what is man that you are mindful of him, and the son of man that you care for him? - Palm 8: 4 (ESV)
I sometimes read the key verse from David the Psalmist and think to myself; wow - what an understatement. I know this flies in the face of a great deal of modern Christianity where we make ourselves out to be so special. Where our worship songs have evolved from the veneration of an all-powerful God to self-indulgence wrapped up in religious-speak. Where we have shifted from a Gospel of Jesus Christ to a gospel of me"and that guy Jesus. Don't believe me? In the past two weeks alone I heard mega church sermons entitled, "You're the message" and "YOUology." I remember in 2013 Rick Warren advising pastors to not preach the Gospel message on Easter so you can "give people a reason to come back to your church." The purpose driven guru instead suggested starting a series on improving your marriage or how to live a life of significance. The message was clear. People want to hear about themselves, not God. Too often we seem more than willing to oblige.
Have you ever looked out across Christendom and wondered why He would be willing to save any of us? I know we prefer to repeat Jeremiah 29:11 on a loop but has anyone really looked at who we are before a holy God?
What then? Are we Jews any better off? No, not at all. For we have already charged that all, both Jews and Greeks, are under sin,as it is written: "None is righteous, no, not one; no one understands; no one seeks for God.All have turned aside; together they have become worthless; no one does good, not even one.""Their throat is an open grave; they use their tongues to receive." "The venom of asps is under their lips." "Their mouth is full of curses and bitterness." "Their feet are swift to shed blood; in their paths are ruin and misery,and the way of peace they have not known." "There is no fear of God before their eyes." - Romans 3: 9-18 (ESV)
None are righteous. No one understands or seeks after God. All have turned aside. Worthless, none do good. Throats are open graves. Snake venom under our lips. Curses, bitterness, swift to shed blood, ruin, misery, and most importantly - no fear of God. I know, not exactly a seeker friendly message is it? We would rather be lied to. We would rather hear how much God loves us and sing about it over and over again. And He does loves us but we are perpetually confused about the Gospel. We are perpetually confused about the love God has for us. That is because we are continually taught that this great love is about us. These are some of the recent sermons and sermon series from Saddleback Church and Lakewood Church:
What God Thinks of You
Keys to a Blessed Life
When Bad Things Happen to You
Pursued By Love
There's More for You
You're Coming Out
Reprogram Your Mind
Your Dream Is Too Small
What do all of these have in common? You! What do they all seem to be a little light on? Jesus! This is not to just pick on just Joel Osteen and Rick Warren. This is the consistent theme throughout much of the purpose driven landscape in this country. The gospel of me with some Jesus seasoning sprinkled in to make me feel as if it is about Him. I know I am fearfully and wonderfully made but every now and again I try to remember Romans 3. No, this does not mean I like "walking under condemnation"; it simply means I like walking in reality. Matthew Henry's Commentary on the "no condemnation" verse clarifies:
"Believers may be chastened of the Lord, but will not be condemned with the world."
I think we have begun morphing certain verses to fit the me-centric gospel. Walking under condemnation has nothing to do with being aware of our human state. It means we know God will not send us to hell for it thanks to the blood of Jesus. The second anyone says anything remotely accurate about our sinful state someone is there to say - don't walk under condemnation!
What is man that You are mindful of him? I understand that more and more these days. I see absolutely hateful Christians. I see absolutely racist Christians. I see Christians who detest the Bride of Christ. I see Christians who are greedy for gain. Christians who defend liars at the expense of the sheep. Christians who make merchandise of the Gospel and of fellow Christians. Who think this is somehow all about them. Their best life now. Seven steps to a better them. Who think this is just some game. I see Romans 3. And of these I remain the least. I am no better. It is just a realization of our woeful condition before the one we claim as our Savior. A sharper understanding of why Jesus questioned whether He would even find faith on earth when He returns. I know the majority of Christianity in this country looks out and accepts the lies of the devil spoken from the pulpits in this country. This self-affirming, motivational, secular leadership principled, high sounding nonsense. I look to God this week and asked, why? What is man that you would save any of us? The Lord answered, it is not about you. It is about me.
Do we get that today? This Gospel is a word we casually throw around too often. It is not about my dreams being too small or learning the keys to a blessed life. It cannot be those things because the true Gospel is always about Him; not me. That despite who I am, He was willing to be scourged when I deserved to be scourged. That despite my righteousness being but filthy rags, He was willing to have a crown of thorns ripped into His head when it should have been my head. That despite my heart being wicked above all else, He was willing to be mocked and spit upon when it should have been me. That despite being in complete rebellion to Him, He was willing to have a spear thrust into His side when it ought to have been my side run through. That despite Romans 3, He was willing to be nailed to a cross and die the death of a criminal and that this criminal was supposed to be me. That is the point of the Gospel.
God said to me that He did not save me because of who I am but rather because of who He is. It is HIS Gospel. It is the Gospel of Jesus Christ. I am a minister of it. I am saved by it. I am hopeless without it. I thank God for it.
Rev. Anthony.
