Next week the Super Bowl game will be played in Arizona. Already members of the media have descended upon the city in anticipation of writing or filming the stories, headlines, and special interest pieces. Whether you know it or not, the New England Patriots are playing against the New York Giants this year. The Patriots are undefeated on the season and have already broken the single season win total set by the 1972 Miami Dolphins and look to go 19-0 if they defeat the Giants. The Giants are the Cinderella team that has pulled off an amazing win streak with each victory being on the road. So who do you think has dominated the headlines and been the sheik pick to win the game over the past week? The New York Giants, of course! Why would anyone pick the Giants to win when the Patriots boast the juggernaut offense led by cover-boy Tom Brady and bad-boy turned good-guy Randy Moss? Because no-one cheers for Goliath, that’s why.
The story of the future kind of Israel, David, and his battle with the giant Goliath is told in 1Samuel 17. All the other warriors of Israel looked at the Philistine army and saw the giant Goliath ready to battle in hand-to-hand combat. All of the soldiers were afraid to go out and face this huge man. The Israelites were not “professional” fighters like we think of in today’s army. Many were farmers and merchants who joined in the fight against the enemy armies when needed. Here was Goliath. His armor probably outweighed most of the men. He looked unbeatable. A small boy who had experienced dangerous work watching his father’s sheep, realized that he could defeat the big man. He had killed both a lion and a bear with his own hands and now he could kill Goliath too, but he needed God’s help. He was sure God would help him. He picked up five smooth stones and when he went out to battle Goliath, he loaded his sling with one of the stones and hurled it toward the giant man. When the stone struck its target, it cracked Goliath’s forehead and sent him tumbling down to the ground. David even cut off the giant’s head with the giant’s own sword. All were amazed!
David was an underdog. We love underdogs in our society. Think back to all the underdogs who won big games or events. The USA men’s hockey team in 1980, Buster Douglas defeating Mike Tyson, the New York Jets defeating the Baltimore Colts in Super Bowl III (Joe Namath guaranteed it), NC State over Houston in men’s basketball in 1983 (my personal favorite), or even this year when division II Appalachian State defeated Michigan in college football. All of these events and movies like Rocky, Hoosiers, and even Star Wars have created a culture of people who cheer for the underdog.
While the boy David was an underdog, we see that throughout the Bible, God seems to be a fan of underdogs who look to Him for help. Moses, Nehemiah, the prophets, Paul, and the early church all were not expected to accomplish much. Even the mighty Roman Empire that put Jesus on the cross would come to worship Him less than 800 years later. Because of God, they all overcame every obstacle placed before them.
Do you feel like the underdog in life? Many people feel that they haven’t gotten the breaks or the opportunities that would make them better. That is a harsh truth in our society, but you have an advocate… God. God loves you dearly and while that might not get you a raise at work or a supermodel girlfriend or boyfriend, it will gain you release from the worries that any of that has any real importance. We give thanks for God’s love and mercy and know that it is by grace and not our actions that we are loved. We seek God’s will and not your own in an effort to know God and be obedient disciples.
If you like the Dallas Cowboys or any other team in the NFC East, how could you pull for the Giants? It is a difficult decision, but what choice do I have? So who cheers for Goliath? Next Sunday, it will be me…Go PATRIOTS!
Thursday, January 24, 2008
Sunday, January 13, 2008
The Gospel Is Not One Bit Legalistic
How’s your New Year going so far? Are you feeling anxious because you know the credit card bill is coming in the mail? Did you do enough at Christmas… give enough… too much… did you give the “right” gift… did it all go well? All these are questions you may ask yourself after the holidays. All too often we expect a great deal out of ourselves. This sometimes leads us to question what we have done and what we have left un-done. Everyone has shortcomings and yet sometimes we simply wish we could do it all. And we feel guilty when we can’t get it all done. Even in our faith life, if we could just “do more” then it will be enough.
I recently read an article by Dr. Roy Gane. He addresses our overt need to live up to others expectations and our own. We live in a society where performing well is praised and failing is frowned upon. He says that from the time we are children, we are taught lessons about “getting it all done.” Many people fall into the trap of believing that their entire self worth is wrapped up in living up to “a standard.” It is likely engrained into our subconscious that we just aren’t doing enough. This is just another form of legalism. Jesus attacks such legalism in Matthew 5:17-18 by saying that He “has come not to abolish the Law but to fulfill the Law.” Also this in Ephesians 2:8 by saying, “For by grace you are saved through faith, and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God.”
People of Jesus’ day and ours get caught up in legalism. In other words, rather than the Law protecting people and serving them, the Law was used to oppress some people.
Gane names two common ways that we get caught up in legalism. This occurs when there is a latching onto non-essential views and creating an elitist atmosphere for those who agree and condemnation for those who don’t. I am reminded of a story about a little girl whose Grandfather told her that Sunday’s were made for worship and she should be prayerful and slow. The child walked by a horse in a fence. The horse had his eyes closed and looked relaxed, the girl shouted, “Old fella… you must be a good Christian horse!” In other words, if you don’t act accordingly, you must not have the right faith. The second form of legalism is that of having works righteousness or what I call “a get-of- hell-free card” in your pocket (if you have ever played the game of Monopoly you know what I am talking about). That is when someone actually believes that if they are “good” God will be happy and welcome them into heaven. Obedience to God is not simply living by lots of rules.
The answer lies in the fact that we all, no matter what we do, fall short. But, we really don’t get what we deserve… God’s wrath. We get what we do not deserve and that is grace, forgiveness, and love. The problem with any form of legalism is that we hear a false gospel. God’s love is not dependent on our obedience or lack thereof. It is legalism that causes the Pharisee to be proud in the presence of a tax collector. It is legalism that causes a missionary in Africa to believe that God is more pleased with him than the businessman in America. It is legalism that causes the Christian in the pew to feel superior to the golfer on the tee. And it is legalism that causes the preacher to think God is more pleased with him than with the tatooed woman sitting in the bar.
The truth again… God loves you and is wholly and completely in love with you. You are the child God always wanted and God has made each of us pure, not by our work, but by the work of Christ on the cross. Christ’s blood shed for us all is the gospel. We are loved. That is why we want to be obedient, because God first loved us and we are so thankful. Examine yourself and rely totally upon Christ. May you be blessed and freed by reading this message! Until next time, in Christ!
I recently read an article by Dr. Roy Gane. He addresses our overt need to live up to others expectations and our own. We live in a society where performing well is praised and failing is frowned upon. He says that from the time we are children, we are taught lessons about “getting it all done.” Many people fall into the trap of believing that their entire self worth is wrapped up in living up to “a standard.” It is likely engrained into our subconscious that we just aren’t doing enough. This is just another form of legalism. Jesus attacks such legalism in Matthew 5:17-18 by saying that He “has come not to abolish the Law but to fulfill the Law.” Also this in Ephesians 2:8 by saying, “For by grace you are saved through faith, and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God.”
People of Jesus’ day and ours get caught up in legalism. In other words, rather than the Law protecting people and serving them, the Law was used to oppress some people.
Gane names two common ways that we get caught up in legalism. This occurs when there is a latching onto non-essential views and creating an elitist atmosphere for those who agree and condemnation for those who don’t. I am reminded of a story about a little girl whose Grandfather told her that Sunday’s were made for worship and she should be prayerful and slow. The child walked by a horse in a fence. The horse had his eyes closed and looked relaxed, the girl shouted, “Old fella… you must be a good Christian horse!” In other words, if you don’t act accordingly, you must not have the right faith. The second form of legalism is that of having works righteousness or what I call “a get-of- hell-free card” in your pocket (if you have ever played the game of Monopoly you know what I am talking about). That is when someone actually believes that if they are “good” God will be happy and welcome them into heaven. Obedience to God is not simply living by lots of rules.
The answer lies in the fact that we all, no matter what we do, fall short. But, we really don’t get what we deserve… God’s wrath. We get what we do not deserve and that is grace, forgiveness, and love. The problem with any form of legalism is that we hear a false gospel. God’s love is not dependent on our obedience or lack thereof. It is legalism that causes the Pharisee to be proud in the presence of a tax collector. It is legalism that causes a missionary in Africa to believe that God is more pleased with him than the businessman in America. It is legalism that causes the Christian in the pew to feel superior to the golfer on the tee. And it is legalism that causes the preacher to think God is more pleased with him than with the tatooed woman sitting in the bar.
The truth again… God loves you and is wholly and completely in love with you. You are the child God always wanted and God has made each of us pure, not by our work, but by the work of Christ on the cross. Christ’s blood shed for us all is the gospel. We are loved. That is why we want to be obedient, because God first loved us and we are so thankful. Examine yourself and rely totally upon Christ. May you be blessed and freed by reading this message! Until next time, in Christ!
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