The Down-side of Grace 1 Cor. 5

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  • Posted by Danny
  • Friday, February 17, 2012

    • "I have never fallen into sin!"

    That statement, boldly declared among the more that 45 men assembled, brought an uncomfortable hush to the room. Words like: ARROGANT, SELF-RIGHTEOUS, IGNORANT, certainly filled many minds. Such pride!

    The context: At the opening gathering of a men's retreat, our host/coordinator had initiated a get-to-know-you activity. Andy personally introduced himself and added a brief bio of his spiritual journey. As each man around the room followed this template, a definite motif unfolded. Most of the men had a clear testimony of saving faith in Jesus Christ. But nearly everyone also included a statement that sounded a bit like this: "After I believed, I fell into sin. I fell into the kind of things I had been doing before I trusted Christ." Now, gratefully, we were spared most of the gory details, but salvation followed by falling back became a theme.

    A gracious God effects a most gracious, rescuing gospel. He snatches from the binding grip of sin its helpless slaves and emancipates them to become servants of righteousness so they may joyfully pursue a new life of holiness. From the agony of bondage to the hilarity of freedom. One could rightly expect that every memory of past decadence would produce increasing repulsion. Who would ever want to go back?!

    "But thanks be to God, that you who were once slaves of sin from the heart...having been set free from sin, have become slaves of righteousness." Romans 6:17-18

    Regrettably, so much like thankless Israel enjoying longed-for freedom from Egypt, slowly the painful memories were replaced by romanticized flashbacks. And they longed to go back.

    "I have never fallen into sin." Then, following an appropriate pause for impact, our brother John added, "Every sin I have committed, I chose to do!" And the room was filled with conscience-convicted laughter that acknowledged that truth...

    "What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound? By no means! How can we who died to sin still live in it?" Romans 6:1-2

    See you Sunday, Church!

    Pastor Tom

    Glancing back as we move forward…faithNOTES on Tuesdays

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  • Posted by Danny
  • Tuesday, February 14, 2012

    • There is an amazing word of hope for unsaveable sinners!

    The reality of their saving faith is not in question.  It is an established fact.  “To those sanctified in Christ Jesus…” But the delayed maturing?  That, too, is an established fact.  With a loving but firm and direct letter, Paul sends correction their way.  He reminds them of the secret to their inevitable growing up.  “God is faithful, by whom you were called into the fellowship of His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.”  1 Cor 1:9

    He reminds them of three glorious truths:

    1.     It is thru the scandalous grace of the Cross that God does what no other power can do…He saves certified sinners!  1:17-18, 23-24, 30-31
    2.     Spiritually blind eyes are able to see with eternity’s clarity when the Cross of Christ is embraced.  2:7-8, 12-13, 16
    3.     We are, both individually and corporately, a work of transforming grace…in process!  3:1, 7, 11, 14-16, 22-23

    But then the paternal heart of their founding pastor is laid out on the page.  As he moves to addressing specific questions of living the Cross-centered life in a sin saturated community, Paul assures them that the firmness about to be revealed comes to them for their good from the very heart of one who truly loves them and is committed to them.

    PATERNAL PASSION:
    ·      “I do not write these things to make you ashamed, but to admonish you as beloved children”  4:14

    PATERNAL POSTURE:
    ·      “I became your father in Christ Jesus through the gospel”  4:14

    PATERNAL PATTERN:
    ·      “I urge you, then, be imitators of me”  4:16

    PATERNAL PURPOSE:
    ·      “For the kingdom of God does not consist in talk but in power”  4:20

    Let them, therefore:
    REFLECT DEEPLY upon such saving grace
    REJOICE GREATLY, for the penalty and the shame of sin has been removed
    REACH OUT COURAGEOUSLY.  There is great news for every unsaveable sinner!

    Press on, Church!
    Pastor Tom

    Changes to Faithnotes

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  • Posted by Danny
    • Starting in March, we will moving Faithnotes into The City, our new communications tool. If you would still like to read and receive Faithnotes, please join the Faithnotes group in The City. If you haven't yet signed up for The City, you can do so this Sunday at the kiosk in the back of the Worship Center. 

    BEST. JOB. EVER.

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  • Posted by Danny
  • Friday, February 10, 2012

    • This opportunity might be the best job I have ever had!

    Now, I do know a thing or two about jobs. High school farmhand. Gas station attendant. Factory line supervisor. Grocery department manager. Shopping mall custodian. Lighting technician (actually, just had security clearance in an aeronautic design center to go in and change fluorescent light bulbs J). Homebuilder. Floor covering installer. Youth pastor. Preacher. Youth pastor. Shepherd. As I said, I DO know a thing or two about jobs!

    But THIS job sounds like a dream come true. I would be entrusted with the material assets of a great estate. I would have the freedom to manage those as I deemed to be the best. My task would be to distribute those resources in a manner that would cause them to increase while leaving a lasting impact through their usage. It was a heavier thing than simply keeping the stuff together. Investment for impact and increase was the goal. But to sweeten the offer even more, I would be given the complete freedom of setting my own salary! I could designate whatever portion of the owner's assets, I considered to be appropriate, to provide myself and my family a nice living wage. Now, isn't that the best job ever?

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    Loving God More and Giving Him Less

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  • Posted by Danny
  • Friday, February 3, 2012

    • "The point is this: whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows bountifully will also reap bountifully." 2 Corinthians 9:6

    They were called "set-aside acres" and he had field after field of them. After the morning service had ended, I was given directions to the home where I would be the dinner guest of one of the Elders of the host congregation. They had selected this particular house for my afternoon relaxation for one key reason. The home was just over the Nebraska line from the Wyoming community where I was preaching that weekend and Nebraska was playing in a televised game in Columbia, Missouri. My host for the game was an avid Nebraska fan and the only one in the Wyoming congregation who had the game coming into his television. So they gracious arranged for me to enjoy a great farm-cooked meal AND some great Husker football.

    As I turned off the Wyoming highway onto the gravel county road, I was amazed at how many acres of land along both sides of the road appeared to be nothing more than weed beds. Mile after mile of untilled and unplanted fields surrounded me. Finally, following the sketched map in my lap, I turned off the gravel and into a long lane, driving up to a meticulously manicured farmyard. It was impressive for its orderliness and also for its absence of visible farm implements; not a tractor was in sight!

    As we enjoyed home cooking, I inquired about all the unfarmed land around us. "I retired at an early age," my host said with a smile. "They actually pay me NOT to farm that ground! Those are called 'set-aside acres' and for conservation purposes I receive a check for not putting them into tillage." He lived on a beautiful farmstead and had a new career in a business in a neighboring community. Money for not planting.

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