This week my wife Courtney and I will be doing some major cleaning around our place getting ready for my dad who is coming in for the weekend. Isn’t it funny how we act in anticipation for people we care about visiting our home? We want everything to look perfect, smell perfect, and feel perfect. Where does this desire come from? Maybe we want approval, maybe we want acceptance, maybe we want to impress, or maybe we just want their experience to be just right.
I was listening to a sermon series by Andy Stanley this week called “The Sinai Code”…Sinai coming from Mt Sinai where God gave Moses His Ten Commandments. Andy raised the question of where people get the idea that we have to clean up our act before we can “go to God.” If you were to ask someone, “Assuming there is a God and a heaven, do you think you will go there when you die,” they would immediately recount the actions of their life and say, ”well... I hope so!” Why do we associate our behavior with our acceptance by God? The perpetuation of this idea by “Christians” may be the greatest cause of isolating people from God. That is why so many say they would love to go do church or peruse God, but they feel like they must get their lives in some sort of order before they can.
God NEVER made our behavior the factoring matter in His acceptance or grace. As a Christ follower I still fall within this thinking. Some weeks I feel like God would really be impressed with me…others, man God must be disappointed in me this week. God made it clear that following rules does not gain us acceptance from Him, but wanting to do right is a result of loving Him. Only through His Son Jesus may we find acceptance.
Romans 8:3
For what the law was powerless to do in that it was weakened by the sinful nature, God did by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful man to be a sin offering.
John 1:17
For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.
May Fellowship Church be a church of acceptance and grace, a church where people can feel free to search for God, and allow Him to change the heart and actions of us all.
Ben Jones
Media Pastor
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2 comments:
I miss John's blogs, but it has been great to see Ben and Kristi post. I always check out Ryan's and Jeff's blogs daily. This has been a good time to have a great sampling of what is going on around and at Fellowship. Ben, Kristi, Jeff, & Ryan: I have only been at this church for a short while, but it has been so awesome to witness how each of your ministries have grown.
Have a great week!
Betty
Great perspective Ben, I especially love what you said about God never making our behavior the factoring matter in his acceptance. I thank Him everyday for that reality. Hey, tell your Pops hi for me - Jerry Jones is one of the most faithful Christ followers that I have ever known. You are blessed to have him as your father.
Peace!
Dale
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