We need Gospel truth revealing Jesus right where we’re at.
The hope of the Gospel isn’t just for those who haven’t placed their faith in Jesus alone yet. The hope of the Gospel isn’t just for those who are seeing significant fruit in their lives. It’s not just for those who feel on top of their character development, spiritual disciplines and relationships.
The Gospel is for the weary.
Those of us who don’t sleep through the night.
The depressed.
The abused.
Those of us who fail in huge ways daily.
The heart-broken.
The needy.
The Gospel is for you. And it meets you right where you’re at.
If your in a joyful place where life seems just right – the Gospel will meet you there. If life is falling apart and you’re not sure what to do to make it better – Jesus will meet you there.
Jesus doesn’t say, “Fix yourself up and love others well, THEN come to me.” He says, “Come you who are thirsty and find rest for your souls.” (John 7:37; Matthew 11:38)
God’s word is living and powerful.
My words are human and often flawed (as I was reminded of at the park today). The world doesn’t need more of Jessica Jenkins’ words. Thirsty souls need Jesus.
It’s easy to survive in our virtual age on a steady diet of soundbites and inspirational quotes. We gravitate toward mantras to lift our spirits and gladness our hearts.
Instead, we need something that will sustain us through the treacherous water and deep valleys of life.
As we dive deep into Jesus, we find life abundant. We find a feast spread before us, to which the crumbs we used to find satisfying cannot compare.
We find Him. Life.
Jesus uses weak imperfect people.
Mama, He wants to use you even when you haven’t showered in days and can’t remember where you put the remote. (It’s in the fridge.)
Single woman, He wants to use your vivacious spirit, your passion, and energy – even though you may question your value at times.
Betrayed One, Jesus never will. And He longs to bring beauty from your hurt and to comfort your weeping heart.
Darling battling depression, Jesus knows what it is to carry deep and abiding sadness that won’t let go, and won’t let up. He is with you even, and especially in the dark nights of the soul (Psalm 23).
Dear ones, Jesus wants to guide your mind and heart to Him. He will make the Gospel beautiful in your life.
Our God is a God of all comfort.
You, dear one, likely face trials and difficulties. Your burdens may crush your back. At times walking seems impossible. Laying in the dirt, you gasp for air and wonder if there is hope.
God gives us comfort. It doesn’t always look like what we hope for (which is usually an end to our pain), but He comforts us faithfully.
We can hold onto Jesus in the darkness. Even when he doesn’t feel near, we cling onto Him in hope.
The Psalmist teaches us that in hard times we may feel alone and abandoned by God. These feelings are not unusual for the godly woman walking through suffering and sorrow. (Consider Job.)
Yet, with Jeremiah, we choose to lift our eyes to the God we can’t feel in the moment grasping for Him in the darkness, knowing He is hope (Lamentations 3).
The life change we long for comes through an awe-filled gaze at our Savior.
Do you ever feel like it is your responsibility to pay for your mistakes, to root out the idols in your heart, and change your wayward desires?
Is it tempting to dive more and more deeply into scriptures and prayer with a primary goal of fixing your heart and becoming a good person (rather than seeing and savoring Jesus)? Those who have the Holy Spirit dwelling in them deeply desire to gain God’s character. We ache when His fruit is not evident in our lives.
Yet, our temptation is to dive in, and do all the things (spiritual disciplines) in order to gain Godliness ourselves.
The Apostle Paul gives a firm admonition against this idea, “Are you so foolish? Having begun by the Spirit, are you not being perfected by the flesh?” (Galatians 3:3, ESV)
In 2019 speak, Paul basically asks says, “Hey idiot! Was it not the Spirit who brought you to faith in Jesus? Do you honestly think you can gain God’s character and holiness through your own efforts and practices of the spiritual disciplines?”
The answer to His questions is, “Of course not!”
The purpose of our study of scripture is awe. We do not identify areas where we need to repent in order to chastise ourselves for the failure. But, so that, like the woman who anointed Jesus, we can love Jesus much (Luke 7:47). Then, a heart filled with awe and love for its Savior will naturally grow into obedience (John 14:15).
Walking in awe of Jesus causes our affections to change, and thereby our lives will be transformed.
God’s grace is sufficient for every sin and every circumstance.
Moses is on a mountain.
Those in his care have about killed themselves for this 15th time (or 50th, but who’s counting).
In what was likely a moment of exhaustion, Moses asks, “Lord, please show me your glory!”
And God does.
He hid hides Moses from the force of His majesty, and proclaims,
“I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will show mercy on whom I will show mercy. . . The LORD, the LORD, a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness, keeping steadfast love for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, but who will by no means clear the guilty” (Exodus 33:19b; 34:6b-7a, ESV).
God forgives every expression of sin for those who cling to Him. His grace is sufficient for our every need. He delights in showing mercy, grace, and steadfast love.
No matter were you’ve sinned this week, God’s grace is greater still!
The unity of those who have faith in Jesus alone allows us to encourage one another in the Gospel.
In Ephesians 2, Paul details the unity believers in Jesus have. In chapters 4-6, he spells out for us what that unity looks like practically.
One of the outpourings of our Christian unity is, “Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ” (Ephesians 4:15, ESV).
This “truth” is the Gospel.
We speak the Gospel over and over and over and over and over to each other. Day in, day out, rain, shine, sleet, in sorrow, and in joy. The Gospel coats our lips with grace pointing to Jesus.
With this truth, we encourage the broken-hearted and bind up their wounds. We bear one another’s burdens. We restore those who fall into sin (Gal 6:1-2).
Jesus gives us the gift of bathing one another with the Word of the Gospel.