Summary: Sometimes I think the Christian life becomes too burdensome. We are keeping score. We are too aware of what other Christians may think of us. If we, as Christians, can't have joy, then who really can? If we can't live with a bigger perspective, then who can? Do we take ourselves and this life too seriously? If only for this life we have hope in Christ, we are to be pitied more then all men. In his letter to the Philippians Paul keeps saying (16 times) rejoice--and he's in prison! If for us to live is Christ and to die is gain then perhaps the pressure to perform and get it all right is off! Paul says the true believers are the ones who have been changed first on the inside. The world's measurement system for us goes like this: we perform we are evaluated for our performance we are graded and rewarded because of it. But Jesus' system is different. Jesus came to tell us: We have already been graded. Here is our grade: “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. " (Romans 3:23) We are then offered grace. "it is by grace you have been saved." (Ephesians 2:5) Then we perform, not out of obligation or because we know we are being measured. We perform from the overflowing love that comes from being rescued from ourselves. This past week I received a meaningful e-mail from one of the staff who said that someone told them when David or Pete preach "I feel like they know me!" My response is of course I know you, I am you. I know what it is to be a people-pleaser. I know what it is to sin. I know what it is to struggle. All I’ve got for you is Christ. This is the message Paul brought to the church and continues to bring to us. It's not about our educational background or performance on any level. Because all of that is trash compared to knowing Jesus: "I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ--the righteousness that comes from God and is by faith." Philippians 3:8-9 The message of the gospel is not God is good, you are bad, try harder. If our understanding of Jesus is that he's our life coach, hanging around to make a good life better, then we are all in trouble. Because what we need is a Savior. The message of the gospel is just this: let me introduce you to Jesus, my Healer, my Savior, my Lord. Philippians 3:1-11
