God's Wonderful Light

1 Peter 2:4-10

Have you ever been ashamed of something you've done?  I know I have, and it's the worst feeling ever.  You want to hide under the covers and hope that no one knows about your awful deed.....and the urge to berate yourself, over and over, is strong.  How could I do that?  I will never forgive myself.  Then there is shame that goes far deeper:  I'm not worthy of any love, any respect, at all.  I'm a worthless human being.

God's people experienced this emotion.  In I Peter 4, we learn about the culture of shame that the Jews experienced. When they broke God's commands (and yes, they did, and often, just as we do) they felt deep shame.  No amount of sacrificing, no amount of guilt offerings, could cover up their sins.

God had a better way:  salvation through his Son.

"Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.  (v. 10).

All of our good works will be for naught without God's grace.  We all know that, but do our lives reflect that truth?  Do we beat ourselves up when we fall short of God's expectations?  Look at what Peter says in verse 6:

"the one who trusts in him will never be put to shame."

The way out of the culture of guilt and shame is through the Cross.  During this Lenten season, take time every day to thank God for the gift of his Son, Jesus.  Yes, ask for forgiveness when you sin.  And then rejoice in this gift of eternal life that you don't deserve; that you can't ever 'earn.'  And remember these words of encouragement and grace in verse 9:

You are a chosen people [yes, YOU!], a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God's special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.

If you can, take in a sunrise this week.  (Especially if you can watch it over a lake or an ocean - truly a challenge in central Ohio). It is truly magical to see the arc of the sun burst over the horizon, and the darkness is erased by the bright light of the sun. Don't stay in the darkness - enter His light.

Earned Salvation Isn't God's Plan

Romans 3:23 is one of those verses you may have memorized: All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. It's certainly short, sweet and to the point, isn't it? If you're looking for loopholes in terms of getting around the 'hard stuff' in the Christian faith, this isn't the verse for you.

ALL have sinned. Not just 'bad' people, like murderers, or rapists, or robbers. People like me. People like you. People who gossip. People who are envious of others' success. People who bully others. Yes, people who sin. ALL of us have sinned.

Thanks be to God that verse 23 isn't the only verse in scripture! Take a look at what Paul says next:

ALL are justified FREELY by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus (emphasis added).

So let's review:

1. All of us have sinned.

2. No amount of good works can earn our salvation.

3. Jesus paid the price for our sin.

4. Jesus bids us to lay down our life, take up our cross and follow him.

I follow Pastor Tim Keller on Instagram. Keller is the founder of Redeemer Presbyterian Church in New York City, a church that has brought many to faith in a city that is not well known for pious living. Keller has written many books on faith and living the Christian life in a post-christian world. He posted this on Instagram, and I am struck by the truth of these words and how they connect to Romans 3:23-26:

"God invites you to come as you are, not stay as you are."

Yes, I'm a broken sinner, and I can never "out-good" God. But he longs for me to experience wholeness and forgiveness, and the only way I can do that is to come to the foot of the cross, acknowledge my sin, and ask him to change me. What an adventure it is when we follow Jesus! While your life as a Christ follower will not be pain free, it will be an adventure of a lifetime as you grow into the person who will sing God's praises for all eternity!

Romans 3:23-26

God Wants You

Uncle Sam wants you!

 

When I was a teenager, with the United States engaged in the Vietnam War, these were words of concern. It meant you might be drafted. There was a draft lottery. Birthdays were randomly selected, and 18 year olds whose birthdays came sooner were more likely to be drafted than those whose birthdays came later. And this was televised in some years!

 

The draft ended before I turned 18, a sense of relief, perhaps. Had I been drafted I would have fulfilled my obligation.

 

Today’s reading is Ephesians 2:1-10. St. Paul addressed the Christians in Ephesus. He reminds them of their spiritual life. They were dead in their sins, but thanks be to God, rich in mercy he made them alive in Christ.

 

Paul continues, “…it is by grace you have been saved, through faith – and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God – not by works, so that no one can boast.  For we are God’s workmanship,  created … to do good works.”

 

God chose the Ephesian Christians, and he chose me, too.

 

1500 years before Paul wrote, Moses documents the fact that God chose the Israelites  to be a “royal priesthood and a holy nation” (Exodus 19:3-6). God could have chosen the mighty Egyptians or the powerful Phoenicians or even the soon-to-be “thoughtful” Myceneans (predecessors to the Greeks in Athens). Instead, he chose a lowly tribal community.

 

Why did God choose the Israelites, the Christian Ephesians and I? We don’t know, but we do know that it pleased God to do so.

 

Like the Isrealites, I am undeserving and lowly. Yet I was chosen, “to do good works." What great joy!

 

 What are these good works? To love the Lord, to love my neighbor as myself and to make disciples of all nations. God called me through his church. Now that I am part of his church, I am priviledged to carry out his will through the church.

 

If Uncle Sam had called me, I would have gone, perhaps begrudging. When God called me, I went, not begrudgingly, but joyfully!