10-5-2019

 Good Morning All,

  Romans 8:17; “and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him.”

    Do you ever read the ads for car dealerships?  Do you ever notice the great prices they have for “qualified buyers”?  Have you ever read what it takes to be a “qualified buyer”?  Usually the buyer has to have enough money to have no need of financing a car!  The same can be said for some home refinancing offers. 

    The same can be said of applying for a job.  You have to be “qualified candidate.”  In other words, you have to have more skills than they need and be willing to be paid far less than you are worth to get the job.  Yet you have to be “qualified” or else don’t even apply!  Life is packed full of you needing to be “qualified”; you have to “qualify”, by getting good grades, to pass form one grade to the next.  You have to “qualify” to get into college.  You may even have to “qualify” to go on date with someone.  You have to qualify for much in life.  You even have to qualify to get into heaven.

    Yikes!! How can I qualify to get into heaven?  I can’t even qualify for a car loan; how can I possibly qualify to get into heaven?  I can look at my life and see that my “qualifications” are a little weak.  I haven’t murdered anyone but there have been a few people who got the “if looks could kill” stare.  I have never lied in court but have enjoyed a gossip session or two.  I have, a time or two, wished that I had what my neighbor has.  I try to honor my parents but make sure they know “just how much I am giving up” to be with them.  I have never cheated on my wife but there are many pretty women in this world.  I have, on occasion, used proper “hog loading” language a time or two.  There are a lot of times when I think God should have asked my opinion on the way certain events turned out.  I am pretty sure my qualifications are not just weak but down right pitiful.

    Fortunately, God does not save the qualified; he qualifies those who he saves.  He makes us his children and thus heirs to his eternal kingdom.  Through the death and resurrection of Jesus, God qualifies us for a share of the inheritance, heaven.  God makes us worthy of heaven by his grace.  We get heaven because of what Jesus has done.  We are brought into God’s family by Baptism; made heirs to the heavenly kingdom.  We are qualified, not by our actions or self-professed righteousness, but by God’s incredible mercy showered down on us.  So, we give thanks to God, for he truly qualifies us for his heavenly kingdom through his grace.

Gracious Father, through your love we are qualified to be heirs of heaven.  Give us the joy of knowing that our salvation depends on you alone.  Your grace is sufficient for us.  Bring us the comfort of living our life in confidence of your mercy and grace.  Bring us to share with others the wonders of this joy.  In Jesus’ precious name we pray, amen

God’s Peace,

Pastor Bret