Chapter 2: The Motivation of the Gospel

In chapter 1 we saw how we need to daily look at Christ's righteousness and stand in the present reality of our justification. When we do this successfully we experience the motivating power of the gospel which is what chapter 2 is about. This chapter looks at some examples of what this looks like. 3 steps can be seen in each example: deep conviction of sin and assurance of forgiveness lead to gratitude and love. The verse referenced is 2 Cor. 5:14 which states "for the love of Christ controls us." Other translations replace 'controls' with 'compels' or 'constrains'. I think many of our Christian 'acts' can be done out of a motivation to perform for God or to please Him, or out of a sense of duty. But I think that is very different than doing something because you are compelled or controlled by the love of Christ.

When it comes to the interaction between Simon, Jesus and the woman with the alabaster jar of expensive perfume, I find myself almost sympathizing with Simon. I'm not sympathetic in the sense that I think the woman is too sinful for forgiveness. I'm sympathetic in the following sense: Jesus was making an observation that the magnitude of someones love toward Him is in proportion to their perception of how much they've been forgiven. I think my love for Jesus much of the time is more in line with the way Simon expressed it....which means at those times I am failing to see either the depth of my sin or the assurance of His forgiveness, or both. If Simon had eyes to see he would have realized that he actually represents the greater of the 2 debtors in Jesus' parable. His pride, self-righteousness and lack of love for people were much more dangerous sins than those of the woman (which Jesus said were many). The reason they are more dangerous is that they are generally not seen as sinful by the one possessing them. Had Simon seen his own sins for what they were perhaps his expression of love toward Jesus would have surpassed that of the woman.

I have also wondered at the woman in the story. It's interesting that she remains nameless while Simon is referred to by name. I also wonder why she used up the expensive perfume on Jesus in this fashion? The book says it could have been equal to a years wages. Couldn't she have just sold it and brought Him the proceeds for His continuing ministry as an expression of her love? I'm speculating here but could it be that the jar of expensive perfume was the love of her life that led her down the pathway to her 'many sins'? Perhaps she saw the expensive perfume in the marketplace as a young woman and envied it to the point that she was eventually willing to do whatever it took to afford that luxury? After becoming a woman with a bad reputation she would not have been able to gain a good reputation back and would then have the expensive perfume as her only real comfort left in life. She feels the weight of her sin every day as she endures the isolation from people afraid to even be seen near her. Every day she is reminded of it by the disapproving stares of the moral citizens around her. Having no hope to made clean again she is trapped and can't go back; so she continues in her lifestyle and clings to the only comfort that she has: the expensive perfume that she has treasured from the beginning. Then along comes Jesus who is not repulsed by her and He looks at her with a look of love that she has never experienced and offers her forgiveness that she couldn't even dream existed before. I think she pours out this perfume on Jesus not just as an expression of her love and gratitude, but to show Him that the old idolatrous love of her life has been replaced by Him. I don't think at this point she has any hope of being accepted by society, so she is showing Jesus that her only comfort in this life is rubbish compared to Him. I'm also thinking that this represented her savings that she could have lived on. How will she make a living now that she is giving up her old lifestyle and likely will not be accepted for a respectable job to make a living. Hers seems to be a love with total abandon. I am cut to the quick when I read about this woman. How weak is my love in comparison.

Holy Spirit, I understand Christ's righteousness assures the forgiveness of my sin but please give me just a glimpse of the depth of my sin against Holy God so that I might love Jesus in proportion to that forgiveness.

Chapter One….The First Bookend: The Righteousness of Christ

Every moment of Jesus’ life he perfectly obeyed the law of God and never gave in. The same law that is applicable to all of us as we struggle along and succumb daily to temptations like pride, selfishness, and impatience.

I don’t know about you but my personal list is a lot longer than just pride, selfishness, and impatience. And to think that Jesus, unlike me, never gave in to any temptation…what an awesome God we serve! The ultimate act of obedience by Jesus to endure the wrath of God I deserve, so that I could have a relationship with the heavenly Father, is something that humbles me to tears. To realize that Jesus gave up his relationship with the Father so that I could have one instead is the ultimate act of love for each of us. And why me, I sure don’t deserve this type of unconditional love and monumental blessing?

The first bookend of the Christian life: To all who trust in Him, God counts as righteous because He has appointed Christ to be our representative and substitute. Christ’s perfect righteousness credited to the ledger of my sinful life so that when God looks on me He doesn’t see my sin but only sees what Christ has done for me (justification).

Now we can start to see how the story of our lives is already being written. We are really in the middle of our own story now, and how easily the temptations come to slip into worry, guilt and condemnation. Pride and the fear of man have always been big ones for me, and feeling like I had to perform a certain way to gain acceptance. Problem was that my acceptance was through the fickle eyes of man and endless changing expectations. So what a lie it was for me, and for you, to feel the pressure of performance in light of God’s perfect plan for my life and the undeserved righteousness of Christ perfectly cleaning my ledger.

A word picture that I treasure is that of a beautiful tapestry. The colors and designs are perfectly woven and on display for others to enjoy, but just flip it over and look at the back side. What a mess of tangles! So how can this mess and seeming disaster of tangles I produce become anything like the beautiful design on the front of the tapestry? I submit that it is all because I am not the author of my own story or the master artist, I am just an actor in my life’s story and the writer is God Himself. So until I get to the end of my story, it will often look to me like the messy back side of a tapestry being woven into something beautiful. And in the end, the tapestry and my story will be one full of God’s righteousness in ways that bring a confident reliance on Christ, peace and comfort to others and a gratitude to Jesus Christ for the present reality of justification.

Why should I seek to grow in Christ like character? Chapter two awaits…..

Here is a link to some study helps as we read this book: http://www.thebookendsbook.com/studyguides/introduction-study-guide/

Bookends - Introduction.

Did you read the 7 questions on page 16? Did one or more of those questions become yours? Or did they all, as they did for me, become yours? After reading the introduction, my first reaction was to sit this book upon the shelf where so many other "good books" are currently sitting and go on with my life. However, after reading it a second time and yes I did read it twice, I have reconsidered reading the whole book. Well, after all why would I want to read another book to address my "one or more persinstent sin patterns, often called besetting sins" (pp14).

But God, in His own gracious way has moved upon my heart to show me that I desperately need to know more about these two bookends called the righteous of Christ and the power of the Holy Spirit. So come along with me on this read and let's work together at getting our books in order. Shed off the guilt of our besetting sins and deal with them together. All the while enjoying some biblical fellowship, encouraging one another, and applying God's principals to our hearts. I can hardly wait to hear the testimonies!!

The Bookends of the Christian Life

Guys,

Frank started a gathering of men just before his death for men to encourage and help one another in life issues, especially in our roles as husbands and fathers.

The meetings continued after Frank's death until the present time. Recently Joe led us in the reading of the book, A Praying Life, and seeking to apply the truths in this book around prayer to our lives. This was I believe a very rewarding experience for all involved. Studying this book was Jerry, Lee, Joe, Fred, Rick, and myself.

Several from this group (maybe all!) will be reading great Christian books together and seeking to apply truth and grow in grace. After speaking with Pastor Ken, Shawn, Jerry, and Lee, I would like to invite the men from Shawn's care group (the care group I attend of course!) and some other men to participate.

Our first book, The Bookends of the Christian Life by Jerry Bridges, is a significant work about the two primary truths we must take hold of to see the growth in Christ that God intends in our lives. I personally look forward to growing in Christ as we read and seek to apply truth to our lives.

If you desire to participate, here is the plan - get a book from Jerry Derrick ($10 - cost) - read as a minimum one chapter per week beginning this week July 5 - July 11 - on the last Saturday of each month we will meet at Panera from 7:30am to 9:00am to share together on the four chapters read that month and seek to apply the truths learned to our lives and to aid one another to do likewise.

The blog will be the tether that hold us all together in this and a place where we can share what we are learning.

I will ask one guy each week to write a blog post on the chapter for that week. We can all comment at any time on any post as well as create a new post at any time. If you want access to create new posts, just let me know and I will give you admin rights to do so.

If you want to participate in this - just leave a comment on the blog and see Jerry to get a book.

I am looking forward to us getting into this great book together.