Monthly Archives: December 2015

With 36 hours and 15 minutes left until the end of 2015 and the beginning of a New Year, let’s close out the old year with Part II of this message on finishing well, rooted in these words from the apostle Paul to Timothy.

I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day–and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing.

(2 Timothy 4:7-8)

In Monday’s blog I said I wanted to employ the three phrases that Paul used in this inspired passage to evaluate how well the past year has gone for us. We discussed “fighting the good fight” and “finishing the race” on Monday; today let’s take a look at Paul’s final phrase:

I have kept the faith . . .

Here Paul was talking about the faith that is found only in the truth of the wisdom of God. Paul had pondered it, preached it, practiced it, protected it, and praised it everywhere the Spirit of God directed him to go. He fought against those who sought to distort the truth of God and against those who watered it down.

“Keeping the faith” for Paul meant keeping in view the all-consuming call God placed on his life. He refused to let anything take him off course. He lived a life of fidelity to His faithful Savior and poured himself out in unwavering service to his Lord. Yes, he did it imperfectly, as any man will, but he did it with all of his heart. There was never anything “half-hearted” in the life of Paul!

Think about it this way. Everything he did as Saul, prior to his encounter with the Lord Jesus Christ on the road to Damascus, he did with all of his heart. Now, as Paul, with a heart that had been changed by grace, through faith, everything he did was done with all his heart for the glory of the One who had called him.

In closing out this year, let me suggest three key words that marked the life of Paul:

• Sold-out
• Steadfast
• Single-minded

Paul was able to fight the good fight because he was sold-out in fighting it. Paul was able to finish the race because he was steadfast in running it. And Paul was able to keep the faith because he was single-minded in focusing on it.

It is my prayer that you will look back on this past year and see all the good God has done both in and through you. Learn from the times you fell short of the intended mark and carry those lessons into 2016 with the confident assurance that He who began the good work in you will carry it on to completion, just like He did in the apostle Paul’s life.

Thank you for spending time with me this past year. God bless you and yours. Lord willing, we shall do it all again next year!

This is the Gospel. This is grace for your race. NEVER FORGET THAT . . . AMEN!

I would like to close out 2015 with a two-part message on finishing well, rooted in these words from the apostle Paul to Timothy:

I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day—and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing.

(2 Timothy 4:7-8)

Let’s use the three phrases that Paul used to sum up all that God had done in His life since his Damascus Road experience to evaluate how well the past year has gone for us. Today we will look at the first two phrases; on Wednesday we’ll discuss the final one.

I have fought the good fight …

If Paul had said “I have fought A good fight,” he could have been speaking about any fight he engaged in. But he did not; he said, “THE good fight,” and the only good fight is the one God has called us to. God turned Paul’s life upside-down when He turned Saul into Paul, changing him from the persecutor of the church to the preacher and pastor to the church. Paul poured himself out in this calling; he truly did fight the good fight God had called him to!

Next Paul said . . .

I have finished the race …

Paul frequently compared his life to a race. And make no mistake; he did not compare it to a sprint, but rather a marathon. Paul lived a life that reflected the truth that He who began a good work in Paul would fully complete it. Yet Paul knew that he must continue to run, by God’s grace, putting one foot in front of the other every step of the way.

So . . . as we are nearing the end of 2015, take some time to consider both of these phrases from the apostle Paul. Can the same be said of you? Was 2015 marked by fighting the good fight and moving toward the finish line in the race God has set before you in the strength of the Almighty? Remember that, just as with Paul, I am not talking about fighting the good fight and finishing the 2015 race perfectly. Everything we do, we do imperfectly! But what I am asking you—and myself—is: Did we make God’s plan in our lives our primary passion and pursuit throughout 2015?

We’ll revisit this self-evaluation on Wednesday.

This is the Gospel. This is grace for your race. NEVER FORGET THAT . . . AMEN!

Since I was a little boy, one of my favorite holiday TV shows was “A Charlie Brown Christmas.” When I was growing up—a long time ago—you had to check the TV Guide to make sure you knew when the special presentation would air; if you missed it, you had to wait an entire year for the chance to see it again. Today, of course, my family has the DVD and we can watch it any time we want . . . and we do watch it more than once throughout the Christmas season.

My favorite scene is the one where Charlie Brown has just picked out the worst possible tree for the Christmas play. After being hammered by his friends for being such a “blockhead,” he cries plaintively, “Isn’t there anyone who knows what Christmas is all about?”

Linus responds, “Sure, Charlie Brown, I can tell you what Christmas is all about,” and proceeds to recite this glorious story from sacred Scripture . . .

And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid. And the angel said unto them, “Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, which is Christ the Lord. And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.” And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.”

(Luke 2:8-14)

Linus closes with these words: “That’s what Christmas is all about, Charlie Brown.” Truer words were never spoken! My prayer this Christmas Day is that we all would remember the reason for the season—not only today, but every day throughout the New Year.

Merry Christmas!

This is the Gospel. This is grace for your race. NEVER FORGET THAT . . . AMEN!

The Who of Advent

Today is the final message in our four-part Advent Devotional Series. We have worked through the What, the Why, and the How of Advent. We will close this series with the most important question in all of life—one that every man, woman, and child needs to ask and answer. But before we get to that question, I want to ask and answer two other very important questions.

Let’s dive in!

Who Does God The Father Say Jesus Is?

After Adam and Eve sinned in the Garden of Eden, plunging all of humanity and creation into ruin, God did not abandon them. He did not leave them there, shivering fearfully in their nakedness and shame and sin. God pursued those two rebels on the run; and in their presence, He made this promise to the serpent who had deceived them:

I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; he will crush your head, and you will strike his heel.

(Genesis 3:15)

God promised Adam and Eve that He would send a Savior who would redeem His children from both the penalty of sin and the power of sin. And at the end of the third chapter of Matthew’s Gospel, God the Father announced that this promise was fulfilled in His Son, Jesus Christ, in whom He is well pleased.

As soon as Jesus was baptized, he went up out of the water. At that moment heaven opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting on him. And a voice from heaven said, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.”

(Matthew 3:16-17)

 Who Does Jesus Say He Is?

The woman said to Him, “I know that Messiah is coming (He who is called Christ), when that One comes, He will declare all things to us.” Jesus said to her, “I who speak to you am He.”

(John 4:25-26)

When this Samaritan woman used the term “Messiah,” she was speaking about the expected King of the Jewish people who had been promised by God and anticipated by the nation of Israel for centuries. There are many Old Testament prophecies of a promised descendant of David who would come down from heaven and save His people. Those promises are fulfilled in Jesus Christ.

He was saying to them, “You are from below; I am from above. You are of this world; I am not of this world.”

(John 8:23)

Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was born, I am.”

(John 8:58)

Notice that Jesus did not say, “Before Abraham was born, I was born.” Instead He said, “I am,” indicating that He is eternally existent. His declaration immediately calls to mind the words spoken by God to Moses at the burning bush: “I AM WHO I AM!” (Exodus 3:14).

But just in case any of us failed to make that connection, Jesus clearly claimed equality with God the Father. He told the Jews, “I and the Father are one” (John 10:30).

Jesus told His disciples, “I am the way and the truth and the life, no one comes to the Father except through me” (John 14:6). Jesus made it clear, in no uncertain terms, that He is the ONLY WAY to God . . . the ONLY TRUTH of God . . . and the ONLY LIFE through God.

And now here is the final question that I must ask . . . the most important question that can ever be asked . . . a question that only you can answer:

Who Do You Say He Is?

When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, “Who do people say the Son of Man is?” They replied, “Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” “But what about you?” he asked. “Who do you say I am?” Simon Peter answered, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” Jesus replied, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by man, but by my Father in heaven.”

(Matthew 16:13-17)

Jesus made it clear that only God can open the eyes of our hearts to know Jesus; all of Scripture reinforces this truth. This knowledge of salvation by grace alone, through faith alone, to the glory of God alone, does not come through human logic or decision; it does not even come through the witness of miracles—a burning bush or some sort of Damascus Road experience. It will only come through the revelation of God, which makes the blind see, the deaf hear, and the dead rise to new life.

So . . . what will you do with this Jesus, who is called Christ? Who do you say this Jesus is? This is the most important question you will ever answer. I implore you, as an ambassador of Christ, be reconciled to God through Him!

God made him [Jesus] who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.

(2 Corinthians 5:21)

This is the Gospel. This is grace for your race. NEVER FORGET THAT . . . AMEN!

The HOW of Advent

This is the third of four messages in our Advent devotional series, which will lead us up to Christmas Day. My hope and prayer is that you and I might experience afresh the passion and power of waiting on God during these last few days before we celebrate Christmas.

Part I explained what Advent is in the life of the Christian. Part II presented a word of encouragement about why Christ came to earth and took on human flesh. This third installment in our series will take a brief look at the How of Advent.

For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.  

(Isaiah 9:6)

At first glance, this verse might seem to contain needless repetition of the same idea. “A child is born . . . a son is given.” But there is an incredible distinction to be made between “a child born” and “a son given.” Let’s take a look!

A Child Is Born

All the way back in the Garden of Eden, God promised that a child would be born as a descendent of the woman Eve.

I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers.  

(Genesis 3:15)

In spite of Adam and Eve’s horrific act of cosmic treason, God was gracious to pursue those rebels on the run. He promised to send the solution to their sin problem: a Savior, which is Christ the Lord.

When the time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under law.  

(Galatians 4:4)

Just as every child is born of a woman, Jesus was born of a woman too. However, there is one critical difference. The “seed” of every child born of woman belongs to a man, but the “seed” of Mary belonged to God the Holy Spirit and did not originate from a human man. It was a supernatural virgin birth, but a birth nonetheless; and in His humanity Jesus was a child born.

A Son Is Given

There were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”  

(Luke 2:8-12)

Yes, in His humanity, Jesus Christ was a child born. But as God’s only Son, He is not born, but given as the Savior to the world, begotten of His Father from eternity past.

I will proclaim the decree of the LORD: He said to me, “You are my Son; today I have become your Father.  

(Psalm 2:7)

A voice from heaven said, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.”  

(Matthew 3:17)

Who can fully comprehend this incredible truth? The prince of preachers, Charles Spurgeon profoundly expressed it this way:

The doctrine of the eternal affiliation of Christ is to be received as an undoubted truth of our holy religion. But as to any explanation of it, no man should venture thereon, for it remaineth among the deep things of God—one of those solemn mysteries indeed, into which the angels dare not look nor do they desire to pry into it—a mystery which we must not attempt to fathom, for it is utterly beyond the grasp of any finite being.

As well might a gnat seek to drink in the ocean, as a finite creature to comprehend the Eternal God. A God whom we could understand would be no God. If we could grasp him he could not be infinite, if we could understand him, then were he not divine. Jesus Christ then, I say, as a Son, is not born to us, but given. He was not born in this world as God’s Son, but he was sent, or given, so that you clearly perceive that the distinction is a suggestive one, and conveys much good truth to us. “Unto us a child is born, unto us a Son is given.”

Knowing that “The secret things belong to the Lord our God, but the things that are revealed belong to us and to our children forever” (Deuteronomy 29:29), we can receive this truth of the How of Advent: that a child was truly born . . . and a Son was given for you and me. And if we have received this truth by grace through faith, we can be certain that it has been done “unto us” . . . and that, dear reader, truly is good news of great joy!

This is the Gospel. This is grace for your race. NEVER FORGET THAT . . . AMEN!

The WHY of Advent

This is the second of four messages in our Advent devotional series, which will lead up to Christmas Day. My hope and prayer is that you and I might experience afresh the passion and power of waiting on God during these last few days before we celebrate Christmas.

In the previous message, we looked at what Advent is in the life of the Christian. Today I’d like to offer a word of encouragement that just may surprise you. We will take a brief look at what “The Why” of Advent was not . . . and then what it was.

1. What It Was Not

It was not SIN!

As a pastor who labors to point people to Jesus each week, I consistently emphasize the point that you and I are sinners in need of a Savior.

When the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was to be desired to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate, and she also gave some to her husband who was with her, and he ate.

(Genesis 3:6)

Adam was the federal head of all humanity, perfectly created by God for this privilege. When he fell, we all fell, and all of humanity became wicked sinners who could only be redeemed by a spotless Savior. As The New England Primer, America’s first public school textbook, taught children for more than 200 years, “In Adam’s fall, we sinned all.”

But sin could not possibly have been the primary “Why” of Advent, because sin was already in the world. In Isaiah’s and Ezekiel’s references to the kings of Babylon and Tyre, we see Adam’s fall symbolically described . . . and we also see references to the malevolent spiritual power lurking behind the kings of those two cities: Satan.

How you have fallen from heaven, O morning star, son of the dawn! You have been cast down to the earth, you who once laid low the nations! You said in your heart, “I will ascend to heaven; I will raise my throne above the stars of God; I will sit enthroned on the mount of assembly, on the utmost heights of the sacred mountain. I will ascend above the tops of the clouds; I will make myself like the Most High.”

(Isaiah 14:12-14)

You were blameless in your ways from the day you were created till wickedness was found in you. Through your widespread trade you were filled with violence, and you sinned. So I drove you in disgrace from the mount of God, and I expelled you, O guardian cherub, from among the fiery stones. Your heart became proud on account of your beauty, and you corrupted your wisdom because of your splendor. So I threw you to the earth; I made a spectacle of you before kings.

(Ezekiel 28:15-17)

Here we are given a glimpse behind the veil of heaven, and we see the fall of Lucifer and the sin that was in this world before the first sin of man. Jesus spoke of this in Luke 10:18 when He said, “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven.”

If sin was “The Why” of Advent, God would have sent Jesus to redeem the fallen angels, but that was not the purpose for His coming. The writer of Hebrews explicitly confirms this truth:

Surely it is not angels [Jesus] helps, but Abraham’s descendants. For this reason he had to be made like his brothers in every way, in order that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in service to God, and that he might make atonement for the sins of the people. Because he himself suffered when he was tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted.

(Hebrews 2:16-18)

So, if sin was not “The Why,” then what was?

2. What It Was

LOVE!

God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.

(John 3:16)

God came after fallen and sinful man; the reason is located in the heart of God and His love for man: a special love . . . a redeeming love . . . a love purchased by His beloved Son on a cross so that we could be the spouse of the Son—the bride of the Bridegroom!

And that is why everything works toward your salvation. God so loved you that, if you have trusted in Christ’s redeeming work on your behalf, God is working every circumstance of life (the good, the bad, and the ugly) for your eternal good (Romans 8:28).

May this truth of God’s amazing love for you bring you glad tidings of great joy this Christmas season and all the days God gives to you!

This is the Gospel. This is grace for your race. NEVER FORGET THAT . . . AMEN!

The “What” of Advent

I would like to shift our focus for the next four messages leading up to Christmas Day and begin an Advent devotional series, in hopes that we might experience afresh the passion and power of waiting on God during these last few days leading up to Christmas Day. In this first message, we will look at what Advent is in the life of the Christian.

The word advent simply means the coming or the arrival of something anticipated and important, such as the advent of the electric light bulb . . . the advent of the automobile . . . the advent of the computer . . . the advent of the cell phone. The word Advent, as it relates to the Christian calendar, comes from the Latin word adventus, which means “coming” or “visit.” It generally covers the four Sundays leading up to Christmas day. It is the time when Christians prepare to observe the birth of the Lord Jesus Christ through prayer, fasting, and repentance. We remember the hope of the Jewish nation and their longing for the coming of the Messiah.

During the Advent season we celebrate two profound events in the life of one promised Person; that Person, of course, is the Lord Jesus Christ. The two things we celebrate are His first Advent—the birth of the Christ child in Bethlehem—and His promised second Advent, when He will return to consummate His kingdom.

This is our fourth season celebrating Advent as a church family at Cross Community Church. The comments from the congregation each year have truly blessed my soul! All the members of our congregation, as well as our many visitors, are incredibly excited to participate in celebrating the Advent season. Some have told me that it brings back warm childhood memories of Advent calendars, Advent wreaths, and Advent candles. Others have said Advent is something they knew little or nothing about, and they find it both fascinating and faith-building. All of them affirm that our observation of Advent is quite helpful in shifting their focus away from the crass, worldly commercialism of Christmas and onto the cherished Christ of Christmas.

I can also tell you that the Advent sermons enrich the worship in our church.  However, in our increasingly secular society, the Christmas season—with all the “parties we’re hosting and marshmallows for toasting”—has a tendency to “X” Christ out of our hearts and minds if we aren’t careful.

Advent should remind us, not only of the coming of our Savior, but of our continual need of Him day by day. D. James Kennedy used to say, “God saved you then. Is He saving you now?” God not only saves us from the penalty of our sin; He saves us from the power of sin. God is saving us daily from our old way of living and empowering us to live a new way—with a new heart, new goals, new desires, and a new direction in life. The season of Advent helps us to keep these Gospel truths in clear focus.

It is my prayer that this Advent Devotional Series will help us all to be ready, willing, and able to celebrate—not so much the presents under the tree, but the great Gift of God, who was nailed to the tree in our place, taking on Himself all our sin and giving us His righteousness, that we might have eternal life.

I hope you find the next three messages to be a source of encouragement that will strengthen your hope and sharpen your focus on the Lord Jesus Christ, who has come and is coming again, just as the Scriptures promise:

He who testifies to these things says, “Yes, I am coming soon.” Amen. Come, Lord Jesus.

(Revelation 22:20)

This is the Gospel. This is grace for your race. NEVER FORGET THAT . . . AMEN!

Think about the phrase, “I’m counting on you!” Whenever that phrase is uttered, it is always spoken to someone you know. The parent says this to the child; the coach says this to the player; the teacher says this to the student. The question I have for you today is: Can you say this about Jesus Christ?

Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight.

(Proverbs 3:5-6)

Counting on someone really comes down to knowing that someone. So . . . how well do you know Jesus? I’m not talking about the worldly vision of Jesus, which imagines either some celestial Santa Clause—making His list and checking it twice to determine who’s been naughty or nice—or the angry Cosmic Cop, who is just waiting for you to break the law so He can take His pound of flesh from you. I’m talking about the real Jesus—the One who left His throne and took on human flesh, entered into this world, lived a sinless life, died a sacrificial death, and rose supernaturally from the grave. How well do you know this Jesus? The better you know Him, the more you will count on Him!

God has given us a number of resources that help us know the Christ, and I have often discussed them in this blog: from the Bible to corporate worship, from prayer to Christian friends. But I want to suggest another resource that we often forget about: past experience.

Can you think about a time in your past when God came through for you? Of course you can . . . probably several times! God has continually come through for you in the past, time and time again. But we have a tendency to forget that, just as the Israelites did when God used Moses to lead them out of their captivity in Egypt. They had witnessed the ten plagues and the parting of the Red Sea, they had eaten manna from heaven and seen God bring water from a rock, but it wasn’t long before they stopped counting on God and began counting on themselves, which culminated in the awful incident of the golden calf.

But this is not for you! The same God who has come through for you so many times in the past will continue to do so in the future.

Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.

(Hebrews 13:8)

You can count on the One who has led you out of captivity and set you free to be all He is calling you to be. Granted, you can’t—and shouldn’t—count on God to always give you all the “stuff” you want in this life. He doesn’t work that way! But you can count on Him to give you everything you need to do all He is calling you to do. Jesus Christ was worthy of your trust in your past; He is worthy of your trust today; and He is most definitely worthy of your trust as you move into the future . . . even during those inevitable times when you are challenged to trust Christ even though you feel that you cannot trace Him.

So . . . where in your life are you counting on Christ right now? Where do you want Him to show up “big time” to meet you in your place of deepest need? Fear not, for the power of the One you are counting on is greater than any power you will ever come up against!

This is the Gospel. This is grace for your race. NEVER FORGET THAT . . . AMEN!

How well do you share? You may be thinking, “Well, that depends on what it is you want me to share!” When it comes to a meal with my beloved Kim, I must remember that last bite on the plate often seems to be the one she has been working her way toward throughout the entire meal. In other words, hands off! And when it comes to the last bowl of ice cream in the freezer . . . well, everyone in my family has the good sense to know that Dad has absolutely no intention of sharing that treat with anyone!

The Bible tells us we are to be the saints of God who share our time, talent, and treasure with others for the glory of God. Most saints know this truth and do their best to do just that. But there is something else we have been called by God to share, and I am convinced that many of us are not as good at sharing in this area:

Share each other’s burdens, and in this way obey the law of Christ.

(Galatians 6:2)

When was the last time you shared a burden of yours with someone else? When was the last time you shared someone else’s burden with them? For many, the second is much easier to do than the first. Yet we are called by God to share our burdens; by doing this, we obey the law of Christ.

You see, we have been made for community. When God saved us, He drew us out of our intentional isolation and placed us in the body of Christ. As part of one body with many members, we are to shoulder the burdens of others . . . and at the same time, share our burdens with others.

Our perfect model of sharing burdens is the Lord Jesus Christ. He came into this world to bear the greatest burden the world has ever known: the cosmic burden of sin and death. The prophet Isaiah said, “Surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows” Isaiah 53:4). And as He moved along the way toward the cross, Jesus also demonstrated how to bear daily burdens. Jesus not only met our deep spiritual needs; He met our physical needs as well. Jesus modeled burden-bearing perfectly!

When we share the struggles of others, we point them to Jesus Christ, who can and will meet the deepest needs of all those who will turn to Him in faith. One of the best ways to put the Gospel on display is to bear one another’s burdens. Burdens that we bear alone can bury us; but when someone comes along to shoulder the burden with us, the load is lighter and the burden becomes bearable.

Do you remember God’s statement in Genesis—“It is not good for man to be alone”? To be sure, Adam was not alone; he had the Triune God to be with. And yet God ordained another person, Eve, to be Adam’s helpmate. God has designed life to be lived in community, where we look to the needs of others and find ways to meet people there.

So . . . are you carrying a burden today that would be lightened by sharing it with someone else? Know this: when you keep your burdens to yourself, you deny a blessing to the other person who wants to share it with you. We each need each other, and when we share our burdens we are building each other up to press on toward the finish line.

Many Christians do not spend much time in the book of Ecclesiastes, and that’s a shame, because they are missing great chunks of gold, like this one:

Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their work: If one falls down, his friend can help him up. But pity the man who falls and has no one to help him up! Also, if two lie down together, they will keep arm. But how can one keep warm alone? Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.  

(Ecclesiastes 4:9-12)

Share your time, your talent, and your treasure. But don’t forget to share your struggles too!

This is the Gospel. This is grace for your race. NEVER FORGET THAT . . . AMEN! 

I have served as a coach and trainer of athletes throughout much of my life, so I am well acquainted with the performance treadmill. In many ways, the treadmill is important and valuable. Athletes are measured by their performance; their performance keeps them in the game, and peak performance often leads to victory. The performance treadmill also comes into play in the business world. Run hard—perform well—and you climb the ladder of success; perform poorly and you can find yourself looking for another job.

However, when it comes to our walk with the Lord, we must not confuse “do” with “who.”

You are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness and into his wonderful light.

(1 Peter 2:9)

Jesus came to take us off of the performance treadmill . . . seeking to find our acceptance and approval from God by what we do. We are already accepted in the beloved. We are already approved of by God. And all of this is because of Jesus’ performance, not ours. God required a perfect, unblemished Lamb to be sacrificed, One who would take away the sins of the world. So Jesus came into this world and lived perfectly and sinlessly; He fulfilled the Law of God completely. As He said, He did not come to abolish the Law, but rather to fulfill it.

His final perfect performance was His death on the cross. And God was so pleased with everything Jesus accomplished in His perfect life and sacrificial death, that God put His stamp of approval over the life and performance of His precious Son by resurrecting Him from the grave.

Think about it for a moment: do you really believe that there is anything our pitiful, sin-filled performance can add to what Jesus has already done on our behalf? Anything at all? When Jesus said, “It is finished,” He meant what He said! It is all finished; He lived the life we can never live and then went to the cross and paid the debt of sin we could never pay . . . and He paid that debt in full. There is nothing we can add to perfection, so we mustn’t try!

So does that mean we just sit at home on the couch? Heaven forbid it! What our performance does do is witness to the truth that we belong to the group Peter talked about in his inspired epistle—we are part of “a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God.” Our performance flows out of our position in Christ. When we keep that truth in view, we will not confuse “do” with “who” we are in Christ. Whether we perform well or poorly, our standing before God does not change. This truth is what frees us from running on a performance treadmill that seeks to gain acceptance and approval from God. We are free to perform as a result of our salvation, not as way to try to earn it.

Make no mistake, we live in a world where our performance will constantly be measured. And that is a good thing! Hard work is a good thing. Giving maximum effort is a good thing. Getting up early and staying up late to do the job well is a good thing. It brings glory to God and good to others. But when it comes to our relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ, we must get off the performance treadmill, knowing that whether we are having a good day or a bad day, our relationship with our Redeemer never changes.

This is the Gospel. This is grace for your race. NEVER FORGET THAT . . . AMEN!