That Jesus lived, died, and lives to save us is phenomenally interesting.
That we are saved, really, isn’t.
That we are saved is the most basic fact of our universe.
It is not the point.
It is the foundation.
The point is what we do with it afterwards.
Do you know why the programs of Alcoholics Anonymous and others like them work?
It isn’t because people want to get sober.
Those rooms are full of people who have wanted to get sober and failed for years.
Those programs work because they have singular function: to connect people to the person of God and a greater purpose in connecting people to God and a greater purpose.
And that’s it.
(Sound familiar?)
This is why to the person who has been sober for years, their sobriety isn’t very interesting.
Their life is.
It becomes full of the people and the purposes of God, or they relapse.
So the question is… do you really think we are so different?
And the follow-up is… do we look like it?
Me: Thank you God for saving me!
God: You said that yesterday.
Me: …I was grateful yesterday too!
God: Were you? What did you do with it?
Me: I praised you! Thank you!
God: I think we need to have a talk.
Picture it.
Is it us?
Luke 18:9-14
Then Jesus told this story to some who had great confidence in their own righteousness and scorned everyone else: “Two men went to the Temple to pray. One was a Pharisee, and the other was a despised tax collector. The Pharisee stood by himself and prayed this prayer: ‘I thank you, God, that I am not like other people—cheaters, sinners, adulterers. I’m certainly not like that tax collector! I fast twice a week, and I give you a tenth of my income.’
“But the tax collector stood at a distance and dared not even lift his eyes to heaven as he prayed. Instead, he beat his chest in sorrow, saying, ‘O God, be merciful to me, for I am a sinner.’ I tell you, this sinner, not the Pharisee, returned home justified before God. For those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.”
There is a lot here.
Note one bit only.
The tax collector has something to do. He has a life he needs to change. He has amends to make. He certainly has a gospel of mercy he can share.
The Pharisee does not.
Luke 7:47
“But a person who is forgiven little shows only little love.”
We need to be the tax collector.
We need to recognize, accept, and act on the reality that we have much that needs to be forgiven.
Right now.
Today.
And then go and teach others how to do the same.
We are saved to a purpose.
Luke 10:37
…Jesus told him, “Go and do likewise.”
That is the purpose.
If we are going to follow Jesus, we need to actually follow Jesus.
Jesus walked to Jerusalem.
Jesus walked to Cavalry.
Most of us have a hard time walking at all.
The couch is compelling.
We have so many minutes left in this life.
And then it will end.
What do you think we should do with it?
God: Are you saved?
Me: Yes, thank you so much!
God: You don’t look saved.
Me: Wait… what? What do you mean? You saved me, didn’t you?
God: That’s my point. You look scared.
So here’s the question.
If God saved us and we believe that… then what are we so scared of?
Or… do we not believe it?
We were bought for a price once and for all time.
We have been given a guarantee of safety for all of eternity.
We are saved to a purpose now.
Are we doing it?
Or do we look scared? Do I?
Do you?
Matthew 28:19-20
Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.
I have been tremendously scared.
I am ready to change.
All scripture referenced is NLT unless otherwise noted. I prefer NLT for postural discussion as it is both reasonably rigorous while retaining a conversational tone.
For study I strongly encourage the use of original language tools, multiple translations, and rigorous critical thought.
Please remember that when you read the Bible in English you are always reading someone else’s theological interpretation of the text.