Sunday: Christ's Memorial Day

         Memorial Day is an American holiday meant to honor those who gave their lives for their country. We enjoy our freedoms because of their great sacrifice. It is a day to say thank you, not only to the soldier, but the family and friends who lost a loved one. Sadly, we do not even know the names of the vast majority of those that died for us.

         However, the meaning of Memorial Day is often lost because of our selfishness. It becomes about our cookouts, camping, family gatherings, shopping for deals, or whatever else we want to do. We forget about those who died for us. That is perhaps one of the most tragic statements we can make about our society.

         In Christianity, we also have a memorial day. It is a memorial for Jesus Christ. It is not Easter or Christmas; instead it is every Sunday. You see Sunday is the day that Jesus resurrected from the dead.

Matthew 28 Now after the Sabbath, toward the dawn of the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to see the tomb. ² And behold, there was a great earthquake, for an angel of the Lord descended from heaven and came and rolled back the stone and sat on it. ³ His appearance was like lightning, and his clothing white as snow. ⁴ And for fear of him the guards trembled and became like dead men. ⁵ But the angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified. ⁶ He is not here, for he has risen, as he said. Come, see the place where he lay. ⁷ Then go quickly and tell his disciples that he has risen from the dead, and behold, he is going before you to Galilee; there you will see him. See, I have told you.”

         During the first century, the church met together on the first day of the week. One of the reasons they gathered was to take of the Lord's Supper. This act is often referred to in the Bible as the breaking of bread.

Acts 20: ⁷ On the first day of the week, when we were gathered together to break bread, Paul talked with them, intending to depart on the next day, and he prolonged his speech until midnight.

         The purpose of the Lord's Supper is to remember the sacrifice of Jesus Christ. He died for our sins. He paid our price of lawlessness. He paid for our home in heaven. He asked us to remember Him during His meal.

Luke 22:¹⁹ And he took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to them, saying, “This is my body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” ²⁰ And likewise the cup after they had eaten, saying, “This cup that is poured out for you is the new covenant in my blood.

         Jesus' sacrifice is worthy of remembrance and it is deserving to remember it as often as the church gets together every Sunday. We often forget the real purpose of the Sunday morning service. This is not a time to put on a show to attract a crowd. It is not a time to feed the ego's of people. It is not a time to tell people what they want to hear to make them feel better. No, it is a time for Christ. It is a time to say thank you for the cross. It is a time to celebrate the fact that we have eternal life. It is a time to celebrate the victory over death and sin. It is a time to gather as a church family to say thank you to the Father for sending His Son to die for us. It is all about Christ. It is not about the preacher, it is not about the church, it is not about how many people come to a building or about how much money is in the offering. If it is anything else but Jesus Christ, then it is idolatry.

         Sadly, for too many Christians, Sunday has been taken for granted. I hear the excuses from Christians all the time. They say, "It is the only day I can sleep in." I am glad Christ did not want to sleep in when it was time to go to the cross. Other says, "There are ball games my kids or my favorite team is playing." I am glad that Christ did not let sports come ahead of our salvation. Still some say, "People at the church made me mad and I do not want to be around other Christians." I am glad that Jesus did not let others stop Him from His act of service.

         Every Sunday is the Lord's Day. It is a memorial for Him. We need to set aside our selfish desires and remember Him as He asked to: around His table, for His Supper, with His church, and to honor His sacrifice. This coming Sunday is not about you but it is about your Savior. Please remember Christ's memorial day next Sunday.

What is Grace?

Ephesians 2:⁸ For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, ⁹ not a result of works, so that no one may boast. (ESV).

         Ephesians 2 explains what our situation is before God. We have violated His law and therefore we are deserving of punishment. Since God loved us, He sent Jesus to pay the price for our sins. The text explains that Christians (those who submitted to Christ) have been saved by grace. What does it mean to be saved by grace?

         In the Bible, the word grace means gift. A gift, by its own definition, is something given to us that we do not deserve. If we deserved it, then that object becomes a wage. Grace is something that we do not deserve but is given because of someone's love.

         As sinners, we have earned something: punishment. The book of Romans explains that all people are sinners, whether they know it or not. Have you violated God's commandment? Have you ever lied, stole, used God's name inappropriately, lusted, coveted another person's property, or failed to worship God? Then you are a sinner. You have earned a wage. One of the key passages of Romans explains this. 

         Romans 6:²³ For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

         The punishment of death is twofold. First, there is physical death. Physical death entered into this world when Adam and Eve sinned. Second, there is spiritual death, which is hell.

         Some will protest that this is cruel. How can one sin actually send me to hell? First, we are rebelling against the Creator, the one who gave us life and sustains our life. As the Creator, He has absolute right as owner to make the rules. Our sins are a violation against the highest authority in existence. Second, you have actually committed more than one sin. If one sins an average of once a month (which we would consider a good person) for 50 years that person has at least 600 violations against the King of the universe. If we go before an earthly judge today for 600 violations against an earthly kingdom/nation, would we expect mercy or the full force of punishment? 600 violations against any law demonstrate that we do not respect the authority and choose to rebel against it. Now imagine that those 600 violations were not just violations against the law but siding with the enemy of the state. That would be considered treason! And that is what our sin is, siding with the enemy of God, Satan! Should we expect mercy?

         Not only does God grant us mercy (not giving us the punishment, which would be hell) but He gives us a gift. The gift of God, according to Romans 6, is life. This life is heaven. You see, Jesus' sacrifice pays the price for our sin. Here is what happens. We are legally and morally in violation to a just judge, God. His holiness demands that our sins be punished. When we become a Christian, Jesus pays the price for our sins. The gift that is given is the fact that the payment of our sins has been made and we gain eternal life in heaven.

         Many believe that they can go to heaven because they are a good person. Would we be considered a good citizen before the eyes of our nation if we had over 600 acts of breaking the law? No, of course not. As a sinner, you are not considered a good person but a guilty person. You need to be rescued. Your good deeds cannot be used as a bribe to forget about your violations before God. 10 good deeds do not erase one bad deed. If you missed paying taxes for 2 years but did pay taxes for 10, the IRS will still demand payment for those 2 missed years. Your good deeds will not erase your failure before the eyes of the government. The same is true for God. We cannot earn our way into heaven; the price must be paid.

         This is true for all people. Romans 3:23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. My sin may or may not be the same as yours but I am equally a sinner. I need to be rescued. All of the sermons I preached, all the baptisms I performed, all the money I gave to the poor, and all the prayers that I said will not rescue me. If so, that would be a wage. My salvation is a gift, I cannot boast about my salvation. I do not deserve it.

         Grace is one of the most beautiful words in our language. One of the most popular songs today is still Amazing Grace. We should celebrate this grace. After all, it is a gift and the polite thing to do is to say thank you for a gift you appreciate. And, if we truly love the gift, we would want others to receive it to. This gift can be yours if you believe Jesus is the Son of God, confess Him as Savior, repent of your sins, and be baptized starting a new life with Christ. All sin can be forgiven but not all will accept the gift given by God. Will you accept a free gift to heaven?

WHAT IS SIN?

         One of the challenges to evangelism is the fact that Christians, at times, seem to speak a foreign language to non-Christians. There are certain terms and words used in the Bible that Christians understand and assume others understand. This is not always true. When we fail to define our terms to individuals, then we fail to explain the Gospel message.

         Imagine that you had to explain the game of baseball to an individual that has never heard of the game. As you explain the rules, you tell them that if they get three strikes at bat then they are out. However, if you do not explain what a strike is, then you have failed to teach the individual about the game of baseball. If the person is familiar with bowling and believes that the term strike is the same in bowling as it is in baseball, you will have confused this individual. In order to accurately explain the game of baseball, one must define their terms properly.

         I often hear Christians (and have probably been guilty of it myself) quote Scripture to explain how we are in a lost state due to sin. Romans 6:²³ For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. What does a Christian mean by lost and sin? If we are not defining these terms, then we are not teaching people Biblical truths. We should not think that all people know what we mean by the term sin.

         In the Bible, sin is breaking the will of God. God makes His will known through His Word, which is the Bible. A simple definition is that sin is breaking the commandments of God as revealed in the Bible. That is what John teaches us in his book called 1 John. 1 John 3:⁴ Everyone who sins breaks the law; in fact, sin is lawlessness. Whenever you are disobedient to the will of God, you sin.

         What gives God the right to make commandments in this world? Why should He be able to tell us what to do? God is the creator of the universe, which includes this world. Genesis 1 In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. As the Creator, He has the rights of ownership over this world. We understand the rights of ownership. If I enter into your house, I have to obey your rules or you have the right to throw me out. When we have ownership, we have the right to determine how that possession is used. Since God is the owner and we are living in His possession, we have to obey His rules. If you refuse to obey the rules, then you are abusing someone else's possession.

         A second reason that God has the right to determine the rules is that He gave us life and continues to give us the means to live. You are alive because of God. He created all life. He sustains life by providing the sun, oxygen, rain, and gravity. If God stops any of those functions (among others), life ceases immediately. We understand that we are to honor our parents in this world because they gave us our existence. Exodus 20:¹² “Honor your father and your mother, so that you may live long in the land the Lord your God is giving you. We honor them by obeying their wishes and doing what pleases them. We honor God, who gives us life, by following His wishes on this earth. We owe Him our allegiance for what He does. We should be willing to follow His wishes and His commands because He gave us life.

         If we love God, then we should be willing to follow His commands. Jesus teaches us this point. John 14:¹⁵ “If you love me, keep my commands. All sin is detestable to God. When we choose to sin, we are saying to God "I want to do what you hate." We are also saying there is something we love more than God. You cannot say that I love God while willfully and intentionally sinning.

         Earlier I stated that one who sins is "lost." The term lost means that we have been separated from God due to our sin. It is a term that Jesus used in some of His parables, such as the parable of the lost sheep. If we continue in sin, we will be excluded from God's home in heaven and find ourselves in hell. Hell is a place where we will be eternally separated from God. That is the danger of sin. We should do all that we can to avoid sin and follow God's commandments.

The Real One and Done

           

Eventually in sports, everyone loses. Kentucky won their first 38 games and lost one. Unfortunately for them, one loss means no national championship. I am sure if they could, they would trade one of their victories to replace their loss. However, that is not how it works. When it comes to the NCAA national championship, it is perfection or nothing else. It is not about how good you are, it is about being perfect for 6 games.

         We understand this when it comes to sports but fail to understand this concept when it concerns our salvation. Many believe that being good is good enough to enter into heaven. However, that is not true. In fact, when you commit one sin, you are truly one and done. Earning heaven is being perfect and without mistake. When it comes to sin, it is one and done.

         You see the price of sin is death. Romans 6:²³ For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. All sin is equally wrong. James 2:¹⁰ For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles at just one point is guilty of breaking all of it. ¹¹ For he who said, “You shall not commit adultery,” also said, “You shall not murder.” If you do not commit adultery but do commit murder, you have become a lawbreaker. We are all sinners. Romans 3:²³ for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. As a result, once I commit a sin I have become guilty. My punishment is forfeiting heaven. If I am not going to heaven, then my punishment is hell.

         Someone might say, "I am a good person that has done many good deeds. My good deeds should erase my mistakes." That is not true. No matter how many good deeds I commit, I will never be able to erase even one of my sins. Just like one loss in a tournament means I lose the championship, one sin means I lose heaven.

         At this point, the illustration is depressing. Yet there is one thing I get in my life that a ball team does not get in a tournament: a redeemer. Jesus Christ came to save the world. John 3:¹⁶ For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.  Christ was willing to take the place of the sinner at the cross. He is willing to pay the price for my sin. Even though I am a failure and have forfeited my prize, I have one willing to exchange His innocence for my guilt and pay my price. I have been redeemed.

         Ephesians 2 As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, ² in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient. ³ All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our flesh and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature deserving of wrath. ⁴ But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, ⁵ made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved. ⁶ And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, ⁷ in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus. ⁸ For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— ⁹ not by works, so that no one can boast. ¹⁰ For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.

         Tonight, 66 teams will have to watch two teams play for a championship. Only one will win. 67 teams will forfeit a prize based on their failure. There is nothing that can or will change that. The winner is not going to trade places with the losers. That is not how sports work.

         Tonight there are people who are in their sins who have forfeited their prize of heaven. However, you do not have to remain in your state. You have a redeemer who is willing to give you a victory. You do not have to sit there with a loss; you can choose to regain what was lost. The Bible teaches that if we believe that Jesus is the Christ, confess Him as our Lord, repent of our sins, and we are baptized we will be saved. Will you choose to stay in your imperfections or will you allow yourself to taste the victory?

THE PERFECTION I CELEBRATE

         I am a huge Kentucky Wildcat fan. As I write this, UK has a 38-0 record. They are two games away from a perfect season. This is the most exciting season I can remember. The nation is waiting and watching for a perfect basketball season.  If UK wins it all, there will be shirts, DVD's, and parties celebrating this achievement. While I hope to see this happen, it is not the perfection that I celebrate this week.

         You see whether UK wins or loses, it will not impact my life. Sure, I may lose a little sleep and maybe be depressed for a day or two, but life will go on. I may or may not see a perfect basketball season in my life or another UK championship, but it will not determine whether I live or die. It is enjoyment; perhaps even an escape from reality but that is all. Even though UK basketball is treated like a religion in the state of Kentucky, it is still a game.

         However, there is a perfect that I plan on celebrating this week. This pursuit of perfection has changed my life. Nearly 2,000 years ago my Savior came from heaven. He lived a perfect life. What do I mean by perfect? He did not sin, not even once. He never lied, never killed, and never had an immoral thought. He fulfilled every commandment and law perfectly.

         If that were all that Jesus had done, that would be an honor worth celebrating. After all, that is a great accomplishment and that would deserve our acknowledgement. However, He did more. The Bible explains what He did.

2 Corinthians 5:21 For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. (ESV).

         What does that mean? It means that Jesus' pursuit of perfection changed my life. I am not perfect. I have sinned (Romans 3:23). I have done things that I am ashamed of and regret. As a result, I deserve hell (Romans 6:23). I am guilty and I cannot save myself. That is the truth. Jesus' perfection paid a price for me. His death was not warranted due to His guilt. He died an innocent man. He took my place and paid the price of all of my imperfections. When I believed that Jesus is the Son of God, confessed Him as Lord, repented (turned away) from my sins, and was baptized, my price of sin was paid (Acts 2:38). I am a guilty man that has been forgiven. I am a guilty man that will receive a home in heaven with my perfect Savior. The good news is that you can have the same gift as me. Regardless of your mistakes, they can be forgiven. You just need to accept the same gift.

         Every Sunday (not just Easter) I celebrate this perfection. My life has hope, meaning, and purpose. While I do not welcome death, I do not fear it either. My Savior's perfection has meaning. It changes everything. It is why I teach and preach. It is why I dedicate my life to something other than my selfish desires.

         This Saturday, I will cheer in a hope that perfection will continue for my Wildcats. It may or may not happen. If it does, none of those players will know my name. They may not even like the fact I say "we" won. After all, it is there victory or loss.

         This Sunday, I will celebrate the fact that my Savior's perfection was given as a gift to an undeserving sinner. He knows my name. He knows my mistakes. He welcomes me into His home. Jesus gives me something real to celebrate.