The Tenacious Hope of the Gospel

1 Thes. 4:13-14 “But we do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about those who are asleep, that you may not grieve as others do who have no hope. For since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so through Jesus, God will bring with Him those who have fallen asleep.”

(I’m back! I apologize for my recent absence from the blog. Several have asked me if I am going to stop blogging and the answer is no! I have just been extremely busy and have been on the road a ton. I have just wrapped up an intensive theological German course and also recently returned from Centrifuge with my students! I am excited to be getting back to some sense of normalcy and am incredibly excited that I get to write again. )

Hope is a strange and wonderful gift. It is one of those unique attributes that all human posses. In times of plenty we have hope that the bounty will continue. In times of great lack we hope for a better future. We hope in the policies of governments, in the merits of men, and in the intellect of the mind. We find hope in everything from medicine to technology, and from finances to insurance policies. However, for most people, hope dies with death. No matter how great the medicine it is useless when the body fails. No matter how much intellect one posses, the mind is worthless when the last synapse fires. On and on we could think of a million ways that hope perishes in the face of death.

In truth, graveyards are a chilling reminder of the death of hope. We have all lost people and we all know the pain that swells on the other side of the iron cemetery gates. In the reality of the graveyard hope seems too weak and frail to matter. However, the gospel shows us, and all men, that the hope it offers is a tenacious hope. The hope that Jesus Christ offers men is not temporal or temporary, but rather it is eternal. The hope of Jesus Christ is a tenacious hope that will outlast the cemetery and the cosmos. When this world has faded away and this earth is but a distant memory, the hope of our Lord will continue.

            The gospel hope is not withered by death. Ultimately we serve the Lord of the Resurrection. Jesus Christ obliterated death through His gospel. He faced death head on and He conquered it. The King of the Resurrection is our king. Where Jesus is, death is not. Death has truly lost its sting. Does this mean that we should not grieve for those we have lost? No, that is not what Paul is telling the Thessalonians. He tells them to grieve, but with hope. This is not the end of it. Death is not the ending for us. We tenaciously hope in the Lord of the Resurrection. Since Jesus rose again, we know that we too will rise to meet Him. The glory of Easter makes the darkness of the graveyard bearable.

            I want to encourage you today to remember the glorious gospel of Jesus Christ. The gospel shows us that we were dead in sin, but that Christ has given us life again. The Lord of Life endows us with a tenacious hope. In a world of uncertainty and hopelessness, the gospel shines as a beacon of everlasting hope. 

A Gospel Peace...

            We all desire peace of mind. Unfortunately peace is hard to come by! We live in a hectic world that is always changing. Whenever we get passed one problem it seems that another crops up in its place. Life is unpredictable and frightening. We long for a perfect place where problems don’t exist. Sadly, this world is ravaged by sin. This world is wearing out like a garment. This world is wild and scary.

            I have always been a worrier. If I am not careful I will get anxious about every little thing. I literally didn’t sleep well the night before my dog (Gigi) got fixed! Crazy I know… A few weeks ago my wife noticed a small bump on her leg. At first we didn’t think it was anything, but it never went away. Last week she went to the doctor to get it check out. The doctor was concerned enough to have an x-ray and some blood work done but was also very reassuring that it was probably nothing serious. However, I found myself seriously struggling with worry. I absolutely love my wife more than anything and so when the worry came, it came on strong. I was in the midst of great anxiety when I began to reflect on the gospel. I found that my heart began to become courageous and before long I found peace had completely replaced my worries. Now I am certainly not saying that I am “over” worrying. However, I am saying that one thing that has truly helped me, even in the midst of stressful situations,  (we still don’t know what the bump is on Jennie’s leg) is the greatness of God! As I have reflected on the greatness of God as seen in the gospel my soul has found strength and my heart has found peace.

            The greatness of God helps us with worry in at least three ways. First, God’s eternal knowledge takes away the scariness of the unknown. I worry because I don’t know what the future holds. The great news for us is that we have a God who knows everything! He knows the beginning, the end, and everything in between. Therefore, even though I do not know what the future holds, I have a God that does! This certainly does not mean that bad things won’t happen, but it does mean that nothing happens without God’s knowledge. God is not surprised or taken aback by anything we will ever experience.  Let that truth sink in.

            God’s greatness helps dissolve our worry in a second way. God is powerful over everything. This means that the God who knows everything is also the God who ultimately controls everything.  God is Lord over everything. His power infinitely exceeds any trouble we could ever face. He is supreme over all of creation. Our God’s power cannot be quantified. His power cannot be overstated. His power supersedes our comprehension.  He is God! We can rest in the knowledge that our God controls it all!

            There is one more truth that helps to obliterate any worry from our hearts. In Christ God loves us! This is where the gospel shines for the worrier, the anxious person, and the fearful one. The God who knows everything and the God who controls everything loves us! The gospel shouts this truth to us! Our hearts can rest in that great truth. Therefore, no matter what happens I can find hope in God’s love for me! Does this mean that because God loves me I will never suffer harm? No! This means that I can suffer knowing that my God knows what I am going through, that He is in control of the situation, and that in spite of what I see I know that He loves me! How do I know? The bloodied cross of His Son screams His love for me and for all of creation! The gospel does not promise me a life without trouble, but it does promise me a life held by God and an eternity lived with Him! The truth of the gospel gives sustained peace regardless of circumstances. The gospel supersedes worry by showing us God’s knowledge, God’s power, and God’s love! Undoubtedly trouble will come into all of our lives, but let us hope in the God of our salvation. Let’s cling to the hope that we have found in Jesus Christ. If God is for us, who can stand against us? 

Aching for God...

           Life is filled with longing and desire. We want to make one more dollar, visit one more destination, or meet one more person. There is always something else to want. There is always something else we are certain that we need. However, the ache of the human heart is never satisfied. The pangs of the human soul are never filled by anything in creation. While we certainly can find enjoyment and meaning in many things; none of them completely soothe the ache in our hearts. We are longing for something this universe can never give us. Our deepest desire is to be united again with the One who created us. Our aching hearts long for none other than God Himself.

           

            We long to know the God who created everything we see and the countless things we will never will.  Our hearts long for Eden. We long for a different time and a far away place. We ache to walk with God. Our souls thirst for nothing less than God Himself. The sunsets sing of His grandeur, the oceans proclaim His majesty, and the whole of the cosmos whispers His name. The heart of man aches to know the God who created it all. So what has happened to us? What have we become? It is not that our ambitions have outgrown God, but rather our desires have become too small. We now try to fill the God sized hole with puny knick-knacks and frail ambitions. We long for the pastries of Egypt when the treasure we have always longed for is a Pillar of Cloud right in front of us. Our scrawny flesh longs for the created things, when what we need is the Creator Himself.  Our empires of dirt will never soothe the groaning of our souls. We need God!

            The glorious news for us is that Jesus Christ has opened the way to God. If not for Christ all of our efforts would have been in vain. If not for Christ the God who is everywhere could have never been found by us. Yet, in Christ we have access to God. In Christ, Eden is no longer a dream, but rather a reality. In Christ we may once again walk with God!

But oh how quickly we leave Eden for another land. So often we feast on mud cakes instead of feasting on God Himself.  How often we trade a life with God for an empty shell of an existence. Let’s abandon any ambition that does not lead us to God. Let’s pursue the only One worth pursuing.  Let’s remember that the deepest pursuits of our hearts are in vein if they are not rooted in the desire to know God.  For God is not far away! He is close at hand! In Christ our aching hearts can know the God we long for! How beautiful is our God! How matchless is His glory! Let’s joy in the God of our salvation. Let’s soothe our weary hearts by clinging to the God of the gospel! 

The Gospel that Never Grows Old

          Life is filled with many wonderful things and many magnificent experiences. There are so many things that sparkle and glitter. However, it seems that they all dull over time.  Even the most desired possession becomes commonplace when we have owed it long enough. A great example of this is a new automobile. There is nothing quite like it. Everything about it is pristine at the beginning. If you are like me you probably wash it every other day for the first few weeks. The smell is distinct, the chrome glistens, and the paint looks flawless. But what inevitably happens? Shopping carts chip the paint, candy wrappers get stuck under the seats, cokes get spilled on the cloth, and the new car smell is replaced with the lingering aroma of drive thru hamburger joints. With time the new shinny car morphs into the old smelly car. Everything loses its sparkle. Everything begins to fade.

            In my experience there is only one thing in life that still excites me like it did the first day. There is only one thing that never grows old or dull. There is one thing that becomes more beautiful with time. That one thing is the gospel of Jesus Christ. For me it was 17 years ago that I heard that gospel and responded to it. So much has come and gone in those 17 years. Many possessions have been procured and lost. Many friendships have been made and are now distant memories. Many awards have been won and many goals have been met, but nothing, absolutely nothing still thrills my heart like Jesus and His gospel!

            I have heard the good news now thousands of times. I have sung about it, read about it, talked about, written about it, and thought about it on countless occasions. Yet, it has not grown dull. It has never lost its luster. It is still the most beautiful thing I have ever experienced.  I am still overwhelmed by it. Just this past Sunday as we sang about the gospel I was moved to tears. I simply cannot stand under the weight of its glory. I still feel like a child when I think about the gospel. I get wide-eyed and filled with wonder. I am still struck to the core when I remember what Christ has done.  The beauty of the gospel never tarnishes, but continues to shine.

            I honestly believe that it can never and will never grow old. I believe that even when this age has passed, we will still remember it. I think that after we have been in that New Kingdom for countless millennium we will still joyously reflect on its truth. I believe that even in that place where night is no more and tears are wiped away that the sons of God will fall prostrate at the mention of it. How could the truth of it ever get old? How could we ever get over the fact that we were dead in our sin, but God who is rich in mercy sent His Son to save us? (Eph. 2). How can all of this not cause our hearts to worship the great God who orchestrated the glorious gospel? Let’s continually reflect on the beauty of the gospel. Let’s perpetually adore the God who saved us! For our God never grows old, nor does His gospel!

            

A Different Gospel Is No Gospel At All

Galatians 1:6 I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting the one who called you to live in the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel— 7 which is really no gospel at all. Evidently some people are throwing you into confusion and are trying to pervert the gospel of Christ.

            I think we have all been misunderstood or at the very least misquoted. My communications professor in college used to always say, “It is not so important what you say, but what the other person hears.” We have to be so careful that we clearly communicate with people. However, there are times when we say exactly what we mean, but the other person simply twists our words to fit their own thoughts, convictions, etc. In Galatians Paul is combating the latter. The Galatians have clearly heard the gospel, but they have begun to twist the truth of the gospel. They have begun buying into another gospel. Paul sets out to defend the true gospel.

           

            Sometimes I feel like I should change my name to Joseph from Galatia. If I am not careful I too will take off to a different gospel… that is no gospel at all. I see two prominent pseudo gospels that crop up if we are not careful.  On the one hand we have legalism. On the other hand we have licentiousness. Both of these are equally bankrupt.  However, if we are not careful we will twist the truth of the gospel into one of them.

            The sad truth is that churches are filled with people who cling to legalism and who have never experienced the gospel. Many people are brought up thinking that if they are a “good person” then God will accept them. They think if they can do more good than bad then they will be okay. Many world religions teach variations of this. However, Scripture teaches us that we are totally and completely sinful to our cores. Our best deeds are “filthy rags” to God. We can never work our way to God. That is one type of legalism.

There is another type of legalism. This type of legalism would say that it is “by grace” that we are saved, but it is by our own works that we are sanctified. Many people have been taught that Jesus saves us, but then we better get to work if we want God to accept us. This is not the gospel! The gospel shows us that we are completely justified by Christ (Rom. 8:1). This shows us that our standing with God is not based on what we can do, but what Christ has done. Many people in church will spend a lifetime trying to please God, never knowing that they are already accepted if they have Christ!

The great shortcoming of legalism is that it teaches the imperatives (what we should do) of Scripture without the indicatives of Scripture! For example, legalism would tell you that Galatians 5 teaches that we should be more loving, or more kind and that the way we achieve that is by trying harder to do those things. However, what Paul is actually telling us is that if we “walk in the Spirit” we will bear the fruit of the Spirit. The text is not teaching us to “try harder.” The text is actually teaching us that through the gospel and the work of the Spirit HE will transform us and HE will cause us to truly bear fruit. This fruit is not mustered up out of our own volition, but rather it comes from the transforming nature of the Spirit inside us! So it is clear to see that many are trapped in legalism. There is no joy in that place. There is only fear and despair. That is not the gospel!

            An equally sad truth exists both inside and outside the church. There are some who think the gospel teaches licentiousness. These people think that the gospel saves us from hell, but what we do here on earth doesn’t matter (God will forgive us anyway). This is what many call “fire insurance.” A person says a prayer at summer camp for example, and then they go on with their life as if nothing happened. This is terribly sad because many people assume that they are saved when they are in fact lost. Paul dealt with this in Galatians. People wanted the riches of God, but they did not want God. This is no gospel at all. This still leaves people broken and cursed.

            The truth of the gospel is neither legalism nor licentiousness. However, if we are not careful we will go too far in one direction or another. We will either think that our standing with God is based solely on our works or we may think that we can simply do whatever we want. Both of these are bankrupt, because both of them make much of us and make nothing of Christ! Legalism and licentiousness are fueled by selfish ambition. They are broken. We need the gospel! The gospel frees us from the chains of legalism and the prison of licentiousness. The gospel makes much of Jesus and in the process we are transformed! So today let’s make much of Jesus and His gospel. Legalism and licentiousness are pseudo gospels, which are truly no gospels at all! Let’s cling to the truth of the gospel! 

The God Who Never Loses Heart

          Do you ever lose heart? I think we all do from time to time. Life is filled with unexpected stresses and unforeseen obstacles. Sometimes there are minor bumps along the way and sometimes there are landmines that seem to hopelessly devastate our lives. It is in these valleys that many of us lose heart. It is so easy to become overwhelmed and defeated. Some people say that Jesus will take away the valleys of this life, but that is not true. Some people say that with Jesus comes perpetual happiness and good times; that too is a lie. The truth is that life is difficult. Life is often discouraging. The glorious news for us is that we have a God that is bigger than our deepest valley and stronger than our broken spirit. He is braver than our darkest fears and closer than our present danger. The God who controls eternity never loses heart, never gives up, and never stops loving us!

            At times of great discouragement our hearts can fail within us. In times of fear our souls can seemingly dissolve inside us. However, God is always in control. God is always powerful. God never, ever loses heart. The God who spoke the cosmos into being is the God who controls it. The God who breathed life into our clay bodies sustains us. The God who sent His Son is altogether worthy and wonderful! Though we walk through the valley of the shadow of death we shall fear no evil, for our God has proved His love for us on the cross! We may faint, but we will never die. We may fall into despair, but we will never be forgotten. The God who brought us the gospel is the God who controls our destinies! He is trustworthy.

            The gospel constantly reminds us of God’s love and power. He sent His Son to this earth. His Son lived the perfect life we could never live. His Son traded His perfection for our brokenness. His Son paid the debt we could never pay. His Son died for our wickedness. Let’s stop there. Think about that. The Son of God perished for our sins. The hope of mankind was seemingly lost. Did God lose heart? Did God despair? He absolutely did not! The God who predestined His Son to die also predestined His Son to live! Jesus Christ resurrected from the grave! That causes our heart to worship!  The God who orchestrated our redemption is the God who never loses heart. He is the God who knows the ends and the means. He is the God who controls our pasts, presents, and futures. Why should we fear? For today we are tested and tried, but soon we will dance in the presence of our God. We will taste death, but only for an instant. For our God has conquered the curse of death and the grave of despair. He has redeemed the souls of men! In Christ, we have lost our shackles and in their place we have been given crowns. Let’s cast our crowns at the feet of our Savior. Let’s bow before the God of our salvation. We may be surrounded by trouble today, but tomorrow we will weep for joy in the arms of our Savior. Do not lose hope…. Just know that even if you do, He never will. The God who redeemed us will surely keep us until the furthest reaches of forever. The world may waste away and the sun may become an ember, but our God will never lose heart. He outshines the sun and He outlives the cosmos. He controls eternity and we know from the gospel that He loves us! There is no need to fear. Let’s rejoice in Him!

The Gospel Everyday Keeps Self-Righteousness Away

          

Galatians 3:2 I would like to learn just one thing from you: Did you receive the Spirit by the works of the law, or by believing what you heard? 3 Are you so foolish? After beginning by means of the Spirit, are you now trying to finish by means of the flesh?

            Habits are hard to break. I have found this to be true in every area of life: physical, mental, and spiritual.  For example, I have been in the throws of P90X for almost 2 months. Even after all this times I still sometimes get the urge to swerve across three lanes of traffic and “accidently” go through the Taco Bell drive-thru. My flesh is weak! Or take mental habits for example. I have been revisiting my Greek studies for a while now. Though I enjoy studying it I still find myself wanting to throw Mounce’s book out the window and sit down and play a video game. My mind is weak! The truth is I am also weak spiritually. I have been so incredibly changed by the gospel but I still find myself being pulled back to the emptiness that is self-righteousness. In an instant I can go back to thinking that my salvation, sanctification, or glorification are up to me. It is madness, but I can still fall back into legalism in an instant.   

            As everyone who has read this blog knows, I started this blog to continually remind me (and you ) of the truth of the gospel. Last week was one of the busiest weeks I have had… well ever. Even though I was not able to write very much last week, I did reflect daily on the truth of the gospel so that I would not slip back into self-righteousness. However, the past couple days I have been truly exhausted. In my tiredness I have found my mind wandering back to my legalistic tendencies. It is at times such as these that I am perpetually grateful for several things. First, I am thankful for the Holy Spirit that dwells inside me. He helps to refocus my attention and affection back on the truth of the gospel. I am incredibly thankful that God did not leave us alone, but rather sent the Holy Spirit to guide us! Second, I am thankful for God’s Word. The gospel is literally all over the Scriptures. I don’t have to read long before I see the glorious gospel and as a result am reminded of who I am in Christ. Third, I rejoice that I have a gospel-centered wife. Whenever I begin to talk about the old country (legalism) she gently reminds me of the glorious riches that we have found in the gospel. Everyone needs a Jennie! In light of all of this I want to simply reflect on some of the beautiful riches that we have found in the gospel.

1). In Christ we have found true acceptance and love from God. Before Jesus Christ we were literally enemies of God. From the womb we were cursed (Ps. 51:5). We were dead men walking. However, Christ’s atonement changed everything! In Christ, God perpetually loves us. Nothing can separate us the love of God that we have in Jesus (Rom. 8).  In Christ, God accepts us. Jesus gave us His righteousness and He took our sin to the cross. It is unfathomable, but it is true! Now we can boldly approach the God of the universe. He loves us and He accepts and it is all because of what Jesus Christ did for us!

2). In Christ we can have a genuine relationship with God. Before the gospel we wandered around aimlessly looking for meaning to this life. We constantly worried about whether God was angry with us, but in Christ we found forgiveness and acceptance. This has allowed us to truly have a relationship with God. It is a relationship built on the finished work of Christ, not on our own power! We are now free to enjoy God! Since we are no longer condemned (Rom 8:1), now we can walk with God. We can go before Him without fear of rejection and we can shamelessly adore Him! To sum it up we have found true joy in knowing God! Legalism never offered us that.

3).  In Christ we have been freed from anxiety. We used to have to constantly worry about life. When we thought we were in control there was perpetual stress and heavy anxiety. However, Christ freed us from ourselves. Christ showed us the truth of who God is. This allows us to rest in the knowledge that He is control. The God who sent His Son to save our souls is the God we can trust. This doesn’t mean that this life will be easy, but it does mean that we now have a God who “will never leave you or forsake you.” That is a promise to cling to!

4). In Christ we have been freed to love people. Before the gospel many of us were self-righteous. Our legalism gave us empowerment and entitlement. However, Jesus freed us from the need to judge each other. The gospel shows us that our worth is found in Christ finished work not in our own abilities. This leads our hearts to experience true joy. This joy oozes out of us to others. Since Christ has forgiven us, now we can forgive. Since Christ was wronged for our sakes, now we can be wronged for others. Since Christ has loved us, now we can love each other!

            We could literally write forever about the treasures we have found in the gospel! Christ has changed everything. In light of this, let’s unashamedly cling to Him today. Self-righteousness sings a familiar song, but the gospel shouts God’s love for us. We have found the greatest treasure imaginable in the gospel of Jesus Christ; let’s cling to Him today!