-/\/\-----------------------------------------------------------------
\ / HEARTLIGHT(R) Magazine -- http://www.heartlight.org/
--\/------------------------------------------------------------------
February 9, 2009
/--- Sponsor a Child with Compassion -----------------------\
For less than a dollar a day, you can make a powerful
difference in the life of a needy child. Click on the
following link to learn more about sponsoring a child
through Compassion!
\--- http://ads.heartlight.org/email/92/ -------------------/
=========================== TODAY'S ARTICLE ==========================
Captured by Grace, by Phil Ware
The climactic moment of the movie, "Saving Private Ryan," comes shortly
before Captain Miller turns to Private Ryan and says, "James ... earn
this! Earn it!" Then, Miller dies leaving Private Ryan to carry the
weight of this moment for the rest of his life.
Captain Miller, and most of his makeshift battalion, all die trying to
make sure James Ryan safely makes it home from World War II. All three
of Ryan's brothers have already died in the war and the army wants to
return this last remaining son home to his family safely. With such a
high price paid in human lives for his own rescue, Ryan lives his life
trying to "Earn it!" The movie ends, as Ryan kneels before the white
cross marking Captain Miller's grave in the cemetery overlooking Omaha
Beach, Normandy, France. He has brought his family fifty years after
the events, and he confesses that he has tried to earn what was given
to him by living the best life he could.
So many folks who look to Jesus as Savior and Lord live with this same
sense of obligation. They look at the awful sacrifice of Jesus for
them, and they hear the words, "Earn this!" In reality, however, the
message of the Cross is something very different:
You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless,
Christ died for the ungodly. Very rarely will anyone die for a
righteous person, though for a good person someone might possibly
dare to die. But God demonstrates his own love for us in this:
While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Since we have now
been justified by his blood, how much more shall we be saved from
God's wrath through him! For if, while we were God's enemies, we
were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more,
having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life! (Romans
5:6-10 TNIV, underlining added).
We didn't deserve this sacrifice of Jesus. Notice the description of
who we were without Jesus -- powerless, ungodly, sinners and enemies.
We cannot "earn" what the Son of God did for us. It is a gift from God:
a gift from the heart of his mercy and grace (Ephesians 2:1-9). Instead
of living our lives out of a sense of obligation to be worthy of the
sacrifice of Jesus -- something we could never accomplish -- we are
called to respond with a life of character and compassion. We do this
out of our thankfulness for this gift of grace from God and out of our
recognition that God made us with his artistry to do his good work in
others' lives (Ephesians 2:10).
We act because God has already acted on our behalf. We are committed to
reflect our Father's mercy and grace in our dealings with others. We do
this with thankful joy and reverential love for our God who acted first
on our behalf. This principle, which I call redemption ethics, runs
throughout the whole of New Testament teaching. Jesus calls us to love
each other, and to serve each other, just as he has done for us so the
world will know we follow him (John 13:34-35). The apostle John reminds
us of this same principle as he nudges us to love each other in
tangible ways (1 John 3:16-17). Jesus reminds us that we are to forgive
those who have wronged us because we have been forgiven an incredibly
larger debt (Matthew 6:12-15; Matthew 18:21-35). The apostle Paul picks
up this same theme as he works with new followers of Jesus (Ephesians
4:32; Colossians 3:13).
Such love, service, and forgiveness is risky in a world where people
can be mean and selfish. This radical lifestyle, however, is a response
to an even more radical gift of grace! We love others: not out of a
sense of obligation to deserve God's love, but because God's love was
lavished on us so freely! (1 John 4:7-12). We are to be moved by a deep
sense of appreciation of the gift we have received, so we share it with
others.
So frequently in ministry, I run into folks who are stuck in their
relationship with someone with whom they are in conflict. Sometimes
this is the person to whom they are married. The darker parts of one
spouse's soul wants to get even for some deep wound or fear that leads
them to wait for the other person to apologize or change behavior
first. They get stuck in the mire of fear and selfishness because they
have been hurt -- sometimes repeatedly. Similar things can happen
between parents and children, business partners, roommates in college,
best friends, and neighbors. Each of these can get stuck because that
person wants some assurance that if he or she were to "go first," the
other person will follow suit. So the relationship sits there ... stuck
.. with deepening bitterness ... smoldering resentment.
This is where the grace of God liberates us from our fears and our
selfishness. God went first! He sacrificed for us first! He loved us
first. He forgave us first. He risked with us first! Our Holy Father
did this when we didn't deserve it and couldn't earn it. And this godly
character, this holiness filled with grace, has captured our hearts and
remakes us by the Holy Spirit to be like Jesus (2 Corinthians 3:17-18).
So we act graciously! And we do it because He went first. We are not
stuck waiting for someone to reciprocate because God has already acted
on our behalf. We can risk beyond our fear and our sense of fairness
because God has already done that with us in Jesus. We can live with
the character and compassion of Jesus -- not because we are trying to
"earn" God's grace, but because our hearts have been captured by it.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
So what is your reaction to the idea of "redemption ethics" --
recognizing that God has acted first and given us his mercy, grace, and
forgiveness before he asked us to share those with others?
This is where the grace of God liberates us!
Why is it so hard to "go first" and love, forgive, or serve when we
have been wronged by someone or they don't seem to deserve the gift we
are going to give them?
How have you tried to "earn" the cost of God's grace given to you in
Christ?
What difference does it make to respond to God's grace rather than
trying to live with a sense of obligation that you have to earn it (Ephesians
2:1-10)?
Paul describes God's love and grace as well as our condition before
that love and grace (Romans 5:6-10). Which of those four terms best
describes your walk with God before salvation in Jesus?
Who is someone to whom you need to extend mercy, grace, forgiveness or
service?
I'd love for you to share your thoughts with me on my blog:
http://www.thephilfiles.com/2009/02/09/captured/
---------
(c) 2009 Phil Ware <phil@heartlight.org>. All rights reserved.
RELATED LINKS:
* Father Forgive Them!
http://www.heartlight.org/articles/200807/20080707_forgivethem.html
* Redemptive Humility
http://www.heartlight.org/articles/200108/20010803_humility.html
* Willing to be Weirdos
http://www.heartlight.org/articles/200704/20070429_wierdos.html
* Southern Hills Church of Christ
http://www.southernhillschurch.org
This article can be found on the web at:
http://www.heartlight.org/articles/200902/20090209_captured.html
=========================== FEATURED PRODUCT =========================
WOW HITS 2006, by Various Artists
They're here---all the chart-topping radio hits by your favorite
Christian artists! Two CD boxed set.
http://shopping.heartlight.org/cgi-shl/link?255
Find more great books, CDs and videos at the Heartlight store! With
each purchase you make, you're helping to support Heartlight's
ministry. Thanks SO MUCH for your help!
HEARTLIGHT DAILY EMAIL /\/\
===============================================================\ /===
http://www.heartlight.org/ \/
Visit HEARTLIGHT on the web for even more articles, plus music,
devotionals and more for your Christian walk!
ABOUT HEARTLIGHT:
Heartlight, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) religious non-profit organization.
Donations are welcome and tax-deductible! Find out how to help!
http://www.heartlight.org/support
EDITOR: Phil Ware, phil@heartlight.org
HOW DO I SUBSCRIBE?
It's FREE! To subscribe send a blank email to:
join-heartlight@maillists.heartlight.org
HOW DO I LEAVE?
To unsubscribe send a blank email to:
heartlight-unsub@maillists.heartlight.org
STILL HAVING TROUBLE?
If our automated unsubscribe system isn't working for you,
send an email to mailmaster@heartlight.org and let us know
what list you would like to leave. We'll take care of you.
======================================================================
