Stop Trying, Start Believing

S - Romans 9:30-33; 10:4 (NLT): "Well then, what shall we say about these things? Just this: The Gentiles have been made right with God by faith, even though they were not seeking him. But the Jews, who tried so hard to get right with God by keeping the law, never succeeded. Why not? Because they were trying to get right with God by keeping the law and being good instead of by depending on faith. They stumbled over the great rock in their path. God warned them of this in the Scriptures when he said, "I am placing a stone in Jerusalem that causes people to stumble, and a rock that makes them fall. But anyone who believes in him will not be disappointed. … For Christ has accomplished the whole purpose of the law. All who believe in him are made right with God."

O - The stumbling block is Jesus. The fulfillment of the law is Jesus. The focus of faith which makes people right with (adopted by) God is Jesus. Jesus is the gospel. The beauty of faith is that it is to be placed in a person not an event or conclusion about that person. Those, all, any who believe IN him will not be disappointed (literally to be ashamed or disgraced). The cross has NO efficacy … Jesus does. The empty tomb has NO resurrection power … Jesus does. Hope does not flow because of God's promises but because of the person of Jesus. God's promises are yes IN Jesus and as his followers we say the amen. Jesus is the point of "saving faith" and he shares this reality with no other (person, place, activity or thing). A life depending on faith in Jesus is very different than one involving truths about Jesus and yet depends on itself. One lives forever and the other is already dying.

A - The whole purpose of the law has been accomplished in Jesus. This awesome truth undercuts all religious performance and cultural demands. Getting right and staying right with God is exclusively accomplished by a life which depends on Jesus. The problem with this for religion and culture (personal and corporate) is that it is too easy and too easy to be misused and impossible for another to judge. The last (the judging) is the real deal breaker for all religion and culture. The inability to judge another or another's performance or status is unacceptable to those who "live for show." And the truth is that all culture and religion is about the show … about what is seen. The Kingdom is forever about what is unseen. Religion/culture focuses on how things look and the Kingdom on how things are (even when they're not very good). Religion and culture are always trying to "be right" and Jesus is calling all to be near. We draw near by faith. This is my assignment today … come what may.

P - Only God, Above all and Near All,

Thank you for revealing yourself in Jesus. Thank you for deciding to have mercy on all. Thank you for calling all and making the way for all. Thank you for bring life, hope, power, forgiveness, transformation and forever to us in the person of Jesus. Thank you that anyone can put their faith in him and join your family and never be disappointed. Lord, my faith is in you, not just in what I'm asking you to do. My faith depends on you, not my performance … though I admit I want to do well. My faith is the faith you've given to me and groomed in me and I desire to please you by it. Thank you for the privilege of living out the unseen and welcoming that which has yet to be seen. Even so, come Lord Jesus!

Happy New Year,

Steve