Today’s reminder is from Jon Moffitt, Pastor of Grace Reformed Church in Spring Hill, TN.
Transcript:
I think James is a very passionate and very tender pastor. I think his heart has the same desire as Paul and Peter. He literally says you’ll have joy when you look to God’s sustaining power in the midst of your trial. You’ll have joy when you learn to boast in your exultation. Do you know what joy means?
Joy is non-circumstantial blessedness is how he says it. Blessed is the one who endures, meaning circumstances cannot change the satisfaction that I have. Do you know what we look for every single day? We want to be satisfied. We want to be satisfied.
That’s what joy is. Joy is ultimate satisfaction. And James says you’ll have ultimate satisfaction in Christ when you follow his truth, and you don’t wander from it. But church, if you think my instructions to you this morning are going to be “Don’t wander from the truth,” that’s not what he says. He says we’re confessing our sins to one another; we’re trusting in the power of prayer; we’re gathering. As Hebrew says, do not forsake the assembling of yourselves. Consider daily how to build one another up so that you aren’t hardened by the deceitfulness of sin. Ephesians four: when the body functions properly, it builds itself up in love. The point of it is if you think you just need to stay focused on the truth of Christ and you will not wander, you have already been deceived.
We need each other to hold up the mirror of God’s word, to hold up the truth, and to grab each other’s arms. This is why Paul says in Galatians 6:1 to bear, to hold each other’s burdens because it’s too strong for us to carry on our own. There are people in this church right now who are wandering, and they are living in so much sin.
And guess what they don’t have? They don’t have any joy. They’re trying to use the world’s system to bring safety and security and comfort, and it can’t happen. And the reason why I am so soft and tender to this is because every week, my heart often wanders. If I had a little bit more money, if I had a little bit nicer car, if I had a little bit better insurance, if we had a little bit bigger…
My heart’s desires often wander off from the truth. And we gather in here, and you all sing, “In Christ alone my hope is found.” I heard you sing that this morning, and I’m sitting here thinking, ‘They’re right. They’re right.” It’s not in wealth. It’s not in fame. It’s in Christ. Church, we need each other, for we often wander.
Everyday Grace 036
“I never knew you; depart from me,” are words in Matthew 7 many of us fear we will hear from Jesus. Should we live in fear that we will finally be rejected by Christ for not doing enough? Was that his intention? Or did he mean something else?
Are you a legalist or an antinomian? Most people would claim they are neither. But many Christians don’t know what to do with God’s law. Jon and Justin talk about the law and the gospel–and how it is Paul could say he delighted in God’s law.
“Take up your cross and follow me.” What did Jesus mean when he said that? Is he calling us to hate our wives, kids, and parents? Is he calling us to be willing to suffer anything if we are going to be his followers? Is he laying down a test of radical discipleship? Or is he calling us to something else?
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