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Category: Romans (Page 25 of 28)

Motivation & Track Record

June 24, 2009 / / 0 Comments

Is Jesus trustworthy? He tells us to trust him. “Trust God; trust also in me.” He tells his disciples to trust him, even as he’s preparing to leave them. Can we trust him? Is he trustworthy?

Well, what’s his motivation? What drives Jesus? What does he want from me? Why does he want a relationship with me? What moves him to act on my behalf?

Love.

Pure, unlimited, unconditional, boundless, selfless, sacrificial love. Love. How long and high and wide and deep is this love? This love that surpasses knowledge. This love of Christ that can’t be overcome by death or life or trouble or hardship or angels or demons or any of that other stuff listed in Romans 8. Love. Love for you and me that is so great it compelled Jesus to give up everything to die on the cross.

Jesus doesn’t want your money. Jesus doesn’t want your house or your car. He’s not trying to take what’s yours and make it his. Jesus has never one time ever done anything in his own self interest. Never. He gave up all his rights, all his privilege, his status, his glory, his wants, needs, desires. He gave up everything, freely, willingly, because he loves us.

Now, what about his track record? To me, that’s the ultimate test of someone’s trustworthiness. Character. Integrity. Our past together. His track record. And each one of us has our own experiences with God’s Son. But I’ll share mine.

Everytime he’s ever warned me that something is harmful to me by calling it sin, he’s been exactly right. Every time. When his words tell me to make the better and tougher choice, he’s been right. Every time. When he tells me he’ll take care of me, that I’ll always have everything I need, he’s been right. Every time. He’s always right. He’s never been wrong. Sometimes it takes years to see it. But he’s always right. I look back at some of the rougher times in my life with Christ and I see clearly that things couldn’t have gone any other way.

Jesus says, “Trust me.”

And we don’t have to. We’re free to give in to our doubts and cynicism and skepticism and live our lives that way. We can. Some of us are. Or we can leap out in faith into his waiting and trustworthy arms.

Peace,

Allan

Already, Not Yet

May 15, 2009 / / 11 Comments

“We ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies.” ~Romans 8:23

Waiting EagerlyOur God is unfolding a plan that provides fully for our eternal future, a plan that leads to ultimate glory for his children. And, as his people, we should be filled with confidence and assurance that the God who began a great work in us will indeed bring it to completion in the day of Christ.

God does work in all things for our good. We know that. That good is especially related to our final glory. But it also includes the benefits of being a child of God in this life. As we’re groaning. God uses our sufferings to build Christian character, to conform us to Christ, to prepare us for that glory.

Nothing will ever touch us that is not completely and totally under the direction of our loving Father. Everything we do and say, everything others do to us or say about us, every experience we will ever have, it’s all sovereign-ly used by our God for our good. We don’t always understand it. We don’t always enjoy it. But we know our groanings are not in vain. They serve an eternal purpose that’s being worked out by the Creator of Heaven and Earth who groans right along with us.

Peace,

Allan

Living The Resurrection Life

April 13, 2009 / / 0 Comments

Resurrection Life“We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.” ~Romans 6:4

The Resurrection is at the heart of every sermon preached in Acts. The reality of the Resurrection is the cornerstone and the proof of the divine goodness of the Kingdom of God. The apostles preached the Resurrection boldly and joyfully even at the cost of their very lives.

The Resurrection of Jesus is so strong.

It’s what turned Mary’s sorrow to joy. It changed the disciples’ fear into courage. It moved Thomas from doubt to assurance. It transforms the Church from an attitude of somber reflection to rejoicing celebration. It’s so powerful. It’s our hope. It’s our trumpet call. It’s the imperative force behind our Christian mission.

And if we embrace the Resurrection, if we claim the promise of the Resurrection as our own, then it will radically impact the way we live. When we understand that the glory of the Resurrection and eternal life with the Father is what awaits us after death, then we have no problem risking our lives or our well-being or our reputations or our popularity for the Gospel.

As owners of the Resurrection promise, death is not tragic. Our attitude is, “You can kill me, but you can’t hurt me.”

Graydon Snyder, in a commentary on 1 Corinthians he wrote in 1992, says living a Resurrection life means no longer insisting on “protection and security of the individual, institutions, and country.”

The life of the Spirit, with its hope in the Resurrection, does not, indeed cannot, dwell on the preservation of the flesh — personhood, institutions, nations. Rather, the corporate life of the Christian becomes one of risk. A Christian hospital can accept more welfare patients than economically advisable because it knows God’s love for the poor does not depend on its continued existance. Christians can call for total disarmament in the midst of a war because they know the future of the world does not depend on the survival of their nation. A Christian can risk his or her life because a Christian knows this life is not the end.

I’d add that a Christian Church can take bolder risks in evangelizing its neighborhoods, bolder risks in giving to children’s homes and homeless shelters, bolder risks in denying self and sacrificing self, knowing that the salvation of the world and the salvation of my soul is in the powerful and loving hands of our God who promises the Resurrection.

The power of the Resurrection and its promises is what causes us to say ‘yes’ to bold, risky Kingdom propositions instead of ‘no.’ It’s what gives us our confidence and courage. It’s what obliterates our timidity.

The Resurrection life doesn’t begin at our death. It begins right now!

Peace,

Allan

A Delivered People

February 16, 2009 / / 0 Comments

Freedom!“But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.” ~1 Corinthians 6:11

We are Christians, yes. We are God’s children. We are his Church. Yes, we are sheep. We are saints. We are co-laborers with the Lord. We’re disciples. We’re a family. Yes.

But who we are only has meaning, it only brings us great joy, it only really matters, in relation to who we were.

Immoral. Idolaters. We are sinners. We are enemies of God. We’re dead. Dead in our transgressions. Dead in our sins. We are disobedient. Rebellious. Following the ways of the world. Following our own evil desires and thoughts. We are prisoners of Satan. Slaves to iniquity. We’re held captive by the devil. We’re in jail. We’re not going anywhere. Condemned by a holy and righteous God. Destined to be forever separated from the One who created us. We are hell-bound. Facing an eternity in a lake of fire and powerless to do anything about it. Powerless. We can do nothing. This is who we are. Not tired, not asleep, not sick, not even in a coma. Dead! It’s over. We’re finished. No hope. No luck. No chance. Only a promise. The promise of eternal damnation.

But…

“But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in our transgressions.” ~Ephesians 2:4-5

The noose was around your neck. The chair had been kicked out and your legs were dangling when God rode in and rescued you. Through no merit of your own — nothing! not a single thing you did or could ever do — you were saved.

You were dead, but now you’re alive. You were lost, but now you’re found. You were headed to hell, but now you’ve been re-routed to heaven. And you’ve never done anything to deserve it. Christ Jesus took the punishment for you. Jesus took your place. Jesus stepped in and did for you what you could never do for yourself.

His love, his mercy, his grace, it makes no sense. It’s incredible. It’s amazing.

We are saved!

And this is what identifies us. This is who we are. This is what shapes the way we think and informs the way we behave. This is at the very heart of how we view our God and ourselves and one another. This is what gives us our great joy.

Who we are in relation to who we were.

Praise God for his amazing grace!

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“The one unifying constant that defines whether or not such a congregation is included…is the practice of a cappella worship services.” ~Carl Royster, from his introduction to Churches of Christ in the United States

Wow. I had no idea we had just added a quarter-billion Eastern Orthodox to our movement! Who says our numbers are declining? Cool.

Sarcastically and sadly,

Allan

Camping Under The Sign

December 30, 2008 / / 1 Comment

Joyful Journey 

Karl Barth’s commentary on Romans, written in 1919, contains an illustration relating to the passage in Romans 4 about Abraham’s journey of faith. I used the illustration a couple of Sundays ago to shed some light on Philippians 3. Paul writes about pushing and pressing and straining for the prize. He realizes he hasn’t “arrived.” So he presses to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of him.

Salvation. Christ-likeness. It’s a journey. Nobody’s “arrived.”

If we point back to our religious heritage or ancestry or sit comfortably on our religious traditions, if we find security in our status quo and salvation in keeping things the way they are, we’ll actually find ourselves in serious jeopardy.

Here’s Barth’s story:

“A group of people are headed on a long journey and along the way they find a sign pointing them westward. The signpost is there to convey them to their destination, but instead they stop and create a life for themselves under its painted words. They build a civilization there, celebrating the signpost and telling stories of how they arrived at the marker. Rituals evolve and songs are written. Books are published and liturgies follow. A few travel on and return, confirming that the sign does indeed lead to the place promised. But the second and third generations have built a life around the signpost and have forgotten the purpose of the journey. Their life is built on stories of past travel, not on stories of arriving or the prophetic call to get on with the journey themselves.”

Peace,

Allan

Dissatisfied Or Impatient?

November 11, 2008 / / 0 Comments

KK&C Top 20 Logo 

November 11, 2008

Controversy marks this week’s “KK&C Top 20″ college football poll. Texas Tech’s Red Raiders are the new number one, edging out previous top dog Alabama by a mere three votes. The Crimson Tide pulled in six first-place votes to five for Mike Leach’s record-setting Raiders. (Jerry K cast his #1 for Texas “I can’t believe I’m doing this” Tech) But Paul D’s 5th place ranking of Alabama denied the Tide the top spot.

Most of the panelists are already making conference championship game and BCS title tilt predictions. Several are already figuring tie-breaker scenarios in case of a three-way deadlock in the Big 12.Me? Right now I’m focused on Texas Tech and OU in Norman a week and a half from now. First one to 70 wins!

Bama falls to #2 this week, the slot vacated by Penn State. The Nittany Lions slid all the way down to #8 (still too high) following their loss to Iowa. Texas, Florida, OU, and USC all move up a spot in the poll. Georgia Tech fell all the way out. Florida State’s back in.

For a complete look at this week’s poll, click here or click on the green “KK&C Top 20” tab at the top of this page. Enjoy.

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“You, therefore, have no excuse, you who pass judgment on someone else…” ~Romans 2:1

Terry Rush, the great good news preacher up in Tulsa, wrote Sunday about those (of us) (me) who are impatient with our brothers and sisters in Christ namely because they don’t see things the way I see them or do things the way I do them. Click here for Terry’s post from his blog, Morning Rush.

Peace,

Allan

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