The good news of Christ
Of all the truths to give me ground
and reason, joy and peace of mind,
it’s this: that God is just and true:
the lives of all he’ll equally weigh.
God Almighty, needy am I,
I’ve nothing good or great to show,
Have mercy on me, a mere worm —
Save me with your upraised arm.
While the ant scurries away, unworthy of the crumb it carries, I am aware of how I could bless (or overwhelm) its life with the entire cake I hold. Such is God’s grace to us. So, how should we respond? Probably like Paul did for the grace God showed the Christians in Corinth (1 Corinthians 1:4-9).
I. 2 Corinthians 8:3-7. A busy seaport city, Corinth was filled with immorality and idolatry, and despite the problems that Paul would address in his letters to them, he begins by giving thanks to God for the grace that He has shown them. He later urges them to show grace in giving like the churches in northern Greece have shown, letting them know that God has so much more from His abundance that He can give them (2 Corinthians 9:6-8). We, as they, might sing:
Thank You, Lord, for loving me And thank You, Lord, for blessing me. Thank You, Lord, for making me whole And saving my soul.
Let us all with one accord Sing praises to Christ the Lord. Let us all unite in song To praise Him all day long.
Please reveal Your will for me So I can serve You for eternity. Use my life in every way, Take hold of it today.
Thank You, Lord, for loving me. Thank You, Lord, for saving my soul.
II. 2 Peter 1:3-4. Paul was thankful to God that He continued to give to the Corinthians and would sustain them until the end. Since God has already given us His Son, all else is small in comparison (Romans 8:32). He gives all we need for life and godliness through His great and precious promises so we might participate in the divine nature with Him and escape this corrupt world. Our response should be a song of thankfulness from our hearts:
For all that You’ve done, I will thank You. For all that You’re going to do. For all that You’ve promised, and all that You are Is all that has carried me through, Jesus, I thank You!
And I thank You, thank You, Lord. And I thank You, thank You, Lord.
Thank You for loving and setting me free, (how I) Thank You for giving Your life just for me. How I thank You, Jesus, I thank You, gratefully thank You. Thank You.
III. Romans 7:21-25. Paul was also thankful that Jesus was able to present them guiltless (Jude 24) because God is faithful. And so, we can also trust in Jesus’ work in the gospel for us (2 Corinthians 5:21). Access to the Tree of Life that was denied mankind to live forever (Genesis 3:22) is now opened to those who obey the gospel (Revelation 22:14). Lamenting his struggle of the spiritual war waged within himself that we all share, Paul gave thanks to Jesus for his salvation:
Is thankfulness the song of your heart? Do you reflect on all the ways that Jesus helps you and what He has given you? May you overflow with thanks to God for His grace that He’s already given You and love He’ll continue to shower you with.
We often think that Jesus using a Samaritan, whom the Jews despised, to show kindness to a Jewish man was just to answer the question, “And who is my neighbor?” but the ‘And’ indicates that this parable goes much deeper. There was a previous question posed by the lawyer: “Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?”
I. Luke 10:25-28. Since we discover later that the lawyer was seeking to justify himself, his use of ‘Teacher’ was perhaps a bit smug. He believed he knew it all, but Jesus, who knew all men’s hearts, answered both questions posed to Him in this passage as a great teacher would–with questions of His own. The puffed-up lawyer answered correctly, but Jesus said he did not fully understand the implications of what it meant to love God with ALL of his heart, soul, mind, and strength nor his neighbor as himself (Matthew 5:43-48). Love as Jesus loves, and he will live (John 15:12-13 and Romans 5:6-8).
II. Luke 10:29-35. Speaking to Jews, Jesus first tells of two among them–a priest and a Levite–who ought to treat well a fellow Jew who has been beaten and robbed. They don’t, however, as they pass by the poor man without taking any loving action to ease his distress. It is a Samaritan, one who was not in the covenant with God and lived in the land that was once part of Israel, who had compassion instead. More than just broadening their concept of who was their neighbor, Jesus challenged them on how love was defined. An enemy of the Jews took sacrificial actions to care for and serve one of their nation (James 2:14-17). Would they have done the same in return?
III. Luke 10:36-37. Then turning the lawyer’s question back to him, the Teacher makes his student apply the head knowledge of the Law, “Which of these three, do you think, proved to be a neighbor …?” Perhaps not able to say the name of his enemy’s race, the lawyer answers in honesty, “The one who showed him mercy.” Jesus’ command, then, to what the lawyer must do to inherit eternal life is a command to us as well, “You go, and do likewise.” Having found freedom in Christ, how should we use that freedom, then? Not to indulge in sin but rather to serve one another in love (Galatians 5:13-15).
Where must we start if not with praise
and gratitude for all good gifts
and all good saints whose faith,
strong motivation, work of love,
and patience in hope, show their election
as your chosen people? God are you,
the Father of all who answer your call,
of Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior,
the true and living God, who raised
your Son from death and liberates
from coming wrath. Like Paul’s long sentence
in Ephesians One — he cannot stop,
but lists your many benefits,
all spiritual blessings in Christ the Lord —
we, too, go on and on, remembering
your mercy renewed every morning.
Dear God of heaven and earth, who looks
upon his people from glory’s throne —
again this day send down your kindness:
redeem, restore, enlighten, refresh.
Your power we need, your deep compassion,
your very presence is our desire;
with you we find contented peace,
eternal purpose in every hour,
unquenchable joy in deepest pain.
We turn to you, Creator of stars
and molecules, of body and soul —
all else we gladly leave behind.
Father, I fear to witness the judgment of man.
It starts with us. You shall call to account
What we have done with the treasure of the gospel.
Basically, we’ve sat on it. With notable exceptions,
We created isolated kingdoms, a people
For our own pleasure, doing what suits us.
If Israel paid dearly for its disobedience,
For insubordination, worship of idols,
Abandonment of the one true God, then how
Much more shall we, the blood-bought Church of Christ,
Stand guilty for surrendering our gospel task?
O God, I and my people have grievously sinned.
Be merciful, O Lord, and raise up a nation
That carries your heart, desires your sovereign will
Be done and all be drawn to you in love.
Your name will be exalted. Woe to us
Who fail in the one thing we have to do.
For ’tis a fearful thing to fall in the hands
Of the living God for whom failure is not an option.
In David LaChapelle’s painting, “Last Supper,” Jesus is surrounded by the sinners of today, yet Romans 5:6-8 tells us that “while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” Thus in the cross we see God’s love shown through His benevolence.
I. Colossians 2:13-14. We were dead in our sin, but God made us alive with Christ. Through His work on the cross, we can see His benevolence through His forgiveness and justice. While it is easy to see love in not counting our sins against us, it is harder to see love in Jesus dying to pay for our sin.
II. Hebrews 4:14-16. Mercy is not getting what we do deserve, and grace is getting what we don’t deserve. Because of God’s benevolence in the form of His Son on the cross, we don’t have to be eternally punished for our sin and will spend eternity in heaven with Jesus instead (Romans 3:21-26).
III. Ephesians 2:1-5. We who have received God’s benevolence must, in turn, show benevolence to others. This is illustrated well in Jesus’ parable of Matthew 18:21-35 in the story of the debtor, forgiven of his debt, who wouldn’t forgive another of the debt owed to him.
God’s love, as shown through Jesus’ redemptive work on the cross, brings us to another table, one laid out for the wedding supper of the Lamb. We are spiritual beggars, knowing we are not worthy of a scrap from the King of King’s table, yet we find ourselves in robes washed clean and seated at the table, feasting for all eternity.
The days are dark, the time of the devil;
But the Light will break, the Lord descend,
The blessed truth will blind the unrighteous
And lead the saints to live with God —
Oh, come, Lord Jesus — call us home —
We groan in spirit, the grim existence
On earth is not for us, your people!
Your strength sustain our way, O God —
Your mercy be ours for many days.
God of lights and souls,
lift us up to heaven,
raise us by your Spirit,
liven us for your presence,
give us peace within,
joy that bubbles over,
purpose of life and action.
Lord of man and beast,
look upon your people,
save us in your mercy,
shelter us in your shadow,
bless and make us blameless,
yours are power and glory,
ever and ever, amen.
Surround me with your rousing love,
Awaken me from this worldly slumber;
Draw me not to dreams of greatness,
Save from Satan’s lies and sin;
Give me, Lord, your garb of glory,
A double portion, to deaden desire
For the pride of life—impress in me,
Upon my soul, the powers invisible—
Surrender your servant to mercy’s song.
O Savior! Work in me your righteousness,
And let me welcome suffering in my soul,
My time to learn my weakness, find your strength,
And grow in purity and holiness. Continue reading “This Single Pearl”