limitless grace, limitless demand

One of the key elements of the the parable of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10.25-37) that we looked at on Sunday, is what it requires of us.  The same could be said of the sheep and the goats in Matthew 25.  These teachings (and others we could point to) ought to cause us to bristle a bit when we cling to salvation is by grace too tightly.  Don't get me wrong.  Salvation is by grace.  It's a gift.  But salvation is also much more than assurance of our eternal destiny.  Belief is much more than intellectual or emotional ascent.  It is life change in action.  We were born again to become more like Christ in every way.  What we believe (God's saving work in Christ Jesus) ought to transform our very lives into the kind of people, in the expert in the law's own words, who love God with all of our hearts, souls, strength and minds, and love our neighbors as we love ourselves.

Sometimes, as I've said before, I have to leave things out of my sermons for the sake of time.  That was true this week, too.  As I studied and wrote, I found several gems I wanted to pass along to you.  Here they are.  Think on them.  Pray through them.  Let them do their work on you and God's Holy Spirit through them.

"One cannot define one's neighbor; one can only be a neighbor." 

- Franz Leenhardt

"The fear of works righteousness is far to exaggerated in most churches.  Would that there were an equal fear of being found inactive!  We would do better to realize that people who do not work cannot be righteous."

- Klyne Snodgrass   

"P. Jones is correct in saying that the parable exposes any religion with a mania for creeds and an anemia for deeds."

- Klyne Snodgrass referencing Peter Rhea Jones

And my personal favorite:

"The kingdom comes with limitless grace in the midst of an evil world, but with it comes limitless demand."

- Klyne Snodgrass 

Go and do likewise!

- Pastor Stacey