Grace and Peace

On June 7, 1776, Richard Lee of Virginia proposed a resolution during a session of the Second Continental Congress meeting in Philadelphia.  The Resolution argued, “That the United Colonies are and of right ought to be free and independent states.”  This matter was hotly debated among the delegates.

On July 2, 1776 Lee’s resolution was adopted unanimously by the delegates of twelve colonies (New York’s delegation abstained) due in large part to the eloquence and industry of John Adams.  This event gave impetus to the much celebrated Declaration of Independence adopted two days later.

After the adoption of the Lee’s resolution on July 2nd, John Adams wrote to his wife, Abigail:

“The Second Day of July 1776, will be the most memorable Epocha, in the History of America. I am apt to believe that it will be celebrated, by succeeding Generations, as the great anniversary Festival. It ought to be commemorated, as the Day of Deliverance by solemn Acts of Devotion to God Almighty. It ought to be solemnized with Pomp and Parade with shews, Games, Sports, Guns, Bells, Bonfires and Illuminations from one End of this continent to the other from this Time forward forever more

You will think me transported with Enthusiasm but I am not. I am well aware of the Toil and Blood and Treasure, that it will cost Us to maintain this Declaration, and support and defend these states. Yet through all the Gloom I can see the Rays of ravishing Light and Glory. I can see that the End is more than worth all the Means. And that Posterity will triumph in that Days Transaction, even although We should rue it, with I trust in God We shall not.”

John Adams was wrong about the date (July 4th has eclipsed July 2nd), but he was right about the cost of freedom and the fact that liberty is worth the cost.  Thank you to all who have served our nation and their families who have given them up for the cause of freedom.  God bless America!

You know the only thing that can add more value to your family is to make Jesus the Lord of your home. I challenge moms and dads to make a fresh commitment to Christ and follow the example of Joshua and say, “As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord!”

When I was a freshman and sophomore, I hung out with the jocks at my high school because I was a big kid who had made the football team.  I chose them over my honor roll friends, because life with them seemed exciting to me at the time.  I usually rode around with a group that included David, Joe, Davey, and some others.  Many times I was a passenger in the car of Davey when he had been drinking.  We would speed through the country side and sometimes drag race others.  We often mocked Davey’s cousin Leroy who was a Christian and vigorously and persistently witnessed to us.

About three weeks after my 16th birthday, I was convicted by the Holy Spirit of my sinfulness, repented, and expressed faith in the saving work of Jesus on the cross. By God’s grace, I was genuinely converted.  Immediately, I had a new circle of Christian friends and we spent time together.  Several of my “old friends” also pulled away from our former group and gravitated toward this new circle of believers.

A few months later in May of 1972, Davey was critically injured in a drunken driving accident. He ran into a big old oak tree just up the road from our high school. Davey was badly hurt and his passenger was killed.  Because of that accident, Davey spent the next 15 years of his life in a wheelchair, before dying of complications from his condition.

Had I not been saved and made a decision to change my group of friends, I well could have been in the passenger seat of that car and perhaps in the grave today, dead, not ever having become a pastor, not ever having married, and not ever having had children.

We make our choices and then our choices make us.

Choose this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your fathers served in the region beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord. (Joshua 24:15 ESV)

I mentioned earlier that Paul’s letter to the church at Colossae addresses the necessary balance of faith and practice in the life of a believer. Not only is it crucial for us to believe the right things; it is imperative that we behave in a manner consistent with that truth.

Last time, I remarked that verses four and five of chapter one highlight three important spiritual markers on the road to spiritual maturity (where faith and practice find integration). The first mentioned is a strong faith in Jesus (Col. 1:4a).

Today, I would like to point out that the second mark of spiritual maturity Paul mentions is a sincere love for other Christians (Col. 1:4b).
 

Paul heard from their pastor, Epaphras, about their love in the Spirit (Col. 1:8). Churches should be a haven of love, but unfortunately that can’t be said of every church. Many people turn away from the church after they encounter harsh and even hateful behavior on the part of other church members. One of the harsh realities about church life is the fact that although members are saved by the grace of God, they (all of us) still wrestle against their old nature.  That old nature can make us mean, petty, and spiteful.

But God has a better way, in Galatians 5:22-23 we learn about the work the Holy Spirit does within the life of the believer.  This work is expressed in nine different character qualities that God produces in His children. The first one mentioned is love. Think of that, the primary fruit the Spirit wants to produce in our lives is love.

In 1 Corinthians 13, we learn that nothing surpasses love in the life of a believer.  We may have all kinds of spiritual gifts and do all manner of good works, but without love they equal nothing.  Why is love so important?  Because God is love!

Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God. Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love. (1 John 4:7-8 ESV)

You may get frustrated by thinking you have to generate these kinds of feelings for everyone–even those unlovely people in your life, but the secret is to let Jesus place His love in you and love people through you.  He is faithful to accomplish His work in us (Phil. 1:6).

Paul writes the Letter to the Colossians after Epaphras comes to see him while he is in prison in Rome (Acts 28).   Epaphras has likely shared with Paul the good news from Colossae (1:7-8) and the bad news that there was a dangerous teaching threatening the church (4:12). Paul responds to this situation in writing and takes the opportunity to encourage these believers in their growth toward Christian maturity.

The apostle Paul’s letter to the church provides a balance of faith and practice. To put it another way, Paul writes to teach them (and us) what to believe and how to behave. This pattern of doctrine followed by duty is repeated in many of Paul’s letters. When it comes to God’s truth, you can’t just take the doctrine and say “no thanks” to the duty.

How do you know when you’re fully integrating faith and practice (belief and behavior)?  In the opening verses of Colossians, we find three important spiritual markers. They are easy to remember, because you’ve heard of these three before: faith, hope, and love.

We always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you, since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of the love that you have for all the saints, because of the hope laid up for you in heaven. Of this you have heard before in the word of the truth, the gospel, which has come to you, as indeed in the whole world it is bearing fruit and growing—as it also does among you, since the day you heard it and understood the grace of God in truth. (Colossians 1:3-6 ESV)

(1) THE FIRST MARK OF SPIRITUAL MATURITY IS A STRONG FAITH IN JESUS

The object of your faith in more important than the quantity of your faith! You don’t need a BIG faith–you only need faith in a BIG God. Colossians teaches us that Jesus Christ is God and He alone should be the object of our faith.

It’s not faith in an experience; or faith in the church; or even faith in a pastor or Christian personality that will make a difference in your life. It is Jesus that will change your life and your eternal destiny. Even a tiny amount of faith is Him is more than sufficient. Jesus said even faith the size of a mustard seed is sufficient (Matthew 17:20).

Where does your faith lie?  In a particular denomination or congregation?  In a “mountain top” experience at some camp or conference?  In a certain Bible teacher or musician?  None of these things are sufficient to save you…only Jesus.  Place your faith in Him and Him alone!

Job had lots of problems.  He lost his fortune, his children, and his health. In his distress, Job’s friends come for a visit. Instead of sympathy, thee friends bring accusation and condemnation because they assume that God is punishing Job for his sins.  The force of their words wound Job making him defensive and bitter.  Then God speaks.

After God has spoken, everything is changed. Job has a new view of who God is and this leads him to a new understanding of himself and causes him to repent (Job 42:5-6).  But what about Job’s friends? They have had a wrong view of God and a wrong view of Job.  They have been smug, self righteous and mean to Job. So what does God do? God instructs them to go to Job and make a burnt offering in his presence (Job42:7-8).

This would have been the perfect occasion for Job to gloat and say, “Aha! Here you are! See, I told you I was right! You were wrong and I was right!” But instead of extracting revenge or gloating over them, Job simply did what God commanded. He accepted his friends and prayed for them.This was Job’s final test. Would Job vent his hostility and resentment for these three men who had slandered him? Or would he accept them and forgive them?

You can read about this tremendous turning point in Job 42:9-10:

“So Eliphaz the Temanite and Bildad the Shuhite and Zophar the Naamathite went and did what the Lord had told them, and the Lord accepted Job’s prayer. And the Lord restored the fortunes of Job, when he had prayed for his friends. And the Lord gave Job twice as much as he had before.”

To me, the most important word in that passage is the word “when.” When Job prayed for his friends, he was still in agony. It wasn’t until AFTER he interceded for them that God reversed his situation. Job had experienced God’s grace and forgiveness, so he was willing to show the same spirit to his friends.

Lesson: You are in bondage until you can pray for those who have hurt you.

Jesus said it this way, “Bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you (Luke 6:28).”

Job’s prayer indicated he was willing to forgive these three men just as God had forgiven him. The most common Hebrew word for “forgive” means “to release.” When you forgive someone, you release them from the grip of your grudge. And in the process of releasing them, you surrender your desire for revenge. When you forgive someone, you are released from the bondage of bitterness.

The point of your pain today may stem from someone who has hurt you deeply. Do yourself a favor, forgive your enemies and start praying for them. It can be an enormous turning point in your life.

“Jesus Christ must be our passion and priority. We must aspire to both know Him and love Him more fully. We must long to see Him ‘come to have first place in everything’ (Col. 1:18). To miss this is to miss everything and to never get out of the starting blocks. (We) need to become more than ever ‘a Jesus intoxicated people,’ returning to our first love. (Rev. 2:4-5). A Christ-centered life must, and it will, inform our theology and inspire our missional service. We must love Him, worship Him, adore Him, exult in Him, share Him and exemplify Him…When the world thinks of us, they should think first, ‘those are the folks in love with Jesus. They are the people obsessed with Jesus. There is a people that talk and act and serve and love like Jesus.”’

May it be so in my life and yours.