Romans 8:15
Free to be sons, not slaves.
Wesley noted there were three spiritual states a person can be in: the natural (no fear or love of God), the legal (under the law without love for God), those that loved God. Looking at Romans, we see these three spiritual conditions.
I. What spiritual conditions are there?
A. There are people who are “amiss.” (The word “sin” originally was an archery term that meant to “miss the mark.”) [Romans 3:10 – 18]
1. Paul runs many verses from the Old Testament together to paint a picture of how bad we actually are...
a. We are not righteous in our own efforts.
b. We do not understand or seek God on God’s terms. (Which is why we have so many versions of “god” in this world.)
c. We are on the broad path leading to destruction and not the narrow path.
“Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. [14] But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.” [Matthew 7:13 – 14]
2. The natural state of humanity is “lost.”
a. No fear or love of God.
b. No desire for spiritual things, no concept of holiness.
c. It is at rest because there is no sense of danger and is not troubled by sin.
d. Life is measured externally: an illusion of happiness and liberty.
***** The fact is that every human is polluted by the natural state of sin. It is our “human nature.” *****
B. There are people who are “ambivalent.” (Having mixed feelings or contradictory ideas about something or someone. – Oxford) [Romans 7:14 – 25]
1. The progression of Paul’s argument, and the use of the first person “I” indicates this can be the conflicted state believers.
a. Want to do good... but fail.
b. In fact, Paul recognizes “sin” as a spiritual law “living in me that does it.”
c. Sin, as a spiritual law wages war in his mind and makes him a “slave” and a “prisoner.”
d. He sees “sin” as a separate body, one that is dead and decaying, strapped to him.
2. Self-effort, trained by the law (list of “do this not that”) will only get us so far.
a. We can see God as “loving” and “merciful” but “angry” at our failures.
b. We can understand there is right and wrong, and struggle with it.
c. We can become frustrated because we never seem to be good enough...
Symptom: Thinking good things “reward” are from God and bad things are “punishment” from God.
(Ill.) Woman TV evangelist preaching on getting what you want from God... if you don’t get it then “it is because you are not ready for it yet.” She told the story of wanting a new fur coat, asking God. Friend came over and showed her a new fur coat that just happened to show up unexplained on her door step. She said, “I thought the angel had delivered it to the wrong house.”
[Context: This was aired the day before the earthquake in Haiti. I dare you to go to Haiti, with a cold bottle of water in your hand and tell someone who is suffering with thirst, the reason they do not have a cold bottle of water in their hand is “because you are not ready for it yet.”]
***** There are two problems here. First, we measure ourselves against someone else (the Bible says that person is a fool). Second, sin and repentance comes in cycles. *****
C. There are people who are “adopted.” [Romans 8:15 – 17]
1. Children KNOW beyond any doubt their relationship.
a. The key for the believer is the Spirit... Holy Spirit.
b. Children do not have to make an effort to maintain relationship of being the child.
2. Children LOVE.
a. It’s not a matter of effort, it is a matter love (relationship) that motivates.
b. Love generates obedience.
II. What are the honest problems we have?
A. We think religion is about our effort.
1. We create ritual that help us focus or attention. They are good unless they distract us from the reality.
2. We turn the Bible into a list of “do this not that.” The Bible makes many moral demands on us. There are many “do this not that” requirements... many things please God... many things displease God. They are good unless we replace the doing with genuine relationship.
3. Our effort will only take us so far. “Not enough.”
B. We think we can measure relationship in concrete terms.
1. Imagine if a parent starts a chart of bad things a child does with a line. When the child reaches that line, then we buy them a bus ticket and wish them luck. NOT GOING TO HAPPEN!
2. Yes, there are consequences to our actions... but grace is not an accountant that weighs things against one another.
C. We think that performance creates relationship.
1. Some people are givers, others are takers... but keeping track of points is deadly to a relationship.
2. Why? Because we *always* give ourselves massive bonus points and extra credit. We tend to give others massive negative points they can never make up.
3. This reasoning is backwards... and possibly abusive.
III. What is the reality?
A. Here is what we know from the Bible:
1. If you are outside God’s grace when you die you are eternally separated from God...
2. If you are convicted by God’s grace, and feel uncomfortable about your spiritual destiny; it means God is awakening you. You must chose because the window of opportunity is limited.
3. If you conflicted after you have chosen to accept God’s grace, it means you will struggle with self-effort and cycle between failure and repentance.
4. If you have, through the Spirit of God, accepted your adoption by God’s grace you will be in love with God.
IV. How do you make the transition?
A. To move from being “amiss” to becoming a child of God, you must believe.
“and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.” [Romans 3:24]
1. Believe means you accept that you can be redeemed (saved) ONLY through Jesus.
2. The issue is trust. Do you trust God’s grace or do you trust your own effort, a church, a ritual?
B. To move from being “ambivalent” to becoming a child of God, you must fail.
“Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, [2] because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death.” [Romans 8:1 – 2]
1. The failure of your “self” must be so complete you have no choice but to be dependent on Christ Jesus.
2. While the “law of sin and death” may be active, God has intervened with the “law of the Spirit of life.”
C. To be “adopted,” you must trust the Spirit of God, who produces the condition of adoption.
“For if you live according to the sinful nature, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live, [14] because those who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God.” [Romans 8:13 – 14]
1. What’s this going to look like?
a. We trust only on God’s mercy given to us through Jesus Christ.
b. The reign of sin is broken, we not only struggle against sin but we win.
c. We keep in step with the Spirit of God.
d. We live in joy.
e. We love.
“The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love.” [Galatians 5:6b]
Showing posts with label spiritual. Show all posts
Showing posts with label spiritual. Show all posts
Saturday, February 20, 2010
Sunday, April 12, 2009
The day everything changed
1 Corinthians 15:1 – 22
“The day everything changed”
The resurrection of Jesus is THE single most important event… ever. The resurrection proved who Jesus is, it provided focus for the disciples’ preaching, it is the power of God to transform daily life.
I. Why is the resurrection so influential?
A. The resurrection’s impact.
1. PAST: as an historical event it shows us God did something great.
“And who through the Spirit of holiness was declared with power to be the Son of God by his resurrection from the dead: Jesus Christ our Lord.” [Romans 1:4]
2. PRESENT: the power is available for us today.
“I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death.” [Philippians 3:10]
3. FUTURE: God will do something greater in the future!
“So will it be with the resurrection of the dead. The body that is sown is perishable, it is raised imperishable.” [1 Corinthians 15:42]
B. The resurrection’s importance.
1. The resurrection is the foundational Christian belief.
2. The resurrection is the ultimate source of hope.
3. The resurrection is the guarantee for power in our current life and our future resurrection.
II. Why is the resurrection so critical?
A. If no resurrection then faith is useless.
“And if Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith.” [v 14]
1. The resurrection separates Christianity from every other religion. You can go to their founders’ occupied graves.
2. Christianity celebrates life, not death.
B. If no resurrection then we are false witnesses.
“More than that, we are then found to be false witnesses about God, for we have testified about God that he raised Christ from the dead.” [v 15]
1. The core of being a follower of Jesus is to continue the witness.
2. The witness is of the living Jesus.
C. If no resurrection then there is no salvation.
“And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins.” [v 17]
1. “Faith” as a general thing is pointless. People can believe in anything but that does not make it real.
2. “Faith” must be specific and life changing for it to have any effect. Otherwise it is “futile.”
D. If no resurrection the “lost” is forever.
“Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ are lost.” [v 18]
1. “Lost” is a technical word that means separated from God, like a lost sheep.
2. The state of being “lost” is permanent unless something more powerful than death intervenes… the resurrection!
E. If no resurrection then we are pitiful.
“If only for this life we have hope in Christ, we are to be pitied more than all men.” [v 19]
1. Without the reality of what is promised then everything is empty.
2. So Christians would deserve contempt for holding to empty myths.
III. How can we be so sure?
A. Scripture. (Prophecy: Predicted before it happened.)
“For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, [4] that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures.” [vv 3 – 4]
B. Eye witnesses. (Legal “proof”)
“… He appeared to Peter, and then to the Twelve. [6] After that, he appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers at the same time, most of whom are still living, though some have fallen asleep. [7] Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles.” [vv 5 – 7]
C. Paul. (Personal experience)
“And last of all he appeared to me also, as to one abnormally born.” [v 8]
IV. What should be our response?
A. Hope. (NOT wishful thinking… confident expectation.)
“But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. [21] For since death came through a man, the resurrection of the dead comes also through a man.” [vv 20 – 21]
B. Celebrate life, both spiritual and eternal.
“For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive.” [v 22]
C. Be transformed.
For I am the least of the apostles and do not even deserve to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the
1. God took someone who was actively seeking to destroy Christianity and transformed him into an apostle!
2. God can take you, from whatever place you find yourself and transform you.
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Sunday, March 08, 2009
Where is God when you need Him?
Joel 2:12 – 17
Where is God when you need Him?
The context for these words is “the Day of the Lord.” (vv 1 – 2).
It is a day filled with fear. It is a day of darkness and gloom. The symbol of this day, for Joel, was an army of locusts. Maybe they were suffering from a massive swarm of locust that had moved in and was eating everything. God pointed this out and said, that’s how bad this is going to be. Locust are destructive, devour everything in their path, and leave nothing behind.
“The Day of the Lord” is a “type.” It reflects when God is on the move to bring His people back to himself or set all wrongs right. The images reflect the crucifixion (darkness), the second return of Christ (unstoppable army), and the day of judgement (wrath). Theologically they are all connected.
During Lent, it has been the historical practice of the Christian church to prepare for time of darkness and gloom as a purging of our sinful desires.
I. God has a purpose for the gloom.
A. God wants His people to “return.” [v 12]
1. “Even now” shows us there is a time frame for response.
a. Wesley’s idea of “awakening.” There is a point where we are aware that God is trying to get our attention. If we respond then we “awake” to God. If we do not then we go back to sleep in our sin.
b. “Limited time” offer: “So, as the Holy Spirit says: "Today, if you hear his voice, [8] do not harden your hearts as you did in the rebellion, during the time of testing in the desert.” [Hebrews 3:7 – 8]
2. Hardship has its positive side: “Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as sons.” [Hebrews 12:7a]
a. Discipline can be punishment for sin, more often it is CORRECTION.
b. The idea is that God does NOT have our attention. Something has to happen to knock us out of our comfortableness. We tend to enjoy physical comfort and being free from financial worry. (God does not have our attention, we are not listening.)
B. God wants His people to really meant it.
1. The theological word is “repent.”
a. Jesus demanded that “repentance” be preached FOR the forgiveness of sin. (See Luke 24:47 TNIV)
b. Theologically, you cannot have forgiveness without repentance!
2. Joel suggests disciplines to help:
a. Fasting , weeping, and mourning [v 12]
b. “Rend your heart.” [v 13] (“Let your broken heart show your sorrow...” GNB)
“Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret, but worldly sorrow brings death. [11] See what this godly sorrow has produced in you: what earnestness, what eagerness to clear yourselves, what indignation, what alarm, what longing, what concern, what readiness to see justice done. At every point you have proved yourselves to be innocent in this matter.” [2 Corinthians 7:10 – 11]
C. God wants His people to prove it.
1. “Blow the trumpet in Zion, declare a holy fast, call a sacred assembly.” [v 15]
a. Private sins come from social sins.
b. The way to deal with social sins is to do it publicly and deliberately.
2. The idea is that NOBODY is left out, everyone is in agreement.
a. The elder to the nursing baby.
b. Even the bridegroom and the bride. Weddings are a time of joy. In the OT the bridegroom is exempt from many duties (such as military service).
II. God extends the possibility of relenting.
“Who knows? He may turn and have pity and leave behind a blessing.” [v 14]
A. God MAY turn.
1. We are going to let God be right about everything, then we are going to have trust God.
a. Maybe, God will not “turn and relent.”
b. Why? Pity to one is cruelty to another. Some lines once crossed can only be purged.
2. The choice is ours, but it is also God’s. True repentance throws itself on the mercy of God and does NOT demand (possibly even expect) forgiveness.
a. We cannot manipulate God to relent from planned or necessary purging.
b. (Ill.) When I had the flu, I became alarmed at the amount of fluids I was losing. I was disoriented, dizzy, and drifting in and out of being consciousness. I called the Dr. who told me to not take anything to slow down the body’s purge... or it would just extend my misery.
B. Not only may God turn but God may leave a blessing!
1. This is dramatic... to go from the purge of God’s discipline to the blessing of God’s discipline.
a. Part of the difference between people who passively let things happen to them and people who do good things is how they handle adversity.
b. Are problems obstacles or opportunities?
2. God’s blessing is not like what we might expect.
a. Jesus talked about “abundant” life. (See John 10:10)
b. “For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all.” [2 Corinthians 4:17]
III. God offers promises to those who respond.
A. God’s promise of restoration, AFTER, the locust have gone through.
1. [v 23] God promised timely rain.
a. Even though it may have looked like there was no hope, not everything was gone.
b. The promise of the rain was the promise of a crop... fruitful abundance returned.
2. [v 25] God promised repayment.
a. God is not bankrupt. God does not lack means. God is ready, willing, and able to restore and repay well beyond what was lost.
b. Here again is the issue of trust. Are we going to trust God or shake our fist at God?
B. God’s promise is also spiritual.
1. [v 28] This comes in the form of the Holy Spirit.
a. Everyone is included: Sons, daughters, old and young.
b. This is the continual presence of God given to believers (the church) at the Day of Pentecost.
2. [v 32a] This comes from salvation.
a. Everyone, yet there is a condition. “Call” reflects back to repentance. (We do not believe in a universal salvation.)
b. Here is the condition of the heart. If it is hard toward God, we will not respond positively. This salvation will be impossible for us if we harden our heart.
IV. God reveals the passion for us during the gloom.
A. Consider the personality of God. [v 13]
1. God is gracious. In other words, kind when we don’t deserve it.
2. God is compassionate. Another word for this is mercy. Grace is getting what we do not deserve. Mercy is NOT getting what we do deserve.
3. God is slow to anger. The idea is that God does not lose His temper.
4. God is abounding in love. This love is “unfailing” and “extravagant.”
5. God is eager to relent. The impression is that God is looking for any excuse, any way...
B. It starts with the mercy and justice of God demonstrated at the cross.
“God presented him as a sacrifice of atonement, through faith in his blood. He did this to demonstrate his justice, because in his forbearance he had left the sins committed beforehand unpunished-- [26] he did it to demonstrate his justice at the present time, so as to be just and the one who justifies those who have faith in Jesus.” [Romans 3:25 – 26]
1. Jesus took our penalty to satisfy the demands of justice.
a. Someone had to pay. We could not... our eternal destiny was eternal Hell.
b. We could not save ourselves by observing the law. Something more powerful and effective than the law had to intervene.
2. Lent is the time we look forward to that sacrifice of atonement.
a. As we look forward to that sacrifice, something dawns on us... This was a heavy price to pay for OUR sin.
b. We become sorry for our sin, we mourn because someone completely innocent suffered and sacrificed himself for us.
(Ill.) Arlington. The first shock is to see the simple white crosses. Crosses as far as the eye could possibly see. As you read the names it starts to sink in that each cross was someone that someone loved. As you read the dates of the their deaths, it hits home. These people put someone else, us, above even their own lives.
Vietnam sundial in Kentucky. It is a sundial that will tell you the time of day and the time of year. As you walk over the bricks and figure out the date and the time, you notice, inscribed on various bricks names. These are the names of the people who died in that war. The day of their death and the time (if known) of their death is marked by the shadow of the sundial. Families will sit and wait for the shadow to cross the name of their loved one.
Where is God when you need Him? Trying to get your attention!
Before any of these existed, the cross of Jesus Christ was set up on a hill for all to see. Many people mocked Jesus that day, not realizing it would extend a shadow into all of history. As Jesus blood flowed that day to cover the penalty you and I justly deserve, just was done. The only question is do we have courage enough to throw ourselves on the mercy of God?
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Tuesday, August 19, 2008
Restoration and Spirituality
Psalm 51:10 – 13
Basic spiritual life
This Psalm has been called “the sinner’s guide” (William Plumer) because it can guide a fallen believer back into relationship with God.
It is the first Psalm to use “spirit” in reference to the Holy Spirit.
The notable part of this Psalm is that true repentance is not satisfied with know forgiveness. True repentance desperately throws the person on the mercy of God seeking renewal and restoration.
I. David’s situation:
A. David has committed adultery and covered it up by murder. (Magnified by his position as King.)
1. “One evening David got up from his bed and walked around on the roof of the palace. From the roof he saw a woman bathing. The woman was very beautiful, [3] and David sent someone to find out about her. The man said, ‘Isn't this Bathsheba, the daughter of Eliam and the wife of Uriah the Hittite?’ [4] Then David sent messengers to get her. She came to him, and he slept with her...” [2 Samuel 11:2 – 4a]
2. “In the morning David wrote a letter to Joab and sent it with Uriah. [15] In it he wrote, ‘Put Uriah in the front line where the fighting is fiercest. Then withdraw from him so he will be struck down and die.’ [16] So while Joab had the city under siege, he put Uriah at a place where he knew the strongest defenders were. [17] When the men of the city came out and fought against Joab, some of the men in David's army fell; moreover, Uriah the Hittite died.” [2 Samuel 11:14 – 17]
B. David admitted his guilt.
1. “Then David said to Nathan, ‘I have sinned against the LORD.’ Nathan replied, "The LORD has taken away your sin. You are not going to die. [2 Samuel 12:13]
2. “For I know my transgressions, and my sin is always before me. [4] Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight...” [Psalm 51:3 – 4]
A. A consecrated relationship with God. [v 10]
1. God must create something new and pure because sin has destroyed it.
a. Fake repentance wants relief. True repentance wants something new beyond cleansing or purity.
b. This newness must be created by God, it can not be achieved by us because of the utter hopelessness and total deception of the our desire to sin.
“The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it?” [Jeremiah 17:9]
2. God must restore a right/steadfast spirit because once you develop a weakness it must be guarded forever.
a. Steadfast does not mean “stubborn” it means not influenced buy weakness or temptation.
b. This is a spiritual attitude that understands the sense of sin and longs for holiness.
B. A constant realization of God. [v 11]
1. Sin gives us the “worst case scenario” because it separates us from God.
a. Imagine being thrown away as something worthless. No covenant relationship, made a complete stranger, deprived of God’s favor.
b. Imagine God removing any and all sense of Himself.
2. Sad part is that we live this way all the time and seldom know or feel what we are missing.
a. Jesus’ greatest agony on the cross: “And at the ninth hour Jesus cried out in a loud voice, ‘Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?’--which means, My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” [Mark 15:34]
b. Why and how did Jesus feel this agony? “God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.” [2 Corinthians 5:21]
C. A correct response to God. [v 12]
1. Only God can give joy but only AFTER “pardon and purity.”
a. Sin forfeits the joy of salvation. Salvation and joy are two ends of the same stick.... if you have salvation then you have joy. If you don’t have joy then you need to examine yourself.
“Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith; test yourselves. Do you not realize that Christ Jesus is in you--unless, of course, you fail the test?” [2 Corinthians 13:5]
b. Many lack joy because they have placed something sinful between themselves and God.
“When I kept silent, my bones wasted away through my groaning all day long. [4] For day and night your hand was heavy upon me; my strength was sapped as in the heat of summer. Selah [5] Then I acknowledged my sin to you and did not cover up my iniquity. I said, "I will confess my transgressions to the LORD"– and you forgave the guilt of my sin. Selah” [Psalm 32:3 – 5]
2. Only God can sustain those who are willing.
a. A willing spirit is one that wants to obey. This will take consistency, perseverance, and God’s protection.
b. Why do we do what we do? Because we want too... (traditional theory)
D. A candid responsibility for those God wants to reach.
1. Everyone who is in a right relationship with God has a desire to draw others toward God.
a. Modern world emphasizes educational degrees as a validation for position or ministry. But God has only one degree that is valid... It’s not an M.A. or an M.Div. It’s not a Ph.D. It is an “S.S.” (Sinner Saved).
b. The pardoned sinner speaks sympathetically and humbly knowing where they came from:
“As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, [2] in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient. [3] All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our sinful nature and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature objects of wrath.” [Ephesians 2:1 – 3]
2. A grateful heart returns service to God in deeds not words. (Worship is not a complete spiritual diet... without action/service, its empty of substance and dead.)
a. How do you teach others?
1.) Through your experience: Tell your story.
2.) Through your understanding: Ask questions.
3.) Through your knowledge: Share what the Bible says.
4.) Through your walk: Invite company on your journey.
b. The idea is for others to turn back to God because there is only one way and God’s love compels you.
“For Christ's love compels us, because we are convinced that one died for all, and therefore all died.” [2 Corinthians 5:14]
III. What do you need to do?
A. Talk to God.
1. Use the word of Psalm 51:10 – 14, make them your own.
2. People in strained relationships don’t talk very well to one another because its just hard.
B. Trust God.
1. When you talk to God, rely on His mercy.
“Have mercy on me, O God, according to your unfailing love; according to your great compassion blot out my transgressions.” [Psalm 51:1]
2. God will not turn away those who are sincere.
“The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.” [Psalm 51:17]
C. Tell someone!
1. The real exercise of faith is shared in community with others.
2. The real exercise of faith is shared outside the walls of the church so others have hope.
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Monday, July 07, 2008
What does “Christian perfection” look like?
1 Thessalonians 5:16 – 18
What does “Christian perfection” look like?
John Wesley – “Rejoice always in uninterrupted happiness in God. Pray without ceasing, which is the fruit of always rejoicing in the Lord. In everything give thanks, which is the fruit of both the former. THIS IS CHRISTIAN PERFECTION. Further than this we cannot go, and we need not stop short of it.”
I. Jesus purchased our joy and righteousness.*
A. Joy and righteousness is ours through Jesus Christ.
“Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, [4] and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade--kept in heaven for you, [5] who through faith are shielded by God's power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time. [6] In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. [7] These have come so that your faith--of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire--may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed. [8] Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, [9] for you are receiving the goal of your faith, the salvation of your souls.” [1 Peter 1:3 – 9]
1. Joy is based on our standing in Jesus, not circumstances. [v 6]
a. In Jesus we have a “new birth” and a “living hope.” [v 4]
b. Suffering plays an important part in “proving” our faith. [v 7]
“RO 3:21 But now a righteousness from God, apart from law, has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify. [22] This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference, [23] for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, [24] and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.” [Romans 3:21]
2. Righteousness is based on the work of Jesus Christ, not our work.
a. The keeping of the law implied the possibility of earning or deserving salvation.
b. Righteousness comes through one source: Jesus Christ, crucified, risen, and coming again.
B. Joy killers:
1. The desire to gratify the imagination.*
a. These are things that were never designed to satisfy the desire to gratify the immortal spirit.*
“Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. [16] For everything in the world--the cravings of sinful man, the lust of his eyes and the boasting of what he has and does--comes not from the Father but from the world. [17] The world and its desires pass away, but the man who does the will of God lives forever.” [1 John 2:15 – 17]
b. The real trouble is that all the things we crave (want) outside of Jesus is false and will eventually let us down or betray us.
2. Bitterness.*
“See to it that no one misses the grace of God and that no bitter root grows up to cause trouble and defile many.” [Hebrews 12:15]
a. Bitterness is connected to missing the grace of God.
b. This affect can be both initially and eventually.
3. “Looking for life in things that make you die.” [“Life begins at the cross” by the Alter Boys]
a. When we chase what is false, the end will always be bad.
b. We have so much to confuse us. We add so much to the exercise of religion. We become “smorgasbord” in our approach because we don’t know the Bible.
II. Prayer is the breath of our spiritual life.*
A. Joy makes us want to be constantly in the presence of God.*
1. “Sweet of hour of prayer” vs “pray without ceasing”
a. Someplace we get the idea that the presence of God is something we can enter and leave at will.
b. While at times we are invited into God’s presence for special times, such as church services, Bible reading, prayer... we are constantly in God’s presence!
“To them God has chosen to make known among the Gentiles the glorious riches of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.” [Colossians 1:27]
“Now it is God who makes both us and you stand firm in Christ. He anointed us, [22] set his seal of ownership on us, and put his Spirit in our hearts as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come.” [2 Corinthians 1:21 – 22]
B. Of all our physical functions... (outside of our heart beating) breathing is the most critical (we die the quickest if this it denied).
1. Spiritually, it works the same way... if we disconnect from God in prayer... we will cease to live spiritually.
[Ill. There is an octopus that changes color and is about the size of a golf ball. It is considered the most lethal creature on earth. If a person comes in contact with the octopus, death results in about four minutes and there is no known antidote. The problem is not the octopus, it is a deadly bacteria that grows on its skin. It works because it causes the body to stop breathing which causes cardiac arrest. Basically, its drowning without the water.]
2. When you are in love with someone, there is a joy that fills you when you are around them... Joy that is real will compel us to be in the presence of God, constantly in prayer.
a. Here’s life: in Jesus Christ we are alive in the presence of God. There is joy and a desire to continue in that joy is expressed in prayer.
b. We breath spiritually in prayer.
III. Thanksgiving is inseparable from true prayer.*
A. Thanksgiving in all circumstances?
1. Suffering produces good things.
“Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; [4] perseverance, character; and character, hope. [5] And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us.” [Romans 5:3 – 5]
a. This is contrary to our desire for comfort and ease.
b. Typically we see suffering as negative (even a curse).
2. Suffering confirms relationship.
“Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as sons. For what son is not disciplined by his father? [8] If you are not disciplined (and everyone undergoes discipline), then you are illegitimate children and not true sons. [9] Moreover, we have all had human fathers who disciplined us and we respected them for it. How much more should we submit to the Father of our spirits and live! [10] Our fathers disciplined us for a little while as they thought best; but God disciplines us for our good, that we may share in his holiness. [11] No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it.” [Hebrews 12:7 – 11]
a. Discipline is direction and training, not just punishment.
b. Hardship/suffering helps produce good things in us: holiness, righteousness, and peace.
B Notice that we are to give thanks IN all circumstances not FOR all circumstances.
1. God wants us to maintain rejoicing, constant prayer, and thanksgiving regardless of the circumstances.
a. Nothing can separate us from the love of God. [see Romans 8:35 – 39]
b. If God is still around with His infinite love for us and we have not thrown away our confidence in the saving work and blood of Jesus Christ... Then regardless what circumstance we find ourselves in, we maintain joy, constant prayer, and thanksgiving.
2. Pain is still pain.
a. Pain is very useful in teaching us and keeping us safe. (Ill. Hot stove...)
b. God uses the everyday grind, the natural painful parts of life, the inevitable wear and tear to teach us and point us in the way we should go.
IV. What does this mean.
A. It can be a test.
1. A “standard” is something that gives us an idea of what to expect and what is good.
a. Joy, constant prayer, and thanksgiving are the “standards” for the Christian life. They are the constant. They are the consistent marks. They are the expected outcomes.
b. If any of them are missing then something is wrong... in some cases very wrong.
2. If something is wrong, then you need to change courses.
a. Navigating the Great Lakes was a very treacherous thing. Light houses were built to help ships navigate. Detailed maps were drawn showing the depth and dangers. Even adjustments to compasses were charted (to compensate for the heavy mineral deposits in the area). All intended to keep ships safe.
b. Still, they built the “widow’s walk” on houses. You can see them today, on top of the houses near the river... a walk way built on the roof so wives could go out and see if their husband’s ships were returning. If they didn’t see the ship, it meant it had gone down and they had probably lost their husband.
B. It can be necessary correction.
1. Shipwrecks are terrible things... There is desperate work to stop the possible. There is frantic desire to avoid the inevitable. A shipwrecked life is a terrible thing.
a. Lives are uprooted and destroyed.
b. Families and churches are destroyed.
2. It’s time to take an honest check on our bearings: joy, prayer, and thanksgiving.
a. If something is missing then you are off course. If you are off course then you are in danger.
b. Maybe you are hung up on jealousy, evil surmising (suppose without having evidence – Oxford), groundless or unreasonable suspicions, envy, resentment of past injuries or insults.
3. Make the correction: repent... let God’s love and joy fill you again.
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