted until the owner came to evict me. Or, I could find a benevolent benefactor who would pay the debt for me and let me live in the house for free because I do not have the means of paying the bills of my own accord.

This is the predicament that we find here. When Jesus stepped into this world his ability to pay the debt of sin was infinite. In theological terms, we say that Jesus was “rolling in it.” Let’s look at another passage where Paul gives us a glimpse into the treasure trove of God’s abounding mercy and grace. In Ephesians 2 we find these words:

1And you were dead in the trespasses and sins 2in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience— 3among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind. 4But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, 5even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved— 6and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, 7so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. Ephesians 2:1-7 (ESV)

The treasury of heaven is not filled with gold and silver, diamonds and diadems. What we consider to be precious and of great worth here on earth are the building materials of a far grander city. The vaults of God’s repository are filled with grace and mercy, peace and joy, truth and love. These are the treasures that fill the halls of the kingdom. These are the substances that we must walk in and walk through to get from our heavenly house to the throne of God.

When Paul proclaims that our debt has been canceled he is not saying that we are left bankrupt. No, a great transfer has taken place. The riches of God have been deposited into our accounts. The immeasurable riches of his grace are being poured out. This is why we worship. This is why we serve. This is why we sing. This is why we go into the world. This is why we give.

Annie Flint, a hymnist from a century ago, famously wrote these words.

1. He giveth more grace as our burdens grow greater,
He sendeth more strength as our labors increase;
To added afflictions He addeth His mercy,
To multiplied trials He multiplies peace.

2. When we have exhausted our store of endurance,
When our strength has failed ere the day is half done,
When we reach the end of our hoarded resources
Our Father’s full giving is only begun.

3. Fear not that thy need shall exceed His provision,
Our God ever yearns His resources to share;
Lean hard on the arm everlasting, availing;
The Father both thee and thy load will upbear.

4. His love has no limits, His grace has no measure,
His power no boundary known unto men;
For out of His infinite riches in Jesus
He giveth, and giveth, and giveth again.

But, we have one final reality to consider. Not only do we have the full expression of God in the person of Jesus; not only do we become everything that he is; not only do we have our debt canceled and receive the riches of God’s grace and love; we also have the confidence that what God has done will never fade and our sin will never come back to haunt us again.

The fourth reality is …

Reality #4: The debt of our sin was transferred to Jesus and he paid it in full with his own life on the cross.

Look at what Paul says at the end of verse 14.

This he set aside, nailing it to the cross (v. 14b)

The cross is the instrument that God used to accomplish his purpose of salvation. In order for the cross to serve as the tool of our redemption, God needed a man who could stand in the place of fallen humanity. He needed a sacrifice that would choose to die and not merely be dragged to its death. He needed a sacrifice that would satisfy the debt that had been incurred by sin.

Jesus is the Lamb of God. He is the perfect sacrifice because no one take his life. He lays it down of his own accord. And because Jesus is also God, because of the shedding of his innocent blood, that selfless and sacrificial act gives him the right to cover any and every debt that we as debtors bring to him.

This is the majesty of our savior. He has laid down his life for those who did not and do not deserve it. This is the very definition of grace. We did not deserve to be adopted into the family of the King of kings and yet we are. We do not deserve to be given the fruit or the gifts of the Holy Spirit and yet we are.

The reason we deserve to suffer under the weight of our sin is not because God doesn’t want to forgive. It’s because we do not want to be indebted to God. We have gotten so used to having our sin hang over our heads that we do not understand that God will never do that to us. He purchases our debt with the blood of his Son, and then he gifts our lives back to us.

Listen one final time to what Paul says in Galatians 5:

For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery. Galatian 5:1 ESV

Jesus owns the deed on our lives and instead of demanding payment he tells us that we can enjoy the house he has bought. The proper response to this gift is gratefulness and worship. We should not feel restricted by the idea that we no longer belong to ourselves but to Christ. We should not feel that we have been cheated by the exchange of a life we did not own for a life that we know we have been given to enjoy.

Conclusion

In conclusion, I would offer you this question. When you think about your salvation do you want to worship God for making it possible? Or are you thinking about the next thing you have to do to keep God happy? Or just yourself happy?

If our thoughts about Jesus’ sacrifice do not pull our hearts and minds and spirits to worship, we may need to reconsider what we claim to have.

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