Scott Lane

What I Want

Re:Verse passage – Romans 6:1-14 (day five)

As a believer, do I ever get to do what I want? Maybe that means my wants and desires are the same selfish and morally destructive preferences and priorities that are indicative of sin and rebellion. My rules. My wisdom. Maybe that means I am declaring myself righteous. Then, NO. Notice the “logic” (or rationalization) in 6:1 – I can still act and think like I want to (pre-salvation) because that will bring even more grace from God to me. Makes God seem like a genie at our disposal. We become the sovereign.

But, if in this new life (verse 4) of having been justified and made righteous, my thoughts, desires, preferences, and priorities are transformed into the same ones that Jesus had, and that I choose them in order to glorify God (declare Him to be the sovereign), then the answer changes to Yes. That’s the work of grace. We are free to live like that- to live united with Christ and to live free from sin and “do what we (now) want to do” (what we were created and designed to do- trust, obey, serve, follow, and glorify Him).

Hope

Re:Verse passage – Romans 5:1-8 (day five)“and hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us.” One of the bigger storylines (meta narratives) of the Bible is Hope. Hope that we have lost/forfeited and then provided/gifted by a gracious God. The scriptures describe hopes that can never fully deliver, and direct us to discover a true hope that promises to give everything we need- God’s hope. God’s Word guides us away from people, places, and priorities that deliver false hope, while compelling us toward a lovingly wise and eternal God who endlessly supplies hope for His glory and our good. One last insight. Hope’s address and location are even closer than you might think. Inside us. Look no further than your own heart to find it. As believers, hope lives in us because the Holy Spirit has taken up residence in our hearts, and even now the gracious and glorious God lives in us bringing (pouring out) His hope, to us, with Him, in us.

Penalty and Promise

Re:Verse passage – Romans 3:21-31 (day five)

It seems like an easy question to answer. Because we have placed our faith in Jesus, the law really shouldn’t matter any more to us, right? At first glance the answer is yes. The righteousness of God has been given apart from the law, 3:21. Yet Paul’s answer is a resounding NO (may it never be). The law must always be kept. Death- penalty if law not kept. Life- promise if law is kept. The gospel declares that when we put our faith in Jesus, the law of God still has its place in the life of the believer. It humbles us in recognizing that we can never completely keep it (3:23). The righteousness from His perfect life and obedience becomes ours. And it also holds a special place of encouragement when we realize that the death demanded for failing to keep the law is paid for us by Jesus’ death on the cross. He takes our death. He gives His life. The law must always be kept both in penalty and promise. And in Christ, it is, and both are!! Righteousness and Redemption, manifested and displayed.

Provides/Proves

Re:Verse passage – Romans 2:5-16 (day five) Works matter. This is one of the main truths that Paul is declaring. Does that make us cringe or nervous? Didn’t he just announce a few verses earlier that we are saved apart from the law and apart from anything we can do? How do these go together? Faith and works? One proves there is salvation and new life, while the other provides salvation and new life. Works serve only to prove salvation and new life, while faith in God alone, serves to provide salvation and new life. Both are good and meaningful when in the right priority and perspective. And back in verse four, it is the kindness of God that reveals the exact place and priority of faith and works that we might repent and grow closer to God and deeper in saving faith. Read Psalm 62 for reference. Paul quotes it in our Re:verse text this week.

Obligation

Re:Verse passage – Romans 1:14–17 (day five)

“I am under obligation both to Greeks and to barbarians, both to the wise and to the foolish.” Verse 14 uses an interesting word to describe Paul’s relationship to the people in the Roman church and to all Roman citizens—“obligated.” It literally means a debtor, or someone who owes a financial debt to another person. How can he be in debt or obligated to these people he has never met (the people in the church much less the people who live in Rome)? Think about two hypothetical circumstances in which I might be in debt to you. First, you lend me money. I am in debt to you until I pay you back. Second, someone gives me money to give to you. I am in debt to you until I give it to you. This second example is the context to which Paul is referring. He has been given the gospel to give/share with all others. He now lives indebted to everyone/everywhere to give them the gospel. Fact is, we as believers have been given the same gift and same instruction to share it with everyone/everywhere. Most of us (me too) don’t often if ever, have this perspective. We don’t live with that burden and passion to give away and share the gospel as we’ve been commanded. Instead of living as if obligated, the temptation is to live as entitled. How might this perspective shape the way we see, talk to, and serve all of those around us?

The Savior hath given us freely,
Salvation and grace through His name,
He bids us to publish His gospel,
Its words to all creatures proclaim;
We’re debtors to those who are dying,
And never its power have known;
Can we who so richly are favored
Still leave them to perish alone?

They perish, they perish,
Yet Jesus to save them has died;
Go pay them the debt that we owe them,
Those souls who in darkness abide.
Clara M. Brooks

Redirected and Recalibrated

Re:Verse passage – Matthew 4:18-19; 1 Corinthians 3:6-9; Galatians 4:4–7 (day five)
Read this a while back… “The danger of not reading God’s Word and not having a close walk with Christ, is that your ability can become your identity.” I would extend this thought to include not only ability, but activity as well. This is the truth that Jesus used to call Peter and Andrew (fishers of men). It is the message that Paul was communicating to the Corinthians (neither… is anything) It is also the picture Paul describes to the Galatians (no longer a slave). The gospel reorients our complete perspective about ourselves, others, and the world in which we live. As disciples of Christ, our hearts and minds are constantly being redirected and recalibrated to find, understand, and reflect His grace and glory.
Paul Tripp says it this way, “So you and I aren’t left to our own maturity, character, ingenuity, righteousness, wisdom, or power. Not only that, but the gospel redefines how we understand our whole story, how we think about the meaning of life, how we understand the human struggle, where we get our identity, where we look for peace and security, what we consider in life to be dangerous, what we see as successful living, and so on.”

Time Alone with God

Re:Verse passage –Mark 1:1-4; Luke 4:42-44; Acts 5:42; 11:19-21 (day five)

Is this the kindest “No” you’ve ever seen. Jesus is doing incredible ministry- healing and casting out demons. Really good work. Meeting needs. Encouraging others. Bringing hope and joy. Yet, Jesus decides to leave them, even though they beg Him to stay.
It’s much easier to discern between right and wrong, good and bad, healthy and unhealthy. But Jesus gains clarity and certainty between better and best- much more difficult. Don’t overlook Jesus’ intentional rhythm of “time alone with God” (When day came, Jesus left and went to a secluded place;). Jesus then responds with fresh conviction and courage. Telling them “no” could not have been easy, but Jesus moves on in order to fulfill his mission. Does our time alone with God bring clarity, courage, and conviction? Does our time alone with God result in trust and obedience? All are needed. All are required.

Focus and Freedom

Re:Verse passage – Luke 6:12–16; 8:1; 9:1–6; 10:1–17 (day five)

“The one who listens to you listens to Me, and the one who rejects you rejects Me; and he who rejects Me rejects the One who sent Me.”

The focus and freedom Jesus gives to His followers in verse 16 are so transformational. It’s like a mission and ministry reset in one statement. As He sends these believers out, Jesus reminds them that the subject and content of their message is Him. When we share God’s Word with God’s love and with God’s presence and power, we have no room or opportunity to take credit or claim any kind of contribution. It is ALL HIM. That kind of focus removes any distraction or temptation to add to or take away from the message of Christ. Our thoughts and message when we serve and minister must be laser focused on Christ and His place and power in our lives. But there’s also freedom, freedom from our pride and insecurity. We are not center stage when we do ministry and missions. It’s Him. We do not lose or fail when we are obedient. Just as true, we do not win or triumph when we are obedient. It’s Him. We have the freedom to follow and trust the results to His sovereignty. We, like the message, the efforts, and outcomes (when we serve and minister) are in His hands.

Unity and Community

Re:Verse passage – 2 Thessalonians 2:13–17; Hebrews 5:11–13; Romans 16:17–18 (day five)

There is a tendency to equate the Christian life primarily with feeling and doing- to the exclusion of thinking. No doubt those are important. This week, however we are encouraged, even challenged to consider that our thinking and learning are a significant part of our spiritual growth and maturity in Christ. Doctrinal truths are vitally important to deepening relationships with Christ and with other believers. In our Romans passage Paul points out that this facet of discipleship impacts unity and community. We must listen, learn, and grow both on our own and with one another. When this happens in vibrant interpersonal fellowship, there is healthy accountability, palpable community, and strengthening unity. A healthy Church body learning and growing in unity, in our current culture, is an anomaly as well as a testimony to the grace and wisdom of the Living God!

Personal and Corporate

Re:Verse passage – John 15:6–10; Hebrews 12:10; Acts 13:2–3; Colossians 4:2–4 (day five)

“Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful. And pray for us, too,”

Our study this summer has been so rich and encouraging. We are studying biblical discipleship, spiritual formation, and Christian maturity. This week we focus on spiritual disciplines- regular and intentional actions, rhythms, and patterns we practice for the purpose of growing deeper in our relationship with Christ. It is easy to think of these only in terms of what I need to do on my own and by my self. The “individualism” of western culture can influence us in this way. The title of our series (Deepening Disciples: Formation through Relationships) reminds us that biblical discipleship also has a facet that requires community and accountability and demands BOTH personal and corporate disciplines. I’ll share some thoughts from Donald Whitney-

“So while some Disciplines are practiced alone, some are to be practiced with others… Both the personal and interpersonal Disciplines are means of blessings for followers of Jesus and a part of growth in godliness, for the Bible teaches both. Moreover, Jesus practiced both, and becoming like Jesus is the purpose of practicing the Disciplines. Christians are individuals, but we are also part of the body of Christ. We experience God and we grow in His grace through both personal and interpersonal Spiritual Disciplines.”