Praise to God

Accept one another, then, just as Christ accepted you, in order to bring praise to God.

Romans 15:7  NIV

 

If you look up the context to this passage, you will see that it falls in the middle of a long discourse on the need for Christians to serve one another.  Christ is given as our example.  The glory of God is the goal.

 

This verse confronted me with the vast distance I still need to travel as a Christian this morning.  Let me tell you why.

We are all made uniquely, with different gifts and abilities, strengths and weaknesses.  I have come to understand more clearly in the past few years that my strongest gift is mercy.  It is a truly wonderful gift, and I am deeply grateful to God that He has been allowing me to begin putting it into practice.  It is satisfying in a way that nothing else in life satisfies to use one’s spiritual gifts.

But nothing is without struggle here on earth.  We are prone not only to the greatest pride in this place of giftedness, but also to the greatest attacks of the enemy.  It is no surprise that many Christians never employ their giftedness to their fullest capacity.  It is dangerous territory. 

I still feel self-conscious saying that I have a ministry.  But I will explain ministry as this: to employ the giftedness that God has given me for His glory and the furtherance of His kingdom.  This is real work, and in this work, I have come to accept that I am a minister of God’s grace.  But often, the very gift that should most glorify God in my life has become a satisfaction in itself for me.

In some ways, my humanitarian nature is the biggest stumbling block to my ministry.  Many times—in all honesty—most of the time, I am so consumed with the needs before me that I forget the bigger picture.  I see suffering, and I want to pray.  I see need, and I want to help.  I would rather sit on a street curb and pray for someone than go out for dinner.  But my goal is still so imperfect.  My relief is often in the relief of others, my joy in theirs.  It sounds nice.  It sounds very “Mother Teresa” and humanitarian.  But it falls short of the true goal, which is to glorify God.

This verse, like so many verses in the Bible, sums up the totality of all things: “in order to bring praise to God.”  I know that I am doing what I am supposed to be doing, and that I am growing in the Lord.  But I also know with painful clarity that I am a long way from having the right heart.  My inclination to find satisfaction in the temporal relief of the suffering of others keeps me from the better thing.  With the help of God I must teach my heart to find a higher joy: the confession and adoration of Christ. 

 

The Grace of Christ in the Parable of the Good Samaritan

There are so many lessons that can be gleaned from the parable of the good Samaritan.  As I have been pondering the meaning of grace, the details of the Samaritan in this story took on new meaning. 

But he, desiring to justify himself, said to Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?”  Jesus replied, “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and he fell among robbers, who stripped him and beat him and departed, leaving him half dead.  Now by chance a priest was going down that road, and when he saw him he passed by on the other side.  So likewise a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. But a Samaritan, as he journeyed, came to where he was, and when he saw him, he had compassion. He went to him and bound up his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he set him on his own animal and brought him to an inn and took care of him. And the next day he took out two denarii and gave them to the innkeeper, saying, ‘Take care of him, and whatever more you spend, I will repay you when I come back.’ Which of these three, do you think, proved to be a neighbor to the man who fell among the robbers?” He said, “The one who showed him mercy.” And Jesus said to him, “You go, and do likewise.”

Luke 10:25-37

Sin causes us to stray - it leads us away from God

A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho...

Sin robs us - it steals all that we were meant to be in Christ and leaves us debtors

...and he fell among robbers...

Sin humiliates us - it strips us of self respect and dignity

...who stripped him...

Sin assaults us - it causes us physical, emotional, intellectual and spiritual distress and disease

...and beat him...

Sin abandons us - it empties us of the promises of God and leaves us in hopelessness and despair

...and departed, leaving him half dead.

Christ honors us - He cares for us with extravagant love and compassion

...Then he set him on his own animal

Christ heals us - He binds up our wounds, and heals us with the oil and water of His Holy Spirit

...and bound up his wounds, pouring on oil and wine.

Christ saves us - He rescues us from condemnation and death

...(He) came to where he was, and when he saw him, he had compassion. He went to him...

Christ guides us - He leads us to safety and tends to our needs

...and brought him to an inn and took care of him.

Christ redeems us - He pays all our debts, past, present and future, and promises to return for us

...And the next day he took out two denarii and gave them to the innkeeper, saying, ‘Take care of him, and whatever more you spend, I will repay you when I come back.’

Sin is not just something we are inclined to do, it is something that rules over us.  Only Christ can set us free from sin.  Those of us in Christ owe Him our lives and much more.  We are freed by His mercy, but we rejoice because of His grace.