Ezekiel 2:1-2
And He said to me, “Son of man, stand on your feet, and I will speak to you.” Then the Spirit entered me when He spoke to me, and set me on my feet; and I heard Him who spoke to me.
I know that Ezekiel fell flat on his face when God came to him. Wouldn’t you? I’m sure I would. Honestly, it’s the only real reaction to a one-on-one encounter with the Creator of everything. But I think God’s reaction to Ezekiel is more important. In fact, I think God’s reaction speaks volumes to who He really is.
Notice, first off, that God doesn’t want Ezekiel down. Whether he was kneeling, bowing, or flat out on the ground, I don’t know. What I do know is this: before God would tell him anything He wanted him standing up. This isn’t just an Old Testament trait of God. Jesus tells people time and time again to get up or stand up (John 5:8, Mark 3:3, Matthew 17:7).
God doesn’t want you down either. He doesn’t want you feeling oppressed. He doesn’t want you feeling you overwhelmed. He wants you standing tall, confident in Him!
The second thing that God did for Ezekiel was acknowledge the fact that Ezekiel was physically unable to stand. Ezekiel was grounded by the awe and majesty of God; he was physically incapable of standing in His presence. But as God spoke the words, and He told Ezekiel to stand, His Spirit entered him and caused him to stand. If it hadn’t been for the Spirit of God Ezekiel would have never stood. He couldn’t have, not in the presence of God. It was God Himself holding Ezekiel upright. It was God doing the work that Ezekiel couldn’t.
Like He was for Ezekiel, God is also aware of your inability to stand up. He is fully aware of your situation in life. He sees your burdens and your struggles. He wants you to stand up and He knows that you can’t. He’ll stand you up; He’ll stand up for you!
This is why Jesus did all that He did for us at the cross: He stood in our place. When Christ took the cross He was standing up for you. When Christ bore the wrath of God and fulfilled every jot and tittle of the Law He was standing up for you. When Christ cried out “IT IS FINISHED” He was standing up for you. When Christ walked out of the tomb He was standing up for you.
He did all of this so that today you can stand up, not on your own power or authority, but on His, in the presence of God. He hung, cursed on a tree, so that you could be free of the curse. He cried out “My God, My God, why have you forsaken me?” so that you can cry out “My Father, My Father, oh how You love me!” He laid down His life so that you can stand strong in yours. Without Him you’ll be down, but with Him there’s no doubt about it, you’ll stand strong!
Thursday, March 29, 2012
Wednesday, March 28, 2012
Nudity!
Genesis 3:11
And He said, “Who told you that you were naked?”
Good old Adam and Eve, running through the Garden of Eden with all that God blessed them with just flopping in the wind! Not a care in the world. It wasn’t until they ate from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil that they realized they were naked.
I think their understanding of nudity was much more than the realization that they weren’t wearing their Hanes. No, this was a spiritual recognition of nudity. It was their recognition of their unrighteousness, their knowledge of good and evil, that made them naked. Up until that fateful bite Adam and Eve were completely oblivious to their imperfections.
They had no knowledge of how they fared next to a holy and perfect God. They had no clue that they weren’t worthy of being in His presence. They were completely unaware of anything that would separate them from His love. But when they ate of the tree of knowledge of good and evil their eyes were opened. They realized God’s perfection and their imperfections. They began looking at themselves and then they began hiding from God.
Adam and Eve were clothed in the righteousness of God in the Garden. They had no knowledge of good and evil and therefore everything they did, whether good or evil, was not held against them. It wasn’t because God wasn’t aware of it; it was because God chose to not hold them accountable for it. The burden was on God, not on man. That was the way God designed it! When Adam and Eve became aware of themselves God, being just, had to hold them accountable.
What did God do? Well, He did exactly what He said He would do; He brought death into the picture. But before He did that, God asked the question, “Who told you that you were naked?” The question asked by God shows that Adam and Eve were naked all along! The truth is that someone, Satan, told them about it.
Isn’t this is what happens to us all the time? We’re reminded that we’re naked; we’re told who we are. This is exactly what the Devil wanted in the Garden: for man to know himself rather than God.
God’s desire all along was to have man for a friend. His desire was to have perfect communion with us all the time. That perfect communion was available only by the fact that God’s righteousness covered the sins of man. It wasn’t so much that God overlooked what man was doing, but that He chose to endure it for the sake of friendship.
Folks, this is what we have today through the cross of Christ: forgiveness of sins and perfect friendship with God. Jesus came to restore life, abundant life, to mankind. He came to remove the curse of knowing we’re naked by clothing us, once again, with His righteousness. When you are in Christ you are clothed in Him. When God sees you it is only through the perfection of Jesus Christ. Being a Christian means that you are restored to a Genesis 2 relationship with God. Grace didn’t start at the cross; grace was made public at the cross. Grace started at Genesis 1:1!
And He said, “Who told you that you were naked?”
Good old Adam and Eve, running through the Garden of Eden with all that God blessed them with just flopping in the wind! Not a care in the world. It wasn’t until they ate from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil that they realized they were naked.
I think their understanding of nudity was much more than the realization that they weren’t wearing their Hanes. No, this was a spiritual recognition of nudity. It was their recognition of their unrighteousness, their knowledge of good and evil, that made them naked. Up until that fateful bite Adam and Eve were completely oblivious to their imperfections.
They had no knowledge of how they fared next to a holy and perfect God. They had no clue that they weren’t worthy of being in His presence. They were completely unaware of anything that would separate them from His love. But when they ate of the tree of knowledge of good and evil their eyes were opened. They realized God’s perfection and their imperfections. They began looking at themselves and then they began hiding from God.
Adam and Eve were clothed in the righteousness of God in the Garden. They had no knowledge of good and evil and therefore everything they did, whether good or evil, was not held against them. It wasn’t because God wasn’t aware of it; it was because God chose to not hold them accountable for it. The burden was on God, not on man. That was the way God designed it! When Adam and Eve became aware of themselves God, being just, had to hold them accountable.
What did God do? Well, He did exactly what He said He would do; He brought death into the picture. But before He did that, God asked the question, “Who told you that you were naked?” The question asked by God shows that Adam and Eve were naked all along! The truth is that someone, Satan, told them about it.
Isn’t this is what happens to us all the time? We’re reminded that we’re naked; we’re told who we are. This is exactly what the Devil wanted in the Garden: for man to know himself rather than God.
God’s desire all along was to have man for a friend. His desire was to have perfect communion with us all the time. That perfect communion was available only by the fact that God’s righteousness covered the sins of man. It wasn’t so much that God overlooked what man was doing, but that He chose to endure it for the sake of friendship.
Folks, this is what we have today through the cross of Christ: forgiveness of sins and perfect friendship with God. Jesus came to restore life, abundant life, to mankind. He came to remove the curse of knowing we’re naked by clothing us, once again, with His righteousness. When you are in Christ you are clothed in Him. When God sees you it is only through the perfection of Jesus Christ. Being a Christian means that you are restored to a Genesis 2 relationship with God. Grace didn’t start at the cross; grace was made public at the cross. Grace started at Genesis 1:1!
Sunday, March 25, 2012
Trees
1 John 2:7
Brethren, I write no new commandment to you, but an old commandment which you have had from the beginning. The old commandment is the word which you heard from the beginning.
This may seem like a ridiculous question, but I’ll ask it anyway: what is the commandment that we’ve had from the beginning? I’m sure there are some that would answer, “Thou shalt have no other gods before Me.”(Exodus 20:3). Others may answer with what Jesus said is the greatest commandment, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, and mind.” (Matthew 22:37) I don’t think either of these are the commandment that we’ve had since the beginning, however.
In order to determine the commandment that we’ve had from the beginning, the real “First Commandment,” you have to go back to the beginning, that is, you must look to Genesis. Genesis 2:16-17 is where we find the answer to this question: “And the Lord God commanded the man, saying, “Of every tree of the garden you may freely eat; but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die.”
Did you know that you are feeding from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil every time you are taught about your sins and your flaws as a person? Did you know that every time someone points out to you how to “live right” they are feeding you from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil? This is why the church today looks so much like the world: we’re all eating from the same tree! Put the average Sunday message about marriage, parenting, or defeating addictions alongside the program notes for the Dr. Phil show and you’ll see that there isn’t much difference.
Perhaps you’re wondering, “What are we to do? God kicked us out of the garden.” That’s true, but through the cross He has restored mankind to a garden of Eden state of living. When Christ went to the cross it was to redeem us to the Father. He died so that we could have forgiveness of sin. He died to give us freedom from the curses of the Law. He died so that we could have life and have it more abundantly (John 10:10).
God knew that the knowledge of good and evil would change our focus from simply relying on Him and receiving His grace to self reliance and trying to earn His acceptance. In the garden man was accepted by God, flaws and all. When the knowledge of our good and evil entered the picture, and we became naked, seeing ourselves as unrighteous, God had no choice but to acknowledge our flaws as well.
Thankfully, because of Jesus, the perfect man and Son of God, we have been restored. When we recognize that Jesus has bestowed upon us His righteousness, when we grasp the fact that Jesus has clothed our nakedness with His holiness, we can rest and receive all that God had intended from the beginning.
What have you heard from the beginning? Don’t eat from the tree of knowledge of good and evil, that is to say, don’t focus on the knowledge of your sin. Instead, eat from ANY other tree you want! Health, wealth, happiness, love, joy, and peace are just a few of the fruits of the trees God has provided for you. Most importantly, eat from the tree of life, the cross of Jesus Christ. Partake of His goodness, claim His righteousness, inherit His riches, and live a blessed, loved, and highly favored life!
Brethren, I write no new commandment to you, but an old commandment which you have had from the beginning. The old commandment is the word which you heard from the beginning.
This may seem like a ridiculous question, but I’ll ask it anyway: what is the commandment that we’ve had from the beginning? I’m sure there are some that would answer, “Thou shalt have no other gods before Me.”(Exodus 20:3). Others may answer with what Jesus said is the greatest commandment, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, and mind.” (Matthew 22:37) I don’t think either of these are the commandment that we’ve had since the beginning, however.
In order to determine the commandment that we’ve had from the beginning, the real “First Commandment,” you have to go back to the beginning, that is, you must look to Genesis. Genesis 2:16-17 is where we find the answer to this question: “And the Lord God commanded the man, saying, “Of every tree of the garden you may freely eat; but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die.”
Did you know that you are feeding from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil every time you are taught about your sins and your flaws as a person? Did you know that every time someone points out to you how to “live right” they are feeding you from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil? This is why the church today looks so much like the world: we’re all eating from the same tree! Put the average Sunday message about marriage, parenting, or defeating addictions alongside the program notes for the Dr. Phil show and you’ll see that there isn’t much difference.
Perhaps you’re wondering, “What are we to do? God kicked us out of the garden.” That’s true, but through the cross He has restored mankind to a garden of Eden state of living. When Christ went to the cross it was to redeem us to the Father. He died so that we could have forgiveness of sin. He died to give us freedom from the curses of the Law. He died so that we could have life and have it more abundantly (John 10:10).
God knew that the knowledge of good and evil would change our focus from simply relying on Him and receiving His grace to self reliance and trying to earn His acceptance. In the garden man was accepted by God, flaws and all. When the knowledge of our good and evil entered the picture, and we became naked, seeing ourselves as unrighteous, God had no choice but to acknowledge our flaws as well.
Thankfully, because of Jesus, the perfect man and Son of God, we have been restored. When we recognize that Jesus has bestowed upon us His righteousness, when we grasp the fact that Jesus has clothed our nakedness with His holiness, we can rest and receive all that God had intended from the beginning.
What have you heard from the beginning? Don’t eat from the tree of knowledge of good and evil, that is to say, don’t focus on the knowledge of your sin. Instead, eat from ANY other tree you want! Health, wealth, happiness, love, joy, and peace are just a few of the fruits of the trees God has provided for you. Most importantly, eat from the tree of life, the cross of Jesus Christ. Partake of His goodness, claim His righteousness, inherit His riches, and live a blessed, loved, and highly favored life!
Wednesday, March 21, 2012
Good driving
1 Corinthians 15:34
Awake to righteousness, and do not sin; for some do not have the knowledge of God. I speak this to your shame.
Have you ever noticed that the more you think about what not to do wrong, the more you do that very thing wrong, but when you don’t think about it, you don’t do it? Take driving a car as an example. How many times during the course of a trip do you honestly stop to think about whether or not you’re within the lines? I would guess none! What about your speed? Are you constantly looking at your speedometer thinking, “I’m speeding...now I’m going too slow...now I’m speeding...”? Or do you just simply drive and naturally settle into the speed limit?
Why do you suppose this is? Well, I believe it’s because you’re not conscious of your weaknesses as a driver; instead, you are secure in your confidence as a driver. The confidence that you hold in your ability to drive a car actually causes you to do the right thing without thinking about doing the right thing.
What happens, though, when there’s a police officer parked on the shoulder or driving right behind you? You become self-aware, right? You begin looking in the mirror and checking your speed. You fix your hands at ten and two. You begin to look at the lines on the road. Suddenly, what seemed like an easy drive has become a stressful event! Not only are you feeling the stress and pressure, but now, most likely, you’ve drifted in your lane because you’ve put your focus on the law. You’ve either dropped or increased your speed because of your focus on the law. You’ve broken the law because of your focus on the law.
This phenomenon doesn’t just apply to operating an automobile. This is prevalent in our spiritual lives as well. The Bible is clear in telling us that the law actually gives strength to sin (1 Corinthians 15:56). In fact, God gave the law, not for us to live by, but to show us that we needed Him (Galatians 3:24); we needed a Savior, Jesus Christ.
When you are constantly reminded (awakened) to what you need to do to be a good person, when you are constantly told what you are doing wrong and where you are failing in life, you actually sin more! When, however, you are awakened to your righteousness in Christ, the result is this: you do not sin.
This isn’t a result of your work. This isn’t a result of your obedience to the law. This is a result of Christ’s work; it’s His obedience to the law. This is the result of grace in your life. When you are not conscious of the law, you are not conscious of yourself. When you are not conscious of yourself, you’re free to be conscious of Christ and what He has done. It’s not only that Christ’s righteousness makes you righteous before God, covering your sins. It’s that Christ’s righteousness works within you, through grace, to actually stop you from sinning.
Back to our driving. Once you passed by that cop on the shoulder; once that officer behind you passed by or turned off, what happened? You relaxed, right? The same should be true in your life in Christ. The law was nailed to the cross with Him (Colossians 2:14) so that you could be free!
Awake to righteousness: not yours, but His! Your increasing knowledge of Jesus Christ is what will effortlessly transform you into His image. It isn’t your trying, your works, your “good” living that will transform you into the image of Christ. No, it is your understanding of His righteousness which has been imputed to you. This is what makes you sin no more (1 John 3:6)!
Awake to righteousness, and do not sin; for some do not have the knowledge of God. I speak this to your shame.
Have you ever noticed that the more you think about what not to do wrong, the more you do that very thing wrong, but when you don’t think about it, you don’t do it? Take driving a car as an example. How many times during the course of a trip do you honestly stop to think about whether or not you’re within the lines? I would guess none! What about your speed? Are you constantly looking at your speedometer thinking, “I’m speeding...now I’m going too slow...now I’m speeding...”? Or do you just simply drive and naturally settle into the speed limit?
Why do you suppose this is? Well, I believe it’s because you’re not conscious of your weaknesses as a driver; instead, you are secure in your confidence as a driver. The confidence that you hold in your ability to drive a car actually causes you to do the right thing without thinking about doing the right thing.
What happens, though, when there’s a police officer parked on the shoulder or driving right behind you? You become self-aware, right? You begin looking in the mirror and checking your speed. You fix your hands at ten and two. You begin to look at the lines on the road. Suddenly, what seemed like an easy drive has become a stressful event! Not only are you feeling the stress and pressure, but now, most likely, you’ve drifted in your lane because you’ve put your focus on the law. You’ve either dropped or increased your speed because of your focus on the law. You’ve broken the law because of your focus on the law.
This phenomenon doesn’t just apply to operating an automobile. This is prevalent in our spiritual lives as well. The Bible is clear in telling us that the law actually gives strength to sin (1 Corinthians 15:56). In fact, God gave the law, not for us to live by, but to show us that we needed Him (Galatians 3:24); we needed a Savior, Jesus Christ.
When you are constantly reminded (awakened) to what you need to do to be a good person, when you are constantly told what you are doing wrong and where you are failing in life, you actually sin more! When, however, you are awakened to your righteousness in Christ, the result is this: you do not sin.
This isn’t a result of your work. This isn’t a result of your obedience to the law. This is a result of Christ’s work; it’s His obedience to the law. This is the result of grace in your life. When you are not conscious of the law, you are not conscious of yourself. When you are not conscious of yourself, you’re free to be conscious of Christ and what He has done. It’s not only that Christ’s righteousness makes you righteous before God, covering your sins. It’s that Christ’s righteousness works within you, through grace, to actually stop you from sinning.
Back to our driving. Once you passed by that cop on the shoulder; once that officer behind you passed by or turned off, what happened? You relaxed, right? The same should be true in your life in Christ. The law was nailed to the cross with Him (Colossians 2:14) so that you could be free!
Awake to righteousness: not yours, but His! Your increasing knowledge of Jesus Christ is what will effortlessly transform you into His image. It isn’t your trying, your works, your “good” living that will transform you into the image of Christ. No, it is your understanding of His righteousness which has been imputed to you. This is what makes you sin no more (1 John 3:6)!
Tuesday, March 20, 2012
True conviction
John 16:8-11
And when He has come, He will convict the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment: of sin, because they do not believe in Me; of righteousness, because I go to My Father and you see Me no more; of judgment, because the ruler of this world is judged.
Have you ever gone to church and heard a sermon where the pastor “convicted” you of your sin? You know what I’m talking about, right? Here’s a Biblical truth: it’s not the pastor’s responsibility to convict you of sin; it’s the Holy Spirit’s responsibility. Furthermore, what most pastors refer to as “sin” isn’t what Jesus was referring to in this passage!
You may have been preached at about lust, envy, lying, cheating, cursing, drinking, or failure to tithe, but none of these things are what the Holy Spirit intends to convict you of. The Holy Spirit has a threefold mission of conviction. One, He convicts, that is, He shows you your fault (singular) by pointing out your disbelief in Jesus Christ. When you are “pricked in the heart” (Acts 2:37) by the Holy Spirit and acknowledge Jesus Christ’s fulfillment of God’s expectations, He moves on to step two.
And what is step two? He convicts you of righteousness! He solidifies in your heart, through accurate interpretation of the scripture and honest revelations of who Jesus Christ is, that you are righteous because Christ has made you righteous (2 Corinthians 5:21). After you become a Christian, the next mission for the Holy Spirit is to remind you, continually, of your righteousness in Christ. He no longer has the need to remind you of your sin (singular). Because God the Father sees you as righteous by faith in Christ, the Spirit, the Comforter is there to gently remind you of this truth. Why? Because you may be told otherwise. Perhaps by your own misconceptions of who God is, but more likely than not, by a preacher who thinks that by pointing out the flaws that he sees in your life, you’ll become a “better” person! The Holy Spirit is there to remind you and comfort you with the fact that you are righteous regardless (http://just-thinking-grace.blogspot.com/2011/10/righteous-regardless.html)!
Finally, the Holy Spirit has one more thing to convict you of: JUDGEMENT. This is the one that really gets the pulpit firestorm raging. Judgement and condemnation, these two make a wonderful concert and open the floor up for some true “hell-fire and brimstone” preaching. Oh, but that’s not the judgement that the Holy Spirit is here to convict you of! So, if that’s the judgement that’s been preached to you, righteous Christian, you are not hearing a lesson from the Spirit (at least not the one with a capital “S”).
You see, the Holy Spirit has come to convict you that Jesus is the Way. He has come to convict you that you are righteous in Christ and nothing, nothing, nothing, can take that away from you. And He has come to convict you that “the ruler of this world is judged”. Who is the ruler of this world? The devil! The Holy Spirit’s final mission with you is to convince you that your enemy, the devil, is defeated and judged.
It’s terribly unfortunate that in most churches today the Holy Spirit never gets a chance to move past step one. In fact, I’d dare to say that He never even gets an opportunity to work into step one! What grieves the Spirit of God? Corrupted communication (Ephesians 4:29-30). The corrupted communication that doesn’t reveal the finished work of Jesus Christ. Grace works through the Spirit of God, not through the condemning speeches of men!
The truth is this: a true revelation of Jesus Christ, what He’s done, and how He loves will convict an unbeliever’s heart that they didn’t know Christ. A true revelation of Jesus Christ, what He’s done, and how He loves will convict a believer of his or her righteousness in Christ. Even still, a true revelation of Jesus Christ, what He’s done, and how He loves will convict the believer that the devil is defeated. Let’s reveal who Jesus is!
And when He has come, He will convict the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment: of sin, because they do not believe in Me; of righteousness, because I go to My Father and you see Me no more; of judgment, because the ruler of this world is judged.
Have you ever gone to church and heard a sermon where the pastor “convicted” you of your sin? You know what I’m talking about, right? Here’s a Biblical truth: it’s not the pastor’s responsibility to convict you of sin; it’s the Holy Spirit’s responsibility. Furthermore, what most pastors refer to as “sin” isn’t what Jesus was referring to in this passage!
You may have been preached at about lust, envy, lying, cheating, cursing, drinking, or failure to tithe, but none of these things are what the Holy Spirit intends to convict you of. The Holy Spirit has a threefold mission of conviction. One, He convicts, that is, He shows you your fault (singular) by pointing out your disbelief in Jesus Christ. When you are “pricked in the heart” (Acts 2:37) by the Holy Spirit and acknowledge Jesus Christ’s fulfillment of God’s expectations, He moves on to step two.
And what is step two? He convicts you of righteousness! He solidifies in your heart, through accurate interpretation of the scripture and honest revelations of who Jesus Christ is, that you are righteous because Christ has made you righteous (2 Corinthians 5:21). After you become a Christian, the next mission for the Holy Spirit is to remind you, continually, of your righteousness in Christ. He no longer has the need to remind you of your sin (singular). Because God the Father sees you as righteous by faith in Christ, the Spirit, the Comforter is there to gently remind you of this truth. Why? Because you may be told otherwise. Perhaps by your own misconceptions of who God is, but more likely than not, by a preacher who thinks that by pointing out the flaws that he sees in your life, you’ll become a “better” person! The Holy Spirit is there to remind you and comfort you with the fact that you are righteous regardless (http://just-thinking-grace.blogspot.com/2011/10/righteous-regardless.html)!
Finally, the Holy Spirit has one more thing to convict you of: JUDGEMENT. This is the one that really gets the pulpit firestorm raging. Judgement and condemnation, these two make a wonderful concert and open the floor up for some true “hell-fire and brimstone” preaching. Oh, but that’s not the judgement that the Holy Spirit is here to convict you of! So, if that’s the judgement that’s been preached to you, righteous Christian, you are not hearing a lesson from the Spirit (at least not the one with a capital “S”).
You see, the Holy Spirit has come to convict you that Jesus is the Way. He has come to convict you that you are righteous in Christ and nothing, nothing, nothing, can take that away from you. And He has come to convict you that “the ruler of this world is judged”. Who is the ruler of this world? The devil! The Holy Spirit’s final mission with you is to convince you that your enemy, the devil, is defeated and judged.
It’s terribly unfortunate that in most churches today the Holy Spirit never gets a chance to move past step one. In fact, I’d dare to say that He never even gets an opportunity to work into step one! What grieves the Spirit of God? Corrupted communication (Ephesians 4:29-30). The corrupted communication that doesn’t reveal the finished work of Jesus Christ. Grace works through the Spirit of God, not through the condemning speeches of men!
The truth is this: a true revelation of Jesus Christ, what He’s done, and how He loves will convict an unbeliever’s heart that they didn’t know Christ. A true revelation of Jesus Christ, what He’s done, and how He loves will convict a believer of his or her righteousness in Christ. Even still, a true revelation of Jesus Christ, what He’s done, and how He loves will convict the believer that the devil is defeated. Let’s reveal who Jesus is!
Friday, March 16, 2012
Physics fail!
Matthew 14:30
But when he saw that the wind was boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink he cried out, saying, “Lord, save me!”
I can’t swim; that’s a fact. I know that if I jump into a pool or a lake I’m going to sink. The thing about my sinking is this: it’s instantaneous. When I break the surface of the water that’s it. There’s no time delay before I go down. I know this for a fact; I have actually had to jump into the water. I went straight to the bottom. Even when I wasn’t jumping into the water, when I just casually stepped into the water, I sank. Instantly.
I guess what I’m leading up to here is the miracle of Peter’s sinking. That’s right, his sinking. We all know it was a miracle that he walked to Jesus on the water, but have you ever put any thought into what happened when he took his focus off of Christ? Oh, most will tell you, “He sank,” but that’s not true. The Bible says that Peter began to sink.
Who “begins” to sink? You’re either sinking or you’re not! Well, not so, according to the Word of God. Peter began to sink. If you’ve never really thought about this, do it now. It paints a picture in my mind of a man slowly sinking, as if he’s standing on top of a lake of Jell-o. It just doesn’t look right, does it? Peter should have instantly gone down. He should have been overcome by the waves.
The way Peter sinks in this story is a small picture of God’s unending patience and love for us. God never wants us to be submerged under the problems of this life; He doesn’t want us to be overcome by the waves. It was His grace, extended after Peter took his eyes off Christ, that allowed Peter to begin sinking; it was grace that kept Peter from becoming fully submerged.
This small exchange between sinner and Savior speaks volumes to the truth about God’s grace. When Peter sinned, that is, he took his focus off of Jesus, grace saved (Romans 5:20). It was grace that slowed the forces of nature acting on Peter’s body to pull him into the deep. It was grace that allowed Peter to reach up his hand and call out for help from Jesus. It was grace that extended the hand that pulled Peter up to the level of his Lord.
This is how grace works! When you begin to sink, when you backslide, grace slows you down to protect you from death. Grace always reaches out the hand of salvation. Grace always restores. Grace always brings you back to the level of Jesus. Grace never keeps you in the situation you put yourself in. Whether it’s sinking in the Sea of Galilee or in a case of Mad Dog 20/20, grace will grab you and lift you up to the level of your Savior.
Grace saves without condemnation (Romans 8:1). It keeps no record of wrongs. It protects, it shelters, it rescues, and it restores. Grace overcomes death. It overcomes storms, winds, and adversity. Grace walks you to safety, places you in the boat, and reveals Jesus for who He is: the Son of God (Matthew 14:33). Grace requires nothing, but it gives everything. It is by grace you are saved through faith...it is the gift of God (Ephesians 2:8).
But when he saw that the wind was boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink he cried out, saying, “Lord, save me!”
I can’t swim; that’s a fact. I know that if I jump into a pool or a lake I’m going to sink. The thing about my sinking is this: it’s instantaneous. When I break the surface of the water that’s it. There’s no time delay before I go down. I know this for a fact; I have actually had to jump into the water. I went straight to the bottom. Even when I wasn’t jumping into the water, when I just casually stepped into the water, I sank. Instantly.
I guess what I’m leading up to here is the miracle of Peter’s sinking. That’s right, his sinking. We all know it was a miracle that he walked to Jesus on the water, but have you ever put any thought into what happened when he took his focus off of Christ? Oh, most will tell you, “He sank,” but that’s not true. The Bible says that Peter began to sink.
Who “begins” to sink? You’re either sinking or you’re not! Well, not so, according to the Word of God. Peter began to sink. If you’ve never really thought about this, do it now. It paints a picture in my mind of a man slowly sinking, as if he’s standing on top of a lake of Jell-o. It just doesn’t look right, does it? Peter should have instantly gone down. He should have been overcome by the waves.
The way Peter sinks in this story is a small picture of God’s unending patience and love for us. God never wants us to be submerged under the problems of this life; He doesn’t want us to be overcome by the waves. It was His grace, extended after Peter took his eyes off Christ, that allowed Peter to begin sinking; it was grace that kept Peter from becoming fully submerged.
This small exchange between sinner and Savior speaks volumes to the truth about God’s grace. When Peter sinned, that is, he took his focus off of Jesus, grace saved (Romans 5:20). It was grace that slowed the forces of nature acting on Peter’s body to pull him into the deep. It was grace that allowed Peter to reach up his hand and call out for help from Jesus. It was grace that extended the hand that pulled Peter up to the level of his Lord.
This is how grace works! When you begin to sink, when you backslide, grace slows you down to protect you from death. Grace always reaches out the hand of salvation. Grace always restores. Grace always brings you back to the level of Jesus. Grace never keeps you in the situation you put yourself in. Whether it’s sinking in the Sea of Galilee or in a case of Mad Dog 20/20, grace will grab you and lift you up to the level of your Savior.
Grace saves without condemnation (Romans 8:1). It keeps no record of wrongs. It protects, it shelters, it rescues, and it restores. Grace overcomes death. It overcomes storms, winds, and adversity. Grace walks you to safety, places you in the boat, and reveals Jesus for who He is: the Son of God (Matthew 14:33). Grace requires nothing, but it gives everything. It is by grace you are saved through faith...it is the gift of God (Ephesians 2:8).
Monday, March 12, 2012
Apples vs. apples
Galatians 5:22-23
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law.
I’ve been to apple orchards where the trees are literally hanging down with fruit. I’m talking about big, juicy, ripe, ready to eat apples. The kind that would make your mouth water. I’m talking about apples that need no added sugar when you make a pie, apples that from the first bite to the last leave you thinking, “Wow, that’s an awesome apple!”
These apples are hanging on trees that have been well cared for. They’ve been watered in the dry season and pruned in the off season. There are no weeds around the base of these trees and no vines entangling themselves in the branches. There are no insects feeding on the leaves and no diseases were allowed to grow. These were some happy, well-cared-for trees.
I’ve also seen apples on trees that were left alone to grow without the assistance of an arborist. These trees weren’t nearly as strong. There were weeds around the base and vines in the branches. Worms, insects, and disease were infesting the fruit and the tree itself. The fruit, well, the fruit left something to be desired. Most of the apples fell to the ground before fully ripening and most of them were rotten.
What was the difference between these two types of trees? Well, one lived under the care and protection of a master arborist. The other lived on its own, fending for itself in a cruel world. One tree never worked to produce its fruit. It was given food, water, nutrition, protection, and care, having never earned any of it. The other struggled daily to draw what it could find up from the ground, relying on its ability to sustain life.
We are like these these two trees. Some of us live under the care of a master arborist, the vine dresser Himself, Jesus Christ. Others live like the lone tree, determined to grow and bear fruit through their own doings. This is a picture of living under law versus living under grace.
The tree under grace had everything given to it. It didn’t deserve water in a drought. It didn’t do anything to earn protection from disease and insects. It was given all that it needed in an abundant supply so that, without work or struggle, it could draw from its abundance to produce perfect delicious fruit.
On the other hand, the tree living and growing on its own had a lot of problems. No one was there to stop the diseases and the insects from devouring the fruit and the branch. No one was there to give the roots water in a time of drought. No one came to fertilize the soil so that strength would be found in the trunk. It struggled continually and yet could only produce rotten fruit!
Friends, when we come to Christ we are uprooted from the desert of law and replanted in the fields of His grace. He not only protects us and feeds us, but He lives within us, becoming a part of us. He makes Himself our root and our supplier. He does the work, gives the supply, protects the branches, and grows the fruit. By making us righteous though His work, we are able to yield the fruits of His Spirit! “The root of the righteous yields fruit.” (Proverbs 12:12) The end result of all of this is the desire of others to consume the fruit of His righteousness. People will see what Jesus has produced in you. They will want it; let them take it. The fruit of the Spirit, grown within us, is not offensive and not condemning. It is inviting, delicious, sweet, and life giving.
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law.
I’ve been to apple orchards where the trees are literally hanging down with fruit. I’m talking about big, juicy, ripe, ready to eat apples. The kind that would make your mouth water. I’m talking about apples that need no added sugar when you make a pie, apples that from the first bite to the last leave you thinking, “Wow, that’s an awesome apple!”
These apples are hanging on trees that have been well cared for. They’ve been watered in the dry season and pruned in the off season. There are no weeds around the base of these trees and no vines entangling themselves in the branches. There are no insects feeding on the leaves and no diseases were allowed to grow. These were some happy, well-cared-for trees.
I’ve also seen apples on trees that were left alone to grow without the assistance of an arborist. These trees weren’t nearly as strong. There were weeds around the base and vines in the branches. Worms, insects, and disease were infesting the fruit and the tree itself. The fruit, well, the fruit left something to be desired. Most of the apples fell to the ground before fully ripening and most of them were rotten.
What was the difference between these two types of trees? Well, one lived under the care and protection of a master arborist. The other lived on its own, fending for itself in a cruel world. One tree never worked to produce its fruit. It was given food, water, nutrition, protection, and care, having never earned any of it. The other struggled daily to draw what it could find up from the ground, relying on its ability to sustain life.
We are like these these two trees. Some of us live under the care of a master arborist, the vine dresser Himself, Jesus Christ. Others live like the lone tree, determined to grow and bear fruit through their own doings. This is a picture of living under law versus living under grace.
The tree under grace had everything given to it. It didn’t deserve water in a drought. It didn’t do anything to earn protection from disease and insects. It was given all that it needed in an abundant supply so that, without work or struggle, it could draw from its abundance to produce perfect delicious fruit.
On the other hand, the tree living and growing on its own had a lot of problems. No one was there to stop the diseases and the insects from devouring the fruit and the branch. No one was there to give the roots water in a time of drought. No one came to fertilize the soil so that strength would be found in the trunk. It struggled continually and yet could only produce rotten fruit!
Friends, when we come to Christ we are uprooted from the desert of law and replanted in the fields of His grace. He not only protects us and feeds us, but He lives within us, becoming a part of us. He makes Himself our root and our supplier. He does the work, gives the supply, protects the branches, and grows the fruit. By making us righteous though His work, we are able to yield the fruits of His Spirit! “The root of the righteous yields fruit.” (Proverbs 12:12) The end result of all of this is the desire of others to consume the fruit of His righteousness. People will see what Jesus has produced in you. They will want it; let them take it. The fruit of the Spirit, grown within us, is not offensive and not condemning. It is inviting, delicious, sweet, and life giving.
Sunday, March 11, 2012
Jesus Filter
Hebrews 7:25
Therefore He is also able to save to the uttermost those who come to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them.
Have you ever been praying and just had the most evil thought pop into your mind? I’m sure you have. Or how about this: you’re worshipping at church on Sunday morning, eyes closed, hands raised, when suddenly you begin to think, “I’m awesome at worshipping!”? Are you believing that at these moments God turns His back to your voice because of your wrong thoughts? Well, have I got some good news for you.
It’s moments like these that Jesus lives for! That’s an awesome statement: Jesus always lives to make intercession for (you)! My son lives to play LEGOs. My dog lives to see me throw his duck toy across the room. But Jesus, He ALWAYS lives to make intercession for us.
The Bible is clear in what God thinks of even our greatest of works, that is, anything we bring to Him on our own. Isaiah 64:6 says that all of us are unclean; all of our righteousnesses (that’s works, offerings, thoughts, and prayers) are like filthy rags to a Holy God. That being the case, we are always in desperate need of an intercessor. Jesus is our Intercessor.
When you open your mouth, and lift up your voice to heaven, before “Dear God” gets to the ears of the Almighty, it’s already passed through the Jesus filter. Every thought that you have, evil or otherwise, goes through Jesus. This is the only way that our offerings become “acceptable” to God.
Maybe there’s unknown sin in your past. Maybe there’s a spirit of contention between you and your brother. Maybe you just had one of those Sunday morning fights on the way to church (the devil loves those!), and now you’re thinking about that instead of Jesus. Well, if that’s the case, know this: Jesus is making intercession for you in that matter so that God hears all of your wants, needs, and desires.
Christ died once for the sins of all mankind (1 Peter 3:18), but He lives always to make intercession for us. His death was final in that it finally put away sin and disarmed the Devil (Colossians 2:15), removing his power to rule in our lives. His life is everlasting, however. He lives so that we can live, through Him. He lives to be our advocate, to present us, His bride, holy and without spot or blemish to His Father. He lives to make intercession for us. Say what’s on your mind; tell God what you’re thinking. Jesus is going to make it a sweet, sweet sound to the ears of the Father!
Therefore He is also able to save to the uttermost those who come to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them.
Have you ever been praying and just had the most evil thought pop into your mind? I’m sure you have. Or how about this: you’re worshipping at church on Sunday morning, eyes closed, hands raised, when suddenly you begin to think, “I’m awesome at worshipping!”? Are you believing that at these moments God turns His back to your voice because of your wrong thoughts? Well, have I got some good news for you.
It’s moments like these that Jesus lives for! That’s an awesome statement: Jesus always lives to make intercession for (you)! My son lives to play LEGOs. My dog lives to see me throw his duck toy across the room. But Jesus, He ALWAYS lives to make intercession for us.
The Bible is clear in what God thinks of even our greatest of works, that is, anything we bring to Him on our own. Isaiah 64:6 says that all of us are unclean; all of our righteousnesses (that’s works, offerings, thoughts, and prayers) are like filthy rags to a Holy God. That being the case, we are always in desperate need of an intercessor. Jesus is our Intercessor.
When you open your mouth, and lift up your voice to heaven, before “Dear God” gets to the ears of the Almighty, it’s already passed through the Jesus filter. Every thought that you have, evil or otherwise, goes through Jesus. This is the only way that our offerings become “acceptable” to God.
Maybe there’s unknown sin in your past. Maybe there’s a spirit of contention between you and your brother. Maybe you just had one of those Sunday morning fights on the way to church (the devil loves those!), and now you’re thinking about that instead of Jesus. Well, if that’s the case, know this: Jesus is making intercession for you in that matter so that God hears all of your wants, needs, and desires.
Christ died once for the sins of all mankind (1 Peter 3:18), but He lives always to make intercession for us. His death was final in that it finally put away sin and disarmed the Devil (Colossians 2:15), removing his power to rule in our lives. His life is everlasting, however. He lives so that we can live, through Him. He lives to be our advocate, to present us, His bride, holy and without spot or blemish to His Father. He lives to make intercession for us. Say what’s on your mind; tell God what you’re thinking. Jesus is going to make it a sweet, sweet sound to the ears of the Father!
Friday, March 9, 2012
Lay it aside
James 1:21
Therefore lay aside all filthiness and overflow of wickedness, and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls.
Some of us take the idea of laying aside all filthiness to mean something that it isn’t. What I mean by that is this: this is not an action that can be taken by a person to stop sinning, but rather the repentance, that is, the changing of the mind to no longer dwell in thought on the filthiness (sinfulness). You may be asking, “What’s the difference?”; I’m glad you did.
Making a conscious effort to stop doing a certain thing depends on you and your strength. Take, for instance, addictions. Alcohol, drugs, sex, food, or exercise, whatever the addiction, to stop depends on you. If you’re addicted to pornography then it’s up to you not to buy that magazine or log onto that website. Oh sure, you can go to AA, prayer groups, CR, or a doctor for assistance, but in the end, it’s up to you and you alone to stop doing whatever it is you’ve been doing.
Laying aside your addiction, however, isn’t the same thing. Laying it aside is like putting it in the trash can. It’s not gone yet, but it’s not staying either. The idea when you lay something aside is that even when you are committing the act (i.e., drinking a beer when you know you are an alcoholic), you’re reminding yourself of something else: Jesus.
When we become Christians, placing our trust in Christ, we don’t become non-sinners; we still sin. We’ll never stop sinning; it’s who we are. God knows this; He knew this, that’s why we have Jesus. When we sin, and sin we will, that is the time that we are in our greatest need of Christ. That is when we are in our darkest hour and that is when we need to be reminded, either by ourselves or our brethren, that Jesus already paid the price (Mark 2:17, Matthew 9:11-13).
By no means am I saying that we should sin. I am acknowledging the fact that we’re going to sin. But scripture tells us that where sin abounds, grace super-abounds (Romans 5:20). When sin enters, we have two options. We can focus on ourselves and our struggle with (insert issue), or we can focus on Christ and lay aside our thoughts of sin.
The knowledge of Jesus’ full sin-payment is what allows us to lay aside our sin. It’s not that it’s gone; but it’s in the trash. Now we can focus on Jesus. The result, as James puts it, is that we are able to receive the implanted word, which is able to save our souls. What is that word? It’s the Gospel truth that Jesus is the Christ. It’s the word that Jesus has defeated the Devil, fulfilled the law, disarmed principalities, reversed the curse, and saved the lost.
Because of Jesus, God no longer thinks about your sin (Hebrews 8:12,10:17, Jeremiah 31:34). If He’s not thinking about it you don’t have to either. It’s time to rest and receive the implanted Word. This is grace: you don’t even have to work to think about Jesus, or to have Him in your heart. All you have to do is receive what He has placed in you: salvation, His salvation!
Therefore lay aside all filthiness and overflow of wickedness, and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls.
Some of us take the idea of laying aside all filthiness to mean something that it isn’t. What I mean by that is this: this is not an action that can be taken by a person to stop sinning, but rather the repentance, that is, the changing of the mind to no longer dwell in thought on the filthiness (sinfulness). You may be asking, “What’s the difference?”; I’m glad you did.
Making a conscious effort to stop doing a certain thing depends on you and your strength. Take, for instance, addictions. Alcohol, drugs, sex, food, or exercise, whatever the addiction, to stop depends on you. If you’re addicted to pornography then it’s up to you not to buy that magazine or log onto that website. Oh sure, you can go to AA, prayer groups, CR, or a doctor for assistance, but in the end, it’s up to you and you alone to stop doing whatever it is you’ve been doing.
Laying aside your addiction, however, isn’t the same thing. Laying it aside is like putting it in the trash can. It’s not gone yet, but it’s not staying either. The idea when you lay something aside is that even when you are committing the act (i.e., drinking a beer when you know you are an alcoholic), you’re reminding yourself of something else: Jesus.
When we become Christians, placing our trust in Christ, we don’t become non-sinners; we still sin. We’ll never stop sinning; it’s who we are. God knows this; He knew this, that’s why we have Jesus. When we sin, and sin we will, that is the time that we are in our greatest need of Christ. That is when we are in our darkest hour and that is when we need to be reminded, either by ourselves or our brethren, that Jesus already paid the price (Mark 2:17, Matthew 9:11-13).
By no means am I saying that we should sin. I am acknowledging the fact that we’re going to sin. But scripture tells us that where sin abounds, grace super-abounds (Romans 5:20). When sin enters, we have two options. We can focus on ourselves and our struggle with (insert issue), or we can focus on Christ and lay aside our thoughts of sin.
The knowledge of Jesus’ full sin-payment is what allows us to lay aside our sin. It’s not that it’s gone; but it’s in the trash. Now we can focus on Jesus. The result, as James puts it, is that we are able to receive the implanted word, which is able to save our souls. What is that word? It’s the Gospel truth that Jesus is the Christ. It’s the word that Jesus has defeated the Devil, fulfilled the law, disarmed principalities, reversed the curse, and saved the lost.
Because of Jesus, God no longer thinks about your sin (Hebrews 8:12,10:17, Jeremiah 31:34). If He’s not thinking about it you don’t have to either. It’s time to rest and receive the implanted Word. This is grace: you don’t even have to work to think about Jesus, or to have Him in your heart. All you have to do is receive what He has placed in you: salvation, His salvation!
Wednesday, March 7, 2012
Sandcastle
Matthew 7:24
“Therefore whoever hears these sayings of Mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on the rock:”
Lately I’ve been pondering this statement made by Jesus at the end of His Sermon on the Mount. I guess what really sticks out to me is the fact that Jesus says, “...whoever hears...and does...” Since when does Christ, the bringer of Grace, talk about doing things? Then it hit me: Christ is teaching a crowd of people still under the rule of Law. I’m not talking about Roman law, but the Law of Moses, Mount Sinai Law. Just because Christ had been born does not mean that the age of Grace had begun. In fact, it wasn’t until Christ suffered, died, and rose again that His grace was fully unleashed on earth. Up until these words, “It is finished...Father into Your hands I commit My Spirit.” (John 19:30, Luke 23:46) it was an Old Testament society.
I think, too often, too much emphasis is put on the words that Christ spoke and not enough on the time in which He spoke them. We have taken the Sermon on the Mount completely out of context, timewise, and tried to apply it to our lives as some sort of practical life lesson. The truth is that Jesus only gave the sermon to further point out to the crowd their need for a Savior, our need for a Savior. These rules He gave: judge not, go the extra mile, don’t lust with your eyes, don’t kill with your heart, etc., weren’t given as a new set of commandments to live by on top of the old ten that Moses had. Jesus said these things to show the full expectation of the Law and our complete inability to perfectly fulfill even a portion of it. By using Jesus’ sermon as a rule guide for Christian living we (the collective church) have turned natural things into “sins”. Christ said don’t worry. Are you worrying? Have you worried? SINNER!!!
Because Jesus is teaching under Law He is required to use it perfectly, which He does. His close to this incredible message can be summed up like this. Follow all the rules and you’re good; mess up one and you’re guilty of all (Deuteronomy 28:1,15). This has been, and always will be, life under the Law.
Every word that came from the mouth of Jesus was crucially important. Here, at the close of His sermon, He says, (paraphrasing) “Do all of these things that I have said and you’ve built your house on a rock. Not even the greatest storm will be able to move you. If, however, you do not do all of these things, then you have built your house on the sand. The slightest breeze will knock you down.”
Jesus was referring to God’s Law. Perfect fulfillment of the Law, down to the the very concept behind it, is “building your house on a rock”. Jesus wasn’t referring to Himself in this statement, but to the Laws of which He spoke. That rock symbolizes the Ten Commandments. If you are able to perfectly and completely live out the Ten Commandments then all of Deuteronomy 28’s blessings will apply to your life. Health, wealth, strength, stability, blessings in, and blessings out; that’s the result of perfection.
On the contrary, if you do not, then you receive all of Deuteronomy 28’s curses. Sickness, disease, depression, anxiety, fear, enemies, toil, struggle, separation, and loss. This is what building your life on sand, that is, broken rocks looks like. Why did Jesus use rocks and sand? Because they symbolize the expectation and the actualization of Mount Sinai. The Rock is the perfect law given through Moses, by God. The sand is what we made of it. We’ve broken God’s law so many ways that it’s become sand.
Jesus knew what He was doing when He gave the Sermon on the Mount. He knew He was giving impossible tasks. Who among us hasn’t judged another, looked at a nice butt, or thought evil about someone? Who out there has ever always really loved his enemies or gone the extra mile? Who hasn’t worried? When dropping that 10% tithe check in the plate, who has never thought, “God’s gonna bless me for this gift!”? Who among us hasn’t thought about or ever stored up earthly treasures? Who hasn’t done good to get noticed? We’re all guilty of building our houses on the sand. We’re all guilty of making the sand!
Thankfully, God gave us Jesus, who is our Redeemer and Savior. He is our Substitute and our Sacrifice. Everything that Jesus spoke of in His Sermon He did! Jesus fulfilled even the idea of the Law to the utmost perfection. He is altogether lovely. Because of Jesus we have access to the blessings of Deuteronomy 28. Because of Jesus we have been fully released from the curses of Deuteronomy 28. Steve Fee said it best: “It’s all because of Jesus I’m alive!”
“Therefore whoever hears these sayings of Mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on the rock:”
Lately I’ve been pondering this statement made by Jesus at the end of His Sermon on the Mount. I guess what really sticks out to me is the fact that Jesus says, “...whoever hears...and does...” Since when does Christ, the bringer of Grace, talk about doing things? Then it hit me: Christ is teaching a crowd of people still under the rule of Law. I’m not talking about Roman law, but the Law of Moses, Mount Sinai Law. Just because Christ had been born does not mean that the age of Grace had begun. In fact, it wasn’t until Christ suffered, died, and rose again that His grace was fully unleashed on earth. Up until these words, “It is finished...Father into Your hands I commit My Spirit.” (John 19:30, Luke 23:46) it was an Old Testament society.
I think, too often, too much emphasis is put on the words that Christ spoke and not enough on the time in which He spoke them. We have taken the Sermon on the Mount completely out of context, timewise, and tried to apply it to our lives as some sort of practical life lesson. The truth is that Jesus only gave the sermon to further point out to the crowd their need for a Savior, our need for a Savior. These rules He gave: judge not, go the extra mile, don’t lust with your eyes, don’t kill with your heart, etc., weren’t given as a new set of commandments to live by on top of the old ten that Moses had. Jesus said these things to show the full expectation of the Law and our complete inability to perfectly fulfill even a portion of it. By using Jesus’ sermon as a rule guide for Christian living we (the collective church) have turned natural things into “sins”. Christ said don’t worry. Are you worrying? Have you worried? SINNER!!!
Because Jesus is teaching under Law He is required to use it perfectly, which He does. His close to this incredible message can be summed up like this. Follow all the rules and you’re good; mess up one and you’re guilty of all (Deuteronomy 28:1,15). This has been, and always will be, life under the Law.
Every word that came from the mouth of Jesus was crucially important. Here, at the close of His sermon, He says, (paraphrasing) “Do all of these things that I have said and you’ve built your house on a rock. Not even the greatest storm will be able to move you. If, however, you do not do all of these things, then you have built your house on the sand. The slightest breeze will knock you down.”
Jesus was referring to God’s Law. Perfect fulfillment of the Law, down to the the very concept behind it, is “building your house on a rock”. Jesus wasn’t referring to Himself in this statement, but to the Laws of which He spoke. That rock symbolizes the Ten Commandments. If you are able to perfectly and completely live out the Ten Commandments then all of Deuteronomy 28’s blessings will apply to your life. Health, wealth, strength, stability, blessings in, and blessings out; that’s the result of perfection.
On the contrary, if you do not, then you receive all of Deuteronomy 28’s curses. Sickness, disease, depression, anxiety, fear, enemies, toil, struggle, separation, and loss. This is what building your life on sand, that is, broken rocks looks like. Why did Jesus use rocks and sand? Because they symbolize the expectation and the actualization of Mount Sinai. The Rock is the perfect law given through Moses, by God. The sand is what we made of it. We’ve broken God’s law so many ways that it’s become sand.
Jesus knew what He was doing when He gave the Sermon on the Mount. He knew He was giving impossible tasks. Who among us hasn’t judged another, looked at a nice butt, or thought evil about someone? Who out there has ever always really loved his enemies or gone the extra mile? Who hasn’t worried? When dropping that 10% tithe check in the plate, who has never thought, “God’s gonna bless me for this gift!”? Who among us hasn’t thought about or ever stored up earthly treasures? Who hasn’t done good to get noticed? We’re all guilty of building our houses on the sand. We’re all guilty of making the sand!
Thankfully, God gave us Jesus, who is our Redeemer and Savior. He is our Substitute and our Sacrifice. Everything that Jesus spoke of in His Sermon He did! Jesus fulfilled even the idea of the Law to the utmost perfection. He is altogether lovely. Because of Jesus we have access to the blessings of Deuteronomy 28. Because of Jesus we have been fully released from the curses of Deuteronomy 28. Steve Fee said it best: “It’s all because of Jesus I’m alive!”
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