Now all I know is grace.
Hallelujah, All I have is Christ.
Hallelujah, Jesus is my life."
[sovgracemusic]
During the Christmas season we can get wrapped up in the "holiday spirit" with all the pretty decorations and department store sales. We live in a culture where Santa and giving presents to people have turned our eyes from the real meaning of Christmas. We started a new series at church this month entitled "What Christmas Creates". Josh Harris opened the series and spoke about Gratefulness. "Why talk about gratefulness as the opening of a sermon series on What Christmas Creates? Isn't that more of a message during the Thanksgiving holiday?" Well, I'm glad you asked.
On October 3, 1789, President George Washington declared that in November a certain day would "be devoted by the People of these States to the service of that great and glorious Being, who is the beneficent Author of all the good that was, that is, or that will be. That we may then all unite in rendering unto him our sincere and humble thanks." Yes it is true that he was referring to that certain day as the Thanksgiving holiday. But is that the only day for us to be grateful and thankful what what we have been given? I think not. We have millions of reasons to be thankful to God, no matter the circumstances. "How am I suppose to be grateful in all circumstances? Isn't that going a little bit too far?" It is only through Jesus that we can be thankful in all circumstances. It is because He loves us and cares for us that we can rejoice in all things and give thanks.
Why? Because Jesus was born to save us from our sins. All of us are familiar with the Christmas Story whether we regularly attend church or not. Over 2000 years ago a baby was born of a virgin and they called His name Jesus. He became human and dwelt among men, lived a perfect life and perfectly obeyed his Father. Then one day He was led up a hill called Calvary and die a brutal death that we deserved. This my friends, is the gospel. If you are a Christian and believer in Christ, your eternal destiny is secure. What an amazing truth. The Bible says that in this world we will face tribulation and different problems. I know some friends who are going through significant trials. I know other friends who are just trying to make it through their undergraduate degree. But, our biggest problem is our sin and guilt before a Holy God. Why on earth would he allow sinners like us to call him 'Abba, Father' and allow us to approach the throne of grace in time of need? Are you more aware of everything that is going wrong in your life than the amazing work of the cross and the hope that your eternal destiny is secure? No matter what we are facing, we can give thanks because our biggest problem has been taken care of on the cross because of what God has done through Christ.
Not only was Jesus born to save us from our sins, because of the birth of Jesus God is truly with us. They called him Immanuel, which means "God with us" - not "God sometimes with us when He feels like it". No - God. With. Us. In the good times and the bad times, we can be assured that God is with us. Sometimes in trial we may not feel like He is with us helping us, but He is there with us every step of the way, loving us and caring for us. We do not worship a God who loves us from a distance. We are not in our circumstances alone. Jesus is with us. He will never leave us or forsake us.
Why? Because Jesus was born to save us from our sins. All of us are familiar with the Christmas Story whether we regularly attend church or not. Over 2000 years ago a baby was born of a virgin and they called His name Jesus. He became human and dwelt among men, lived a perfect life and perfectly obeyed his Father. Then one day He was led up a hill called Calvary and die a brutal death that we deserved. This my friends, is the gospel. If you are a Christian and believer in Christ, your eternal destiny is secure. What an amazing truth. The Bible says that in this world we will face tribulation and different problems. I know some friends who are going through significant trials. I know other friends who are just trying to make it through their undergraduate degree. But, our biggest problem is our sin and guilt before a Holy God. Why on earth would he allow sinners like us to call him 'Abba, Father' and allow us to approach the throne of grace in time of need? Are you more aware of everything that is going wrong in your life than the amazing work of the cross and the hope that your eternal destiny is secure? No matter what we are facing, we can give thanks because our biggest problem has been taken care of on the cross because of what God has done through Christ.
Not only was Jesus born to save us from our sins, because of the birth of Jesus God is truly with us. They called him Immanuel, which means "God with us" - not "God sometimes with us when He feels like it". No - God. With. Us. In the good times and the bad times, we can be assured that God is with us. Sometimes in trial we may not feel like He is with us helping us, but He is there with us every step of the way, loving us and caring for us. We do not worship a God who loves us from a distance. We are not in our circumstances alone. Jesus is with us. He will never leave us or forsake us.
"For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weakness,
but one who in ever respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. [hebrews 4:15]
Sometimes I feel like I just go about my life, doing my agenda that needs to be done for the day, and then things that I do not plan for myself [aka: getting sick and having to leave school...] randomly happen. But, our lives are not a bunch of random events. God, before time, perfectly ordained the path that each one of has taken and will take in the future. No matter what happens in this life, no matter where we live, no matter where we go to school, no matter what trials we face: we have already been predestined. He works all things for our good.
"And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who
are called according to his purpose. For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to
be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many
brothers. And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he
also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified." [romans 8:28-30]
How does God work all things for our good? What about wars? What about cancer? What about corrupt government? If God is a good, loving Father, why would He allow such horrible things to happen? Well, because of Adam and Eve and the fall of man we have become a sinful people who do sinful things and we will not experience paradise until that one day when all things will be made right and heaven is our home. Each trial that we face is conforming us to the image of Christ, whether we realize it or not. Our sufferings are not outside of Gods plan.
So. Will you see gratefulness as an issue of obedience and transformative because of what Christ has done for us? Will you see your trials as part of God's plan? Or will you continue to be more aware of everything that is going wrong in your life? If you would like to listen to the full message click here.
"There is no circumstance, no trouble, no testing, that can ever touch me until, first of all, it has gone past God and past Christ, right through to me. If it has come that far, it has come with great purpose." _alan.redpath
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