March 25 - The Good Portion?

Read: Luke 10:38-42

And she had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord's feet and listened to his teaching. (Luke 10:39 ESV)

Martha welcomed Jesus into her home and began to serve his needs and offer hospitality. Her sister Mary was captivated by Jesus and sat at his feet listening to his teaching. Martha didn't like it at all. In her opinion Mary had left her to do all the work. Jesus' gentle rebuke of Martha's complaining speaks volumes. Martha was blessed by her service to The Lord, but Mary was more blessed by sitting at his feet to enjoy his presence.

This brief story sheds light on a big question among some Christians today. What is more important: serving Jesus through your actions, or serving him through abiding in his presence? The answers are as varied as the lives of those who ask the question.

Truthfully, there isn't a blanket answer that fits the life of every believer and every scenario. The story of Mary and Martha shows us that in this specific example Jesus was very pleased with Mary's decision to simply enjoy his presence. However, it is also clear that at other points Scripture is very clear about the need for us to actually doing something.

The big idea found here I believe is that we cannot assume that the way we connect to Jesus or serve him is how everyone else must do it. Let me be clear, I believe everyone must connect to Jesus. He is after all the "way, the truth, and the life". But let us not assume that the good portion is the same for everyone. Where Jesus calls one to instruction and abiding, he may call someone else to action and serving.

February 22 - Jesus Preached

Read: Matthew 4:17; Mark 1:14-15; Luke 4:14-15

And he taught in their synagogues, being glorified by all. (Luke 4:15 ESV)

I can't speak for you, but most of the time when I think about the life and ministry of Jesus I wind up dwelling on his miracles. There were so many, and they are awesome stories of the restorative nature of his redemptive love for mankind. If I'm not meditating on or studying about one of his many miracles I am usually thinking about the final moments of his ministry that led up to his torture and murder, or of course the act of his execution itself. Then there is always that intriguing time after his resurrection where he lived among his followers before eventually ascending into Heaven.

To be honest, I find myself spending the least amount of time dwelling on what may have very well been the aspect of Christ's ministry that occupied the largest amount of his time. Jesus was first and foremost a traveling preacher. In today's lingo, he was essentially a missionary. All of the awesome stories we read about his life and works exist within the context of a man who regularly traveled across very rugged terrain to share the redemption story of the Kingdom of Heaven.

He went from town to town speaking in their synagogues. If there wasn't a nearby synagogue he looked for something else to speak from like a hill, or boat. Luke's gospel captures this wonderfully. Luke the physician recorded more of Jesus' words than any other gospel.

We live in an age when words seem to carry little weight sometimes. Actions are held to a higher level of credibility. Indeed Jesus' incredible acts of mercy were miraculous displays of kindness. However, they were made even more impactful by the accompaniment of his message. He preached that God's Kingdom had returned to man through mercy, grace, and repentance. He spoke and he acted on it. He didn't do either alone. He preached repentance and then became the sacrifice to pave the way.

Salvation: Christ Alone

For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast. ~ Ephesians 2:8-9 NIV

I didn't do it. You didn't do it. We simply cannot do it. There is no saving ourselves because, in fact, we are exactly who it is we need saving from. There is a fallen nature and we all exhibit it. We do have a very real enemy in the Devil; but I have found that so often his chief means of destruction is to entice us with our own willful self-destruction.

God graciously intervenes in the self-destruction process. The entire Bible is a written record of that continued intervention process. Jesus Christ is the sole means by which God intervenes in our destruction. In an unsurpassable act of grace God became one of us—He became Jesus, Immanuel, God with us. It was, and is, grace that opened the way to reconciliation to God, and salvation from our self-imposed damnation. This happens when we place our faith in God's work on our behalf, not on our work to reach God.

Jesus Christ alone saves us. God's grace made incarnate, is Jesus. Faith alone connects us to Him. Christ alone is the intermediary between our death, hell, sin, the eternal grave, and life everlasting given only by grace from God.

We can't work it off, work up to it, or work it out on our own. We can't run to an alternate path, cash in Karma, call in a divine favor, or ascend to a place of Nirvana. There is a real Heaven, and a real Hell, and the only path to God lies through Jesus Christ.

We live in a time when that statement is offensive, but that makes it no less true. Christ alone is the path to God. His words are better than mine always, so I'll wrap it up with an excerpt from John's Gospel...

Jesus said to him, I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. (John 14:6 ESV)

More in this series.

Grace Alone Faith Alone Christ Alone

Salvation: Faith Alone

For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast. ~ Ephesians 2:8-9 NIV

Faith is a powerful thing. It is a miraculous thing. It is the hopeful belief in something that is beyond us for good or for ill.

Many people in the Bible demonstrated faith. You know people in your own life that no doubt demonstrate faith in something, even if it is something not altogether worthy of being a recipient of their faith. God is always a worthy recipient of our faith.

It is a simple acknowledgement placing your faith in God. It means developing a hopeful belief that He will, can, and has provided an alternative to your sinful nature. It is this faith at work in us that, when combined by the extended grace of God, ushers us into salvation.

Some would teach that you can only be saved by showing some outward sign, perhaps baptism, or the demonstration of some spiritual gift. It is my belief, and the clear point of this passage in Ephesians 2, that the only condition for salvation is faith. Simply put, you must acknowledge and want God alone as the source, recipient, and channel for your belief.

Faith is a many-faceted thing. It creates a mountain of possibilities in our lives, but its principle purpose is straight forward. Faith is the Holy Spirit working in our heart, mind, soul, and strength in a way that empowers us to trust in God beyond our own means. Grace alone from God received by Faith alone. That is salvation at work in us.

More in this series. Grace Alone Christ Alone

Salvation: Grace Alone

For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast. ~ Ephesians 2:8-9 NIV

Grace is a gift of God. It is THE gift. By its very nature you cannot earn, pay, deserve, or trade for it. It is a gift. Grace is a miraculous blessing bestowed upon fallen man by a loving God. It is our undeserved rescue. Grace is God's good and generous gift to me. It is His good and generous gift to you. You can't fit it in a box, wrap it up in pretty paper, and tuck it under a tree to be opened on the day of your choosing.

Because of my sin I deserve death, eternal death, and separation from God. That's what I have earned. Because of grace I am given eternal life and wonderfully adopted into the family of God. Grace is the loving, willful, attribute of God which inexplicably overrides my incessant desire to sit on my life's throne. Grace is the lasting longing extension of God's loving goodwill to humanity. Grace is the invisible element which holds the stars to their course and keeps the laws of physics in check. Grace is the shadow of a whisper of joy at each unrealized potential devastation. It is the heartfelt loving embrace of Abba Father holding us back from the precipice of our own inclination toward destruction.

Grace alone, by grace alone, To reach the Father's heart, May be my prayer, this quiet hour, And find God's favor there.

More in this series. Faith Alone Christ Alone