Promise -> Motivation -> Means

Promise:
“Turn to me and be saved,
all the ends of the earth!
For I am God, and there is no other.
By myself I have sworn;
from my mouth has gone out in righteousness
a word that shall not return:
‘To me every knee shall bow,
every tongue shall swear allegiance.’
(Isaiah 45:22-23 ESV)

Motivation:
“For my name's sake I defer my anger,
for the sake of my praise I restrain it for you,
that I may not cut you off.
Behold, I have refined you, but not as silver;
I have tried you in the furnace of affliction.
For my own sake, for my own sake, I do it,
for how should my name be profaned?
My glory I will not give to another.
(Isaiah 48:9-11 ESV)

Means:
Therefore I will divide him a portion with the many,
and he shall divide the spoil with the strong,
because he poured out his soul to death
and was numbered with the transgressors;
yet he bore the sin of many,
and makes intercession for the transgressors.
(Isaiah 53:12 ESV)

Good News.

Boom

Law -> "Indeed, under the law almost everything is purified with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sins." Hebrews 9:22

Grace -> "[Christ] entered once for all into the holy places, not by means of the blood of goats and calves but by means of his own blood, thus securing an eternal redemption." Hebrews 9:12

Result -> "For by a single offering he has perfected for all time those who are being sanctified...I will remember their sins and their lawless deeds no more." Hebrews 10:14&17

Sick-Tight huh?

Self-Protection vs. Self-Sacrifice

I just finished reading my first book of the summer, Tullian Tchividjian's "Unfashionable." It went a different direction than I thought it would, but all in all, I really enjoyed reading it. I'd definitely give it my recommendation. Though there are many take-aways from a book like this, one theme that I really enjoyed was what Pastor Tullian described as "Self-Protection" vs. "Self-Sacrifice."

The main idea and motivation for this is the Gospel. Simple enough, right? Tchividjian argues that because of the Gospel and the work Jesus has done for sinners, Christians are freed from self-protection and freed for self-sacrifice.

First, no longer must Christians toil and strain for approval from the world, our parents, our friends, our co-workers, our church, and even our God! The beauty of the Gospel is that Christ secured for us a perfect standing before God the Father because of the cross. Our identity is no longer defined by what we do or don't do. Paul put it this way in his letter to the Galatian church, "I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me." (Gal. 2:20 ESV) Christian, it is no longer your deeds that define you, it is the PERFECT righteousness of Christ. No longer do you need to protect your identity because it is already secured before the Father.

Second, in light of our objectively defined right-standing before God, we are freed to self-sacrifice for others. Our biggest problem is solved in Christ.

Think about how freeing this is. Having received all the kindness and tender-heartedness and forgiveness we need from God, we become free to give to others without risk, because our deepest needs have already been fully met in Christ. "Unfashionable" pg. 148

We have every spiritual blessing! Our biggest need is sufficiently and completely satisfied in Christ. Therefore, we are free to give to everything we have because we have everything we really need. Because of the Gospel, we are able sacrifice time, money, and energy radically because we are no longer defined by them. Giving becomes a privilege instead of a burden when the Gospel invades our lives. In the same way someone who is rich can give much or what they have, those who are infinitely rich in Christ can give everything they have.

So what will this look like for you? Because of how well you've been served by Christ, how will you serve others? Because of how much grace you've been given by God, how much grace will you give to your family and friends? Because you are infinitely rich in Jesus, how will you spend and invest your money?

What power the Gospel provides in our lives!!!

The Source of Joy

From what do you derive happiness, optimism, or positive thinking? There is little doubt that optimism is a good thing. After all, it is contagious, empowering, and generally enjoyable to be around. However, the question remains-- what makes you feel this way or how does this come about?

I should state two rather large qualifiers initially. This is speaking to day-to-day optimism and is separate from situations that can evoke extreme negative emotions such as death, loss of job, etc. Though the truths here may speak into situations like these, it is generally ill-advised to throw “feel-gooderies” at someone who is in intense emotional turmoil. Also of note, this is only the case for those who follow Jesus Christ.

Many, including myself, tend to seek optimism for the sake of being happy and empowering others. I don't think this is a bad thing; however, I would argue that this should be the outcome of a positive point of view and not its source. When making people happy is my ultimate goal, there are usually seedlings of people-pleasing and pride behind the the positive facade. There must be a different starting point.

In the midst of multiple contending motivations, I hold that the Gospel is the purest source of happiness or optimism. What the world says is “Be happy because that is how you're supposed to be. It's the popular thing to do!” What the Gospel says is “The biggest problem in your life, namely your sin, is solved. You are guaranteed an eternity with the Creator of the universe. Therefore, delight in this reality.” What relief the Gospel provides! How can this news not evoke positivity!?

The Gospel in its entirity is something that is intended to evoke positive emotions. After all, it is, by definition, good news. It is the news that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. (Romans 5:8) It is the news that God made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God. (2 Corinthians 5:21) It is the news that we have now been reconciled in His body of flesh by His death, in order to present us holy and blameless before Him. (Colossians 1:22) How difficult would it be to look at those three truths and say, “Bummer, woe is me!”?

Because of the paragraph above, Christians have a great deal of reason to have a life marked with happiness. What the Gospel is says to you and I is this: “You deserve nothing but the wrath of God for your sin. You should suffer eternally because your opposition to the Father. However, BECAUSE HE LOVES YOU, you are free from the penalty of sin. Moreover, you are righteous and without sin because of the work of Jesus Christ. You are free to enjoy Him and His creation because you no longer have to worry about the penalty of sin any longer!” (See Col. 2:13-14, Romans 6:23, Hebrews 10)

How can I feel entitled to anything? Or how can I be upset when things don't go my way? I deserve worse! I deserve hell and separation from God! Instead, I get God... for free! What joy is found in the fact that God pardons sinners.

So here is the kicker. What is the most challenging part of living in light of these truths? Remembering them. It seems like this application would be easy. I mean, it's the best news in the world, right? However, remembering the freedom we have in the Gospel in the midst of a traffic jam, stubbed toe, or long work shift can prove to be challenging. Though I am far from being an expert in this, I have a couple (fairly straightforward) suggestions.

1. Memorize the verses cited in this article

2. Pray often that God would remind you of these truths

Stressed about anything???

Are you stressed about something in your life?

If yes, read:
http://thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/tullian/2011/03/18/the-gospel-everyday-2/

If not, read:
http://thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/tullian/2011/03/18/the-gospel-everyday-2/

An Encouragement to Prayer

The realization that faith is the gift of God- not the result of the persuasion of the evangelist (and I use that term to refer to anyone who shares the gospel with another person)- should encourage us to pray with confidence. It means that no one, however hardened he or she may be, is beyond the regenerating, life-creating work of the Holy Spirit.

I think of some for whose salvation I pray regularly. One is stridently opposed to the gospel, wanting nothing to do with God. Another is happily indifferent, seeing no need of a Savior because he is a good, moral person. Others, at this point in our relationships, would be highly insulted to be told they need a Savior because, after all, they are both moral and religious. What hope is there for these people? It lies only in the sovereign, mysterious work of the Holy Spirit. And I pray regularly that He will work in the hearts of these people through the gospel message to create the faith they must have to believe in Christ.

-Jerry Bridges in "The Gospel for Real Life"

A Present Reality

Taken from Jerry Bridges' The Gospel for Real Life

"Unfortunately, many believers do not live as if justification is a permanent, abiding state. They have divorced their hope of eternal life in heaven from their relationship with God today. They think as if they will "put on" Christ's robe of righteousness at death. Meanwhile, in this life they draw their sense of God's acceptance from their most recent performance of Christian duties or their avoidance of certain sins. Their "robe of righteousness" for daily living is not that which they have from Christ, but one that they have stitched together by their own performance. They do not live in the here and now as if they are righteous in the sight of God solely because they have the righteousness of Christ...."

Guilty...

Pray

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5koVKBGrmY8&feature=player_embedded

Take a couple minutes today and pray for a country where it is illegal to convert to Christianity...