Easter Devotional - Day 19
"God raised us from death to life with Christ Jesus, and he has given us a place beside Christ in heaven. God did this so that in the future world he could show how truly good and kind he is to us because of what Christ Jesus has done. You were saved by faith in God, who treats us much better than we deserve. This is God's gift to you, and not anything you have done on your own." Ephesians 2:6-8
Salvation has nothing to do with how good and important we are. It is all about how gracious, good, kind, and generous God is. Salvation concerns how God became an offering in Christ Jesus to reconcile us with God. It has nothing to do with our deserving. It has nothing to do with being chosen above others. In reality, it has very little, if anything, to do with us. It is about God.
The Jews had trouble with this concept. They were, after all, the chosen people. They were better than those worthless, idolatrous Gentile nations. They were clean and pure from observing all the dictates of the Mosaic Law, as well as being descendants of Abraham. They had a very high idea of themselves and struggled with this gospel of grace and faith which dashed aside all their self-importance. They preferred the idea of earning a place at the Messianic table. Earning a place was, after all, a question about status, standing, and the measure of the righteousness they had earned for being faithful to God. If salvation were in actuality a question of grace, their self-importance would be brushed aside like the filthy rags of human righteousness spoken of by Isaiah.
They did not like the idea of grace. Grace made their efforts as earning God's favor worthless. Grace made their achievements of no account. Grace meant that they were no better than the filthy scum of society that drunkenly paraded around the square asking or handouts. They were respectable. They had a place in society. They were a chosen people, a people of honor, a people who commanded respect for their earnest zeal in following the letter of the Mosaic Law and the traditions of their elders. They were not about to give up on all that. It would mean breaking with their heritage, traditions, and casting doubt on their ancestors who had not understood grace.
There is more to the story here, however, than the pride of the Jews. Paul's story is that though we may have problems with accepting grace due to our pride, the amazing story in Christ Jesus is God's love and acceptance of all. Beyond the fact of God's love and grace, the point of being offered grace and reconciliation is that we might have a live alongside Jesus Christ in eternity with God.
The messianic banquet the Jews anticipated is not Paul's focus. It was a symbol, but its focus was better understood as our interaction and fellowship with God in Christ Jesus. At the eternal banquet hall of heaven, it is our relationship with God in Christ which matters. Communion and fellowship with the Almighty define the very essence of heaven and the purpose of the gospel of grace. Too long have we focused on salvation and heaven as entering a retirement community. It is high time to invest in our relationship with God. That is, after all, the point of salvation and grace. It is no longer about our standing, status, or prestige, but about fellowship with the Almighty that will last for eternity under God's grace.
Consider how you are fellowshipping with God and what that fellowship should look like.
"Lord, help me to focus on the purpose of your grace and less on questions of self-worth."
—©Copyright 2009 Christopher B. Harbin
http://www.sermonsearch.com/contributors/104427/
Salvation has nothing to do with how good and important we are. It is all about how gracious, good, kind, and generous God is. Salvation concerns how God became an offering in Christ Jesus to reconcile us with God. It has nothing to do with our deserving. It has nothing to do with being chosen above others. In reality, it has very little, if anything, to do with us. It is about God.
The Jews had trouble with this concept. They were, after all, the chosen people. They were better than those worthless, idolatrous Gentile nations. They were clean and pure from observing all the dictates of the Mosaic Law, as well as being descendants of Abraham. They had a very high idea of themselves and struggled with this gospel of grace and faith which dashed aside all their self-importance. They preferred the idea of earning a place at the Messianic table. Earning a place was, after all, a question about status, standing, and the measure of the righteousness they had earned for being faithful to God. If salvation were in actuality a question of grace, their self-importance would be brushed aside like the filthy rags of human righteousness spoken of by Isaiah.
They did not like the idea of grace. Grace made their efforts as earning God's favor worthless. Grace made their achievements of no account. Grace meant that they were no better than the filthy scum of society that drunkenly paraded around the square asking or handouts. They were respectable. They had a place in society. They were a chosen people, a people of honor, a people who commanded respect for their earnest zeal in following the letter of the Mosaic Law and the traditions of their elders. They were not about to give up on all that. It would mean breaking with their heritage, traditions, and casting doubt on their ancestors who had not understood grace.
There is more to the story here, however, than the pride of the Jews. Paul's story is that though we may have problems with accepting grace due to our pride, the amazing story in Christ Jesus is God's love and acceptance of all. Beyond the fact of God's love and grace, the point of being offered grace and reconciliation is that we might have a live alongside Jesus Christ in eternity with God.
The messianic banquet the Jews anticipated is not Paul's focus. It was a symbol, but its focus was better understood as our interaction and fellowship with God in Christ Jesus. At the eternal banquet hall of heaven, it is our relationship with God in Christ which matters. Communion and fellowship with the Almighty define the very essence of heaven and the purpose of the gospel of grace. Too long have we focused on salvation and heaven as entering a retirement community. It is high time to invest in our relationship with God. That is, after all, the point of salvation and grace. It is no longer about our standing, status, or prestige, but about fellowship with the Almighty that will last for eternity under God's grace.
Consider how you are fellowshipping with God and what that fellowship should look like.
"Lord, help me to focus on the purpose of your grace and less on questions of self-worth."
—©Copyright 2009 Christopher B. Harbin
http://www.sermonsearch.com/contributors/104427/
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