Romans 6:1-11

So let me get this straight. Salvation is by grace through faith: We were all once separated from God by our sin. We were all created in the image of God. But by our misdeeds we defaced that Divine image. As a result we experience alienation from our Heavenly Father.

But God sent His only begotten Son Jesus to die for our sin. Jesus died on the cross to pay the price for the sin we had committed. This payment for our sin is a gift from God offered too all without price.

It is as if each of us had a credit card and owed millions of dollars on it. The interest that was piling up on the debt alone was more than we could pay. Then someone came along and said, "I will pay off your current debt and any debt that you may incur in the future." In the same way God paid off our debt of sin and the interest and paid for any sins we may commit in the future. All we have to do is accept the gift.

Now that truly is a deal you can't refuse. But is it really that easy? I mean won't people take advantage of that kind of a deal. I can understand a store being gracious about a customer's debt so as to create customer loyalty. But won't some people just take advantage of that graciousness and not show any loyalty?

The answer is "yes!" A lot of people do take advantage of it. There are a lot of people who in an hour of need turn to God and receive grace upon grace. But then they go about their lives without any customer loyalty to God. They just take the forgiveness and run.

Sometimes people call this "Cheap Grace." They accept the forgiveness and grace God offers and then they don't do anything in return. But the glorious thing is that God knows that some people will do that. God is not being gracious about our debt to create customer loyalty. He is gracious because He is gracious. God's grace is born of pure love for us. God simply does not want to see us suffer in sin. God does not want us to be separated from him. So He graciously gave his Son for our sin knowing that some people would take advantage of His goodness.

The story goes that a church was involved in a ministry of providing food for the needy during the holidays. One day the youth and adults of the church went out to the homes of these needy people to deliver the food. Later they came back together to talk about the experience. The stories were many and varied. Some of them told stories of people who were truly grateful. They spoke of people who went on and on thanking them. They told of people who jumped up and down and praised God and hugged the church members. But others told stories of people who barely said a word and didn't seem to care at all. Some just sat there and didn't even greet the people bringing the food. One gruffly said, "Just put it on the table. They were delivering the same quality food to all the people. The difference was how the people responded. Some took the gift for granted. Some took the gift in gratitude.

It's that way with God's gifts. Some people take it for granted. They accept forgiveness and then don't think twice about it. While others receive the gift in gratitude. They thank God and praise God. They look for way to serve God and glorify God out of their gratitude. The same gift is given to all - new life, forgiveness, and reconciliation with our Heavenly Father! The difference is how people react.

How will you react? Will you receive the gift of grace and take it for granted? Or will you accept the gift and take it in gratitude?

God offers forgiveness and salvation to all without payment. And some receive it without even saying thank you. We call that "Cheap Grace." But if you think about it, it is not cheap at all. Sure it costs you and me nothing. But it cost God a lot.

God gave his only begotten son Jesus who freely chose to die a painful and humiliating death on a cross for our sin. Here was the prince of creation who had dwelt eternally in the heavens. He was a participant in the creation of the world. And he chose to take the limited form of a human. Then he chose to die for me.

God offers us forgiveness and grace without payment. It is a gift. But it is not a cheap gift. It is a gift that cost God the ultimate price!

In his letter to the Romans Paul spend the first five chapters basically making the case for salvation by grace through faith. This salvation is a gift of God's grace that we accept through faith. Then he opens chapter 6 by saying, "1. What then are we to say? Should we continue in sin in order that grace may abound?" The Message paraphrases that as, "So what should we do? Keep on sinning so that God can keep forgiving?" That is the way some people react.

So what should we do? Paul exclaims, "How can we who died to sin go on living in it?" Then he reminds us of the great sacrifice God made for us; how Jesus died for us. He concludes, "So you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus."

Jesus died for you. He graciously paid your debt of sin with his very blood. How will you react? Will you take it for granted or take it in gratitude? Will you keep on sinning or will you seek to live according to God's will? Will you ignore the needs of others or will you follow the example of Christ and graciously offer God's love to all?

Knowing how costly grace was for God, how can we then treat it as cheap?

Matthew 10:24-39

I want us to think about a question today: Are you a disciple, or just a Christian? You might say, "Well, aren't all Christians disciples?" I might of said the same thing before I started preparing this sermon. But the description of a disciple given in these verses from Matthew make me wonder. A Christian is anyone who has accepted Christ as their Lord and Savior. But most Christians don't live up to the qualities of discipleship described here.

Well hold on, does that mean that if we don't live up to these standards we're not saved. No, that would be a salvation dependent upon our works and the Bible is clear that salvation is by grace through faith. Jesus said, "For God so love the world that He gave His only begotten so that whosoever believeth in him shall have eternal life."(John 3:16) But there are a lot of people who have truly put their faith in Jesus Christ as their Savior who do not live up to these standards of discipleship described in Matthew. It isn't that they are not saved, it's that they got saved and stopped. They through that's all there was to the Christian life. They accepted Christ but never heard the call to grow in Christ; to learn and follow. In other words to be a disciple.

Perhaps an analogy would explain this better. Jesus said, "Surely you must be born again to see the kingdom of heaven." When each of us gave our lives to Christ we were born again by God coming into our lives, washing away our sin, and giving us eternal life. Now as anyone knows newborns need constant attention. You have to change them and feed them and comfort them all the time. But as they grow up they begin to be able to take care of themselves. They wash and dress and feed themselves. As they become older they begin to be able to take some of the responsibility of caring for others. Well, some of us never grew up! We were born again and then we never got beyond infancy. We always want people to serve us, but we are not willing to serve others. We are Christians because we accepted Christ, but we are not disciples because we do not follow him in service.

So, to answer my question: "Are you a Disciple or just a Christian?" we have to know what a disciple is. Jesus said: "A disciple is not above the teacher."(Matt. 10:24) By definition a disciple is a student who learns at the feet of a teacher. The students of course learn from the teacher and don't try to tell the teacher what is right. Many Christians try to turn it the other way around. They try to tell Jesus how things should be instead of just sitting and listening to him. That's why people are constantly finding ways to use the Bible to justify all kinds of sinful practices. You can find people who will quote Bible verses in justification of everything from living in sin to racism.

Jesus also said, "the slave is not above the Master."(Matt. 10:24) If Jesus is the Lord of our lives then he is the one that we obey. And Jesus has every right to order us around. If Jesus truly wanted to, he could make us do whatever he commands. But instead Jesus chooses to call us to obey not force us to obey.

But then Jesus says, "It is enough for the disciples to be like the teacher, and the slave like the master. If they call the master of the house Beelzebul, how much more will they malign those of his household!"(10:25) You know Jesus is God Almighty, but he chose to become like us so that he could make us more like him. He stooped to our weakness and reached down to us. He even took on the role of a slave and washed his disciples dirty feet. You know the problem today is that people aren't willing to serve. We live in a culture were people want to be served but they won't serve others. Most people come to church with the attitude, "What can I get out of it" instead of "What can I give to it." But Jesus set a different example: he, who had every right to be served, chose to serve. Do we think we are better than him that we should come into his Father's house and demand service? And if it was God's good will that Jesus should die on a cross, should we complain when we face our little hardships in life.

The first characteristic of a disciple is that they are servants, and the second is that they don't fear persecution. Jesus said, "Have no fear of them."(Matt. 10:26) Why? Because they can only hurt your body, but God can preserve your soul unto eternal life.(Matt. 10:28) God cares for us infinitely and will take care of us. Our Heavenly Father has even numbered the hairs on our heads. He takes notice when even a sparrow falls, how much more will he notice and respond when we are in danger. Jesus concludes, "Everyone therefore who acknowledges me before other, I also will acknowledge before my Father in heaven; but whoever denies me before others, I also will deny before my Father in heaven."(Matt. 10:32-33)

It is only natural to fear when threatened. It is an instinct built into us to help protect us from danger. But sometimes people are paralyzed by fear. Because of fear we do not do what we are called to do. Sometimes people even do what they know is wrong because they are afraid.

In the early church many people denied Christ because they were afraid of the Romans. But there were some who did not fear those who could burn the body but who could not touch the soul. One of these was Polycarp, an elderly bishop who lived in the 2nd century A.D. During one of the persecutions he was arrested and they threatened him with death unless he cursed Christ. Polycarp replied, "86 years I have served him, and he never did me any wrong. How can I blaspheme my King who saved me."

Most of us will never face death. But we are given chances every day to either confess or deny Christ. In the way we live our lives and the way we talk we do one or the other. Do we speak up for the helpless and needy, or do we keep silent when they are downtrodden. Do we read the Bible and pray daily, or do we neglect time with our Lord. Do we love and serve our neighbor and our enemy or do we neglect the former and despise the latter. We may not have a Roman soldier putting a sword to out back and saying curse Christ or die, but many of us curse Christ daily through our neglect of his will. And what did Jesus say, "whoever denies me before others, I also will deny before my Father in heaven."(Matt. 10:32-33)

A disciple is a servant. A disciple fearlessly confesses Christ. And a disciple loves God more than anything. Jesus said, "Do not think I have come to bring peace, but a sword."(Matt. 10:34) You know there are some people who will do anything to avoid conflict. I know; I am one of them. I will try to appease people and not cause a conflict. If I buy something and when I get home it is not what needed, I don't even want to take it back. I want to avoid the possibility of conflict with sales person. But the Christian life includes conflict. We are at war with the forces of darkness. Sometimes we are called to stand up and fight.

Some people love their family more than anything else. They cherish the security and warmth their family provides. They would do anything to keep from hurting their loved ones. Sometimes they would even do what they know is wrong so as not to hurt their feelings.

But Jesus said, "I have come to set a man against his father and a daughter against her mother and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law and ones foes will be members of ones own house."(Matt. 10:35) Let me tell you about the Grimkie sisters. The Grimkie sister were daughters of slave owners. They lived in a household where they were waited upon by black people who had been bought in the slave yards of Charleston. They were rocked by them, fed by them, waited on by them. Then something happened. First they offended all of their friends by becoming Quakers. Then they went against everything that they were taught was not simply necessary but right when they began to fight for the abolition of slavery. They moved to Philadelphia where they became very active in the abolitionist movement and their slave owning family was ready to disown them. These two women were popular among the abolitionists. These two very articulate young southern women were to stand and make speeches as repentant slave holders; to write pamphlets about the evils of slavery. Until they realized that it was not just black people who needed human rights. They began to speak about the rights of women and suddenly even their abolitionist friends became very suspicious.

Don't misunderstand! Peace is good, and love of family is good too. But Jesus is saying that as good as these things are God must be most important. Disciples are people who are willing to leave peace and family behind to take up a cross like their Lord.

Are you a disciple or just a Christian? It is a very important question. Have you ever grown beyond your infancy in Christ or are you still in a cradle. You could be 100 and still be an infant spiritually.

Does your life live up to the standards set by Jesus? Do you seek to serve, or to be served? Do you consider your opinion more than you considers Jesus'? Do you fearlessly proclaim Christ, or are you afraid to admit to your friends that you are a Christian? Are you willing to offend your neighbors or even your family to stand up for what is right?

If you are just a Christian, then I encourage you to become a disciple. Take up your cross and follow Jesus. It's not easy and you will fall, but rely on Christ to help you grow. Take time to read his Word and to talk to him in prayer and he will guide you.

And if you are a disciple take heart in Christ's words. Remember that he has numbered the hairs on your head and he is watching over you. And when you appear before your Maker, Jesus will acknowledge that you were his disciple.

Genesis 21:8-21

"Father Abraham had many sons, many sons had father Abraham." Well, that is what the song says. When we think of Father Abraham and his sons we think of Isaac. And one of the most famous stories is that of Abraham offering up Isaac.

You know the story. God comes to Abraham and says, "Take your son, your only son, Isaac, whom you love, and offer him up to me at a place that I will show you." And Abraham does just as the Lord commanded despite the pain that is caused him. He is ready to sacrifice Isaac when the Lord stops him and tells him to sacrifice in place of his son a ram that has providentially gotten caught in a thicket near by.

But that was not the first time Abraham offered up one of his sons at God's command. It is true that Father Abraham had many sons, "I am one of them and so are you," but Issac was not his first son. In a sense the story today tells how Abraham offered up his first born son, Ishmael, at God's command.

The story actually starts several chapters earlier. God calls old man Abraham and his barren wife Sarah to go where he leads. And God promises that they will have descendants. But years pass and Sarah is not getting any younger. She is already twice the life expectancy for a woman in her century. So she decides to help God's plan along.

She gives Abraham her servant Hagar to be his wife. And old man Abraham has a son by this young wife. But that was not God's plan. As well intentioned as Sarah was, it would not do. It is nothing for an old man to have a son by a young wife; it happens all the time. God wanted to perform a miracle and cause old barren Sarah herself to bear Abraham a son.

So Sarah finally does have a son and she names him Isaac which means laughter. And Abraham dearly loved both his sons. But there is a problem, and Sarah notices it when they are celebrating the weaning of Isaac. In their day most children died in infancy so when a child was weaned they celebrated because it had survived those early years. But Sarah saw Ishmael playing with Isaac and she realized that Ishmael was the elder son. That gave him a right to a larger share of the Father's inheritance. In other words before long old man Abraham would die and her servant's son would be her son's master. So Sarah asked Abraham to send Ishmael and his mother away.

The Bible says that this matter was very distressing to Abraham on account of his son. Sarah wanted Abraham to send Hagar and Ishmael away, to cast them out of their family. This would mean in essence disowning his first born son and sending them to fend for themselves in an uncertain world. Abraham loved his son Ishmael and did not want to abandon him, possibly leaving him to die. But he probably realized that Isaac was the child of promise.

To solve this dilemma Abraham turned to God. Probably to Abraham's dismay, God told him to do as Sarah wished. But God promised to care for the boy. God said that He would watch over Ishmael and make a great nation out of him on account of Abraham.

So early in the morning Abraham gathered Hagar and the boy and sent them off. Bible scholars point out that the description of that morning parallels the description of Abraham setting out to sacrifice Isaac a few chapters later. In a sense Abraham is sacrificing his eldest son to do what God has told him to. We are told that God did care for Ishmael and even sent an angel to protect and provide just as God had promised. We speak of Israel as the descendants of Abraham but the Moslem world claims to be Abraham's descendants too by Ishmael.

Since today is Father's Day, I thought that a nice safe story about Father Abraham would make for a good sermon. But this story of Father Abraham is hardly safe or easy to deal with. Good old Father Abraham's family hardly corresponds to any 20th century ideal of a nuclear family. And what does this business of sending his son off say in a society of deadbeat Dads. We have an epidemic of so called "fathers" who physically, financially, emotionally, and or spiritually abandon their children. And what does this story of Father Abraham tell us about the Fatherhood of God!

Putting all that aside, the overwhelming lesson that I believe comes out of this story is Abraham's trust in God. Abraham didn't want to send off his first born son Ishmael. Every indication we have is that he loved Ishmael as much as Isaac. Sarah's suggestion that he send Ishmael away grieved Abraham because he loved him. Yet because it was God's will Abraham did it. He trusted that God would take care of and bless Ishmael.

And what of the Fatherhood of God? It shows us that God keeps his promises. God promised to bless Ishmael because of Abraham and God did. God sent his angels to preserve and protect Ishmael and Hagar even thought they did not fit into God's original plan. This story shows us that God doesn't abandon the unwanted and "inconvenient" people of our world.

Being a father, or a mother for that fact, is like this story. It is not neat and easy, and there are difficult decisions to be made. The solutions that seem the best often are not. And I certainly feel for God because even the best people he could find, Abraham and Sarah, managed to mess up God's plans. I just wonder how much we complicate God's plans for our children?

But this story shows us that God will take care of those who turn to Him. So like Abraham we should turn to God with our messy problems and our difficult decisions and trust him to guide us. And we can rest sure in the truth that God cares for and blesses his children.

Since today is Father's Day, I could give the father's here a lot of advice. I could tell you how to do this or do that. But it would all pale in comparison to this one piece of advice: just trust the Lord; and that is good advice for everyone here whether they are fathers or not. Just go to God with your difficulties, decisions, and questions. God didn't steer Father Abraham wrong and He won't steer you wrong either.

top of this page