Sermon: Credited with God’s Righteousness

Sunday, February 17, 2008 • 5:50 pm

...The terrible thing about the Christian faith is that it requires you to let go of any sense of your own ability or capacity to earn God’s favor. But the wonderful thing about saving faith and trust is it permits you to fall back into the arms of God, to rest from your labors, to look away from yourself and toward Christ. You don’t have to fight the self-esteem fight. You don’t have to prove yourself to God or to anyone else. You don’t need anyone’s approval or to be successful or popular or a high achiever in this world. God offers you himself, he will be your treasure and your true reward, he will give you whatever you lack and credit you with what you could never earn if, and only if, you are willing to set aside all pretence and pride, to put aside all boasting and self-esteem, and look to Jesus Christ and trust in Jesus Christ alone….

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...The terrible thing about the Christian faith is that it requires you to let go of any sense of your own ability or capacity to earn God’s favor.

Yes, but rather than put this way, is it the case that one becomes aware of the limitless wonder of God and the enormous gap in love and righteousness between us and him. Is it then that one becomes aware of our puny inability to bridge the gap and that it takes God to bridge the gap, through the amazing cross. Then He makes the effort to do so with us - is that the wonderful and amazing thing?

[1] Posted by Pageantmaster [Free Archbishop Cranmer] on 02-17-2008 at 07:05 PM • top

Pageantmaster,

I am not sure I would make this an either/or. I think that human beings are more than capable of comparing ourselves to God’s self revelation and coming away without recognizing the unbridgeable gap at all, imagining in our vanity that we have what it takes to approach God. I mean Korah et al, were witnesses of the awesome glory and power of God and yet considered themselves more than worthy to approach him.

[2] Posted by Matt Kennedy on 02-17-2008 at 07:22 PM • top

Yes, I see Fr Kennedy - I always have the great sense of wonder that He makes the effort - for me. Grace.

Powerful sermon btw. Thanks.

[3] Posted by Pageantmaster [Free Archbishop Cranmer] on 02-17-2008 at 07:35 PM • top

Yes, that was very well done. I hesitated to listen to it but was glad that I did. It had a gentle and humble quality I had not expected (from a Calvinist).

[4] Posted by Deja Vu on 02-17-2008 at 10:45 PM • top

Aw DV, Calvin can be gentle and humble and even funny when he has his pal Hobbs with him.

[5] Posted by Old Soldier on 02-18-2008 at 05:37 AM • top

Amazing, last night I heard basically the same message preaching out of a completely different book and using different examples. I wonder how that happened

[6] Posted by Hosea6:6 on 02-18-2008 at 06:52 AM • top

Perhaps because Paul makes essentially the same argument in both Galatians 3 and the same concept is in play in the last verse of 2nd Corinthians 5…were those the texts?

[7] Posted by Matt Kennedy on 02-18-2008 at 07:49 AM • top

ouch DV…despite our utter depravity, Calvinists are generally nice people

[8] Posted by Matt Kennedy on 02-18-2008 at 07:53 AM • top

Actually, Mark+ preached from Matt 5:3. Maybe this thread runs throughout

[9] Posted by Hosea6:6 on 02-18-2008 at 08:05 AM • top

That certainly fits too given that poor in spirit is not “sad” but in some sense despairing of your own righteousness…

[10] Posted by Matt Kennedy on 02-18-2008 at 08:09 AM • top

Kennedy’s right, Jesus loves you.

But then again, He loves everybody.

Sorry, couldn’t resist. :D

[11] Posted by Michael Daley on 02-18-2008 at 05:39 PM • top

Just recommended this sermon to Mad Potter over on another thread. he seemed to be all caught up in self esteem issues.

[12] Posted by Deja Vu on 02-18-2008 at 07:12 PM • top

To All,
This homliy will be direct to the point like an arrow to the bull’s eye. It is on the importance of: Studying God’s Word. As we move along
we find God’s Word contains many blessings. But we should study the Word not just for this. Because it is part of us, it is our way of life, our way of thinking, it is a discipline. But it is also to move our faith in sundry places where God wants us. It is our bounded duty to study the Word so that we can live a holy life for Jesus. When
we do study the Word, we gain insight into this holy living. If we live according to His Word, it will teach us the best way of living.
—-We need to study the Sacred Scriptures to know God and for Him to know us. Yes it is a two way street. We study to know Him and He draws closer to us so that He can know us. We must remember that Christianity is a way of life. It is a discipline we must learn to live. Our faith in following Jesus is not a New Age concept of a self help improvement 12 step program. And it most certainly is not latest meditation technique being pushed by the popular Hindu or Buddhist gurus. The Sacred Scriptures is a fact based account that intends to render us the serene character of God. In its skeletal entirety, the account of God creating man, reconciling it to Him is a most beautiful loving and creative book ever written.
We must remember that its not just a book, but it is a book written by God for us. It is our manual that we are supposed to study so that it becomes the Living Word of God. This can only happen when we are faithful in reading and studying it daily. When we study the Bible it makes us spiritually fulfilled on all avenues of our life. This road guide is the only book and rule of life we need to survive in this cruel world.

Pax Romana,

+Stonewall

[13] Posted by BishopOfSaintJames on 02-18-2008 at 08:38 PM • top

thanks, Matt+

[14] Posted by southernvirginia1 on 02-19-2008 at 08:39 PM • top

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