Ephesians 5:2–And...Walk in Love

Ephesians 5:2–"And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave Himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God."

This is, in many ways, one of the central tenets of the Christian lifestyle.  It would be a magnificent thing for Christians to take this exhortation as seriously as it is given.  But if we were being honest with ourselves, how many of us could agree that we actually do live and love like Christ?  Or even more severely, how many of us truly give ourselves up for those we love?

But this is precisely the sort of love that Paul is calling Christians to exhibit.  He is prescribing to us much more than a different perspective; he is putting forward another lifestyle, a distinctly Christian lifestyle.

This lifestyle can be reduced, as Paul so easily confers, is this:

Walk in love.

The Essence of the Gospel

Rom. 1:16–"For I am not ashamed of the Gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and then to the Greek also."

1 Cor. 2:2–"For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified."

The heart of the Christian message is often misrepresented as a sort of cartoon caricature of social concern loosely mixed with some poorly interpreted verses of Scripture and some famous historical quotes like, "God helps those who help themselves (a Ben Franklin creation)."

In truth, though, Christianity is based singularly on Christ.  Even more directly, Christianity is about Christ crucified and resurrected.  And, as Paul asserts above, not only is this the essential message of Christianity, the Gospel as it were, but this Gospel is, in fact, the very power of God.

It is because of this, therefore, we should not ever forget the simple and offensive essence of Christianity, which is Jesus Christ crucified.

Resolutions

Admittedly I don't have a whole lot to talk about today.  However, I would like to write a brief encouragement.  Last week we ushered in a new year, and with it the prospect of resolutions and goals. This week, those things will be put to the test, our resolve will be challenged, and our conviction will run into trial.  At this point, I only want to encourage you to stay to your goals.  Remember why you have made whatever resolutions you have made, and use that to fuel you to stay perseverant when it would be easier to give up.  To be sure, this is not an overtly spiritual message today, but I feel it is a necessary one as we begin the new year.

Good luck and may God bless!

Micah 6:8–God Has Told Us What He Requires

Micah 6:8–"He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?"

This is a very famous verse of Scripture being the inspiration for several worship songs.  And while it is delivered as a question, it is actually a statement.  The prophet is asserting something quite profound here that, at the very least, God has told us what He requires of us.  But these three requirements are far from easy.  Moreover, these requirements do not even come naturally or without much effort.

It is at this point that we are presented with an honest but necessary question: how will we be able to do what the Lord requires?

And I do not mean to oversimplify this in any way, however, the answer to the aforementioned question is simple.

Only through God.  Only in the power of the Holy Spirit.  Only because of the work of Jesus Christ.

Let's not forget that as difficult as the requirements may seem, they are simply accomplished in Christ!

Psalm 118:24–Let Us Rejoice in the Day that the Lord has Made

Psalm 118:24–"This is the day that the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it."

There are at least two things of note about this verse.

First of all, we should remember that this day is not speaking of any specific day in the ancient Hebraic calendar; it is speaking quite generally about everyday.  As in, the Lord has made everyday, most particularly the Lord has made today, indicating that today is a day–like every other day–that has been made by the Lord.

This basic assertion carries with the second point, which is that once we recognize the sacred value of today, the most appropriate response is joy.  It is the recognition of God's design of every single day that will compel us, at the very least, to treat every day with a sense of awe and worship, remembering the simple truth that what God creates is, ultimately, good.

Needless to say, there is more here but I'd rather just enjoy the day and rejoice in what the Lord has made!

Psalm 90:12–Teach Us to Number Our Days

Psalm 90:12–"So teach us to number our days that we might get a heart of wisdom."

Time flies, and as I get older time seems to speed by like a jet-propelled plane racing through the days of my life.  Realizing this can be, at the very least, a terrifying thought.  But before I fall into the deepest of despairs reckoned by the prospect of aging, I am reminded that time is valuable and I shouldn't waste it worrying about how precious it is.  Instead, I consider these verses and those like it that remind me that there is another perspective at play here, a different way to handle the swift passage of time: cherish it.

Remembering that our days are limited is the first step in treating each day as a distinct gift that should not be wasted away.  Let us commit to take this verse seriously throughout 2014 as we strive to live lives of discipline and wisdom.

2 Cor. 5:17–Old Has Passed; New Has Come

2 Corinthians 5:17–"Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation.  The old has passed away; behold, the new has come."

With the New Year here, we fill our lives with resolutions and plans.  Not the least of these is the very average resolution to be 'better' this year than last, whatever 'better' means is based on any number of conditions: eating less, working out more, working less, spending more time with family, etc.  It would seem that the point of all these resolutions is based on the basic premise that who we are this year will in some way(s) be a distinct improvement on who we were.  But where all resolutions fail Christ succeeds.

You see, the issue is not that we would change our behavior but that we would have a transformation of character altogether.  Without a complete of heart, mind, and soul, we would have no ability whatsoever to truly adjust our behavior at all.  It is this that Jesus offers.  More accurately, this sort of full-person transformation is something that only Jesus offers.

As we begin 2014, our prayer should be a full-person Jesus-led transformation and nothing less!