Running from God
Running From God
Monday March 19, 2018
A 2014 Barna research study revealed that more than 60% of non-Christian Americans believe that many of Christianity’s beliefs and practices are far outside of the norm and deserve to be considered extremist. The United States’ top economic advisor, Lawrence Kudlov was openly mocked by a major news network for saying, “However things work out, it will be God’s will.” A daytime talk-show host ridiculed Vice President Mike Pence and compared his Christian faith to mental illness. And according to award winning writer Kimberly Blaker, “Conservative Christians share striking similarities with Taliban terrorists.” How do we communicate the Good News to a generation running from God?
It is no secret that Christianity is going through difficult times, and in large part, we are to blame. I am not laying all the blame on Christians. No, secularism and secularists gladly bare a portion of the blame. But before we protest those who come against our Christian faith, we must own up to our wrong doings. It was Jesus himself who said, “First get rid of the log in your own eye; then you will see well enough to deal with the speck in your friend’s eye.”
Early one day Jesus was teaching in the Temple courts when some Pharisees and teachers of the law brought a woman to him who had been caught in the act of adultery saying, “Teacher this woman was caught in the act of adultery. In the law, Moses commanded us to stone such women. Now what do you say?” Ignoring them, Jesus bent down and started writing with his finger on the ground. But they kept asking him the same question. So Jesus stood up and said, “Let any one of you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her.” Again Jesus bent down and continued writing and one by one they turned and walked away.
Then Jesus stood up again and said to the woman, “Where are your accusers? Didn’t even one of them condemn you?” “No, Lord,” she said. And Jesus said, “Neither do I. Go and sin no more.” – John 8:10-11 NLT
Lessons:
- We must work on ourselves first. Remember that at one time we were sinners and still sin to this day. The Pharisees and teachers of the law wanted Jesus to condemn this woman for her sin, but had not yet dealt with their own sins.
- Jesus does not water down or ignore our sins. The accusation was completely true and the law the Pharisees and teachers quoted was also true. Jesus opted to deal with this woman’s sin with grace and truth.
- Grace says I don’t condemn you. Grace is what we need most when our sins are exposed. But it’s so hard to extend when confronted with the sins of others.
- Truth says go and sin no more. Not only should we work on ourselves first, we should work on ourselves harder than anyone else. But at the end we’ll all need grace.
Conclusion
The best and only way to communicate the Good News to a generation that is running from God is not through condemnation but through grace and truth. Always remembering that we have been saved by grace and we ought to always look to extend God’s grace.
Questions
- There is no denying that Christianity is going through difficult times, how much are Christians to blame and why?
- Why is it that we so readily accept God’s gift of grace but find it difficult and at times impossible to extend it?
- How much grace has God extended to you?
- Are there people in your life to whom you are extending the truth but without grace?
- Why must it be grace and truth?
Prayer
Heavenly Father, thank you for your word which is true and builds me up, and thank you for the grace that you have extended to me when you forgave and continue to forgive me my sins. I pray Lord that that same grace would be so visible in me, that I may extend it to a generation that is running from you and be an example of the love of Jesus Christ. I do not want to be part of the problem; I want to be the solution that shares the Good News of the Gospel with grace. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.
