Jesus became our sin

ApriL 13

Read 2 Corinthians 5:16-21 and reflect on the passage.

Perhaps the saddest words in the entire old testament are these, “So the Lord God banished them from the Garden of Eden” (Genesis 3:23). In this moment of failure, all of humanity would now exist in depravity and with inherent sin. But there is Good News—God has an eternal purpose to save and reach and restore His creation. He is making all things new, and bringing the entire universe into restoration and reconciliation through the coming of His Kingdom. This includes us! We too, can be “reborn.”

In this passage, Paul reminds us that Christ is “reconcil[ing] us to Himself,” by actually becoming our sin. Paul then says that “if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.” And so, by contrast, perhaps the gladdest words in all the New Testament are found in Revelation: “And He who was seated on the throne said, ‘Behold, I am making all things new.’ Also He said, ‘Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.’...They will see His face.”

Martin Luther said it this way: “It is impossible for a man to be a Christian without having Christ, and if he has Christ, he has at the same time all that is in Christ. What gives peace to the conscience is that by faith our sins are no more ours, but Christ’s, upon whom God hath laid them all; and that, on the other hand, all Christ’s righteousness is ours, to whom God hath given it. Christ lays His hand upon us, and we are healed. He casts His mantle upon us, and we are clothed; for He is the glorious Savior, blessed for ever...” (Commentary on Romans). Our sin is Christ’s, and His righteousness is ours.

Questions

1. Do you feel more like a sinner saved by grace, or a saint who sometimes sins?

2. In what ways can you release the anxiety and sadness of your humanity and live into your identity and role as an “ambassador of Christ?”

Prayer

Merciful God, we praise You for reconciling us to Yourself and making us new persons in Christ. We rejoice that we can come before You with confidence and joy. Empower us to spread this Good News of peace to those who do not know You. Amen.

--Andrew Fuller 

We were created to do good works

5  ApriL                       

Read Ephesians 2:4-10 and reflect on the passage.

Working for God’s favor forfeits it. That may seem like a strange thing to say, but the reality is that the opposite mindset is a form of legalism. Yes, the New Testament views Christian obedience as the practice of “good deeds” (works), and Christians are to be “rich in good deeds” (1 Tim. 6:18; cf. Matt. 5:16; Eph. 2:10; 2 Tim. 3:17; Titus 2:7, 14; 3:8, 14). However, a good deed is not only done according to the right standard—according to God’s moral law—but also, as J.I. Packer puts it, “from a right motive (the love to God and others that marks the regenerate heart); [and] with a right purpose (pleasing and glorifying God, honoring Christ, advancing his kingdom, and benefiting one’s neighbor)” (Concise Theology).

Legalism, then, by nature can never produce truly good works—in fact, it could even be called a “distortion of obedience.” Not only does it twist motive and purpose, but it sees good deeds as essentially ways to earn more of God’s favor than one currently has. Most important, it contains an underlying lovelessness in that it has a self-advancing purpose.

For Jesus, the Pharisees were the ultimate legalists, and the temptation is so strongly intrinsic in human beings that Paul constantly fought against this “Christ- plus” concept of salvation in his letters. Instead of improving our relationship with God, legalism in all its forms does the opposite. It puts that relationship in danger by stopping our focus on Christ, starving our souls, and feeding our pride. How wonderful it is that Christ’s love, favor, and redemption are free gifts that we cannot earn!

Questions

1. What would it look like for us to perform good works out of our love for Christ, rather than expecting more in exchange from Him?

2. What are some the good works we were “created for” that we might pour out on those around us?

Prayer

Father, how grateful we are that You favor us with Your goodness, love, and provisions. But most of all You favor us with redemption through the precious blood of Your Son, Jesus Christ.

—Andrew Fuller

Prepare to love

God on the Move Lenten Devotional                                                                                March 2

Read Romans 12:9-20 and reflect on the passage.

Lent gives us a dedicated time for self-examination and reflection. When asked by a scribe about the greatest commandment for us to follow, Jesus responded (1) “love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind,” and(2)“love your neighbor as yourself” (cf. Matt. 22:35-40, Mark 12:28-31, Luke 10:25-28). In your time of self-examination, is this “Greatest Commandment” important to you? Do you understand what it looks like to be a Christ-follower in this way?

Perhaps, like us, the early church in Rome needed help understanding this concept as well. That’s why Paul goes into great detail about what the marks of a true Christian really are by writing a list of over a dozen Christian virtues that can demonstrate our love for the Lord as well as our love for our neighbors.

If you are at all like me, you might look at this list and instantly identify your own shortcomings and failures. The good news is that not only is it impossible for us to change and be transformed on our own, but we aren’t expected to! The glorious undertaking of the Holy Spirit who dwells within us is working to conform us to Christ’s image. As Martin Luther writes in the Small Catechism, “I believe that I cannot by my own reason or strength believe in Jesus Christ, my Lord, or come to Him; but the Holy Spirit has called me by the Gospel, enlightened me with His gifts, sanctified and kept me in the true faith.” Let’s commit together toward growing in these virtues and confessing our weaknesses during this Lenten season!

Questions

1. Which of these virtues did you identify as your greatest weakness?

2. Are you afraid of asking for the Holy Spirit’s help and guidance? Why or why not?

Prayer

Thanks be to Thee, O Lord Jesus Christ, for all the benefits which Thou hast given us; for all the pains and insults which Thou hast borne for us. O most merciful redeemer, may we know Thee more clearly, love Thee more dearly, and follow Thee more nearly; for Thine own sake (St. Richard of Chichester).

—andrew fuller

God’s greatness dwells in humility

30 December 

Scripture Reading

Read Isaiah 57:14-15 and reflect on the passage.

A humble King who sits on a great throne, yet is utterly concerned with the lowly, reminds me of Mark Twain’s The Prince and the Pauper. In the story, a king decides to switch places with a lowly peasant and gains a view of the lowest of humanity—vowing to make life better for his subjects who live in humility, while having a strong desire to offer mercy in a fallen world.

In this passage from Isaiah, is God not the perfect real-life example of Mark Twain’s story? Though God “inhabits eternity” and “dwells in a high and holy place,” He is also with those “of a contrite and lowly spirit.” God’s greatness is that He dwells with and in people of humility. Could it be that God measures greatness based on lowliness?

The anonymous Eastern Catholic monk who wrote Jesus, a Dialogue with the Saviour, speaks of the Father’s humility: “We are accustomed to thinking of the Father in terms of power. Yes, the Father is omnipotent, but the Father’s heart is meek and humble like the Saviour’s. It is meek for in Him there is nothing brusque or abrupt, no violence, no fury, but only kindliness, goodness, and affection. His heart is also humble—not that the Father bows before one greater, as the Son become man bows before His Father, but He attaches no importance to display or appearances. He prefers the poor means and is united to the voluntary abasement of His Son who took on our nature and suffering. We must learn to see the Father in this light.”

Questions

1.      Does it surprise you that God might be more concerned with lowly things?

2.      Have you been searching for greatness in the wrong ways?

  

Prayer

O Divine Spirit, who efface Yourself before the Father and Son; O Jesus, meek and humble of heart; O Abba Father, who humble Yourself to commune with the lowly; O beautiful Trinity, You are Humility! (Attributed to Francis of Assisi)

—Andrew Fuller

God is eternal

28 November                         

Scripture Reading

Read Jeremiah 10:10-13 and reflect on the passage.

I am realizing that the older I become, the faster time seems to go by. 10 years ago seemed like yesterday. Even the huge issues in my life from 5 years ago still seem fresh in my memory, despite being so far beyond them. In this passage, Jeremiah reminds us how beyond our understanding God really is. When I think of the years in my life that seem to pass so quickly, I often wonder how God feels about the entire course of history. Is everything—all of time—just a quick blink for Him?

If it is, I wonder why it all mattered. Why did He even create the earth and us for this tiny blip on His eternal timeline? We are often caught up in the “life-changing” drama of each and every week—in the Church there can often be quite a bit of drama! And yet God endures the entire drama of all of humanity, and He chose to create us, love us, and truly be with us in every one of those moments. The eternal God who “made the earth by His power,” “established the world by His wisdom,” and “stretched out the heavens by His understanding” is with us.

Questions

1.      Think about how big God is. Does it surprise you that He would choose to create us and the world we know?

2.      Is there drama going on around you? If God, as big as He is, chooses to be with us in our drama, do you honestly believe He is in control?

Prayer

Everlasting God, we thank You today for choosing to create us and the life we know. We thank You that You are with us in good times and bad, and we trust in Your provisions and plans for our lives. Amen.

—Andrew Fuller