5-13-2018

Good Morning All,

             Ephesians 2: 8-10; “For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.  For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them”.

   This passage tells us this great truth: you don’t have to do anything but do it the best that you can!  What on earth does that mean?  I can’t do anything but I should try my best; sounds like someone bumped their head a few too many times.  Yet, if you read it closely; you will see the logic.

     Let’s look at the first part of my statement; you don’t have to do anything.  We do not; in fact we cannot, do anything to make our salvation happen.  Salvation is the work of God for us through Jesus by the Holy Spirit.  We are saved from eternal damnation because God chose to save us from ourselves.  He sent Jesus to die in our place so that we would have life, so that we would have a life filled with joy and happiness.  The kicker here is that joy and happiness are measured by God’s standard and not ours or the worlds.  Here we painfully see that we may think that joy comes from money or fame or power; but in Christ, we see that true joy comes from one source and that is we are the beloved, redeemed children of God.  He calls us by our own name and declares us righteous and holy in His Name.  We do nothing to achieve this.

    Since we do not have to work to earn our salvation; we are free!  We are free from all the constraints of the Law and the pressure to pay back the debt for the sin which we owe.  We are free to be happy and joyful.  The kicker is God still determines what truly makes us happy and joyful.  We may chase after our own hollow dreams but we will never be truly happy.  We can see this when you see movies stars or other famous people, who have everything that the world says is needful for happiness; we see these people turn to drugs, alcohol, even suicide to escape the pain of the hollowness of their lives.  True happiness comes from doing what God wants us to do.  So what is that?

   Honestly, I don’t know.  It depends on what talents, skills and vocations in which God has placed you.  If God gives you the skills, desire and ability to be a brain surgeon; then be the best brain surgeon you can be and give glory and thanks to God for the chance to do so.  If God wants you to be a teacher; be the best teacher you can be.  If God wants you to be a ditch digger then do it for the glory of God and be the best you can.  Don’t measure yourself against other people or against what the world defines as successful.  You are a redeemed child of God and God gives you the talents he wants you to have in order to accomplish his will.  Do that with all the joy you can find.

Dear Jesus, we see the hollowness of the world and know that true happiness comes from you.  Give us the power to trust this truth.  Guide us to serve You in all that we do.  In your name we pray, amen

God’ Peace,

Pastor Bret