Monday, April 06, 2009

Let’s Do Lunch








USE THE PLAYER ABOVE TO LISTEN TO THIS POST


But when I saw that their conduct was not in step with the truth of the gospel…
(Galatians 2:14 – ESV)

How often do we hear it said that the Gospel applies to all of life? If we are around solid Christians or are in a good church then it would be quite often, no doubt. Because we realize the Bible teaches this truth, when we hear it we are quick to say a hearty “amen!”

But let’s get real now. Do you really believe this to be true? I mean, you may say it, but do you live it? Can you explain to yourself and to others, can you teach them why this is so, with real examples, or are you just a parrot? Now we do need to repeat this assertion to ourselves and become convinced of it, but it needs to start playing out in our everyday lives, in our everyday situations, and in every situation. The Gospel applies, but in our sanctification we must apply it. If it doesn’t, many times it is because we don’t do it, we don’t apply it. In whatever situations we don’t apply it the Gospel really isn’t having that effectual power in that part of our lives yet.

Really, it doesn’t yet because we don’t believe it yet. But it can, really. Now stop telling me you really believe it, or trying hard to make yourself believe it. Get into the Word and see for yourself, ask yourself and the text you are reading some questions. How are the situations that are presented in the Bible and the teachings that are given in the Bible affected by the Gospel?

You see, it isn’t always so easy, is it? Do you still believe, or are you silently thinking to yourself, “well, I know the Gospel is all important, but it really doesn’t apply to this or that situation?” Come on now, be honest, and maybe we can show you something today.

What if I told you that the Gospel applies to eating lunch? If you could see that the Gospel applied to something as mundane, regular, and “neutral” as that, wouldn’t that help you to see that we should be looking for ways to apply the Gospel?

Well, the Gospel does indeed apply to eating lunch. In Galatians chapter two, we see Paul confront Peter. Why? Because Peter usually ate with the Gentiles, but he shied away from eating with the Gentiles once the Judaizers arrived. The Judaizers, or “circumcision party”, were those who said you had to become a Jew, and that you had to be circumcised to be saved, or at least to become an advanced Christian. Peter knew this wasn’t true, but he was trying to avoid confrontation, or trying not to look bad in their eyes. Paul calls it fear. It wasn’t that he changed his beliefs, but his convictions were not strong enough and he was avoiding trouble for himself. He wasn’t going to tell the Gentiles they had to be circumcised, he just wanted to avoid having to deal with the Judaizers, and he wanted to stay with the cool crowd, as it were.

This conduct was not in accordance with the truth of the Gospel however, and Paul marched right over to that other table and told Peter off! The Gospel applied to lunch.

Let’s apply the Gospel lesson learned in the lunchroom standoff to our lives today. Do you avoid other Christians when you see them out while you are with your “cool” friends? Do you believe the Gospel truth that there is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus (Galatians 3:28 – ESV)? Or do you still separate from those who don’t dress the way you do, look the way you do, have the same social status as you, aren’t as smart as you, or aren’t the same color as you? We could go on and on, but you get the point. The Gospel means we don’t set the boundaries, God does.

Now that you have learned an elementary lesson, you may ask, “How do we learn to bring the Gospel to bear on all of our life?” Keep reading the Bible and asking questions. Pray for God to show you. As you read and pray for this, God will show you in your life experience just how central the Gospel is. It is as necessary as eating your daily bread.


“Living For Today With An Eye For Tomorrow”©

11 comments:

Even So... said...

Did you read the whole post? Was it what you expected when you started?

donsands said...

The photo threw me off.

Good post. The good news of God is absolutely as much a part of our life as breathing is.

But at times I do forget that. Thanks for the reminder.

Anonymous said...

Umm, yes, it was exactly what I expected. But I had the personal version too.
Is good, JD.
When I see you on the following Thursday ask me what happened the morning of the Wedding... :|

Craver Vii said...

Your message overlaps nicely with a book I'm reading now called Gracism.

Boy, that's a scary face. I like yesterday's better. That was you Simpsonized, right? Here's me.

Marcian said...

Indeed, the gospel applies to ALL of our lives, including how we handle the little things (like stress, when to answer the phone, eating lunch, driving, being employed in the secular workforce...) If we are indeed being sanctified, the truth of the gospel applied to every little decision. It can sometimes cause us temporal grief in MANY of those areas (okay, ALL of them). People may not understand our motives and be angry with us. People MAY understand our motives and be angry with us. The point is to keep our eyes on the cross, to live our life as a journey toward heaven, with as much anticipation as we can possibly have of what we are waiting for (or what is waiting for us).

Halfmom, AKA, Susan said...

I think that's one of the things that I like the most about the gospel - it all applies to all of life. If there's not a specific command, there are plenty of principles that will still apply and allow us to know how to live.

As to "if you believe it, why don't you do it?" I think for me sometimes it's a matter of, "I believe Lord, forgive me my unbelief". My faith is sometimes weak and wavering - and sometime rock solid. So, it depends on the day as to how well my life actually matches up with my theology - the stronger my faith in the character of God, the more likely that I'm very close to being who my theology says I should be.

Even So... said...

Of course, the great thing about the Gospel is that even when we fail Him, He still won't fail us...and THAT is living out the Gospel as well...

donsands said...

"He still won't fail us'

The promise to live for. What a Savior!

Funny, when we understand His promise, and know His love, (which is beyond knowing), we then are "living". Until then, we are just existing.

Even So... said...

INDEED!!!

Even So... said...

The Gospel applies to all of life, without it there is no Life, Jesus said I am the Way the Truth and the Life...God IS the Gospel...

Even So... said...

9-21-07