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Jeremiah 6:15, Romans 5:8

Hiding from God

Filed Under: Devotions by Chuck
July 27, 2018

The Bible is all about Jesus, from Genesis to Revelation. It’s the presentation of God’s unconditional love for mankind as Paul declared in Romans 5:8. “But God demonstrates His own love for us in this; while we were still sinners Christ died for us.” Jesus did not come to set up another religion with its own rituals and regulations. No, He came to destroy all religions and unite the world in Himself. That’s why he made it clear that He was the only way to God the Father. No one can get into God’s presence through the works and efforts of any religious or legal system. They will all fail!

The main problem is that human nature wants very much to partake in its own salvation. We often think we must contribute something and we deceive ourselves into thinking our good works and religious efforts will be sufficient for God to receive us. The truth is we all fall short. We all sin and we all fail. The only way we can maintain the track of working our way or earning our way to heaven is to lie to ourselves about our sinfulness. The religious leaders in Jesus day were whitewashed sepulchers. Clean on the outside but rotten as decaying flesh on the inside. It’s easy to lie to ourselves and cover it all up with religious rituals and observances.

Jeremiah continues his indictment of the religious leaders of his day. In Jeremiah 6:15, he speaks about them saying, “Were they ashamed when they committed abomination?  No, they were not at all ashamed; they did not know how to blush. Therefore they shall fall among those who fall; at the time that I punish them, they shall be overthrown, says the LORD.” Religion whitewashes our outside and gives us a façade behind which to hide our sinfulness. Thus, Adam and Eve hid behind fig leaves. But God gave them the covering from a lamb. The law was never designed to be a standard by which we can prove ourselves holy and deserving. It was designed to drive us to our knees in shame. If we are truly honest with ourselves we know how bad we really are on the inside. From our knees of shame and disgrace and guilt we are fully aware of our need for a savior. It is for sinners Christ came. He did not come to save the self-righteous. What Jeremiah is saying is that you cannot hide from God in religion.

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Jeremiah 6:14, John 14:27, John 3:16

True Peace

Filed Under: Devotions by Chuck
July 27, 2018

The Bible is very clear about the depravity of all mankind. Both the Old Testament and the New Testament make it clear that “All have sinned.” “There is none righteous, no not one.” The Bible also teaches us that all of our so called good works will avail us nothing with God. He won’t love us more for doing good nor will he hate us more for doing bad. It says, “our righteousness is as filthy rags” to God. But it’s really comforting to think that we’re not as bad as some of the really bad guys: Charles Manson, Ted Bundy, Adolph Hitler and many others. We like to think we’re safe because God will be occupied with dealing with the really wicked people.  Much of religion today has to do with comparing ourselves with others in order come out feeling good about ourselves. It was the same case in Jeremiah’s day. In Jeremiah 6:14, he indicts the preachers and teachers of religion. He says, “They have healed the wound of my people lightly, saying, ‘Peace, peace,’ when there is no peace.”

There is never any peace with those who are attempting to find it by being good. There is never any peace for those who are looking for it in religious rituals or religious rules or regulations. First of all we’ll never measure up to the standard of perfection God has set for us in the law and demonstrated for us in the person and works of Jesus Christ. We will all fall short. You never know if you’ve done enough good deeds, given enough offerings, lite enough candles, helped enough people. There is no peace there. But there is true peace in trusting Jesus. In John 14:27, Jesus said, “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.”

One of the most famous sermons in American history is the one entitled, “Sinners in the hands of an angry God.” In that sermon Johnathan Edwards had his congregation shaking with fear and crying out for mercy. He presented the precarious position of hanging from a spider web over the eternal blazing fires of hell. The Bible isn’t about that! The Bible is not about sinners in the hands of an angry God. The Bible is about a loving God in the hands of angry sinners. They hung him on the cross during which time he paid the penalty for the very ones driving the nails. God so loved the world that he sent his one and only perfect son into the world to pay for our sins. Anyone who believes in Him will never perish but will have everlasting life and find true peace.

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Jeremiah 6:13, Romans 3:23, Luke 10

Everybody Lies!

Filed Under: Devotions by Chuck
July 27, 2018

Jeremiah’s indictment of the character of the Israelites is just another reaffirmation of the depravity of all mankind. I’ve asked hundreds if not thousands of people the question, “If you were to die and find yourself at the gates of heaven and God would ask you, ‘Why should I let you in?’” The answer has been overwhelmingly something like this: “I’ve tried my best. I’ve not murdered anyone. I’m not as bad as Hitler. I’m a pretty decent person. I’ve been good.” Well the Bible repeats the truth often that there is none good, no not one, each has turned from God to take his own path in life. But we like to compare ourselves with others. We seem to think that since we might be better than Charles Manson or some other wicked sinner that we’re not that bad and God will overlook our little sins and open the gates for us.

Jeremiah 6:13 adds another indictment to all humanity. It doesn’t differentiate between good, better, and best. Or Bad, badder and worse. Even those who we might think as being in the upper levels of righteousness aren’t. Jeremiah writes, “For from the least to the greatest of them, everyone is greedy for unjust gain; and from prophet to priest, everyone deals falsely.” We’ve been watching some old episodes of “House, MD.” Old rabid, nasty, insulting Dr. House has a theory that is mentioned often in the episodes I’ve seen. He says, “Everybody lies.” Well, he’s just quoting Jeremiah! The New Testament, Romans 3:23, adds an interesting phrase after the indictment “all have sinned.” It goes on to say “and fall short of the glory of God.” This falling short is to miss the mark in the original language. The law teaches us how to “be perfect as God is perfect.”

In Luke 10, a religious leader asks Jesus what he must do to go to heaven. Jesus asks him a question in return; “What does the law teach you?” The man answers, “Love God with your whole heart and your whole soul, and your whole mind and your whole strength and love your neighbor as yourself.” Jesus says, “Do this and you will live.” The religious leader knows he hasn’t done that so he begins to debate with Jesus regarding who his neighbor is. The religious leader was quoting from the book of the Law (Deuteronomy 6). Jesus said that love for God and love for neighbor is the ultimate fulfillment of the whole law. So in essence Jesus was telling the man that he must be perfect. Jesus is really saying to the self-righteous man, “good luck with that!” If the man would repent and say, “I can’t. I want to, but I can’t” Jesus would have said something like, “I know, but I can. And I will do it for you.” At the gates of heaven or in everyday life on earth I do not put my confidence in the flesh. I fail way too often. I put my confidence in Christ Jesus.

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Galatians 1:2, Acts 13:9, Philippians 3:3-8, Isaiah 64:6

He was a big man yesterday…

Filed Under: Devotions by Chuck
July 11, 2018

I remember an old song that mom used to play on our record player back in the 50’s when I was just a kid. The song was “Big Man” by the Four Preps. It said, “I was a big man yesterday, but boy you ought to see me now. I talked big yesterday, but boy you ought to see me now…” On the first missionary Journey Saul’s name was changed to Paul. He was named after the first King of Israel who as you might remember was head and shoulders taller than anyone around. But Saul, our missionary according to Acts 13:9, took on the name of his first gentile convert, Sergius Paulus. Paul comes from the Roman family name, Paulus, which means small or humble. Yes, Saul was a big man yesterday, but boy you ought to see him now.

Yes indeed, Saul talked big yesterday. In Philippians 3:3-8 we read about this radical change from the “big” man to the “small” man. . . . though I myself have reasons for such confidence. If anyone else thinks he has reasons to put confidence in the flesh, I have more: circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; in regard to the law, a Pharisee; as for zeal, persecuting the church; as for legalistic righteousness, faultless. Yep, this Saul guy was pretty impressive. Notice the last claim that according to legalistic righteousness Saul said he was “faultless.” But when Jesus knocked him to his knees and blinded him, Paul realized that his own righteousness was worthless in the sight of God. The Philippians passage goes on, “But whatever was to my profit I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ. 

It may have taken Paul some time to comprehend the true worthlessness of good works and self-righteousness, but when it sank in, it changed everything about him. When we come to realize that all our “righteousness is as filthy rags” as Isaiah 64:6 puts it, “all our righteous acts are like filthy rags; we all shrivel up like a leaf, and like the wind our sins sweep us away.” Yep, we were big men and women yesterday, but boy you ought to see us now. We talked big yesterday, but boy you ought to see us now. But when we become “small” like Paul, we learn to rest confidently and comfortably on the righteousness that belonged to Christ and Christ alone. We are truly humbled regarding our own abilities to live up to all the rituals, rules, regulations and resolutions that religion will force upon us. We become dependent on the finished work of Christ as our only source of true righteousness. May we be found IN HIM!

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Galatians 1:1, Acts 13:9

Saul becomes Paul

Filed Under: Devotions by Chuck
July 11, 2018

To discredit Paul’s message of salvation by grace through faith alone (sola fide) those wanting a works oriented religion challenged his credentials. They impugned the source of his teaching. and they attacked the legitimacy of his message. Therefore, Paul begins his letter to the Galatians with “Paul, an apostle—not from men nor through man, but through Jesus Christ and God the Father, who raised him from the dead.” To understand the origin of this conflict we need to understand what happened on the first missionary journey that took Paul to Southern Galatia where he preached the gospel in various cities: Perga, Attalia, Pisidia, Lystra,  Iconium and Derbe.  This missionary journey is recorded for us in the Book of Acts.

The first word in the letter Paul wrote to the Galatians is “Paul.” Up to Acts 13:9, The Apostle was called by his Jewish name, Saul. It made him acceptable to his Jewish audiences. When he joined Barnabas and John Mark on the first missionary journey to Galatia, his role changed radically. To begin with the journey was led by Barnabas who brought his cousin, John Mark, along. Both Barnabas and John Mark were solid Jewish believers. I would argue that their intention was to go to the Jews only, but while on the Island of Cyprus a “Jewish” false prophet attempted to prevent the governor, Sergius Paulus, a Roman Official, from accepting the faith. It was then that Paul stepped up and cursed the false “Jewish” prophet with blindness. Sergius Paulus became the first gentile convert under the Apostle Paul’s ministry. It is interesting that after Acts 13:9, Saul becomes Paul from that point on. Some early church fathers think that Saul took his gentile name at that time to honor his first convert who had the same name. But I see it as part of God’s plan to move Paul from a Jewish focus to a gentile focus. But more importantly to move Paul from a Law focused ministry to a Grace focused ministry. John Mark deserted the mission when they reached Perga. I believe he did so because he could not subscribe to a ministry that offered God’s salvation freely to any sinner by faith alone. He was still chained to the standards of the law.

Being of the tribe of Benjamin (As we read in Philippians), I’m fairly certain that his parents named Saul for the first King of Israel who was also from the tribe of Benjamin, Saul, the King, was head and shoulders taller than most of the men in Israel at that time and it made him stand out. It is interesting that “Paul” means “small” or “little.” Maybe that was an intentional change for this proud Pharisee who was humbled and knocked to his knees and blinded by the Lord. Paul’s blindness led to his salvation, but not so with the “Jewish” false prophet. Instead it led to the salvation of Paul’s first gentile convert. The Jews who insisted on forcing the Law into the salvation equation were as furious with Paul’s message as the Religious leaders were of Jesus who put Himself above the Law. Religious people hated Jesus. Religious people hated Paul. Religious people are violently opposed to a salvation message that is freely offered to irreligious people.

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Galatians 1:1

The Attack on the Gospel

Filed Under: Devotions by Chuck
July 11, 2018

The first verse in Paul’s letter to the Galatians begins with a defense of his ministry. He preached a salvation “apart from the Law” and that greatly enraged the Jew’s. It even enraged the Jewish converts to Christianity because they were insisting that the Gospel included training in righteous living, i.e., living up to the standards of the law.  Believing in who Jesus was and what Jesus did was insufficient for salvation. One must also strive to keep the laws of Moses. If the Jewish converts to Christianity permitted Paul to preach the pure, unadulterated Gospel of salvation by grace through faith alone, apart from the law, then any pagan any gentile any gross sinner could be saved without having to conform to the standards of Jewish righteousness. Therefore the legalists of the day attacked Paul and his message. They argued that Paul taught license to sin. Paul only proclaimed half of the Gospel. It wasn’t enough to believe one must also obey the law.

The conflict wasn’t just between Paul and the legalists.  It wasn’t just a conflict between personalities or preferences. It was a conflict over the heart of the entire Gospel message. It was a conflict that began in the very first generation of Christianity as witnessed in the book of Galatians which is the first letter written chronologically as well as many episodes in the book of Acts.  It is also is a conflict that continued through every generation and brought the church to a radical revolution over the issue in what is known as the Protestant Reformation. The reformers argued for “sola fide” which means one is saved by faith alone. The established church argued that faith is not enough. Good works are essential for salvation.

The conflict continues today. Many sects and denominations still argue that works are essential for salvation, but what is more dangerous to me is the pastoral focus on works. While some preachers and teachers argue for salvation by faith alone their preaching and teaching takes the focus off of what has been done for them on the cross and focuses more attention on what we do. They pay lip service to salvation by grace through faith alone and say that works are not essential yet week after week continue to preach a message of good works and righteousness. This essentially turns Christianity into just another religion. All religions teach ethical and moral standards. All religions have rituals, regulations and resolutions. Paul’s argument is essentially that Christ did not come to set up another religion but to destroy all religion and open the doors of heaven to all people alike based on a finished work that he accomplished for us on the cross of Calvary.  When Jesus said, “it is finished” he meant it.

 

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Genesis 2:2-3, Mark 2:27,28, Matthew 11:28-29

He Gives Rest

Filed Under: Devotions by Chuck
July 2, 2018

In the creation account we read about what God did on the seventh (Sabbath) day. He rested!  Genesis 2:2-3 tells us “And on the seventh day God finished his work that he had done, and he rested on the seventh day from all his work that he had 16 lord of the sabbathdone. So God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it God rested from all his work that he had done in creation.” Tim Keller tells us, “According to the Bible, it is about more than just taking time off. After creating the world, God looked around and saw that ‘it was very good’ (Genesis 1:31). God did not just cease from his labor; he stopped and enjoyed what he had made. What does this mean for us? We need to stop to enjoy God, to enjoy his creation, to enjoy the fruits of our labor. The whole point of Sabbath is joy in what God has done.”

We live in a driven society. Every employer wants to know how good a candidate can be at multi-tasking. I expect that in comparison to earlier, less technological generations, we are all a little obsessive compulsive. We need to keep our lives in perspective. Although the Sabbath, created for man, includes the idea of resting from our labors it is far more than that. It is necessary in order to find inner rest for our souls as well. Keller goes on to say, “We need rest from the anxiety and strain of our overwork, which is really an attempt to justify ourselves—to gain the money or the status or the reputation we think we have to have. Avoiding overwork requires deep rest in Christ’s finished work for your salvation (Hebrews 4:1–10). Only then will you be able to ‘walk away’ regularly from your vocational work and rest.”

In Mark 2:27-28 Jesus called himself “the Lord of the Sabbath.” He’s the Lord of rest! One of my favorite passages is Matthew 11:28-29. Jesus calls us all in that passage when he says, “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.” After the fall man’s work was never as effective as it was intended. “Labor” in bringing forth children was part of the consequences for sin. “Labor” in the fields that would bring forth thorns and thistles instead of wheat and grain made everything difficult and painful. But the work of Jesus on the cross of Calvary done on our behalf is perfect. It’s complete.  The only real rest to be found in this sinful world is to rest confidently and comfortably in the hands of Jesus. No one or nothing can rip us from his loving care!

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Galatians 5:25, Acts 4:33

Giga Grace!

Filed Under: Devotions by Chuck
June 19, 2018

The Greek word for “great” is mega! You know it as we use it to measure large or huge quantities like megatons. Luke tells us in Acts 4:33 that the Apostles had “mega-power” and “mega-grace.” He writes, “And with great power the apostles were giving their testimony to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and great grace was upon them all.” The NIV uses the phrase “much grace.” When we think of the idea of sharing our faith with others, sharing our faith story with others, it is very often reduced to a “mega-work” rather than a “mega-grace” experience. We’re often exhorted to tell others, we are ambassadors for Christ, our mission is to make disciples, etc. Of course, these are true, but testifying to the love of God expressed through His Son Jesus should never be done from a guilt or compulsory motif. It becomes a work that is displeasing to God.

There is a radical difference between testifying to God’s love from a “grace” relationship with God and testifying to God’s love from a “works” relationship with God. One writer said this: When the concept of our relationship to God is service-oriented, we will relate to Him as a divine Employer who scrutinizes our activity to make sure it is up to standard. Our focus will be on our performance as we attempt to do the things we believe He requires. This mindset reflects a legalistic view of the Christian life, a view that’s erroneous. God doesn’t want us to focus on our service to Him. When grace rules our lives, we focus on Him. In doing so, we experience intimacy in such a way that service becomes a natural overflow of the love relationship we have with Him. When we focus on our performance, Christian service becomes perfunctory and lifeless. When we are obsessed with Him, our service is literally energized with divine life.

The appreciation of God’s love for us as expressed on Calvary’s Cross must remain the motivation behind our work and service. It must not be motivated out of guilt or performed as a compulsory task. Service is truly a joyful experience! Paul actually tells the Galatians that it’s a dance. He writes in 5:25, “If we live by the Spirit, let us also keep in step with the Spirit.” The mega-fruits of the spirit are nourished, watered and fertilized by God’s mega-grace. As far as love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness and self control go there is no “law” regarding these things, they are the fruits that grow from God’s Spirit indwelling our lives. Our walk with the Spirit is a dance. The Spirit leads and we follow with all the love and joy imaginable.

Chuck
For all the previous devotions go to www.chucklarsen.com

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