“Turning the Corner Part 2”

“Giving God the Glory with Cheer”

Galatians 5:1, 13–16 ¹For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery.

¹³For you were called to freedom, brothers. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another. ¹⁴For the whole law is fulfilled in one word: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” ¹⁵But if you bite and devour one another, watch out that you are not consumed by one another.

            It seems anymore that the generations of people in this country who claim our freedom to be great, confuse slavery to sin as freedom.  Sin is not something any of us can escape from on our own.  We might be able to abstain from some sinful acts, but we are unable to abstain from all sinful acts.  This inability to abstain from all sin makes us slaves to sin and therefore we do not have true freedom.  Well, I guess if we justify our sin and then we call it desire and under the name of desire we are slaves to desire, nothing changes.  So how one spells sin, does not change that it is still sin and we are still slaves to it. 

            Have you devoured anyone lately?  I saw on T.V. Paula Dean is being devoured for something she said and sounds like it was taken out of context to make it a hate crime.  If we take a close look at what is going on, everyone including the news, and her sponsors are committing a hate crime against Paula Dean.  They are doing everything they can to ruin her life, judging her saying she is only being sorry because of money, and making sure her name is dirtied in the ears of everyone.  Sounds like the news people should be charged with hate crimes, and our politicians too.  If mudslinging is not a hate crime then what is? This is not the example Christ showed us as He died for our sins so we could receive forgiveness.  Christ says love your neighbor and your enemy too.  Paul says we can fail through spending our time devouring our neighbor and then we are consumed by non-forgiveness.

When we disguise the name of sin we only fool ourselves and not the one God whom we pray to.  We act as if God is not looking, doesn’t care, or accepts any and all kinds of sin, unless we choose Him not to, based again on our desires.  We are that way with everything in our “me society.”  We only think of the other person when others are looking or we feel we have to.  It seems that we live on the auspice of “we’re only doing this because we feel we have to.”

Luke 9:51–62 ⁵⁹To another he said, “Follow me.” But he said, “Lord, let me first go and bury my father.” ⁶⁰And Jesus said to him, “Leave the dead to bury their own dead. But as for you, go and proclaim the kingdom of God.” ⁶¹Yet another said, “I will follow you, Lord, but let me first say farewell to those at my home.” ⁶²Jesus said to him, “No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God.”

            “I’m doing it because I feel I have to”, this is working under the law.  “I’m doing it because of my love for God and His love for all people”, is letting the gospel work through us.

Galatians 5:16–18 ¹⁶But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. ¹⁷For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do. ¹⁸But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.

We are turning a corner and moving forward more and more towards giving God the glory for what He is doing through us, because Christ freed us from the slavery of sin.  Christ also freed us from the slavery of the law so that we can live in an eternal freedom of life with God and have an eternal relationship with our Lord Jesus Christ.

The law’s slavery demands payment for the sin it rules against, and the punishment is eternal death and separation from God.  Christ suffers, dies and pays in full the debt that the law requires and gives us the key to unlock the shackles we are bound in.  The key Christ gives us is belief in the forgiveness He paid for out of His love for us therefore freeing us from the clutches of sin and the demands of the law.

Galatians 5:21b–25 I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. ²²But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, ²³gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. ²⁴And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.

²⁵If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit.

            We live by the Spirit because the Spirit lives in us.  With the Spirit living in us we are able to realize the great gift we received from Christ Jesus.  As Christ the Son of God gives Glory to His Father in heaven, we too through the works of the Spirit can give glory to the same Father for we are now fully paid for by Christ to be His sons and daughters too.  It truly is something to cheer about, the grace, peace and mercy through the love from our Father above.  Amen.

Written by: Pastor Curtis A. May

Let us go forth in the Peace of our Lord and Serve the Lord who loved us first.

“Turning the Corner Part 1,”

“ Kept by Law, Kept by Gospel”

Isaiah 65:1,2&9

¹I was ready to be sought by those who did not ask for me;

I was ready to be found by those who did not seek me.

I said, “Here am I, here am I,”

²I spread out my hands all the day

to a rebellious people,

who walk in a way that is not good,

following their own devices;

⁹I will bring forth offspring from Jacob,

and from Judah possessors of my mountains;

my chosen shall possess it,

and my servants shall dwell there.”

            The words of Isaiah chapter 65 are in answer to the previous chapter.  Chapter 64 is a prayer from Israel in captivity. God’s chosen people pray to God asking Him to answer whether He has abandoned them or is He still with them and still their God.  God answers His chosen people reminding them that they did not choose Him to be their God, but He chose them even when they were a rebellious people to raise them up to be His chosen people. 

God did not choose them because He thought they were better people than anyone else in the world.  On the contrary the Hebrew people were just the same as everyone else in the world, as are Christians too.  We are all rebellious and we all sin daily.  God may have chosen them at random; maybe they had a direct bloodline to Noah.  Maybe they looked like they could use some help.  Whatever the reason God chose the Hebrew people to raise up to be His first chosen and to teach the world about their only God, one of salvation for all whom He had created through Adam and Eve.  God first raised His chosen people up through His Law as any good father would do.  God’s chosen people were a starting point not a finished product for there are many ingredients God’s will is manifesting for the salvation of all He has created.

            Genesis 22:18 ¹⁸ and in your offspring shall all the nations of the earth be blessed, because you have obeyed my voice.”

            The Law is a means to raise His chosen people up in His ways for His good and gracious will.  Kept by Law God’s chosen people learned to live life as God had intended it to be lived by a people descendent from the one who broke the first law.  But it only starts here, like a well planned soup God did not just boil the water and call it soup; He added the stock and then all of the other ingredients being careful only putting ingredients not already rotted and decayed in it to give His will substance for His creation of life the finished product. 

              Galatians 3:23–29 ²³Now before faith came, we were held captive under the law, imprisoned until the coming faith would be revealed. ²⁴So then, the law was our guardian until Christ came, in order that we might be justified by faith. ²⁵But now that faith has come, we are no longer under a guardian, ²⁶for in Christ Jesus you are all sons of God, through faith. ²⁷For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. ²⁸There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. ²⁹And if you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s offspring, heirs according to promise.

            God knew that if one law given to Adam could not be kept then mankind would surely break many laws.  However the Law is needed to guide and raise up those whom He calls His children.  Though adopted children He treats us with the same love as His begotten Son in that the inheritance Christ received He also gives this same inheritance to all of us who believe. 

As children we need to have a guardian to guide us in the proper ways of maturing.  The Law was our first guardian to guide us into accomplishing our maturity.  However the Law could not do what Christ did and that was to bring us to salvation.  Christ seasons us with faith through our baptism and again through dying on the cross for our sins.  It is through Christ that God’s chosen people become the possessors of His Mountain.  It is through Christ that our lives turn the corner and go towards the finished product of salvation.

            Galatians 4:1–7 ¹I mean that the heir, as long as he is a child, is no different from a slave, though he is the owner of everything, ²but he is under guardians and managers until the date set by his father. ³In the same way we also, when we were children, were enslaved to the elementary principles of the world. ⁴But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law, ⁵to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons. ⁶And because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, “Abba! Father!” ⁷So you are no longer a slave, but a son, and if a son, then an heir through God.

            The Law guides us and raises us to be mature, however the Law also condemns us and does nothing to save us.  Kept by the Gospel Christ came to help us turn the corner in our maturity as He fulfills the law by suffering the death the law demands and then putting the death the law demands to death itself so that it no longer imprisons us to eternal death but give us instead the inheritance of eternal life and relationship with our Father in heaven.  Jesus Christ shares the Father with us all and shares His inheritance of eternal life and relationship with us also.  Amen

Written by: Pastor Curtis A. May

Let us go forth in the Peace of our Lord and Serve the Lord who loved us first.

“Repent And Forgive For You Too Are Forgiven”

Luke 7:36 – 40 ³⁶One of the Pharisees asked [Jesus] to eat with him, and he went into the Pharisee’s house and took his place at the table. ³⁷And behold, a woman of the city, who was a sinner, when she learned that he was reclining at table in the Pharisee’s house, brought an alabaster flask of ointment, ³⁸and standing behind him at his feet, weeping, she began to wet his feet with her tears and wiped them with the hair of her head and kissed his feet and anointed them with the ointment. ³⁹Now when the Pharisee who had invited him saw this, he said to himself, “If this man were a prophet, he would have known who and what sort of woman this is who is touching him, for she is a sinner.” ⁴⁰And Jesus answering said to him, “Simon, I have something to say to you.” And he answered, “Say it, Teacher.”

          We are all like this Pharisee, though we do not think of ourselves in that way.  Who can say that they do not look at other people’s lives and judge them without examining themselves and seeing their own sins? It is easy to see other people’s faults. It is not as easy to see our own faults nor do we want to always see them.  After all we were raised in the church, and we attend every Sunday how many faults could we have?  When we are angered at someone or feel threatened by someone we almost immediately look at the other person’s faults to justify our anger, very seldom do we examine ourselves to see our fault that helped in creating the situation at hand.  We are all like this Pharisee because we do not want others pointing out our faults.

          Jesus listens to this Pharisee’s thoughts as this person is judging the women in tears.  It might not be as hard for Jesus to read this particular Pharisee as his body language probably gives evidence to his thoughts.  Actions do speak louder than words.  However, Jesus knew what this Pharisee was thinking.  It almost makes you wonder, why Jesus didn’t say to this Pharisee I not only know what this woman is, but I also know what you are too.  But, Jesus tells this Pharisee a parable instead.

Luke 7:41 – 43 ⁴¹“A certain moneylender had two debtors. One owed five hundred denarii, and the other fifty. ⁴²When they could not pay, he cancelled the debt of both. Now which of them will love him more?” ⁴³Simon answered, “The one, I suppose, for whom he cancelled the larger debt.” And he said to him, “You have judged rightly.”

          The real question Jesus is asking the Pharisee, do you understand the gospel of your Lord?  We can sit and judge as to who is going to heaven and who is not, but the real fact in the gospel is who is compelled to repent and realize their forgiveness from God?  The other part of this reality is whose self-righteousness is a stumbling block that keeps them from being compelled to repent and receive God’s forgiveness?  As it is not that all Pharisees were self-righteous, it also is not that all churchgoers repent, or are not like this particular Pharisee.

          When we believe in heaven and hell and truthfully examine ourselves, and we become like this woman who wiped the tears of her sorrows off from the feet of the one who can save her.  It’s not about who is guilty and who is not; we are all as guilty as the woman crying on Jesus’ feet and the Pharisee that is judging her.

          Again, when we believe in our Lord we also believe we are compelled to examine ourselves and then compelled to repent like this woman who saw her sin and through tears repented at the feet of our Lord.  She did not do it through law or works but through the compelling gospel knowing our Lord truly forgives.

Luke 7:44 – 50 ⁴⁴Then turning toward the woman he said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? I entered your house; you gave me no water for my feet, but she has wet my feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair. ⁴⁵You gave me no kiss, but from the time I came in she has not ceased to kiss my feet. ⁴⁶You did not anoint my head with oil, but she has anointed my feet with ointment. ⁴⁷Therefore I tell you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven—for she loved much. But he who is forgiven little, loves little.” ⁴⁸And he said to her, “Your sins are forgiven.” ⁴⁹Then those who were at table with him began to say among themselves, “Who is this, who even forgives sins?” ⁵⁰And he said to the woman, “Your faith has saved you; go in peace.”

          Jesus sees true faith in the tears of this woman, because these tears believed that He, Jesus Christ came to save us from our worst enemy.  Our worst enemy is not just Satan as much as it is our own sinful nature that even tries to hide itself from our own eyes and heart.  But through tears of repentance we can also have tears of joy because our Lord Jesus Christ “does” forgive us.  Jesus Christ even gave up His life as a man and as a loving God to pay for our sins and assure that forgiveness into eternity.  Then Rejoice and have joy in your heart for Jesus Christ did all this out of the Father’s and His own love for all.  Amen.

Written by: Pastor Curtis A. May

Let us go forth in the Peace of our Lord and Serve the Lord who loved us first.

“ARE WE THE JUST OR THE UNJUST?”

Matthew 5:43-45 ⁴³ “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ ⁴⁴ But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, ⁴⁵ so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven. For he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust.

            Are we the just or the unjust?  The answer has to be yes.  We are the unjust because we are not perfect, we sin daily and if you are like me maybe even twice a day… or more.  If we examine ourselves and the way we live our lives, we would see that we do not always live our lives for God.  Most of the time we live our lives for ourselves, maybe sometimes we live our lives for someone else, but even in this we are not always living for God. 

            Do not misinterpret what I am saying, we do need to live for others and even ourselves but we should do it for and through our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.  It is easy to live your life for yourself; you are the only one you have to worry about pleasing and caring for.  It is even easy to live for others whom you love because you get to see their gratitude instantly.  It is always nice to receive a thank you, a smile, or even a sense that others appreciated what you did.  Maybe that is why we don’t try so hard to please our God.  With God we do not always see His gratitude, or feel it.

            Again do not misinterpret what I am saying; God certainly wants you to live your life for others, but that you should do it through Him.  When you live your life for the one who saves us, though you do not see His gratitude, it is a greater and most pleasing way to share God’s love for all.

            Now, is living your life for others whom you love through Christ easier to do than living your life for your enemy too?  Most assured we look at our enemies as those who deserve little to none.  And what might be worse is if we ourselves are enemies to others.  Unfortunately I can’t say I do not have enemies, but I can say I am not anyone’s enemy.  However, like Paul used to be, my actions of sin are an enemy of God’s.

Galatians 1:11–13 ¹¹For I would have you know, brothers, that the gospel that was preached by me is not man’s gospel. ¹²For I did not receive it from any man, nor was I taught it, but I received it through a revelation of Jesus Christ. ¹³For you have heard of my former life in Judaism, how I persecuted the church of God violently and tried to destroy it.

            We think we are not enemies of God, however our actions no matter how innocent we might think they are, go against the very fabric of God’s good and faithful will.  Paul persecuted, and even had those who tried to follow Christ Jesus stoned to death.  Not that those who tried to follow Christ did not sin, for they too are the unjust that God shines the sun on, and pours the rain on.  Because of our sinful nature we are all the unjust.

            Paul tried to put an end to Christ and His followers at any chance He could get.  And our sin does the same for it too persecutes us and others who follow Christ.  We do not think of our sin in that way and probably don’t want to admit our poultry little sin persecutes us and Christ’s followers, but what is sin if it is not against God’s will.  Our sin cannot be justified, but…

Galatians 1:18–24 ¹⁸Then after three years I went up to Jerusalem to visit Cephas and remained with him fifteen days. ¹⁹But I saw none of the other apostles except James the Lord’s brother. ²⁰(In what I am writing to you, before God, I do not lie!) ²¹Then I went into the regions of Syria and Cilicia. ²²And I was still unknown in person to the churches of Judea that are in Christ. ²³They only were hearing it said, “He who used to persecute us is now preaching the faith he once tried to destroy.” ²⁴And they glorified God because of me.

            I almost forgot, we answered yes to the question “Are we the just or the unjust?”  And, we answered, “yes.”  Christ took a bad situation and turned it around and made something good out of it.  Paul persecuted the church of God, and Christ came and changed His life to glorify Christ to the Gentiles and to bring glory to God the Father.  Why?  Paul was Jesus Christ’s enemy by choice.  And, Christ turned Paul around to stop him from persecuting the church and then to promote the Gospel to those who faced other gods.  I say faced other gods because they looked at gods they made not knowing the real one and only God was always before them no matter which way they faced.  Christ is all about showing the great merciful and gracious love of God.

            Seems like a strange way to say that God is always before us no matter which way we face, however it is true.  Whether we face God in our actions of good through Him, or face away from God in our actions of sin; God is always before us and with us.  God was with the Jews who because of their sinful actions lost all their earthly possessions that God had promised and given them. 

God constantly showed the Jews grace and mercy bringing them out of their sinful captivities and giving them back what He had promised and what they had lost.  It is true with all whom God has justified, including Paul the persecutor of Christians and we the persecutors of God’s will.  God has justified Paul to teach the gospel by letting him see the gospel first hand, and by the hand of Christ.  We find ourselves to be no wiser to our predicament than those Jews whom God had justified through the covenant He made with Abraham.  But, like God’s first chosen He continues to pour out His mercy, grace and love.

Now those who saw Paul’s conversion glorified God, as they know it is only through Christ that we are all justified and also turned to be numbered as the just.  We are made just only through the mercy and grace bought for us through our Lord Jesus’ death and resurrection.  Our Lord did not die on the cross and rise from the dead in vain, but He instead died on the cross and rose from the dead to bring us to the Father in everlasting life and eternal relationship with Him.  Let us give the glory to God, glory to Christ, glory to the Holy Spirit.  Amen.

Written by: Pastor Curtis A. May

Let us go forth in the Peace of our Lord and Serve the Lord who loved us first.