May 5, 2002
There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. Romans 8.1 (KJV)
I read a really wonderful statement by J. Vernon McGee about this chapter of the Bible:
We enter this chapter with no condemnation, we close with no separation and in between all things work together for good to those that love God.(1)
This is a chapter about the grace of God. In fact, grace is all over the pages of the Bible; just a few examples:
Grace gives us power to witness
And with great power gave the apostles witness of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus: and great grace was upon them all. Acts 4:33
Grace gives us power to believe
And when he was disposed to pass into Achaia, the brethren wrote, exhorting the disciples to receive him: who, when he was come, helped them much which had believed through grace: Acts 18:27
Grace builds us up
And now, brethren, I commend you to God, and to the word of his grace, which is able to build you up, and to give you an inheritance among all them which are sanctified.Acts 20:32
Grace releases us from the power of sin
Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: Ro 3:24
Grace overcomes great sin
Moreover the law entered, that the offence might abound. But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound: Romans 5:20
Grace keeps God’s family secure
Even so then at this present time also there is a remnant according to the election of grace. Ro 11:5
Grace gives us gifts to serve
Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, whether prophecy, let us prophesy according to the proportion of faith; Romans 12:6
Grace gives us power build the kingdom
According to the grace of God which is given unto me, as a wise masterbuilder, I have laid the foundation, and another buildeth thereon. But let every man take heed how he buildeth thereupon. 1 Corinthians 3:10
Grace gives us power to give
Therefore, as ye abound in every thing, in faith, and utterance, and knowledge, and in all diligence, and in your love to us, see that ye abound in this grace also. 2 Corinthians 8:7
Grace helps us overcome suffering
And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. 2 Corinthians 12:9
Grace gives us our salvation
Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;) Ephesians 2:5
John 1.14 tells us that Jesus’ very coming to earth was the grace of God – Jesus was full of grace and truth. Diana Turro lives in Florida. She wrote about when her son… Evan, was three, we started a bedtime ritual of singing Christian songs. He particularly liked Amazing Grace. One day as I was driving, he asked me to sing him a song. When I asked Evan which one he’d like to hear, he responded, You know, that song about those amazing grapes.(2)
Perhaps the most amazing part of the grace of God is that it really makes the statement so many of us are unwilling to believe;
GOD IS NOT MAD AT US!
That’s really what grace tells us about God. I know so many people for whom life is one long fret over how they’re going to be good enough for God. Paul says, There IS no condemnation…it’s over…the cross did it all…God’s not mad at us!
That word condemnation is made up of two Greek words, down and judge. In my sanctified imagination, I envision Nero at the Coliseum, condemning the Christians to death – thumbs down. Paul says, That’s not God’s way – no more thumbs down! We can live thumbs UP!
So that’s what I want to talk with you about today – How to live thumbs-up in a thumbs-down world.
1. WALKING THUMBS-UP MEANS FREEDOM
God’s grace is always most evident in the act of salvation. A man once told me that he knew he ought to trust God, but he didn’t think God could forgive someone like him. I’ve done every wrong thing a man can do. If you wrote a list of my sins on that wall, there wouldn’t be an inch of space left. I wish I’d been wise enough then to tell him to do it....To write ’em all. Cover the wall with all your sins. Make sure you list everything...don’t leave a one out. And when you’re done, I could do what Martin Luther did the night he sensed Satan was accusing him of long-forgiven sins…write one sentence in flaming letters over all of if from God’s Word to you - The blood of Jesus Christ...cleanses us from all sin.
I’m older (a lot older) now – and a little wiser, and I wish I could’ve told him, God’s not mad at you, fella. Those sins were nailed to a cross on the town garbage dump two thousand years ago!
The bottom line here is that GOD DOESN’T WANT HIS CHILDREN TO LIVE IN GUILT. Rather, He wants us to experience the freedom that only forgiven people know about.
Some years ago I fell into the same trap so many people experience; I charged my Mastercard to the max! The minimum monthly payment was just barely enough to cover the interest charge. Struggling to pay this was a bondage that occupied my thoughts. And then some very loving people decided to give a gift to us and paid off the debt. I wanted to sing and shout from the housetops - FREE AT LAST! My debt was forgiven.
There were no strings attached to that gift. It has never been mentioned since that time. I never again have to think of it....but I often reflect on the love that caused the gift to be given.
In just such a way, God’s grace separates us from being defeated. We can be separated from gloom and fear in a world where these abound. Just like a huge electro-magnet will draw any metal from a pile of debris, God takes His grace-magnet, and extracts the very last vestige of sin and guilt. We can walk in freedom. As David prayed, Wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow... That makes for a Christian, free and shining on the inside, because of God’s shining grace.
II. WALKING THUMBS-UP MEANS FAITH
The quintessential demonstration of faith was taught to me by my mentor, Pat Giffin. Pat pastored small congregations of Baptist Churches for over 30 years. Once, while making a late-evening pastoral call on a young family, the children were just getting into bed. Jimmy and Johnny were in the first and second grade. Pat watched as Mom assured them that it would be all right to shut out the light in the hallway tonight (a first!), because Jesus would be right there with them in their bunk beds.
Johnny was older, and Mom’s words satisfied him -- but Jimmy was younger, and not too sure about being left there in the dark. After a few moments the adults settled down in the living room to visit. Then came a stark, piercing scream from the general direction of the boys’ bedroom.
What’s going on in there? hollered Mom.
Mama, whined Jimmy, Jesus isn’t in here.
Mom replied, Now Jimmy, we talked about that. Jesus is always there with you.
Said the first grader in an increasingly anxious voice, No, Mama, Johnny went to the bathroom and took Jesus with him, an’ I’m all alone in the dark here.
Faith operates in the dark – or it’s not faith! Our family pet Kiwi-the-wonderdog lived to be 10. She had long hair, that is, what was left. The mutt had bitten and scratched the hair off one part of her back, attempting to get at an itch that just won’t be scratched. She just about made herself an entirely unique species; Keeshond Hairless.
Day and night she used to make this thumping sound as her leg hit the floor, trying to satisfy her craving. I used to speak firmly to her, "STOP!" She would look up as if to say, Easy for you to say, fella. Then she digs right in again. She’s trapped. So we finally bought the right stuff. That powder cost enough to pay most of the national debt, but at least we then could sleep through the night without that thumping. She would still scratch on occasion (remember she’s a dog), but she got some relief!
Most of us have an itch that can’t be satisfied without faith. From whence cometh your relief? Whom do you trust? Has anybody gotten the right stuff for you? The songwriter has it:
When we have exhausted our store of endurance;
When our strength has failed ’ere the day is half done;
When we reach the end of our hoarded resources;
Our Father’s forgiveness is only begun.
His love has no limit; His grace has no measure,
His power has no boundary known unto man;
For out of His infinite riches in Jesus,
He giveth and giveth and giveth again. (3)
My friend, I’d like to make a statement about your faith today – it’s a thumbs-up world to which God comes.
You will start walking thumbs-up in faith when you start realizing God isn’t mad at you. If He was you would be roasting in Hell right this moment – and for all eternity. He’s not mad – Have some faith!
III. WALKING THUMBS-UP MEANS FIRSTFRUITS.
The idea of firstfruits goes back to the temple offerings. When it was harvest time, and the people were to bring their offerings to the Lord, they were told to bring the first, or best of the crop. The firstfruits were the promise of more to come. Christ rose from the dead as the firstfruit offering, a promise of more to come…to wit you and me!
A decade ago the newspaper carried a report of a baby born 3 months premature, to a teenage mother. The baby’s problems were many, and she was pronounced dead by the attending physician. But just before the funeral home attendants arrived, the baby, who’d lain still for many minutes started crying. Back from the dead, and she was placed in the nursery instead of the morgue.
Many churches are being pronounced dead these days – and it’s so premature! Christ came, died, and rose from the dead so that we might have life – abundant life! Our problem is that we live as if Jesus is still in the grave – and that God blames us for it! Christ was the firstfruits…to prove that God’s wrath has been satisfied. He is not mad at us! There is no condemnation; it’s thumbs-up!
Walking as firstfruits means we walk in life, not death!
It means we are resurrected people – not destined for the grave, destined for the throne!
It means we’re being changed from glory into glory, from faith to faith.
It means we are being transformed into the image of Christ daily.
And that’s the bottom line of what God wanted to do all along. Remember, Adam was created in the image of God, perfectly. Then came sin and the fall – and that image was corrupted. It cost God everything to fix that on Calvary. It cost God His perfect relationship, unbroken fellowship with His Son, Jesus. It meant God had to lay all the filth of sin of all of us on Him, turn His back and know that His Son would die for mankind. And it meant that the resurrection would change everything.
Let me give you three short examples of what firstfruits-living means to me.
There was a time when I didn’t believe in Christ. I went to church with my parents, and tried to be good – just in case. Then I wanted to believe, but I just didn’t really KNOW – deep down inside. But, I decided to take a leap of faith and declare my belief, my love for Him. And I found that faith was really there. I was like the Roman soldier that said to Jesus, I believe, help me in my unbelief. I did, and He did.
A second example is my mentor, Pat. He died, and I preached his funeral. I am grateful for his death. Now that sounds strange, but he was my Paul, my example. And he stayed with the stuff. He trusted when trusting was all there was left. I’m grateful he is in heaven, and that makes this life less attractive. I know that his speech isn’t slurred from the strokes any more. I know his heart beats strong, instead of the 15% he had those last few years. I’m grateful – he is part of the firstfruits. I’m going in the later harvest.
A third example is my checkbook I’ve spent most of my life financially challenged. And yet I feel like a rich man – the son of a King who owns the cattle on a thousand hills. That’s firstfruits – I haven’t got much in the hand, but it’s in my heart by the truckload!
Freedom, faith, firstfruits – what are you going to do with that? Do you trust that God’s not mad at you? Will you live that way? How much?
Nancy Spiegelberg expressed what needs to be said here:
Lord, I crawled across the barrenness to You
With my empty cup uncertain in asking any small drop of refreshment.
If only I had known you better I’d have come running with a bucket. (4)
God’s not mad – Thumbs-up! Bring your bucket!
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Footnotes:
1 - J. Vernon McGee, Thru the Bible with J. Vernon McGee, Vol 4, (Pasadena, Cal, Thru the Bible Radio, 1983), 695
2 - Diana Turro, Florida. Today’s Christian Woman, Small Talk.
3 - HE GIVETH MORE GRACE, Composer: H. Mitchell, Arr T. Fetke (Lillenas Publishers), 1983
4 - Erwin Lutzer, Failure; The Back Door to Success, 117
