"All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation; that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation. Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.
Working together with him, then, we appeal to you not to receive the grace of God in vain. For he says, “In a favorable time I listened to you,and in a day of salvation I have helped you.”
Behold, now is the favorable time; behold, now is the day of salvation. We put no obstacle in anyone's way, so that no fault may be found with our ministry, but as servants of God we commend ourselves in every way..." 2 Cor 5:18 – 6:4, ESV
Have you lost the AWE of the gospel? Are you enraptured with its beauty, blinded by its glory, soaking in its wonder? The gospel is not just to “get in” the family of God; the gospel is how we live each day. It’s our hope and our theme, a delight and treasure, to the praise of God’s grace. The gospel captivates us and kills us; thrills our soul and restructures our life.
In the above text we see key points of the gospel.
Today is your day for the gospel: revisited.
1. From God. (5:18a). The very first thing we see is that the gospel is from God, not
man! It is God's gospel. Isn't it wonderful that God initiates this gospel? It doesn't
depend on us trying to get to God! When Adam and Eve sinned in Genesis 3, they
didn't go looking for a way to get back to God; they HID themselves from God. No one
seeks God (Rom 3:11), but praise God he seeks us!
"...redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood." Rom 3:24b-25a
2. Through Christ. (5:18b) The next thing we see in our text about the gospel is that it is in Christ! There is no other way! (Jn 14:6)
"And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved." Acts 4:12
3. Reconciliation. (5:18-21). Over and over again we see the word ‘reconciled’ or a form of it. The gospel is about being reconciled to God! (Not getting wealthy, time management, 41 easy steps to a successful life)
"And you, who once were alienated and hostile in mind, doing evil deeds, he has now reconciled in his body of flesh by his death, in order to present you holy and blameless and above reproach before him, if indeed you continue in the faith" Col 1:21-23a
4. Forgiveness of Sins. (5:19b) Good news: in Christ the believer's sins are forgiven! When we consider the holiness and greatness and eternal worth of God, and how that just one sin is treacherous rebellion, an attempt to dethrone a holy and infinite God (and therefore worthy of infinite punishment in hell), how glorious is the truth of forgiveness of sins!!
"for this is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins." Mat 26:28
5. Substitutionary Atonement. (5:21) He took our place! God treated Christ as if he had committed our sins. Think of the weight of this; the eternally existing, holy and sinless Christ at the cross felt the weight of our abominations, and the condemnation and wrath of God!
"Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us—for it is written, 'Cursed is everyone who is hanged on a tree'" Gal 3:13
6. Justification. (5:21b). The other side of substitutionary atonement. We not only had our sins placed on Christ, but God placed Christ’s righteousness on us!!! Martin Luther called this the Wonderful Exchange.
"...the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction: for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus." Rom 3:22-24
Caught up in the glory of the gospel yet? What an awesome thing to chew on the depths of God's grace in the gospel! But the gospel not only captivates us; it commands us! The gospel brings change to us.
Our Mission in the Gospel (18b, 19b, 20a, 6:1a).
Those who SEE this glorious gospel are recruited by it! We are even called Ambassadors for Christ. What an honor: working with Christ, joining him in his mission. Have you received as your life purpose and one great goal the joining with Christ in his mission in the earth?
The Urgency of the Gospel (20b, 6:1b-2). Our text says that now is the day of salvation. The Gospel demands immediate obedience.
Restructuring Our Lives For the Gospel (6:3-10).
Christ comes in to be in charge. He comes in to make changes! Paul suffered all things for the elect; many professing Christians today won’t suffer the smallest hindrance, but will give up on Christ and his beloved church for any reason ("someone at church offended me").
In Chapter 6 of our text (verses 3-10) Paul gives a long list of how he shows his restructured life for the gospel’s sake. Afflictions. Beatings. Imprisonments.
Have you restructured EVERYTHING around the gospel of Christ? Are you so smitten by the beauty and majesty of the gospel that you will live in obedience to Christ, no matter what the cost?
When I talk about restructuring our lives around the gospel, I'm not giving a "higher" calling for those who want to be a super-saint. I'm really just talking about repentance - which God commands all men everywhere to do (Acts 17:30). Restructuring our lives around the gospel is the call of Jesus; it is what he demands of the world!
"For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake and the gospel's will save it." Mark 8:35
" But I do not account my life of any value nor as precious to myself, if only I may finish my course and the ministry that I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of the grace of God." Acts 20:24
"Therefore I endure everything for the sake of the elect, that they also may obtain the salvation that is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory" 2 Tim 2:10
The Test of the Gospel (1b). “We appeal to you not to receive the grace of God in vain.”
If we claim to believe the gospel and to have been saved by the gospel, but we won’t restructure our lives around the gospel or suffer for the gospel, we have received “the grace of God in vain” (prove ourselves false converts, not real). In chapter 13, verse 5 Paul tells us to “examine” ourselves.
Behold the glory of the gospel! Let Christ crucified be your supreme delight and treasure! Worship him for his death, burial and resurrection, and surrender all to JOIN HIM in believing the gospel, living the gospel, proclaiming the gospel. The gospel has come to us from God. Now everything must change. Restructure everything around it, for his glory!!
Tuesday, March 24, 2009
Tuesday, March 17, 2009
Your Personal Sin Affects Your Local Church
Don't you love the letters to the seven local churches from Jesus in the book of Revelation (chapters 2 - 3)? That whole scene thrills me. John saw Jesus walking in the midst of seven lampstands, which are the local churches! And in his hand he was holding seven stars, which are the angels of the seven churches (angel = messenger, possibly pastors; 1:20). Jesus loves his local churches, scattered over the earth, which together form his one people - the church.
In studying these letters recently something grabbed my attention that I never noticed before. Jesus addresses each local church as a whole, yet notices individual sins and righteousness within that church.
Let me explain. Jesus expresses his pleasure or displeasure with each local church based on their works and faithfulness (or lack thereof) to him. He speaks to each church as a whole. But there are a few instances where he reprimands the entire church for the sins of a few people within that church! Don't believe me? Look at these words to the church in Pergamum:
"But I have a few things against you (the church as a whole): you have some there who hold the teaching of Balaam...So also you have some who hold the teaching of the Nicolaitans" (2:14-15).
Do you see my point? Jesus Christ takes the time to write a letter to a local church, which he views as a unit. And he reprimands the entire local church because "you have some" who believe false teaching! Do you feel the weight of that? What kind of mail would we personally cause our local church to receive from Jesus?
Other examples:
The church in Thyatira - "But I have this against you, that you tolerate that woman Jezebel...But to the rest of you in Thyatira, who do not hold this teaching...hold fast" (2:20, 24, 25). First Jesus comes against the entire church for tolerating Jezebel's sins in her midst. But then he acknowledges that some do not hold to her teaching. Again you have the "you" (whole church) and the "some" (or in this case, "the rest of you").
The church in Sardis - "You are dead...I have not found your works complete in the sight of my God...Yet you have still a few names in Sardis, people who have not soiled their garments" (3:1b, 2b, 4). The church is addressed as a whole, and declared dead. Then Jesus points out that there are a few names in them who aren't like the others.
Wow. I do not want Jesus to write a letter to my local church and speak this way to the whole church because of my personal sins! Do we realize how our sins affect the local church to which we are connected? And on the other hand, do we understand the encouragement from Jesus we can receive when we hold fast to the truth even in the midst of a local church filled with people who are in sin?
Of course, all of this affirms the New Testament pattern and call for believers to connect themselves together in local churches, where they are committed to one another, meet together regularly, and hold each other accountable. When John wrote these letters and sent them to the seven churches, one had to be in the assemblies to even read the mail! In our day you don't have to be connected to the church to read the Bible; An individual can pick up the church's mail at the Christian bookstore, Wal-Mart, or even some gas stations. There is an individualistic emphasis in our day. But the Bible is written to a corporate, connected people; FOR a corporate, connected people.
Oh, the beauty of the way God has set this up! Loving church discipline can correct these instances in the church of "some" believing false teaching or walking in sin. Paul criticized the church at Corinth for tolerating the sin of one believer (1 Cor 5) just as Jesus came down on the whole church at Thyatira for tolerating Jezebel and her teachings. Jesus takes church seriously! He shed his blood to wash his bride clean. And through the Holy Spirit he continues to sanctify her by the washing of water with the word. "Those whom I love, I reprove and discipline, so be zealous and repent" (3:19, to the church at Laodicea).
Holiness in the church is important! Personal, individual holiness in the lives of local church members is important! Let us not live in such a way as to bring sin-blasting mail from Jesus to our local church! But by his grace, let us walk in holiness, knowing that this will not go unnoticed by our Lord Jesus, who is walking in the midst of the churches.
In studying these letters recently something grabbed my attention that I never noticed before. Jesus addresses each local church as a whole, yet notices individual sins and righteousness within that church.
Let me explain. Jesus expresses his pleasure or displeasure with each local church based on their works and faithfulness (or lack thereof) to him. He speaks to each church as a whole. But there are a few instances where he reprimands the entire church for the sins of a few people within that church! Don't believe me? Look at these words to the church in Pergamum:
"But I have a few things against you (the church as a whole): you have some there who hold the teaching of Balaam...So also you have some who hold the teaching of the Nicolaitans" (2:14-15).
Do you see my point? Jesus Christ takes the time to write a letter to a local church, which he views as a unit. And he reprimands the entire local church because "you have some" who believe false teaching! Do you feel the weight of that? What kind of mail would we personally cause our local church to receive from Jesus?
Other examples:
The church in Thyatira - "But I have this against you, that you tolerate that woman Jezebel...But to the rest of you in Thyatira, who do not hold this teaching...hold fast" (2:20, 24, 25). First Jesus comes against the entire church for tolerating Jezebel's sins in her midst. But then he acknowledges that some do not hold to her teaching. Again you have the "you" (whole church) and the "some" (or in this case, "the rest of you").
The church in Sardis - "You are dead...I have not found your works complete in the sight of my God...Yet you have still a few names in Sardis, people who have not soiled their garments" (3:1b, 2b, 4). The church is addressed as a whole, and declared dead. Then Jesus points out that there are a few names in them who aren't like the others.
Wow. I do not want Jesus to write a letter to my local church and speak this way to the whole church because of my personal sins! Do we realize how our sins affect the local church to which we are connected? And on the other hand, do we understand the encouragement from Jesus we can receive when we hold fast to the truth even in the midst of a local church filled with people who are in sin?
Of course, all of this affirms the New Testament pattern and call for believers to connect themselves together in local churches, where they are committed to one another, meet together regularly, and hold each other accountable. When John wrote these letters and sent them to the seven churches, one had to be in the assemblies to even read the mail! In our day you don't have to be connected to the church to read the Bible; An individual can pick up the church's mail at the Christian bookstore, Wal-Mart, or even some gas stations. There is an individualistic emphasis in our day. But the Bible is written to a corporate, connected people; FOR a corporate, connected people.
Oh, the beauty of the way God has set this up! Loving church discipline can correct these instances in the church of "some" believing false teaching or walking in sin. Paul criticized the church at Corinth for tolerating the sin of one believer (1 Cor 5) just as Jesus came down on the whole church at Thyatira for tolerating Jezebel and her teachings. Jesus takes church seriously! He shed his blood to wash his bride clean. And through the Holy Spirit he continues to sanctify her by the washing of water with the word. "Those whom I love, I reprove and discipline, so be zealous and repent" (3:19, to the church at Laodicea).
Holiness in the church is important! Personal, individual holiness in the lives of local church members is important! Let us not live in such a way as to bring sin-blasting mail from Jesus to our local church! But by his grace, let us walk in holiness, knowing that this will not go unnoticed by our Lord Jesus, who is walking in the midst of the churches.
Wednesday, March 4, 2009
That Glorious Day is Coming!
I found this hymn in Wayne Grudem's Systematic Theology.
It's about the day we receive our glorified bodies.
That glorious day is coming, brothers and sisters!
Are you ready?!!!
Run the race to win, by faith in Christ. Hallelujah!!
Ten Thousand Times Ten Thousand
Ten thousand times ten thousand in sparkling raiment bright
the armies of the ransomed saints throng up the steeps of light
'tis finished, all is finished, their fight with death and sin
fling open wide the golden gates, and let the victors in.
what rush of alleluias fills all the earth and sky!
what ringing of a thousand harps bespeaks the triumph nigh!
o day, for which creation and all its tribes were made
o joy, for all its former woes a thousand-fold repaid!
o then what raptured greetings on Canaan's happy shore
what knitting severed friendships up where partings are no more
then eyes with joy shall sparkle, that brimmed with tears of late
orphans no longer fatherless, nor widows desolate.
bring near thy great salvation, thou Lamb for sinners slain
fill up the role of thine elect, then take thy pow'r and reign
appear, desire of nations, thine exiles long for home
show in the heav'n thy promised sign; thou Prince and Savior,
Come!
By Henry Alford, 1867 (New Testament professor at Cambridge University, England, and one of the greatest Greek scholars of the 19th century). Grudem's, page 839.
It's about the day we receive our glorified bodies.
That glorious day is coming, brothers and sisters!
Are you ready?!!!
Run the race to win, by faith in Christ. Hallelujah!!
Ten Thousand Times Ten Thousand
Ten thousand times ten thousand in sparkling raiment bright
the armies of the ransomed saints throng up the steeps of light
'tis finished, all is finished, their fight with death and sin
fling open wide the golden gates, and let the victors in.
what rush of alleluias fills all the earth and sky!
what ringing of a thousand harps bespeaks the triumph nigh!
o day, for which creation and all its tribes were made
o joy, for all its former woes a thousand-fold repaid!
o then what raptured greetings on Canaan's happy shore
what knitting severed friendships up where partings are no more
then eyes with joy shall sparkle, that brimmed with tears of late
orphans no longer fatherless, nor widows desolate.
bring near thy great salvation, thou Lamb for sinners slain
fill up the role of thine elect, then take thy pow'r and reign
appear, desire of nations, thine exiles long for home
show in the heav'n thy promised sign; thou Prince and Savior,
Come!
By Henry Alford, 1867 (New Testament professor at Cambridge University, England, and one of the greatest Greek scholars of the 19th century). Grudem's, page 839.
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