In one of the most radical transformations in human history, Paul goes from:
“Let’s round up these Jesus followers and throw them in prison” (or worse)
To
“I am willing to go to prison for this God who has saved my soul”
Grace is a scandal … and the gospel is a scandal. But that is not the question we should tell others to ask. The question we should be asking is:
Is This True?
Because when we ask “Is This True?” we find out that this is the greatest rescue story that has ever been written … and we are the recipients.
We go from destined for the pits of Hell … to a son or daughter of the King of the Universe with immediate access to Him and all that He holds dear.
In today’s journey, I ask you: What do these verses from Paul have in common?
Philemon 19 yet I appeal to you on the basis of love. I then, as Paul–an old man and now also a prisoner of Christ Jesus– 10 I appeal to you for my son Onesimus, who became my son while I was in chains.
Ephesians 1 4 For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight.
Philippians 4 13 I can do everything through him who gives me strength.
Colossians 1 28 We proclaim him, admonishing and teaching everyone with all wisdom, so that we may present everyone perfect in Christ.
If your answer is that all were written by Paul, you would be correct.
I want to emphasize that they were all written from a prison cell. Paul is proclaiming freedom over our lives … from a prison cell. And that, my friends, is the Hand of Jesus.
Only Jesus can give you freedom EVEN in a prison cell.
And really, that’s the answer to every question:
Only Jesus
Only Jesus can convert a bitter and hateful Christian chaser like Paul and convert him to a disciple.
Only Jesus can raise the dead.
And only Jesus can save you … and me.
Only Jesus.
In The Name of the Father and the
Son and the Holy Spirit. Amen.
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The greatest lawyer in the history of the world (besides Jesus) wrote Romans. And Romans 5 is the greatest passage in the Bible (besides all the others).
Romans 5 1Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ,
Romans 5 2 through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God.
Romans 5 6 You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. 7 Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous man, though for a good man someone might possibly dare to die. 8 But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
Romans 5 20 The law was brought in so that the trespass might increase. But where sin increased, grace increased all the more
One of my favorite movies (for adults) is A Few Good Men. And if I am to be fully transparent, I love a great “lawyer” or “court room” show. I love how a lawyer can “work the room”, and whether it is this way in reality or not—it is very appealing in a well written drama. There is a particular moment in A Few Good Men that is an iconic Hollywood moment:
(The Lawyer) Caffee says: “I want the Truth.”
(The Marine Colonel) Jessup responds with: “You can’t handle the Truth! I live in a world that has walls, and those walls have to be guarded by men with guns. Who’s gonna do it?
You? (to Caffee)
You, Lieutenant Weinberg?” (another attorney)
The movie continues and certainly captures the viewer’s attention as the drama continues right up until the ending scene.
Today, I want to go a bit deeper. The issues that come up in A Few Good Men bring us to an interesting intersection of who we are and where we might be going in life (and thereafter). As we go through our lives, one could ask: What can we hang our hat on?
If we hang our hat on the Legal System or The Law ALONE, we operate in a system of rules with no regard to the situation and, in fact, with no regard to the truth. As is boldly proclaimed in the movie: “It doesn’t matter what the truth is, it only matters what we can prove.” In God’s world, the Truth means everything.
If we hang our hat on Grace and Mercy ALONE, we get lawlessness, a lack of respect, no honor, and, eventually, complete rebellion.
If we hang our hat on Absolute Power ALONE, we get what Satan has been petaling since the beginning of time. We get only the idea of power and, ultimately, unadulterated evil.
In the legal courtroom, we are trapped with no hope of escape. But take a look at what the incredible lawyer Paul tells us.
Romans 5 1Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ,
In Jesus, we are Justified
Romans 5 2 through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God. 3 Not only so, but
In Jesus, we have Access to God
Romans 5 6 You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. 7 Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous man, though for a good man someone might possibly dare to die. 8 But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
In Jesus, God Demonstrates His love for us
Romans 5 20 The law was brought in so that the trespass might increase. But where sin increased, grace increased all the more
In Jesus, we have Unlimited Grace
The plea deal is this:
In Jesus, you get:
Justified Access from a God who DemonstratesUnlimited Grace
That’s the best deal you’re ever going to get.
John 1 11 He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him. 12 Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God– 13 children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God.
Take the deal.
In The Name of the Father and the
Son and the Holy Spirit. Amen.
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So much of the Old Testament is hard to read. Blessings and Curses … and a lot of rules. But only if you read it without considering who wrote it.
John 1 says “In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God. He was with God from the beginning”
Let me say this again: He was with God from the beginning.
Yes. Jesus. He was with God from the beginning.
So let’s read this through those glasses:
Deuteronomy 286 You will be blessed when you come in and blessed when you go out.
As you move forward in your life, God wants to bless you as you arrive and when you leave.
What a promise!
Now certainly we need to read one small verse and seek to understand it by putting it in context with the entire passage and the entire book. At the beginning of Deuteronomy 28 it says:
Deuteronomy 281 If you fully obey the Lord your God and carefully follow all his commands I give you today, the Lord your God will set you high above all the nations on earth.
IF. IF we fully obey.
Certainly God is not asking us to be perfect. Noah found favor in his eyes. So did David. So did Abraham. And ALL of them made major mistakes that made them far from perfect.
In reading this in context, I think His point is for us to do each of these items:
Trading Pride For Repentance
Proverbs 16 18 “Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall”
Trading Religion For Worship/Devotion
1 Samuel 13 14 But now your kingdom will not endure; the Lord has sought out a man after his own heart and appointed him ruler of his people, because you have not kept the Lord’s command.”
Realizing The Magnitude Of Our Forgiveness
1 Timothy 1 15 Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners—of whom I am the worst.
In these three things, we have a chance … to receive the promise of Deuteronomy 28:6.
Deuteronomy 286 You will be blessed when you come in and blessed when you go out.
So I encourage you this very day to raise your hands to the heavens and cry out the Living God … to thank Him for loving you beyond your sin. He is worthy of our praises. He is greater than our sins. And He is certainly worthy to save.
And that makes you, and me, Blessed …
In The Name of the Father and the
Son and the Holy Spirit. Amen.
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2 MINUTE WARNING 