S -
Romans 3:27-31 (NIV): " Where, then, is boasting? It is excluded. On what
principle? On that of observing the law? No, but on that of faith. For we
maintain that a man is justified by faith apart from observing the law. Is God
the God of Jews only? Is he not the God of Gentiles too? Yes, of Gentiles too,
since there is only one God, who will justify the circumcised by faith and the
uncircumcised through that same faith. Do we, then, nullify the law by this
faith? Not at all! Rather, we uphold the law."
O -
Since God is not just the God of Jews but the God of Gentiles he is also not
just the God of Christians but of all.
Culture, religion (Christianity included), ethic moorings and
genealogical decent are all non-starters.
They are not and never were the point.
This does not nullify the Scriptures (Old and New Testaments) it upholds
them. "There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female,
for you are all one in Christ Jesus (Galatians 3:28)."
A -
Jesus tells the world (John 10:16): "I have other sheep that are not of
this sheep pen. I must bring them also. They too will listen to my voice, and
there shall be one flock and one shepherd." No matter what "pen"
I hail from … he has others that are not of the pen I'm from. Jesus never called, and never calls, a person to
a particular "sheep pen" … he calls all people to himself. "Follow me" is his invitation and
command. "My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me
(John 10:27)." I am very pleased
to be following him and to be discovering so many other "pens" with
those who are doing the same. Following the person of Jesus really is the
point; this alone is the beginning and the end (cf. Matthew 4:18-19, John
21:21-22) because he is the beginning and the end.
P -
Shepherd of the Sheep,
Today is my only day to
follow, to stay near, to listen and to love you back. I am excited to think of all the sheep
following you across the breadth of the whole earth. I'm grateful for all you're allowing me to
see and do with you. Today, only Friend
and Shepherd of the whole world, please cause your life to come into me and out
of me so that I might be a reason another could believe.
Grateful for the work of believing,
Steve
No comments:
Post a Comment