By Pastor Greg
Nestled
in the mountains just east of Chambersburg is the Caledonia Golf Course. With some greens 30 feet higher than the tee,
it is a rather challenging course. The 12th hole runs parallel to Route 30, and
the traffic on that road can sometimes become a hazard … especially if you have
a tendency to slice your drive. I
remember one day in particular. As I
swung my 3 wood, the ball began to slice out over the road. It landed right in front of a State Police
cruiser, bounced underneath the car; banging off its undercarriage, before rolling
to a stop. The police officer pulled to
the side of the road, walked over to the green, and asked who hit the golf ball. My buddies all pointed to me. They’re such good friends. And then … and then this officer had the
nerve to hand me a ticket. Can you
believe that? He fined me for reckless
driving. Thanks,
Mr. Police Officer. I’d like to see him
take a swing at the ball. Sheesh,
everyone’s a critic. *sigh* I used to
love playing golf.
I
understand that we need rules when playing a game. We need rules in life as well. Without them, there would be chaos. However, the rules and laws did not come
first. Traffic laws were created after the automobile was invented. Likewise, God handed down His laws after He selected a group of people to
reflect His glory. Jesus teaches this in
Mark 2:27. “The Sabbath was made
for man, and not man for the Sabbath.”[1] However, certain Jewish leaders and teachers
had twisted many of these laws. They
placed impossible burdens on the people.
Jesus scolded the experts in religious law because they “crush [the] people with unbearable religious demands, and never lift
a finger to ease the burden” [2]
(Luke 11:46). This is why Jesus
comforted the people by telling them “My burden is light” (Matthew 11:30).
God’s
commands and laws are necessary, but they
cannot overrule grace. Take, for
instance, the way some Jewish leaders responded to the man Jesus healed at the
Pool of Bethesda. Instead of recognizing
God’s grace in this man’s life, they were more concerned about the rules, which
is why Jesus explains to them what God cares about the most – redeeming those held hostage by sin.
19 So Jesus explained, “I tell you the truth, the Son can
do nothing by himself. He does only what he sees the Father doing. Whatever the
Father does, the Son also does. 20 For the Father loves the Son
and shows him everything he is doing. In fact, the Father will show him how to
do even greater works than healing this man. Then you will truly be astonished. 21 For
just as the Father gives life to those he raises from the dead, so the Son
gives life to anyone he wants. 22 In addition, the Father judges no one. Instead, he has given the
Son absolute authority to judge, 23 so that everyone will honor
the Son, just as they honor the Father. Anyone who does not honor the Son is certainly
not honoring the Father who sent him.
24 “I tell you the truth,
those who listen to my message and believe in God who sent me have eternal
life. They will never be condemned for their sins, but they have already passed
from death into life.
[3]
As He approached this crippled
man, Jesus knew full well that it was the Sabbath. Yet regardless, Jesus takes a moment to heal to a man who had been dealing with his
illness for 38 years. To you and me,
this is a reflection of God’s grace. The
person is much more important that any Sabbath laws created by Jewish rabbis.[4] However, these Jewish teachers and leaders
had made their laws more important than the person – an issue Jesus was trying
to change.
God’s eyes are fixed on
people. When God looks at humanity, He
recognizes our sinful condition, but rather than point out how sinful we are,
He sends His Son to offer us grace.
Rather than standing back and criticizing our lousy efforts, telling us
how poorly we are playing the game, Jesus steps in and does something
amazing. He offers His life for those of
us who fail time and time again. I tell
you the truth; those are words I really need to hear. Instead of telling us we’ve crossed over the
line; that we’ve messed up, goofed up, fouled up, and struck out in life once
again; instead of pointing out our failures and our helplessness, Jesus offers
to come along side and help us. This is
what Jesus came to accomplish, not sit on
a bench and condemn, but to step down from the bench as save.
Look at what the Lord promises
us in verse 24. Jesus says that those
who hear His word (present tense),
and believes in God (present tense),
has eternal life (present
tense). By this faith, a person does not come into judgment (present tense) but has
passed out of death into life (active tense – which means it is happening
right now). In other words, it’s not
about living a perfect life, it’s about hearing and believing. Jesus doesn’t criticize us for our
failures. It is because of our weakness and sin that Jesus came in the first
place. Just as Jesus saw this crippled
man’s physical helplessness, He sees our spiritual helplessness. However,
instead of pointing out our mistakes – our failure to follow God’s laws
perfectly – He gets involved in our lives and offers us grace. He offers to pay our penalty. He pays the debt for our crime. I tell you the truth, those are words I
really need to hear. And I suspect these are words you need to hear as well.
Like the Apostle Paul, I am
continually moved by what the Lord has done in my life. I am constantly
amazed that instead of criticism and condemnation, I received grace. 31 What then
shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who is against us? 32 He
who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him over for us all, how will He
not also with Him freely give us all things? 33 Who will bring
a charge against God’s elect? God is the one who justifies; 34 who
is the one who condemns? Christ Jesus is He who died, yes, rather who was
raised, who is at the right hand of God, who also intercedes for us. 35 Who
will separate us from the love of Christ? Will tribulation, or distress, or
persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? 36 Just
as it is written, “For Your sake we are being put to death all day long; [w]e
were considered as sheep to be slaughtered.” 37 But in all
these things we overwhelmingly conquer through Him who loved us. 38 For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor
angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers,
39 nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be
able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord [5]
(Romans 8:31-39). There are days
when this is exactly what I needed to hear.
I sincerely hope that these words are what you needed to hear as
well. Today is the day of Salvation, not
condemnation.
[1] New American Standard Bible: 1995 update. 1995 (Mk 2:27). LaHabra,
CA: The Lockman Foundation.
[2] Tyndale House Publishers.
(2007). Holy Bible: New Living
Translation (3rd ed.) (Lk 11:46). Carol Stream, IL.
[3] Tyndale House Publishers.
(2007). Holy Bible: New Living
Translation (3rd ed.) (Jn 5:19–24). Carol Stream, IL.
[4] Over the
years, Jewish Teachers had created 39 things a person could not do on that
day. I kid you not. A person could not write two letters or erase
two letters. A person was prohibited
from extinguishing a fire.
Seriously! I’m not making this
up. It was against Sabbath laws to
unravel two threads.
[5] New American Standard Bible: 1995 update. 1995 (Ro 8:31–39).
LaHabra, CA: The Lockman Foundation.
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