…..

Several years ago, Edward Farrell, a priest from Detroit, went on a two-week summer vacation to Ireland to visit relatives.  His one living uncle was about to celebrate his eightieth birthday.  On the great day, Ed and his uncle got up early.  It was before dawn.  They took a walk along the shores of Lake Killarney and stopped to watch the sunrise.  They stood side by side for a full twenty minutes and then resumed walking.  Ed glanced at his uncle and saw that his face had broken into a broad smile.  Ed said, “Uncle Seamus you look very happy.”  ”I am.”  Ed asked, “How come?”  And his uncle replied, “The Father of Jesus is very fond of me.”

If the question were put to you, “Do you honestly believe that God likes you?” – not loves you because theologically he must – how would you answer?  God loves by necessity of his nature; without the eternal, interior generation of love, he would cease to be God.  But if you could answer, “The Father is very fond of me,” there would come a relaxedness, a serenity, and a compassionate attitude toward yourself that is a reflection of God’s own tenderness.  In Isaiah 49:15, God says: “Does a woman forget her baby at the breast, or fail to cherish the son of her womb?  Yet even if these forget, I will never forget you” (JB).

“The object of these pages is simple, clear, holy. It is to arouse attention to the blessed truth, that Christ pervades all Scripture. Christ pervades all Scripture, as salt all waters of the sea, as light the brightest day, as fragrance the garden of choice flowers.

To see this is my prime delight. To testify it is my happiest duty. Devoted loyalty to Him who is the first and last, the sum and substance of all Scripture, impels me. Earnest zeal for the undying souls of men constrains me. I know, and am intensely persuaded, that all peace, all joy, all salvation, are in Jesus. My eyes are widely open to the fact that men are blessed, and are blessings, just in proportion as they live, ever gazing on Christ, ever listening to His voice.”

Henry Law, Preface to the Gospel in Genesis

And God spoke all these words, saying, “I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery. . . . You shall not covet . . . anything that is your neighbor’s.”  Exodus 20:1-2, 17

…

The problem: Coveting

What might we covet about another man?  His job, money, looks, brains, wife and kids, car, house, opportunities, influence, position, education, musical talent, promotions at work, sense of humor, friendships, etc.  Our hearts are ungrateful, blaming, resentful, insecure, sulky, grasping, plotting, unhappy, defeated with selfishness.  The Israelites murmured and complained their way right out of usefulness to God.  And Paul says their story is a warning to us (1 Cor 10).  At the bottom of it all, the human heart is unhappy with God, even angry.  Our hearts are born in attack-mode toward God.

The antidote: Love from God

Romans 13:9-10 says the Ten Commandments boil down to this: “Love your neighbor as yourself,” for love fulfills the law.  The generosity of heart called “love” frees us from craving what God has given to another man.  Love frees us to rejoice with that guy.  Love calms us into contentment with the life God has assigned us.  We even go beyond contentment.  We become generous.  “The righteous give without sparing” (Proverbs 21:26).  “There is more happiness in giving than in receiving” (Acts 20:35, JB).  How do we get into that happy place?  “God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things at all times, having all you need, you will abound in every good work” (2 Corinthians 9:8).  We can’t explain it, but we know it’s true: In giving, we receive.  God is able to supply us with such inner fullness that we have something to give to all around.

Throughout that Psalm, David tells us that there is only one place we can go where our frantic hearts can experience the rest it so desperately needs, and that place is God alone.  This morning, a friend of mine named Don Brothers sent me the following hymn that so wonderfully describes this place of rest.

The following hymn was written by Gerhard Tersteegen, 18th century German reformed pastor.

Allured into the desert, with God alone, apart,
There spirit meeteth spirit, there speaketh heart to heart.
Far, far on that untrodden shore, God’s secret place I find,
Alone I pass the golden door, the dearest left behind.

There God and I–none other; oh far from men to be!
Nay, midst the crowd and tumult, still, Lord, alone with Thee.
Still folded close upon Thy breast, in field, and mart, and street,
Untroubled in that perfect rest, that isolation sweet.

O God, Thou art far other than men have dreamed and taught,
Unspoken in all language, unpictured in all thought.
Thou God art God–he only learns what that great Name must be,
Whose raptured heart within him burns, because he walks with Thee.

Stilled by that wondrous Presence, that tenderest embrace,
The years of longing over, do we behold Thy Face;
We seek no more than Thou hast given, we ask no vision fair,
Thy precious Blood has opened Heaven, and we have found Thee there.

O weary souls, draw near Him; to you I can but bring
One drop of that great ocean, one blossom of that spring;
Sealed with His kiss, my lips are dumb, my soul with awe is still;
Let him that is athirst but come, and freely drink his fill.

Answer:  Yes, you are a smuggler.

…..

Psalm 62:2 says, “He only is my rock and my salvation, my fortress;  I shall not be greatly shaken.”

…..

He only…  

If you are anything like me, and you are (because you are human), you do not fully believe that He only is your rock and salvation.  We all smuggle something else into the equation.  For example, I may say that He only is my rock and salvation, but really it’s He + me being a good dad.  Or, it could be He + being able to pay my bills (+ knowing the future…  + having a husband/wife…  + having your dream job, etc etc etc etc etc etc etc etc etc etc etc etc etc etc etc etc etc etc etc).  We are master smugglers.  We smuggle in anything and everything into the He only equation, and thereby rob ourselves of experiencing the only great treasure – God Himself.  So, if you recognize you are a smuggler, pray like David did in Ps. 61:2, “Lead me to the rock that is higher than I.”  Repent of your additions and ask God to give you a heart that treasures Christ alone.

Exodus 20:8-11

If someone told you there was a way to glorify and enjoy God, slow down your jam-packed, over-committed pace of life, renew your family and friendships, engage in random acts of kindness, take a deep breath, think about the most worthy and exciting things in the universe, stop and smell the roses, take an afternoon nap – all at absolutely no charge, not counting against the number of annual vacation days at work, you’d want to know more about it.  Well, here it is.  Not the Sabbath, but The Lord’s Day.

If we remember to make Jesus a priority in our schedules for one whole year, one day per week, then by one year from today we will have enjoyed 52 days, seven and a half weeks, of paid vacation with Jesus and his people!  You kiddin’me?!?

“…if anyone makes the assistance of grace depend on the humility or obedience of man and does not agree that it is a gift of grace itself that we are obedient and humble, he contradicts the Apostle who says, “What have you that you did not receive?” (1 Cor. 4:7), and, “But by the grace of God I am what I am” (1 Cor. 15:10). (Council of Orange: Canon 6)

Only the message that another true and obedient human being has come on our behalf, that he has lived for us the kind of life we should live but can’t, that he has paid fully the penalty we deserve for the life we do live but shouldn’t – only this message can give assurance that we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.

Psalm 103:10-14

(10) He does not deal with us according to our sins,

nor repay us according to our iniquities.

(11)  For as high as the heavens are above the earth,

so great is his steadfast love toward those who fear him;

(12)  as far as the east is from the west,

so far does he remove our transgressions from us.

(13)  As a father shows compassion to his children,

          so the Lord shows compassion to those who fear him.  

(14)  For he knows our frame;

          he remembers that we are dust.

Romans 8:31-39

[31] What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? [32] He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things? [33] Who shall bring any charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies. [34] Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died—more than that, who was raised—who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us. [35] Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? [36] As it is written,

“For your sake we are being killed all the day long;

we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered.”

[37] No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. [38] For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, [39] nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.

…..

Prior to coming to Immanuel Church last year, Meghan and I worked for Young Life in Wheaton, IL.  Every summer, we’d take buses of kids to camp for the best week of their lives.  Every third year, we’d go to a camp called Sharptop Cove in Jasper, Georgia.  It’s a beautiful place.  It has everything: waterslides, a lake, basketball courts, the BLOB, a frisbee golf course, horseback riding, mountain biking, etc.  But it has one thing that I wish it didn’t have.   It is called “The Quantum Leap.” “The Quantum Leap” is a 40 ft. phone pole that you need to climb, stand on top of, and then jump off of to hit a bell that is positioned up and beyond.  Not an ideal thing for someone terrified of heights…  like me!

Now, picture this, my cabin of 10 sophomore guys (fearless, modern-day Bravehearts, Gladiators, etc.) are getting on their harnesses and helmets and lining up for their turn at the base of the telephone pole.  While they’re talking about what they’re going to do after “The Quantum Leap” is over, I’m about 10 feet away, having a heart to heart conversation with the college-aged staff person that was in charge of this death trap.

Now, as you look at the line of high school students on the right side of your screen and then the heart to heart conversation that was ensuing between me and the staff guy on the left side of your screen, we’re going to double-click on me and the staff guy so that you can ‘hear’ what I had to say. “Have their been any accidents this summer?  Have you heard of any accidents in past summers?  How long have you been doing this job?  Will you double, triple check my harness?  If I fall, you’ve got me, right?”  You see I was about to entrust my LIFE to this person.  I wanted him to convince me that he wasn’t going to let me die!

In a parallel way, all of life is like “The Quantum Leap.”  Everyone is depending on someone or something to keep them safe, to make them feel okay.  If you are a Christian, the one you are depending on to keep you safe, to make you feel okay is God – He is the one holding the rope.  And although you know he is totally reliable to keep you, you have your questions.  You aren’t totally convinced.  For example, when you are looking for a job and can’t find one, when you are feeling overwhelmed with the demands of being a mom, or when you are waiting for the results of some blood tests, or when you are experiencing suffering of various kinds, we inevitably question the reliability of God’s love for us.  Deep down, we fear that he might drop us (or even that he is dropping us).

In Romans 8:31-39, it’s as though Paul is giving us God’s response to the questions of our heart!  In these verses, God is out to CONVINCE us that he’s got us and he’s never letting go.  God wants us to know that his love for us can be trusted NO MATTER WHAT!  My hope for you is that you will be increasingly convinced that God’s love for you can be trusted!

God addresses the following questions:  1) Are you sure my enemies won’t succeed against me? (v. 31) 2) Will you really give me all things? (v. 32) 3) Are you positive that you will never charge or condemn me? (v. 33-34) 4) Is there really NOTHING that can separate me from your love? (v. 35-39).

In short-form, here’s his reply:

• Our enemies will never succeed against us because Jesus willingly allowed them to succeed against himself on the cross in our place.
• We can be sure that we will receive ‘all things’ because Jesus willingly experienced the loss of all things on the cross in our place.
• We can be sure that God will never charge or condemn us because Jesus was willingly charged and condemned by God in our place.
• We can be sure that NOTHING will separate us from the love of God because Jesus was willingly separated from the love of God on the cross in our place.