It’s funny, the things people get all worked up about, isn’t it? I took a break from writing and my twice-weekly podcast after a very long weekend. I was at the end of my strength and needed to “Tap out” so to speak. So I did just that. My fingers itched to type. I wanted to talk about certain subjects, but I restrained myself and said “no.” I needed to come to a place where I was seeking God first, and this meant as much quiet and calm as a non-vacation week could afford. I restrained myself, though I wanted to type and write, and express my opinion all over the internet. We’re like that, aren’t we? Always needed to be busy, always needing to feel accomplished. We get our self-worth from those accomplishments, don’t we? Yet, that is not who we are. We are not defined by what we can accomplish.
Yesterday, my second oldest son finished his first season of football. Where many kids would be discouraged at the end of a season like this one, he is excited to be able try again next year. He’s also bringing along next youngest brother. It reminded me of what I read this morning in Acts: Paul is constantly beaten, threatened, mocked and imprisoned, and yet he continues to go back to these same people and places and proclaim the good news, using his situation to point people back to Christ. Why? And what do these things have in common?
It all comes down to who we are, why Jesus died, and who we can be because He is alive. Many people approach Jesus because they want to escape hell. Many people approach people to gain peace of mind. Many are trying to approach Jesus with their accomplishments and how “good” they believe themselves to be. But the fact remains: we are at equal footing when it comes to God. There is not one accomplishment that can boasted, not one single thing a person can do to be saved. Jesus did the work. He lived a perfect life. He willingly was tortured and died, hanging on a murderer’s cross, though being the one truly innocent man in all of history, and in so doing, died for the atonement of all sin for all time. He was buried in a tomb. He rose again, conquering death, granting new life to those who believe, and giving us a hope for eternity with Him.
Jesus died to make us sons and daughters of God. If we try to earn it, we miss out on this promise. If we come to Jesus for any reason but this, we miss out on this promise. No, we must follow and seek after Jesus, be born again, and then, when our old self has been buried with Christ, we are a New Creation, made into sons and daughters of the Most High in, because of and through Christ Jesus. It’s about who He is, what He has done, and following Him all of our days. Put your accomplishments aside and follow Jesus.
Philippians 3
Finally, my brothers, rejoice in the Lord. To write the same things to you is no trouble to me and is safe for you.
Look out for the dogs, look out for the evildoers, look out for those who mutilate the flesh. For we are the circumcision, who worship by the Spirit of God and glory in Christ Jesus and put no confidence in the flesh— though I myself have reason for confidence in the flesh also. If anyone else thinks he has reason for confidence in the flesh, I have more: circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; as to the law, a Pharisee; as to zeal, a persecutor of the church; as to righteousness under the law, blameless. But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith— that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, that by any means possible I may attain the resurrection from the dead.
Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own. Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. Let those of us who are mature think this way, and if in anything you think otherwise, God will reveal that also to you. Only let us hold true to what we have attained.
Brothers, join in imitating me, and keep your eyes on those who walk according to the example you have in us. For many, of whom I have often told you and now tell you even with tears, walk as enemies of the cross of Christ. Their end is destruction, their god is their belly, and they glory in their shame, with minds set on earthly things. But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our lowly body to be like his glorious body, by the power that enables him even to subject all things to himself.
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