"From Messed Up to Filled Up"

We've spent some time discussing man's chief end - "to give glory to God and enjoy Him forever." This week, we'll study Romans 3:27 - 5:11, where Paul focuses on man's Faith, which results in Peace with God, which then convinces us of God's Love - even while we were dead in our sins. The big "Aha!" this week is the answer to the question: "What do I do with that?"

A question as we prepare for worship and fellowship this Sunday:
Is God...
... your Friend?
... your Boss?
... your Father?

Indeed, the Bible calls Jesus a friend of sinners. But it's clear we're not to see him solely as a "friend". We simply can't stop there. A "friend" can be very nice, attentive, and loving in many ways, but friends fall short of perfection, obviously.

Some of us see God as the "Big Man in the Sky," treating him like a boss, in many respects. As long as we do what the boss wants, we're accepted and we receive rewards for our actions, behavior, and yes, even how we represent the boss to outsiders.
Still others see God as Father. And this is where Paul directs our attention in Romans 4 and 5.

His point: God's Fatherly love trumps all other thoughts of God. His impartiality is clearly seen in Paul's "Big Aha!" moment in 5:8, that "God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us."

This is such wonderful news for the unbeliever! But it is also FRESH news for the believer! So many of us have had such poor models of what true love looks like, we can't fathom the idea that God's love is free, no strings attached, not rewards-based. To "sit back and be loved" by God is, quite honestly, a foreign concept in our culture. We are a culture of DOERS, and often in the process, we fail to soak in the love of God He so desires us to freely receive. Soak it in, church! God's love is FREE.

Please take about 3 minutes and read Exodus 33:12-18 in it's proper context as you prepare for Sunday's teaching. I pray God reveals His infinite love to you!

See you Sunday!