Missions Sunday

Go… we are to always, be on the go.  Going through some of the original material written when we planted mosaic: Mosaic would be a missional church: Local, national/continental, International – both a sending church and a supporting church (1Cor; 2Co 8-9).  And we have been and we are – reinvigorating these principles in this post-pandemic world.

Yes, we are commanded to go, though, but we must see that it is Jesus who builds the Church, who gathers us from the ends of the earth, as we are…

Even with that, Jesus’ intentions would be that this would be a partnership, to give us the privilege of joining Him in His work, that we would have a stake in this, an opportunity to not only be excited about our own saving, but be an integral part of the saving of others – brothers and sister – with whom we will spend eternity!  Grateful, appreciative, in a love embrace that begins here and lasts…

Matthew 16:18 Jesus said “And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock,     I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overpower it.”

But it is Jesus’ desire that we be a part, that we do this gathering, plundering, this saving, together, with Him… 

Matthew 28:16-20 “16Then the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go. 17When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted. 18Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely, I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

Ours is, with Him, or, Him with us, to “go, and make disciples…” 

Romans 10:13-15 “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”  14How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? 15And how can anyone preach unless they are sent? As it is written: “How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!” (Isaiah 52:7-8)

We are to all be on the “go” being alert to and aware of those we encounter and being prepared to give a reason for our hope when we are (inevitably) asked (1Peter 3)

But, some of us are to go further out… 

Acts 1:8 “…you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”

With what heart are we all to go?? 

2Corinthians 1:3-7 “3Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, 4who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God. 5For just as we share abundantly in the sufferings of Christ, so also our comfort abounds through Christ. 6If we are distressed, it is for your comfort and salvation; if we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which produces in you patient endurance of the same sufferings we suffer. 7And our hope for you is firm, because we know that just as you share in our sufferings, so also you share in our comfort.”

And how is it that we bring comfort to those we meet?  The same thing Jesus did… Go! As He was sent by the Father, we go, as sent by Him. (Jn 3:16; Jn 20:20-22)

Isaiah 58:6-9 “6“Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen:  to loose the chains of injustice and untie the cords of the yoke, to set the oppressed free and break every yoke?  7Is it not to share your food with the hungry and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter—when you see the naked, to clothe them, and not to turn away from your own flesh and blood?  8Then your light will break forth like the dawn, and your healing will quickly appear; then your righteousness a will go before you, and the glory of the Lord will be your rear guard. 9Then you will call, and the Lord will answer; you will cry for help, and he will say: Here am I.

…and how can we a part, who can we go, even if we’re not the one going? Support?

James 1:27/1John 3:17 Taking care of the widow and orphan, seeing the need, we and having the means, we meet it…

Mark 12:42 there is no such things as not being able, as no gift, to gesture is too small

Luke 10:25 Learning to live in a way that allows us to be ready in and out of season

We are to all be on the “go” being alert to and aware of those we encounter and being prepared to give a reason for our hope when we are (inevitably) asked (1Peter 3)

Colossians 4:3 “…pray for us, too, that God may open a door for our message, so that we may proclaim the mystery of Christ…”

Doubt Your Doubts

Doubt:  to hesitate or waver ……
doubt is not rejection of belief, but holding a belief with some sort of hesitancy …. 
I think I believe you, but maybe I don’t. 

Matthew 11:2-3, John the Baptist doubted when in prison he heard what Christ was doing, and he sent his disciples to ask him, are the one to come, or should we expect someone else? ….. Jesus, are you really the Messiah? 

Genesis 17:15-17, Abraham and Sarah doubted when God said to Abraham, I will bless Sarah and will give you a son by her … and Abraham fell face down and laughed …. and later, Sarah laughed too.   

John 20:24-25, Thomas doubted that Jesus is risen and says “Unless I see the nail marks in his hands and put my finger where the nails were, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe.” 

John 20:27, Doubt is squashed when Jesus appears to Thomas and says, “Put your finger here; see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side.” 

John 20:28, Thomas’ drifting doubts went to firm faith as he exclaimed: “My Lord and my God!”   

Life Application:  

Believe your beliefs and Doubt your doubts. 

1. Identify your doubts 

2. Turn your doubts into questions 

3. Turn your questions into prayers 

4. Turn your prayers over to God 

Allow your doubts to deepen your faith. 

Love without hypocrisy, caring enough to really care: Romans 2:1-4

What is patience, and tolerance, and how are these things kind?  Romans 2:1-4

1You, therefore, have no excuse, you who pass judgment on someone else, for at whatever point you judge another, you are condemning yourself because you who pass judgment do the same things. 2Now we know that God’s judgment against those who do such things is based on truth. 3So when you, a mere human being, pass judgment on them and yet do the same things, do you think you will escape God’s judgment? 4Or do you show contempt for the riches of his kindness, forbearance and patience, not realizing that God’s kindness is intended to lead you to repentance?

• Kindness: meeting real needs, in God's way, in His timing (fashion); meeting real needs, in God's way, in His timing (fashion).

• Forbearance, tolerance, delay of punishment, restraint: mercy toward 

• Patience: holding back (right or just) judgment – holding back the sentence of death (only until the time is right)

• Repentance – to turn away from sin to God

When we see all the sin and destruction around us, how or why are we to be patient, tolerant, and kind?   Because no one does good, no one is righteous, not even one, (Ro 3:10-12) and that includes me.  So it is, that as God has been mercifully patient, tolerant, and kind toward me, in my sin (Ro 5:8-10), I am to be and do the same for those whose sin is in front of me. (Ro 10:9-15; 12:20-21; Acts 17:22-34)

Romans 10:14-15 “14How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? 15And how can anyone preach unless they are sent? As it is written: “How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!”

Aren’t we supposed to tell them about their sin?  We are to show them and tell them about Jesus - if they are not of the family of God; and remind a brother or sister of their righteousness in Christ.  

We must remember that there is a difference between having sinned and sinfulness 

In the end, it is not that we cannot, nor should not, make an approach, in fact, we are supposed to, and they may need us to, as we need them to. It is though, that we are to make an approach with the right heart, the right attitude, the right motive and intentions, and at the right time.

Yes, we should have concern for sin and its effect, but… 

It seems very often, we are concerned about the “heart” of another, and although there are times for this, Jesus seems to imply that we should be first, most, and consistently concerned with the condition of our own heart. 

Jesus shows us that the condition of our heart, will determine what we say, and do, and our attitude toward others - and how see, think, speak to, and treat them. 

Luke 6:45 “A good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and an evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of.”

We must be careful not to justify or deflect (attention) away from our own sin, by allowing the sin of others to distract us from our need for confession and repentance, our own self-examination, and our responsibility for our own spiritual maintenance.

When in fact, it is the maintenance of our (own) heart that determines our approach.

Do I, will I remember and recognize the debt that I accrued, my absolute inability to pay, and having had it mercifully canceled?  This is being in view of God’s mercy…, and be in view of it, we must, or we are in danger of becoming hypocrites. 

Parable of the self… leading us rightly into the life and care for another - the art of humility – being in view of God’s mercy, on me, that I might now extend to another.  Matthew 7:1-5 (Romans 12:1-2, 9-21; 2Cor 1:3-5)

1“Do not judge, or you too will be judged. 2For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.

3“Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? 4How can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? 5You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.

Palm Sunday: Here He Comes, Are We Ready?

We see what’s going on around us…  …and we silently pray “Jesus, I want to go home”, or “Jesus, come save us, come soon, come now…”   But, wait, I have kids and grandkids.  I have plans, things I want to do, achieve.  I have people in my life I want to get to know better and have fun with…. I want, I need… So, Jesus, yes, I want you to come now, but, can you at least wait until…  Wait? Until, what?

But, do we know what we are saying when we pray this prayer?  Do we know what will happen when that prayer is finally answered?  Do we understand the real implications of that prayer?  That the time is now, that the end is here, that time’s up.

Matthew 24:36-41 36“But about that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. 37As it was in the days of Noah, so it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. 38For in the days before the flood, people were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, up to the day Noah entered the ark; 39and they knew nothing about what would happen until the flood came and took them all away. That is how it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. 40Two men will be in the field; one will be taken and the other left. 41Two women will be grinding with a hand mill; one will be taken and the other left.

Now, look around.  Be present.  Be(come) aware.  What will happen to those around us when time has reached its end?  Do we understand?  Can we see?  Can we imagine?  If we do not understand, if we cannot see, if we cannot imagine… then we need to stop for a moment and consider…

God! What are you waiting for??  If it is hard for us to understand the implication of that prayer as to be patient with what is going on, to “put up with” what’s happening around us, what can we expect from the world?  It is ours to come to understand, to realize that for every what that happens that grieves or angers us – there is a “who” that has done this “what”?

So, to understand what this prayer really means, we must see that there is a “who” that did that what, a who that needs saving.  We must come to Jesus’ “hesitating” might mean salvation for that one, that “who” that is doing that grievous “what” that so deeply offends me.  And then, it is ours remember, that at one time, not too long ago, that who was me, and that God’s hesitation to judge me, that patient waiting and putting up with (my “what”) is what saved me – the “who” that did that offensive “what” …

If we are having trouble understanding the implication of this prayer, how can we expect those around us, who do not (yet) know Jesus, who are breathing, even today, this morning, because of God’s mercy on them, that the sun is shining on them, because of God’s patience, that the rain has soaked their fields, because of God’s mercy on them – and that mercy is there because of their “what!” (Luke 6)

It’s ok to not understand the implication of that prayer, for the moment, because that is just what was happening on the first “Palm Sunday” – they did not understand what they were saying when they cried out “Hosanna, blessed is he who comes…”

Come now!  Save us, now!

Save us, now!  Yes!  Come now!  Yes!  But, what of the others?

For God says “Do I take any pleasure in the death of the wicked? declares the Sovereign LORD. Rather, am I not pleased when they turn from their ways and live?” Ez 18:23

And again “I urge, then, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for all people – 2for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness.  3This is good, and pleases God our Savior, 4 who wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth.” 1Tm 2:1-4

And one more time “The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.”

And this was Jesus’ heart – on Palm Sunday. Matthew 21

Let us rejoice, now!  We have been saved!  The Prince of Peace has entered into the Jerusalem of my heart, and I am saved, now! 

But, now what?  For what purpose have I now been saved and then left here? Is it not to be “sent”?  and if sent, how, for what? In what manner and way? 

May it not be forgotten… that it is God's mercy that saved us from His own righteous and just wrath…? It is His kindness toward us that is intended to bring us to repentance…. It was by Jesus' humility, His gentleness, that He invited us to come to Him, to find rest for our souls…  that the very way Jesus was sent by the Father, so He has sent us.

Romans 12

It is in view of His mercy that we are to offer your body, now, as a living sacrifice, recognizing, more and more, what I did deserve, I am more and more grateful, and in gratitude and appreciation for His mercy, that we are compelled, moved, will gladly be holy and pleasing… offering ourselves for His serving, being transformed in mind, we begin to gladly put away the old way, and embrace the new - eagerly desiring to know and to do God’s will, with sincere love,  mercy that does not seek (an even Right and just)  revenge, but enters the life, the world, of our enemy, the person’s before me, with peace, in peace, offering peace, like one riding into a city, on a foal. 

Giving drink to, feeding, praying for, blessing, doing, good to, our enemy… Is this not Jesus? Is this not what Jesus did, has done, does, is doing, and longs to do?

Is this not why we are to give room for God, knowing that trusting that He will avenge? And who might be the object of His avenging?  Might it not be, mercifully, the enemy OF our “enemy”, who has them bound?  That God would defeat him who binds and kills, while saving the one who torments us? And NOT, the one we assumed, the way we might have, as we would have come in on a horse, sword swinging, to avenge ourselves, and that even to avenge “God”, and that against the wrong enemy? 

No, this one comes in peace, with mercy, on the foal, of a donkey, He enters on a foal… the prince of peace.  

Where have we seen this before?  Imagine Mary, being led by Joseph, through the fo the cold night, to Bethlehem, seated on a donkey… Luke 2 And peace to all on whom God’s favor rests…  John 3 Sent by God not to condemn the world, but to save it.  One more expression of peace – trying to get the “who” to understand the “what” and come and be saved… He mercifully comes in peace 

Is this not how Jesus came?  After He has done all that He has done?  And that, humbly, gently, graciously to His enemy?  Even the ones who would now pierce Him through with a sword?

Is this not how He entered into the Jerusalem of our hearts?  Entering in peace?  The sword being swung was not intended to slay me, His enemy (Ro 5), but my enemy, that had me bound - saving me from the clutches of the ruler of the kingdom of the air?

And so, how should we now go?  In the same way?  Who, really, is the enemy? 

Jesus will come back, and sooner than we can imagine, and this time, yes, on a horse, the answer to our prayer “Hosanna, come now”.

Revelation 6:2; 14:14; 19:11 “Then I saw heaven standing open, and there before me was a white horse. And its rider is called Faithful and True. With righteousness He judges and wages war.”

But, in the meantime, to we understand the implication?  Until then, and in the meantime… what are we to do?  What Jesus did the way Jesus did it.  “So the Father has sent me, so now, I send you”

And how are to go?  Just like Jesus, grieving over the lost, tormented by their sin, restraining our wrath, entering into their lives doing good, restraining our desire for revenge, and instead… feeding, giving drink, clothing and doing good… by doing so, we are making room for Jesus' entrance into the Jerusalem of their hearts.

Do you ever find yourselves looking around at what is happening and just quietly whisper, “Jesus, come now”?  Me too, but while longing for His return - we do not speed it up by praying for His coming (like the Jews thought, and were wrong on all counts - they wanted it now with violent revenge), but we speed Jesus’ coming, and this time on a horse, by being like Him, being sent like Him, going into the world, to save that are held captive by the ruler of this world, and that, as fast as we can - that’s what speeds Jesus’s return!   Now Lord, but not yet!  Give us time, but not too much…  

Revelation 6:9-10 “I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been slain because of the word of God and the testimony they had maintained. 10They called out in a loud voice, “How long, Sovereign Lord, holy and true, until you judge the inhabitants of the earth and avenge our blood?” Jesus in essence, “…soon, but “not yet, not until the very last person who will let me enter, let’s me, and is saved) 

If we want His coming, we must come in like Jesus did, with the sorrowful, grieving heart of Jesus, and come not on a horse to condemn, but the foal of a donkey, in peace, mercifully, to save, at least some (1Cor )

Hating even the clothing stained by sin, we bring mercy and hope to the sinning, sinner, remembering, that that was (once) me….

Belonging to Christ is Belonging to His Body.

Belonging to Christ is Belonging to His Body.

Good morning, Mosaic! If you’re new here, welcome! I am Aaron, I am married to my favorite person on Earth Jasmine, she and I have 3 children - 14, 3 and 1 and I work very part time here at the church: teaching on occasion, helping facilitate ministry in the background, and pouring into people as God leads. I’d love to formally meet you, so if we’ve never properly met, please come shake my hand and say hello after service!

Tony asked me on Friday afternoon to hold the line for him while he took some time this weekend to rest and recover. Yesterday was my Family Sabbath - the one day a week where we stop from all our normal work and rest, play and trust the Lord to meet our needs and to provide exactly what we need to honor him. So I prayed Friday evening, asking God to give me rest and to trust in His provision as I walked in faith keeping the Sabbath day of rest for our family. I’m an anxious person by nature so I look for opportunities to exercise my faith in small but important ways.

We spent the evening with my Father-in-Law and got home later last night… That’s 7:30pm for all you night owls out there. After we got the two little ones down I sat down at my keyboard and managed to cobble together a few ideas before hitting a wall. I woke up this morning and went back to the grindstone, honing things a bit, but please bear with me this morning as what I share might lack a certain amount of polish, or finesse.

This morning I want to do two things. I want to exhort us all to honor and glorify our triune God who loved us when we were yet His enemies and push us deeper into faithful action of loving the bride he loves. 

My desire this morning is that you will come away knowing that you are loved, ridiculously, by God and that God has called you and will sustain you into loving one another ridiculously as well.

Some of you may leave today challenged. Praise God.

Some of you may leave today feeling seen and heard as you struggle forward. Praise God. He sees you. He hears you. He knows it’s hard. He will meet your every need.

Some of you may leave today sad. I am okay with that, provided that sadness leads to repentance and true joy. No seed can grow unless it is first crushed. Christ was crucified before he was raised. Sorrow may last for the night, but joy comes in the morning. There is much blood, sweat and tears given before the bountiful harvest.

What I cannot do this morning is remain silent. To not plead with you to see and savor Christ and to live as if He truly is Lord of Lords and King of Kings. That I cannot do.

Just know that my intent, however sloppy this sermon is, is to exhort and encourage, not tear down. My desire is your good and God’s glory. As you mature and grow in Christ, you learn more and more that those are the same thing.

I stayed up late and woke up early for your sake, not mine. I am an introvert. My flesh enjoys isolation. The last thing I would choose to do apart from the grace and call of God is stand up in front of a group of people. Especially people who know me well, which some of you do.

So with all that qualification aside, will you join me in prayer?

“Heavenly Father, we are here this morning because of you. You have drawn us. You have sustained us. While we slept and drifted into unconsciousness, you sustained our every breath. You sustained our faith that brought us to this moment. You have always been there, you are now here and you will always be. Helps us to see more clearly. Open blind eyes. Clear up our blurry vision. Our spirits are willing Lord, because you have made them so, but our flesh is weak. We desire you, we have faith, but our desires are often muddled and our faith is often little. We believe, Lord, help our unbelief.

We thank you that you rejoice over us. We thank you that it was your will to intercede for us, to send your Son, Jesus on our behalf. We thank you that it was your pleasure to not leave us alone, but to fill your children with your Spirit so that we might not be stuck in the mud of sin and death, but that we might, by your grace and the very Spirit that rose Christ from the dead, rise out of the mud pits we built for ourselves and enter into the fullness of life. Help us to see and savor you this morning. Help us to see and adore your bride this morning. And may the meditations of our hearts and the words of our lips be pleasing to you this morning. In Jesus' name we ask all these things, amen.”

Enough of me. Let’s dig into the Word.

Would you turn your notifications off and turn your Bibles to Hebrews 10:19. If you’re concerned about being distracted this morning or if you don’t have a physical Bible please take the Bible in front of you. Take it home! Read it.  But this morning, let’s turn to Hebrews 10:19-25

Hebrews 10:19-25

19 Therefore, brothers and sisters, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, 20 by a new and living way opened for us through the curtain, that is, his body, 21 and since we have a great priest over the house of God, 22 let us draw near to God with a sincere heart and with the full assurance that faith brings, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water. 23 Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful. 24 And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, 25 not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.

A Gospel Reminder of the Good News. The BEST news.

This passage begins by reminding us what Jesus has done for us. We must be changed before we can change. We must be loved before we can love.

We have been washed, we have been made pure, we have been given access to the very house of God. The LORD of the universe welcomes us because of the intercession, and substitutionary sacrifice of Jesus Christ on our behalf. You and I have an immediate, unending audience with the King of Kings because Jesus Christ freely gave his life in our stead, fulfilling the human side of the covenant God established with us. We were dead in our sins and trespasses, but He has caused us to be made alive, born into a living hope that will never perish.

Pause. That is the reality of our lives in Christ. Do you believe it?

If you are in Christ, your eternal destiny is to live into hope - to live into Christ himself, before God, with your fellow Christians, for an eternity. Stop. Because I need you to get that before we go on.

What is the purpose of your life? WHY ARE YOU HERE?

It’s not to bury yourself in hours upon hours of endless scrolling looking for small hits of dopamine or the newest trinket you can buy to dull your senses. The purpose of your life is not to find a spouse, have 2.1 kids, build a comfortable life in the woods (or city depending on your preferences) and to retire quietly into obscurity. You are an eternal being who will be raised with Christ to live for God’s glory and your joy forever.

Do you believe that? Really? Is that the driving force of your life? Is that your only source of hope and peace? Is that what motivates you in the hard times when it’s dark and lonely? Is understanding that reality and living more fully into it the GOAL of your life? Is it the GOAL of your child rearing? Is it the GOAL of your friendships? Is it the GOAL of your marriage? Is it the GOAL of your attending Bible studies or small groups or sharing coffee with fellow believers? To believe this more richly and to live into it more fully?

Because when you wake up tomorrow morning 1000 things will enter your mind. Your phone will beckon you to consume every second of quiet you have, your email inbox or text messages will start to pile up,your to-do list around the house or with the kids will come screaming at your heart, 20 new controversies that would outrage the most timid grandmother on Earth will come flying at you from thousands of miles away begging for your attention.

Will you yield?

I know I do, much more than I wish. Lord I believe, help my unbelief. 

This is the gospel. That we were DEAD in our sins. We were SLAVES to sin. We were children of wrath literally Hellbent on destruction. We were blind. But now/ because of Christ? We are alive. We are free. We are co-heirs with Christ, destined for an eternal life with God and with his Bride.

That. Is. Who. We. Are. If we are Christians - THAT is who we are. We need to get that. We need to be reminded of that. Daily. Sometimes I need the reminder hourly. My Jesus I need you, every HOUR I need you. Right?

So now what does he ask in return? If this is true, how should we live? What should our lives look like? What does the passage say?



Let’s read it again:

“Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess. AND let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another - and all the more as you see the Day approaching.”

“Hold (active) on unswervingly to the hope we profess” or as Jesus (quoting Deuteronomy) said, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul and with all your might…”

And

“Consider (active) how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, NOT giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another.” 

Or again, as Jesus said, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul and with all your might and love your neighbor as yourself.”

In other words love God and love your neighbor. That means, make the aim of your life to fulfill those two commands and do so in increasing measure. Whether you’ve been a Christian for 10 seconds, 10 years or 10 decades there is still more God to know and love and more of the bride to know and love. None of us have arrived.

But how do we do that? How do we love our neighbor as ourselves? What does that look like? This is where the rubber meets the road and where the challenging part of my sermon comes in. And, where Wisdom and Christian community can be helpful so…

Let's come up for air.

Before we go further I want us to do something. Would everyone on this side of the room take a minute and look at everyone on that side of the room and vice versa. Look at one another. Look at the young faces, the old wrinkly faces, the scraggly bearded faces. Look at them until it’s almost uncomfortable and then look some more.

Church - this is the bride for whom Christ died. These are the people God has given you to love uniquely. These are the men, women and children God has called you to pour out your life for. To give special preference to, according to the book of Galatians. These are the people whose interests you are to consider, not just your own in Philippians. Who are they? What are their lives like? What sins are they battling? What victories have they enjoyed by God’s grace? What weaknesses do they have that your strengths can provide for. What gifts do THEY possess which you could benefit from?

Keep looking. God does this all day long. Jesus longingly looks upon us all, waiting for the day where we are untied forever. He died to make us pure and spotless. He intercedes for us day and night and he invites us to do the same.

You were saved not just into Christ, you were saved into His body. At the same moment you were made a co-heir with Christ, you were made a co-heir with me. You became my brother or my sister.

And with that reality comes another reality - just like my biological sisters get a claim on my life, you get a claim on my life.

Just like my biological sisters have a claim on my wealth, you get a claim on my wealth.

Just like my biological sisters benefit from my gifts and strengths, you benefit from my gifts and strengths.

Just like my sisters get grace & mercy in the face of their sin, you get grace and mercy in the face of your sin.

Jesus goes so far as to say that his brothers & sisters in the faith get preferences OVER his biological family if he’s pressed into a corner to choose one or the other, he chooses the faith family.

Jesus really, really, really loves his whole bride. And he really wants us to come together and join him in that love.

But how much of our lives reflect that reality? How much of our budget do we store away for the church and those we encounter? How much of our hospitality is extended to those in this room or other Christians in your life? How often are we burdened by other Christian men and women? How are we changing our lives to better be present physically, emotionally and spiritually to the bride of Christ?

Jesus said the world will know we are his disciples by how we love one another.

Yes, the great commission is true. As we are hearing about each week we are to go into the outermost parts of the world with the gospel and declare it wherever the Lord has seen fit to place people! Every little crevice and every little tribe desperately needs the gospel and Jesus desperately longs for His full bride!

But how can people go unless we send them? And how can we send them if we don’t know them? If we don’t have room in our budget to send them? If we don’t pray for them and check on them? If we don’t support them, who will? Imagine going alone, or with a handful of strangers into the jungles of Brazil where there’s a higher than 0% chance you or your family may be killed - that’s the Kern’s.  What kind of support would YOU want from your home church? How much prayer? How much commitment to keep your family fed - physically and spiritually? Love them that way, as God enables.

How do the tribes of the world hear? Ultimately?

Because the whole bride of Christ works together. It is through you and I rolling up our sleeves and giving space, resources, time, prayers, attention, care and love to the members of God’s body who have been uniquely called to pour out their lives in some remote part of the world. It is through us being as passionate about them as they are passionate about finding the bride of Christ in every crevice of this planet.

How do we raise Godly families? Through all of us taking ownership of the task!

Through older women pouring into younger women, teaching them to love their husbands and die to themselves, and to love their children well and taking time to encourage them in the soul-challenging work of parenting. As Titus 2 says. There are many young moms who are trying to be all things to all people and raise Godly children here at Mosaic and they don’t have nearly the support you ladies in your 50s and 60s enjoyed. But they need it. I talk to a lot of young husbands. There’s a real need for you older ladies to encourage, exhort, pray, listen, love, turn up with a meal etc.

We also raise Godly families through older men, who have enjoyed long, and fruitful marriages taking up young married men and helping them learn how to listen, love, support and encourage their wives and children. Teaching them how to lay down their lives for the sake of their families. Through them opening their homes and their lives allowing younger men to glean.

How do we build a healthy community?

By initiating friendship and fellowship with one another. Through intentionally clearing our schedules to make room, space and time for broken pieces here at Mosaic and through intentional acts of hospitality. By embracing awkward conversation and potential rejection, for the sake of being faithful to Jesus. We must pour ourselves our and have others pour themselves out for our sake. We must use the gifts God has given us for the sake of his bride AND we must allow others to use their gifts for our own sake.

It means getting a bigger dining room table so you can have more company over.

It means committing to fewer things so that you can commit more fully to the things God has given you. 

It means re-orienting your life around Jesus and his bride.

It means giving up isolated individualism where only you and maybe your family has a claim to your time, to embrace the body God has given you, the body Christ has died for.

It probably means less netflix time, less screen time, fewer sports, fewer hobbies, less indulgent spending, etc.

It might mean paying off your debt with a fierceness so that when a financial need arises you can meet it.

It might mean having one parent stay home with the kids so that at least someone can dedicate their whole day to discipling the kids fully.

It might mean going to bed early on Saturday so you can come early on Sunday to meet and mingle with people.

It might mean telling your children that they cannot be a part of any sports team that pulls them away from the body on Sundays or during Youth Group because God has called his children to not forsake the gathering of believers and their life is more than pleasure, or physical prowess.

It might mean confessing some deep sins and repenting of them so that you’re no longer burdened by shame and guilt that comes with it.

What exactly it means for you and your family, I cannot say. I am not the Lord. And I would hate to burden you with a command God has not given. That would be sin.

But I’d be happy to sit with you and work through it. Ask God for Wisdom. He is delighted to give it.

Ask older-mature Christians here in this building before you leave for their thoughts or time.

Ask your spouse how they think you’re doing as a family. Set some goals together. Clear a night this week and hash it out. Commit to loving one another well, as you work to love the body well.

Kids, ask your parents. What can you do to love the body well? Could you serve on some team? Could you make it your goal to pray for each one of our missionaries? Could you set aside a small portion of your birthday money or chore money to meet the needs of people in this body? Could you introduce yourself to some of the older saints here and see if they need your help around the house - spring is coming - weeds will need pulled, yards will need mowed, garages will need cleaned.

What exactly it looks like will work itself out IF we remember that we are loved by God and God has asked us to take his overflowing love and pour it out on one another. To love the Bride of Jesus. To find our role in the body and to commit ourselves fully to it.

Band get in place.

He knew we would forget. Our shepherd knows we wander like sheep. And so to call us together, to remind us that we are all one body who belongs to him, to remind us that Christ died not only for ME but for US, he has given us communion and so this morning, the first act of living as if all we have talked about is true, is to come and take communion.

Now if you are not a Christian or you’re actively living in unrepentant sin… this is not for you. Not yet. But it could be. Confess your sin. Turn to Christ, Seek his forgiveness and go to those you’ve wronged and make amends. All of us should examine ourselves - confessing our weaknesses and shortcomings and then, receiving Christ’s forgiveness and love, come up and receive the elements. After everyone has received their elements I will lead us in a shared meal.

"For I received from the Lord what I also delivered to you, that the Lord Jesus on the night when he was betrayed took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it, and said, "This is my body which is for you. Do this in remembrance of me." In the same way also he took the cup, after supper, saying, "This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me." For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord's death until he comes." 1 Corinthians 11:23-26

After that first communion they sang a song. Would you join me?

Romans 1:16-31 What is righteousness? It is divine approval

Romans 1:16-31 What is righteousness? It is divine approval; what is deemed right by the Lord - after examination, it is what is approved in His eyes - it is what ought to be; it is all things good and right, just and fair.  In this case, righteousness is what God ascribes to believers in Christ (imputed righteousness - 2Cor 5:21; Ro 3:25) 

Within righteousness are life and love as demonstrated by Jesus and given to those who place their trust in Him.  To live righteously is to love as God loves, a way, the way, approved by God.  Righteous.  Jesus is righteous and He loves righteously.

To live in love is Jesus, and to be like Jesus is to be righteous, it is (the only thing) that is approved by God.  

Therefore, in being righteous, to be like Jesus, are all those things that we wish and want to be (in Christ), that the Holy Spirit makes us to be, that the Father creates us to be, that we would do the good works, the beautiful works, the righteous works, (and therefore) the approved works of God, that God has prepared in advance for us to do (Eph 2:10).

It is on Jesus and all that is Jesus, that the Father has placed His seal of approval 

John 6:27 “do not work for food that spoils, but for food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you.  For on Him, God the Father has placed His seal of approval.  And what then must we to do the works God requires (to be approved)?”  Jesus answered, ‘The work of God is this: to believe in the One He has sent.’”

  That is… 

Eph 2:8-9 “8F…it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— 9not by works, so that no one can boast.”

 In Christ, we have received the seal of the Holy Spirit, a mark of God’s approval:

2Cor 1:21-22 “21Now it is God who makes both us and you stand firm in Christ. He anointed us, 22set his seal of ownership on us, and put his Spirit in our hearts as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come.”

Eph 1:13 “13And you also were included in Christ when you heard the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation. When you believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, 14who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession—to the praise of his glory.”

And we are to act according to that seal… 

Eph 4:30 “do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.”

If this is so, let us be careful, then, of what we approve. (Ro 12:2; 14:22; Ph 1:10)

Read the chapter here

Ro 1:18 God’s wrath is being revealed against the godlessness and wickedness of people, who suppress the truth by their wickedness… 

Godlessness - bold irreverence - refusing to give honor where honor is due

Wickedness/unrighteousness of heart (love) and life - a violation of God’s standards - bringing divine disapproval - death and destruction

Suppress - restrain, hold back the course of progress of - the knowledge of God

Let go back to this word wrath… 

Wrath: God is, never, not opposed to sin and evil - as sin and evil are contrary to Him, an attack on His Person, His nature - who and what He is - His glory and His goodness and the expression of those: all that He has made, to and for and that He has made and loves, lovingly caring for it.   

We must understand, wrath is the passionate protective side of God’s love.   Therefore, it rises up to oppose anything or anyone who would come against Him and His beloved.  

• God’s passionate love for Himself will come to the defense of “each other’ - it is always there, at the ready, as an expression of His love - therefore it teems, swells, it is not a sudden outburst - it is not a temper tantrum, it is not reactionary, nor is it out of control, in fact, it is actually quite in control

• This “Self” passionate love is not selfish - we forget when we think of God as one, that He is also Three - and that each One will protect the other Two

• And it is not just Himself He loves with such a passion - God’s passionate love is also for His beloved - and in so, also teems and swells rising up to care for and defend

God is love, which is His character; wrath is part of His love and is never out of character - it is a necessary expression of God and His being love. 

• This settled anger - proceeds from an internal disposition that steadfastly opposes someone or something based on extended personal exposure - solidifying what the beholder considers wrong, unjust, and evil

What does Jesus think of the “father of lies”, “evil one”, “ruler of the kingdom of the air” the one who stands against God - His love and beloved?

John 8:44 “…the devil… was a murderer from the beginning, not holdin to the truth, for there is not truth in him.  When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies.”

Jesus goes on to say in vs. 45 “because I speak the truth you do not believe me!” so it is with the depraved, who cannot see or understand…

But, we must also understand that His wrath “revealed” is just that, revealed, as in, to give a glimpse of, He is allowing it to be seen - on time (for us to see it and fear), over time (to allow it to have an effect on those it will effect), for a time (until our sin has reached its end - Gen 15), and it is never out-of-time or turn.

Just like in the garden Gen 2:17 “eat of it and you will surely die”, but, when they ate of it, they did not “yet” die, but the consequences began with immediate damage to 

• the relationship man had with God

• the relationship between man and woman 

• The woman’s giving birth

• The man’s work

• The offspring’s conduct toward God and one another - and therefore their parents also

…then and only then did they actually experience the wrath of God, the final consequence for their sin, and opposition to God, having done what was “not approved” by God, they died

The revealing of God’s wrath here is the same expression of His divine mercy in the Garden.

God’s judgment is good and fair, but it is still at the mercy of His mercy.

Merciful - patience, tolerance, and unimaginable kindness if expressed by God

Romans 2:1-4

God’s sending Jesus was to save us from His own wrath as He wants as many to be saved as would, so, God’s slowness is that very thing.  What we see and hear in this chapter is His wrath being revealed throughout the history of mankind - from the fall til now, and the earth is still spinning, men are still sinning, God is still relenting - mercifully holding back and restraining His ultimate wrath and judgment until the time has reached its end.  Yet, God is not slow as some understand slowness:

2Peter 3:9 The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.

Let us see the difference between: 

Time vs. a life’s span; 

Mankind vs. me, now; 

Over time vs. now is the time

As, though God is patient, sin will run its course, time will end, and decisions made, will have been made – so, though He waits for mankind, the time for me, us, here, is now:

2Peter 3:10 “10But the day of the Lord will come like a thief. The heavens will disappear with a roar; the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and everything done in it will be laid bare.”

Yes, God is patient, even tolerant, but God’s patience with sin should not be confused with approval - those things holding back the knowledge of God and His goodness, sinful attitudes about God – that so badly miss the mark of the truth about God; the depraved thinking about God; those voices raised against God; those acting as if they were not given life and life’s beautiful design by God – no gratefulness, not honor, to giving of glory - are leading them to destruction - death

These are an offense to God and His loving grace as they trample underfoot His Son

Jesus, His life, and righteousness, has God’s stamp of approval. Therefore, anything that is done like Christ, in Christ, by Christ, also has God’s approval.

For us to approve of anything else, is to sin against the very goodness and grace of God that we, His children, know so well, and there, stand in approval of the death of those who practice such things – where instead, we should, without shame, share with them the truth of the good news of God, in Christ – that He is love and loving and wants to forgive!

What the world does, in its unrighteousness, it is outside of God’s will and purpose for His good making and therefore, is not approved, because it leads to death.

Everything God does, everything God is, everything He says, is right and good and fair, just, and has in it, life, and we need to celebrate and extol that life and not approve of death, destruction, judgment, and condemnation.

We have been sent, and are here, to rescue, not to affirm.

John 20:21-22; 3:17-18; “Peace be with you! As the Father has sent me, I am sending you.” And with that he breathed on them and said” Receive the Holy Spirit.”

Romans 1:28-31 (2Peter 2)

2Peter 3:10-18

Romans 1:28-32 - Misperceiving God Leads Us to Misperceive Everything, Especially Ourselves

Romans 1:28-32 - Misperceiving God leads us to misperceive everything, especially ourselves, even believers seeing God for Who He is, can, if they persist in sin, lose sight and not see God, rightly Galatians 5

Romans 1:18-20

His eternal power - as Creator - Eternal, everlasting, power, and its ability to perform powerful deeds - marvelous works - revealing the achievements by the Lord’s inherent abilities.  This same power that raised Jesus from the dead is now in us by His Spirit of power - His great achievement by that power is our changed nature, our being converted to Jesus’ likeness, which reveals to us and the world, God’s divine power to achieve redemption and life in Him by grace (Eph 1)

His divine nature - that is of being “other” than man, though man is made in His likeness, their nature is not the same - the revelation of God and his attributes which reveals Himself for people to know Him - showing Himself to be different from His creation, or, other.

 It is here that God expresses the difference between Himself – as other – and man, as Likeness, but not the same - Genesis 2:18 “18The Lord God said, ‘It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him.’”

God IS other than US - In spite of God giving the gift of light and life to everything (Jn 1:1-2) - so that He can be seen by what He’s made (mankind) man has chosen to suppress these truths, and in so, their minds have further degraded into deeper and more futile thinking - or “worthless” thinking. And, now, in their “stupidity” they claim their “new knowing” makes them wise, yet they have become fools - exchanging the glory of the immortal God for images of mortal man, birds, animals, and reptiles.  Having been shown the superior nature of God AND the inferior nature of animals, man still chooses to exchange the glory of God for lesser glories, creatures that are lesser glory…

Romans 1:21-23  

Genesis 2:19-20 “19Now the Lord God had formed out of the ground all the wild animals and all the birds in the sky. He brought them to the man to see what he would name them; and whatever the man called each living creature, that was its name. 20So the man gave names to all the livestock, the birds in the sky and all the wild animals. “

“…But for Adam no suitable helper was found.”

Romans 1:24-25 Made in the image and likeness of God has in it our diverse and complimentary making – as He is 3-in-1, so we are diverse to reflect this truth and to enjoy one another as God enjoys Himself – as “us and ours” - Themselves

God’s original and good intent: Genesis 2:21-25 “21So the Lord God caused the man to fall into a deep sleep; and while he was sleeping, he took one of the man’s ribs and then closed up the place with flesh. 22Then the Lord God made a woman from the rib h he had taken out of the man, and he brought her to the man.  23The man said,  “This is now bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called ‘woman,’  for she was taken out of man.” 24That is why a man leaves his father and mother and is united to his wife, and they become one flesh.  25Adam and his wife were both naked, and they felt no shame.”

Not retaining, even suppressing and rebelling against, the knowledge of God - their Maker/Creator, man tumbles deeper into sin, deprivation of mind, so that they not only do not understand rightly, God and His good intentions for them – but, completely disregard God and those good intentions for their being like Him in their coming together and bringing life forward in and through the marriage relationship, and the privilege and responsibility of bearing the fruit of new life, as designed by God and also the light of God, in Christ, that is in us by faith, that leads a person back to God.

Romans 1:26-27

God’s original and good intent: Genesis 2:21-25 “21So the Lord God caused the man to fall into a deep sleep; and while he was sleeping, he took one of the man’s ribs g and then closed up the place with flesh. 22Then the Lord God made a woman from the rib h he had taken out of the man, and he brought her to the man.  23The man said,  “This is now bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called ‘woman,’  for she was taken out of man.” 24That is why a man leaves his father and mother and is united to his wife, and they become one flesh.  25Adam and his wife were both naked, and they felt no shame.”

Romans 1:28-32 falling further and further, we invent ways of doing evil… of putting ourselves and others in peril

“…32Although they know God’s righteous decree that those who do such things deserve death, they not only continue to do these very things but also approve of those who practice them.”

God’s original and good intent: Genesis 2:15-17 “15The Lord God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it. 16And the Lord God commanded the man, “You are free to eat from any tree in the garden; 17but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat from it you will certainly die.”

Why we, as believers, must be careful to live a life of repentance and not judge the world for their lostness… as even we, God’s redeemed and regenerate children, must be continually admonished to not live according the old way but to “...live a life worthy of the calling… and live a life of love…”

Romans 12:2 “2Do not conform to the pattern of this world…” (Rom 13:13; Gal 2:20; Eph 4:22,25; Col 3:8-9)

Galatians 5:13-21

Let us be careful to not judge, but to be in view of Gods’ merciful love for us and grieve those still where we were and share with them hope of the gospel… they are acting according to their nature – sin and unrighteousness.  The question we need to ask is “are we living according to our nature and the measure of Jesus we have so far attained?”  That is what we are to judge – our self and among ourselves – and then live that gracious righteousness with one another In front of the unrighteous that they may see that we ARE disciples of Jesus and ask us the reason for our hope.  (Jn 3:17-18; 12:47; 13:34-35; 15:12-13; Luke 6:36-38; Rom 12:10; 1Co 5:11-13; Phil 3:16; 1Pet 1:22; 3; 1Jn 4:7,12)

Romans 2:1-4 God’s mercy displayed in His kindness – expressed by His patient and tolerant love for His making… to bring them home…

Romans 12:2 “…but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing, and perfect will.” (Rom 13:14; Gal 3:27; Col 3:10-14)

Misperceiving God leads us to misperceive everything, especially ourselves, as man begins to make creation our god.

The tension between Truth and mercy: Dust might be of little worth, and in the hands of the Maker, what is made, is priceless, but not retaining God, deserving of wrath

Mankind: we are of inestimable value.  What God has made good, as a reflection of His Triune Self, is now broken, and tarnished, fading in sin. 

Now, not good, and its glory, now fading…  Being purchased, redeemed, God now commits Himself to make us beautiful, more beautiful, than before, restored to an even greater glory than in the beginning. (Gen 1:26-31) 

Here is our value established: Genesis 1: 26-31 “…created in God’s image and likeness...”

Here is our worth described: Psalm 139:13-18 “14I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful”

And here is the goal of His purposes: Romans 8:28-30 “For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son… that He would be the first born…”

So, we have to ask, who in their right mind, would want to pay such a high price for such a broken-down, deplorable thing - such as mankind?  

Romans 3:10-20 “...they have together become worthless; there is no one who does good, not even one.” 

And yet, we see God’s love expressed in inexplicable mercy…  (Ps 8; Heb 2; Eph 2)

· Made good and with some glory

· Sinned and marred, beaten, bruised, dented and dilapidated, that glory is tarnished by sin, but not gone - no longer “good”

· Seen through the right Lens, this dilapidated and deplorable thing is in its former glory, and now, redeemed, in the Restorer’s hands, will be restored to an even greater glory, and bring it ultimately to its final and future glory!

Yet, all is not lost!  A  righteousness of God made known to us in Christ, by His mercy!

Romans 3:21-26 21But now apart from the law the righteousness of God has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify. 22This righteousness is given through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe.

There is no difference between Jew and Gentile, 23for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.

25God presented Christ as a sacrifice of atonement, (John 10:17-18) through the shedding of his blood—to be received by faith.  He did this to demonstrate his righteousness, because in his forbearance he had left the sins committed beforehand unpunished (see: Rom 2:1-4)—  26he did it to demonstrate his righteousness at the present time, so as to be just and the one who justifies those who have faith in Jesus - who would believe in His name! (John 1;3;6)

Romans 1:18-32 Misperceiving God leads us to misperceive everything, especially ourselves, as the creation becomes our god.  In His eternal glory and goodness (2Pet 1:3), God has made plain to mankind His invisible qualities…

Romans 1:18-20

 In His eternal glory and goodness (2Peter 1:3), God has made plain to mankind His invisible qualities - 

• His eternal power - as Creator - 

• Eternal, everlasting, forward and backward, always

• Power, force, might, ability - powerful deeds, deeds showing power - marvelous works - revealing the achievements by the Lord’s inherent abilities

• This same power that raised Jesus from the dead - His greatest achievement (in man’s eyes)

• And that same power that is now in us by His Spirit of power - our changed nature being a revealing of God’s divine power to achieve by grace (Eph 1)

• His divine nature - that is of being “other” than man, though man is made in His likeness, their nature is not the same

• Deity (His otherness) manifested - the revelation of God and his attributes which reveals Himself for people to know

• God shows Himself being different from His creation

• His being different from His creation could be seen by His creation - all of this that was not

• God revealed this truth to us in the Garden, as He prepared mankind for one another

It is here that God expresses the difference between Himself – as other – and man, as Likeness, but not the same - Genesis 2:18 “18The Lord God said, ‘It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him.’”

God IS other than US - In spite of God giving the gift of light and life to everything (Jn 1:1-2) - so that He can be seen by what He’s made (mankind) man has chosen to suppress these truths and in so their minds have further degraded into futile thinking - or “worthless” thinking - claiming to be wise, they became fools - exchanging the glory of the immortal God for images of mortal man, birds, animals, and reptiles.  Having been shown the superior nature of God AND the inferior nature of animals, man still chooses to exchange the glory of God for lesser glories, creatures that are lesser glory…

Romans 1:21-23  

Genesis 2:19-20 “19Now the Lord God had formed out of the ground all the wild animals and all the birds in the sky. He brought them to the man to see what he would name them; and whatever the man called each living creature, that was its name. 20So the man gave names to all the livestock, the birds in the sky and all the wild animals.  But for Adam no suitable helper was found.”

”“…But for Adam no suitable helper was found.”

Romans 1:24-25 Made in the image and likeness of God has in it our diverse and complimentary making – as He is 3-in-1, so we are diverse to reflect this truth and to enjoy one another as God enjoys Himself – as “us and ours” - Themselves

Genesis 2:21-25 “21So the Lord God caused the man to fall into a deep sleep; and while he was sleeping, he took one of the man’s ribs g and then closed up the place with flesh. 22Then the Lord God made a woman from the rib h he had taken out of the man, and he brought her to the man.  23The man said,  “This is now bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called ‘woman,’  for she was taken out of man.” 24That is why a man leaves his father and mother and is united to his wife, and they become one flesh.  25Adam and his wife were both naked, and they felt no shame.”

Romans 1:26-27 Not retaining, even suppressing and rebelling against, the knowledge of God, the Maker/Creator, man tumbles deeper into sin, depraved minds, so that they not only now – do not understand – but, completely disregard God’s intention for their being like Him in bringing life forward in and through the marriage relationship, bearing the fruit of new life, as designed by God and also the light of God, in Christ, that is in us by faith, that leads a person back to God.

Genesis 2:21-25 “21So the Lord God caused the man to fall into a deep sleep; and while he was sleeping, he took one of the man’s ribs g and then closed up the place with flesh. 22Then the Lord God made a woman from the rib h he had taken out of the man, and he brought her to the man.  23The man said,  “This is now bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called ‘woman,’  for she was taken out of man.” 24That is why a man leaves his father and mother and is united to his wife, and they become one flesh.  25Adam and his wife were both naked, and they felt no shame.”

Romans 1:28-32 falling further and further, we invent ways of doing evil… of putting ourselves and others in peril 

“…32Although they know God’s righteous decree that those who do such things deserve death, they not only continue to do these very things but also approve of those who practice them.”

Genesis 2:15-17  “15The Lord God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it. 16And the Lord God commanded the man, “You are free to eat from any tree in the garden; 17but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat from it you will certainly die.”

Romans 2:1-4 God’s mercy displayed in His kindness – expressed by His patient and tolerant love for His making… to bring them home…

 Romans 12:2 “2Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing, and perfect will.”

God's ascribing value to His own image and likeness: by His merciful grace

The tension between Truth and mercy:  Dust might be of little worth, but in the hands of the Maker, what is made, is priceless!

Mankind: we are of inestimable value.  What God has made is good, and is a reflection of His Triune Self.  And as a reflection of God’s Self, it reflects His glory - though, a lesser glory, it, we, reflected His glory nonetheless.  But this good thing, fell from its original and intended glory, through selfishness and sin.  Though still reflecting God’s glory, it is now broken, and tarnished, fading in sin. 

Now, not good, and its glory, now fading…  God still sees in this making, value, a value that He Himself ascribes, a value declared by His good mercy.  And because of the value God has placed on His fallen making, us, our good Maker, in Christ, looks to bring our good making back to its original glory, restored.  But then, not just back, but beyond its original glory.  Being purchased back, God now commits Himself to make us beautiful, more beautiful, than before, restored to an even greater glory than in the beginning: 

And so we must ask, who in their right mind, would want to pay such a high price for such a broken-down, deplorable thing - such as mankind?  Romans 3:10-20 “10As it is written: “There is no one righteous, not even one; 11there is no one who understands; there is no one who seeks God. 12All have turned away, they have together become worthless; there is no one who does good, not even one.” 

Worthless – become sour, as in milk, I am good for nothing, rendered useless, I have become corrupt; unprofitable, without utility – moths and rust, corroded and faded – broken-down. Unserviceable of character – not trustworthy.

And yet, we see God’s love expressed in inexplicable mercy…. You see, we see the word “worthless” and we assume “without worth”, when in fact, in the right hands, under the right circumstances, that dilapidated deplorable thing, when seen through the right Lens, is ripe for the picking.  (Ps 8; Heb 2; Eph 2)

• Made good and with some glory

• Sinned and marred, beaten, bruised, dented and dilapidated, that glory is tarnished by sin, but not gone - no longer “good”

• The One who sees through the right Lens, sees what that dilapidated and deplorable thing was in its former glory, and having the right tools and skills, sees through the brokenness, yes, to its former glory, but knows, now, redeemed, in His hands, He can restore this thing to an even greater glory, and bring it ultimately to its final and future glory! 

God’s declaration of reclamation!

Hebrews 2:6-10 “what is mankind that you are mindful of them, a son of man that you care for him? 7You made them a little lower than the angels; you crowned them with glory and honor… But, (now) we see Jesus - the great Restorer, who was made lower than the angels for a little while now crowned with glory and honor because he suffered death, so that by the grace of God He might taste death for everyone - setting and paying the price, their worth, purchasing them.  10…bringing many sons and daughters to glory…” 

Ephesians 2:3 “...we were dead in our transgressions and sins… gratifying the cravings of our flesh and following its desires and thoughts… like the rest, were by nature deserving wrath - broken-down, dented and bruised.  But because of His great love for us, God - the great Restorer, who is rich in mercy, 5made us alive with Christ - the goal of our restoration even when we were dead - it is by grace you have been saved seen, loved, and purchased.

Why?  What did we do? The “made and created” turned its back on its Maker and Creator, AND/by turning on its own design and making - making ourselves objects of wrath as we sunk deeper into our own depravity - worthless, unable - does not prove itself to be such as it ought, it has become sterile soil - in which no good thing grows - in essence: unserviceable of right thinking: Romans 1:18-32

Yet, all is not lost!  A  righteousness of God made known to us in Christ, by His mercy!

Romans 3:21-26 21But now apart from the law the righteousness of God has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify. 22This righteousness is given through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe.

There is no difference between Jew and Gentile, 23for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.

25God presented Christ as a sacrifice of atonement, (John 10:17-18) through the shedding of his blood—to be received by faith.  He did this to demonstrate his righteousness, because in his forbearance he had left the sins committed beforehand unpunished (see: Rom 2:1-4)—  26he did it to demonstrate his righteousness at the present time, so as to be just and the one who justifies those who have faith in Jesus - who would believe in His name! (John 1;3;6)

Atonement: propitiate: “I have mercy on”, show favor to, with regard to, the object of sin: I forgive, pardon.  Jesus showed mercy by satisfying the wrath of God for our sin.

Jesus has offered to appease an angry party, His Father, and in essence, barter forgiveness and peace for us - He is our mediator, our envoy for peace, this by His mercy.

And here is where our worth is declared!  What we are alluding to is mankind’s value: an inherent value as ascribed by God.  Our value is so inestimable, God would pay the most exorbitant price, the blood of His Son - the great and ridiculous exchange of our sin, for His righteousness (2Cor ). 

John 3:16-19 16For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. 17For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. 18Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because they have not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son (John 6:28-29). 19This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but people loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil.

Though we are made in God’s image and likeness, fearfully and wonderfully made, this does not mean that man is basically good, it means that mankind has a God-declared value – the Purchaser, Buyer, the Redeemer, having established a price for the purchase of that thing for Whomsoever would desire to make that purchase. 

As we were all objects of wrath (Eph 2), because of sin, we stood condemned (Jn 3:17-18), because we loved darkness and evil (Jn 3:19).  But God reveals to us a love, through His restraint (Ro 2:1-4), that is His loving mercy that can save. 

This is a love that appeals to the one who will receive it, (Jn 1:12) it appeals to the heart of that one more than the temporary pleasures of sin (Heb 11).  When we see HIm “lifted up” on our behalf (Jn 3:14-15), and, it speaks to our soul, that this is love, at that moment, we realize that the ruler of the kingdom of the air hates us (Eph 2), but God, in Christ, loves us, and instead of taking my life, as sin does and the enemy – stealing, killing and destroying (Jn 10:10), Jesus came to give us life, and He gave His own life (Jn 10:11), becoming sin (2Co 5:21), so that I may live, now and in eternity, like Him more and more, glory to glory, ending in, glory.

And here is where we see our glory restored and increased - in and by Jesus…

1Corinthians 3:16-18 So, “16…whenever anyone turns to the Lord, the veil the cloudy distorted lens through which we see cannot rightly see God is taken away. 17Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. 18And we all, who with unveiled faces contemplate -  the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his image with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.”

Romans 8:18 “18I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us.”

God, now rightly seen, our having been restored we now can see rightly our Purchaser, Restorer, properly, correctly, in truth, we see the truth of our good God and His hood making and creating - in light of Him - humbled and astonished, and now, we cannot help but worship Him…

Dust might be worthless, but in the hands of the Maker, what is made, is priceless

Dust might be worthless, but in the hands of the Maker, what is made, is priceless!

Mankind: we are of inestimable value.  What God had made good, as a reflection of His glory, though a lesser glory, through selfishness and sin, fell from that original glory, still, reflecting a glory, but now tarnished. 

But, because of our value, ascribed by God, declared by His good mercy, Our good Maker longs, in Christ, to bring our good, but tarnished original glory, back.  But, not just back, but beyond our original glory, our good design and making.  And so, now, being purchased back, He is committed to making us beautiful, more beautiful, restored to an even greater glory than in the beginning: 

Genesis 1: 26-31 “27So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them, male and female he created them.  28God blessed them and said to them, “Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it…  And it was so.  31God saw all that he had made, and it was very good.”

Psalm 139:13-18 “13For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. 14I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.”

But who, in their right mind, would want to pay such a high price for a broken-down thing - such as mankind?

Romans 3:10-20 10As it is written: “There is no one righteous, not even one; 11there is no one who understands; there is no one who seeks God. 12All have turned away, they have together become worthless; there is no one who does good, not even one.” 

You see, we see the word “worthless” and we assume “without worth”, when in fact, in the right hands, under the right circumstances, that dilapidated thing, when seen through the right lens, is ripe for the picking.  (Psalm 8; Hebrews 2; Ephesians 2)

·   Made good and with some glory

·   Sinned and marred, beaten and bruised, dented and dilapidated - that glory is tarnished, but not gone

·   The One who sees through the right lens, sees what thing was in its former glory, and having the right tools and skills, sees through the brokenness, yes, to its former glory, but knows, in His hands, He can restore to an even greater glory, and bring it ultimately to its final and future glory! 

We are like junkyard finds… through the right lens, the right person, with the right perspective, able to do the right things, sees an old jalopy, and says “Oh, man!!  Look at this find!   This is glorious, maaaaan, what this must have been like when it was new!  I can make something out of this, and when I’m done, it’ll be better, more glorious, than it was in the beginning…” 

God’s declaration of reclamation!

Psalm 8; Hebrews 2 “what is mankind that you are mindful of them, a son of man that you care for him? 7You made them a little lower than the angels; you crowned them with glory and honor… But, (now) we see Jesus the great Restorer, who was made lower than the angels for a little while now crowned with glory and honor because he suffered death, so that by the grace of God He might taste death for everyone - setting and paying the price, their worth, purchasing them.  10…bringing many sons and daughters to glory…” 

 Ephesians 2:3 “...we were dead in our transgressions and sins… gratifying the cravings of our flesh and following its desires and thoughts… like the rest, were by nature deserving wrath - broken-down, dented and bruised.  But because of His great love for us, God - the great Restorer, who is rich in mercy, 5made us alive with Christ - the goal of our restoration even when we were dead - it is by grace you have been saved seen, loved, and purchased.

Corinthians 3:16-18 So, “16…whenever anyone turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away. 17Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. 18And we all, who with unveiled faces contemplate the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his image with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.”

What we are alluding to is mankind’s value: an inherent value as ascribed by God.  our value so inestimable, that God would pay the most exorbitant price, the blood of His Son. 

John 3:16-19 16For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. 17For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. 18Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because they have not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son (John 6:28-29). 19This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but people loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil.

This IS the righteousness of God made known to us in Christ, by His mercy!

Romans 3:21-26 21But now apart from the law the righteousness of God has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify. 22This righteousness is given through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe.

There is no difference between Jew and Gentile, 23for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.

25God presented Christ as a sacrifice of atonement, (John 10:17-18) through the shedding of his blood—to be received by faith.

He did this to demonstrate his righteousness, because in his forbearance he had left the sins committed beforehand unpunished—

26he did it to demonstrate his righteousness at the present time, so as to be just and the one who justifies those who have faith in Jesus.

Though we are made in God’s image and likeness, fearfully and wonderfully made, does not mean that man is basically good, it means that mankind has a God-declared value – having established a price for the purchase of that thing for whomsoever would desire to make that purchase. 

As we were all objects of wrath (Eph 2), because of sin, we stood condemned (Jn 3:17-18), because we loved darkness and evil (Jn 3:19).  But Jesus reveals to us a love, through His restraint (Ro 2:1-4), that is His loving mercy. 

This is a love that appeals to the one who will receive, (Jn 1:12) it appeals to the heart more than the temporary pleasures of sin (Heb 11).  When we see HIm “lifted up” on our behalf (Jn 3:14-15), and it speaks to our soul, that this is love.  At this moment, we realize tha t the ruler of the kingdom of the air hates us (Eph 2), but God, in Christ, loves us, and instead of taking my life, as sin does and the enemy – stealing, killing and destroying (Jn 10:10), Jesus came to give us life, and He gave His own life (Jn 10:11), becoming sin (2Co 5:21) , so that I may live.