I’m grateful that this passage unintentionally (coincidence…?) fell right near Valentine’s Day. I’m convinced that we have such a marred view of love, and that what we often call love is simply lust. Read this excerpt from Lewis’ work. He is absolutely brilliant in the way that he exposes that what we often refer to as love is simply hunger… we are feeding on the other person, trying to be filled up by them, and having them define who we are.

I feign that devils can, in a spiritual sense, eat one another; and us. Even in human life we have seen the passion to dominate, almost to digest, one’s fellow; to make his whole intellectual and emotional life merely an extension of one’s own — to hate one’s hatreds and resent one’s grievances and indulge one’s egoism through him as well as through oneself. His own little store of passion must of course be suppressed to make room for ours. If he resists this suppression he is being very selfish.

On earth this desire is often called “love”. In Hell I feign that they recognise it as hunger. But there the hunger is more ravenous and a fuller satisfaction is possible. There, I suggest, the stronger spirit — there are perhaps no bodies to impede the operation — can really and irrevocably suck the weaker into itself and permanently gorge its own being on the weaker’s outraged individuality. It is (I feign) for this that devils desire human souls and the souls of one another. It is for this that Satan desires all his own followers and all the sons of Eve and all the host of heaven. His dream is of the day when all shall be inside him and all that says “I” can say it only through him. This, I surmise, is the bloated-spider parody, the only imitation he can understand, of that unfathomed bounty whereby God turns tools into servants and servants into sons, so that they may be at least re-united to Him in the perfect freedom of a love offered from the height of the utter individualities which he has liberated them to be. – C.S. Lewis

So, tonight I’m going to propose that the gospel actually frees us up to be able to love another person in a way that nothing else in the world does. My ability to believe and trust in the gospel is absolutely 100% essential to my ability to love another person.

Agree? Disagree? I’d love to hear from you.

Alright, all that is introductory to the passage that I wanted to write about. It’s the passage in Galatians where Paul writes about the fruit of the Spirit. Here is what he writes in Galatians 5:19-23,

19 Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, 20 idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, 21 envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. 22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.

In the context of the book, Paul has made the point that we are free from the law, and that we are saved by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone. he makes his point pretty clear. And now in this passage he is going to describe what a life that stays in step with the Spirit looks like. And describe is exactly what he does… he doesn’t prescribe. There’s a huge difference! Paul tells us what our life will look like if we live by the Spirit, but I think so much of the time we take Paul’s list and turn it into a new law (not all that different from the law that Paul spent the first 4 chapters telling us we are free from!). I can’t tell you how many messages I have heard where we are encouraged to try to be more patient or loving or kind… and we just totally miss the point.

The point of the whole passage is that IF we walk by the Spirit, THEN we will bear the fruit of the Spirit. We are commanded to walk by the Spirit, we are not commanded to bear fruit. So, if we are not bearing fruit, it means that we are not walking by the Spirit. That’s a little bit more scary than simply needing to work on our patience. Bearing fruit comes when we are filled with worship for our savior who has saved us, not because of anything good in us, but because of his grace and mercy towards us!

I guess I’m a little bit fired up because I taught on this passage last night at theWELL. Here is a link to the audio page on our website where you can download the message.

Here is what I’ve noticed about watching them play out there; I spend most of my time telling Avery not to eat the sand or drink the nasty water. The funny thing is that every time I tell her she looks at me like I’m crazy. If you have kids, you know that look!

So, I’m in the backyard today, we’re playing, I’m telling Avery once again to get contaminated water out of her mouth, and it strikes me… This is how I often respond to God. He tells me that things are contaminated; that they are bad for me, but I look at him like he’s crazy. Like he’s trying to rob me of some joy.

I’m reminded this morning that he is a loving father. That he is for me, not against me, and that he wants my joy more than I do.

So, today I’m trying not to look at Him like he’s crazy. Hope you will too.

“Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. 11 For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.”

If you read through the Christmas story, there are a significant number of mentions of joy. I think this passage in Luke is the pinnacle. Can you imagine the heavens opening up and angels declaring that the JOY of the Lord is coming to earth in the form of a little baby that has been born in Bethlehem? Wow. However, I think we can agree that joy is an elusive idea. it’s something that we have a hard time explaining, and something that we often have an even harder time experiencing. In fact, I think that we often tell people (maybe subtly) that joy isn’t something you experience, it’s just something you know cognitively.

As I read through the story, I was struck by the fact that I think for many years I have misunderstood joy. I’ve often taught, and heard taught many times, that the joy that God brings is a joy that comes regardless of circumstances. It is an inner cheerfulness or happiness that is detached from reality, but grounded in God (or something like that…). Many people say it is detached from the things in life that we are going through, and therefore, whatever you are facing in life you can still have joy. While that’s a comforting idea, I do not think it is a biblical explanation of joy… at all.

Here is the problem with the previously stated view of joy; joy in the scriptures in general, but definitely in this passage, is directly tied to circumstances. The angels announcement does not read, “Take heart, don’t fear, nothing in your life is going to change… but you will now have joy.” No, no, no! The angels state that everything is changing because a savior is going to be born! The coming of a savior is directly tied to our joy… it was back then and it is today. And it was the coming of the savior that changed their circumstances – maybe not materially, but in a definite real way.

I think that the problem for us is that Christianity and faith in general has become such an ethereal thing that we fail to realize that our salvation actually does change our circumstances! Paul writes in Ephesians 1:3, “We have been (past tense) blessed with every spiritual blessing in Christ…” Instead of thinking that joy comes without regard to circumstances, biblical joy says that God has directly and eternally changed your circumstances. Biblical joy says that what you have in Christ, ow, today, is better than anything difficult you could ever go through. Better in a very real way! That’s where Paul lands in his great exposition of joy in the book of Philippians. Yes he’s in jail. And yes his situation is difficult, but for him Jesus is simply better (Phil 3:7-11). We just have such a hard time believing that; it’s easier for us to keep it as an other worldly thing altogether. But that isn’t biblical joy.

Biblical JOY boldly states that Jesus has come… and He has changed everything.

It’s like every morning waking up in my house. Every day Ethan gets up at about 6:00, and every day (at least for the last month) he wants to watch Meet the Robinsons. Every stinking morning! I know that movie inside and out. I’m no longer surprised by anything in it, it’s not too exciting, and my overall opinion of the movie continues to lower. I wonder how many of us look at the Christmas story in the same way. It can be difficult to hear the story fresh, and I think we can agree, it’s a story that worth hearing in a fresh way. That’s been my goal for this year… To hear the story fresh again; as though I’d meet heard it before.

That’s what I want for this Christmas. I’m praying that the good news of a messiah born would hit me in the way that it hit the first hearers. That it would shock me. That it would encourage me. That it would cause me to talk about it. That it would cause my affection for Jesus to overflow! Lord, give me new ears to hear Your story this year!

Here is Ashley’s story:

1. They build community! There are a few reasons for this. First, we have an extended amount of time together. I usually get a few hours with our students each week (if I’m lucky), but this weekend I will get a few days with some key people – and community will be formed. We will get the chance to play together and enjoy beautiful Mammoth. Second, people are away from their normal surrounds and are open to new things.

2. We get to do some leader specific training and encouraging. Our student leaders give so much to this ministry and I’m always grateful for the chance to pour back into them.

3. We will have the chance to cast vision for the coming year. I’m excited to hear from students about how they think the ministry is going and the things that God has laid on their hearts. I think too often as staff we operate as a silo. I’m excited for for students to give input and take ownership.

4. People will walk away with more of an investment in the ministry. As we spend time thinking about, strategizing for, and praying for TheWell, we will all walk away with a greater excitement about what God is going to do in and through this ministry.

5. A few games of Settlers will be played!

I’m excited for this weekend. Mammoth, here we come!

12 Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own. 13 Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, 14 I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. 15 Let those of us who are mature think this way, and if in anything you think otherwise, God will reveal that also to you. 16 Only let us hold true to what we have attained.

So here is what Paul said. In verses 3:7-11 Paul sets out the goal of the Christian life. That Christ would be ALL. That he would be our supreme desire, our highest motivation, and that we might consider everything else garbage compared to the surpassing greatness to knowing him. But in this passage he says that he hasn’t achieved that yet. And all of a sudden Paul gets a little bit more accessible! I love that he admits that to us. Think about everything that Paul has seen and done. He’s planted numerous churches, heard the voice of God audibly, seen people healed… and he says, “Yeah, but I haven’t arrived yet.” The reason that I love this passage so much is that it’s real. I can relate to it.

I know that I’m moving forward and that I’m growing like crazy in my relationship with the Lord, but I also have this deep seeded conviction that I haven’t arrived… and that I never fully will this side of heaven! As I thought about it, the sense that this is extremely good news for us welled up in my soul. Here are 5 reasons that I think this is really good news for us:

1. It keeps you dependent on Christ. You are tethered to him because you know you haven’t arrived. Grace is (hopefully) fresh to you daily. It isn’t that you needed grace… you need grace.
2. It keeps your pride in check – and as a people, we need that.  If we haven’t arrived, what do we have to be prideful about? Hopefully we never come off hypocritical – because we are saying that we haven’t arrived and that we are still people in need of the grace of God today.
3. It allows you to hear other people. If you know you haven’t arrived, you should be open to hearing the way that your actions may have hurt another person and ways that you can improve. If we have this attitude, there is no reason for us to make excuses or blame other people. You don’t need to keep up the facade of perfection – we know you’re not… and you know you’re not.
4. It allows us to be a community of grace. We aren’t expecting perfection from ourselves, nor are we expecting it from other people, we are resting and relying on grace. And… it’s GRACE that really transforms. Moralism can restrain the heart, but only grace can transform the heart. And God wants for you the freedom and joy of a transformed heart – and that’s a life long process dependent on his grace.
5. It brings about your freedom: This is connected to point 4, but needs its own slot. Freedom does not come from perfection or arrival, freedom comes an acknowledgment of our need for God’s grace and His provision of it. It’s this realization of our justification that brings about our sanctification. That’s freedom. If freedom were to come through arrival, then none of us would be able to live in it.

So, to quote Paul… “Press on!” Chase after Jesus. strive by grace to be more like him, to submit more of your life to him, and walk in the joy and life that he designed you for. Hopefully Philippians 3 is an encouragement to you today. I can’t wait to preach it tonight!

All that’s interesting, but the part of the story that really got me was the way that Moses acted as a mediator between the people and God. After the people sin against God, Moses goes to God and begs him to forgive the people and relent from destroying them. Here is how his plea reads in Numbers 14:17-19

[17] And now, please let the power of the Lord be great as you have promised, saying, [18] ‘The LORD is slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love, forgiving iniquity and transgression, but he will by no means clear the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children, to the third and the fourth generation.’ [19] Please pardon the iniquity of this people, according to the greatness of your steadfast love, just as you have forgiven this people, from Egypt until now.” (Numbers 14:17-19 ESV)

What a bold move by Moses. He definitely had a unique relationship with God. And, maybe more amazing was that God heard his cry and responded to it. God relented of the destruction that he wanted to bring about to Israel. Verse 21 states that He does in fact forgive them, but he still will not let them enter the Promise Land. He essentially says that he forgives them, but that there are going to be repercussions for their disobedience. As a mediator, Moses is able to fight for the forgiveness of the people, and God responds to that plea, but he is unable to fight for life and blessing. God forgives, but the people wander in the wilderness for 40 years!

As I’ve read and reread this passage over the last week, I keep thinking to myself – I am glad that we have a better mediator! Moses serves as the mediator for the people of Israel, but in many ways he points to a better mediator (Heb 3:1-6) who was yet to come – Jesus Christ. For those of us in Christ, he is now our mediator. Paul states this clearly in 1 Timothy when he writes, “For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus…” And, he is not only our mediator, but he is a far superior mediator to Moses. He reigns supreme in this role for a few reasons:

1. He not only pleas with God for our forgiveness, but he purchases it. (Eph 1:7, Hebrews 9:15, Hebrews 10)
2. He constantly intercedes for us. (Romans 8:34)
3. He destroys the hold that the fear of death once held on humanity. (Hebrews 2:14-15)
4. He not only purchases our forgiveness, but earns for us new life! (2 Corinthians 5:17, Romans 6:4)

What Moses could do in part, Jesus does in whole. Moses is unable to move beyond forgiveness to newness of life, but Jesus ushers his people into to life abundant. There is no need for wandering if we are in Him!