According to Stuart Smalley on his imaginary show Daily Affirmation "I'm good enough, I'm strong enough, and doggonit people like me." This is one character's continual reminder to face life with confidence. I know there have been times where I have had to give myself a little pep talk, a reminder of who I am and what God has called me too, a reminder of the truth.
When Jesus instituted the sacrament of the wine and bread, it was intended to be a reminder. It was reminder of what he had done on our behalf. Strangely enough for many the celebration of communion is only a reminder of how sinful I am. We pause and reflect and become introspective about the condition of our hearts. While this may be appropriate, it is certainly not the crux of what we are to 'remember' when we drink the juice and eat the bread together.
The drinking of the blood of Christ is a reminder that He forfeited His own life in order that we my have life through Him! As I remind myself of this fact each time I take communion, my heart response is reassurance, comfort, and hope. I have LIFE. I am alive because He was willing to die. Now I share in His divine life that never dies. His blood courses through my veins and He abides in me. There is no greater news.
He is good enough, He is strong enough, and doggonit He likes me. The blood of Jesus has made me clean and brought me into relationship with Him. He truly loves me, and I am thankful of the reminder as we celebrated this last Sunday.
Aaron
Wednesday, May 27, 2009
Friday, May 22, 2009
Atone-mints?
As I have thought over the text and the teaching from this last week I am reminded all over again that the forgiveness extended to us is the most astounding gift we could ever have been given and that it IS given to everyone.
In the letter to the Colossians Chapter 3 verse 13 Paul commands them to 'forgive as they have been forgiven'. We forgive whether the other person accepts the gift or not. We forgive without reservation. We forgive without demand or expectation from the offender. We forgive because we have been forgiven; the dept was paid once for all.
Most of my life I've believed that God was ticked at most people and happy with those who had been forgiven. Of course, the way a person was forgiven was by praying some form of a 'sinners prayer'. With this view also came the belief that God simply wouldn't forgive some people either because He didn't want to or He wasn't able to.
This is not the God of the Bible. The God of the Scriptures is the one who accepts the sacrifice of the Lamb and it IS enough for the whole world. God is satisfied, the final sacrifice has been made and it was good!
Behold the Lamb of God who takes AWAY the sin of the world
For He did not come to condemn the world but that through Him the world might be saved
Forgive as you have been forgiven
The prodigal son, forgiven but not reconciled
IT IS FINISHED
What if we began to view those around us as forgiven but not yet reconciled?
What if the gospel became good news again, instead of bad news with a 'choose your own adventure' twist at the end that could make it good if you choose the right page number?
So may you begin to live as though Christ was enough, and may you realize that you cannot add one thing to the sufficiency of Christ atonement. May you begin to live in the knowledge that your sins have already been atoned for, past, present and future and that we walk in the humility and reality that forgiveness finds its completion in reconciliation with God.
Loving The Good News,
Jonathan Walker
In the letter to the Colossians Chapter 3 verse 13 Paul commands them to 'forgive as they have been forgiven'. We forgive whether the other person accepts the gift or not. We forgive without reservation. We forgive without demand or expectation from the offender. We forgive because we have been forgiven; the dept was paid once for all.
Most of my life I've believed that God was ticked at most people and happy with those who had been forgiven. Of course, the way a person was forgiven was by praying some form of a 'sinners prayer'. With this view also came the belief that God simply wouldn't forgive some people either because He didn't want to or He wasn't able to.
This is not the God of the Bible. The God of the Scriptures is the one who accepts the sacrifice of the Lamb and it IS enough for the whole world. God is satisfied, the final sacrifice has been made and it was good!
Behold the Lamb of God who takes AWAY the sin of the world
For He did not come to condemn the world but that through Him the world might be saved
Forgive as you have been forgiven
The prodigal son, forgiven but not reconciled
IT IS FINISHED
What if we began to view those around us as forgiven but not yet reconciled?
What if the gospel became good news again, instead of bad news with a 'choose your own adventure' twist at the end that could make it good if you choose the right page number?
So may you begin to live as though Christ was enough, and may you realize that you cannot add one thing to the sufficiency of Christ atonement. May you begin to live in the knowledge that your sins have already been atoned for, past, present and future and that we walk in the humility and reality that forgiveness finds its completion in reconciliation with God.
Loving The Good News,
Jonathan Walker
Wednesday, May 13, 2009
Don't Hate Me Cuz I'm Right - May 10 2009
One of the most pivotal moments in my walk with God was the day I came to a crystal clear understanding of the difference between living by the Law, and living by Grace. Living by the law is inherently ME focused and living under Grace is inherently HIM focused. I was appalled to discover that my ongoing pursuit of righteousness was intended to benefit one person; me. I wanted to feel better, look better, be better, live better. I wanted to walk into the presence of God with a confidence that came from my ability to impress Him with my righteousness. What I found instead was a constant fear of His presence because I could never seem to quite pull it together adequately.
It was deeply convicting but also liberating to discover that it was not 'righteousness' to obsess over my own behavior. The attention I used to give to my self has been redirected to loving attention to God and others. The pressing question is 'how can I benefit them?'
I love the miracle that takes place every time a believer comes to this understanding. The miracle is that righteousness becomes a natural byproduct of my relationship with God. My desire to love Him produces holiness. My desire to love Him inevitably begins to change me into His likeness. My pursuit to be like Him is deeply enjoyable and satisfying to the very core of who I am. My prayer is that your pursuit would be the same; and that we would learn to walk in this enjoyment together.
Aaron
It was deeply convicting but also liberating to discover that it was not 'righteousness' to obsess over my own behavior. The attention I used to give to my self has been redirected to loving attention to God and others. The pressing question is 'how can I benefit them?'
I love the miracle that takes place every time a believer comes to this understanding. The miracle is that righteousness becomes a natural byproduct of my relationship with God. My desire to love Him produces holiness. My desire to love Him inevitably begins to change me into His likeness. My pursuit to be like Him is deeply enjoyable and satisfying to the very core of who I am. My prayer is that your pursuit would be the same; and that we would learn to walk in this enjoyment together.
Aaron
Friday, May 8, 2009
Surround By The Sacred
As I sit here in Wasilla with Pastor David & Larae Pepper, in the sun, on their deck, looking out at the mountains, it's easy to remember that I am surrounded by the sacred. But it isn't always easy is it?
Religion can often take the place of sacredness in our lives. We begin to replace intimacy with God for attendance at church. We replace the opportunities to participate with those the spirit of God is drawing into His kingdom for another Bible study. Soon our life in Christ begins to feel more like a list of obligations and less like the wild eyed & dangerous journey it was meant to be.
The hunger for position and prestige begins to crowd out the need to love the underprivileged and care for the broken hearted.
As we looked into the lives of Nadab and Abihu in Leviticus 8-10 it was easy to see the desire for recognition leading them to treat the presence of God with disdain.
I found myself wondering how often we miss the presence of God moving on people all around us as we cloister ourselves in ivory towers of Christian safety. How often do I miss that God's Spirit is at work as close as the nearest heart beating around me. He is and always will be in pursuit of His "lost" children and dwelling with His "found" ones.
So may you discover that God is at work all around you, and may we begin to live with eyes wide open. May you see that you are surround by the sacred, and... when you are truly struck by that realization, may you live as though the "Holy" was just a heart beat away.
Peace To You All,
Pastor Jonathan Walker
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