called, beloved, kept. building, praying, waiting...

Do you ever go to church and not want the meeting to end?

I had that feeling today as we worshiped 
at Cornerstone Church of Knoxville.
Sweet Husband and I love gathering with the saints at CCK...
and today was especially glorious!
  
Mark Altrogge led us in praise and worship in song,
and CJ Mahaney taught us from God's Word.

This was the second Sunday in a row
that CJ Mahaney served us through preaching.
He and his family vacation each year on Douglas Lake
and CCK is blessed each year
to have him preach during that time.

Last Sunday he preached from Jude 1b.  
He encouraged us...as Jude does...
that we are called, beloved, and kept. 
All God's doing...all God's sovereign grace.

Today he preached from Jude 20-21.
He reminded us...as Jude does...
that we are to "keep ourselves in the love of God by
building our faith, praying in the Spirit, waiting for the mercy
of our Lord Jesus Christ."

He reminded  us that the assurance of God's keeping us,
as Jude writes in 1b, does not negate our responsibility.

There are indicatives in Scripture ("kept for Christ Jesus") and
there are imperatives in Scripture ("keep yourselves in the love of God").

Indicatives reveal sovereign grace.
Imperatives address personal responsibility.
DO NOT DIVORCE THE TWO!

Indicatives point to imperatives...but, don't stop there...
return and land on the indicative,
lest you reduce the gospel to legalism...
thinking that you can earn God's favor and salvation.

God saves us...God alone...and we are kept by him for Jesus.
But, until we are with him, he is kind to give us three means to 
"keep ourselves in the love of God."

1. "Building yourselves up in your most holy faith..."
     Preach the gospel to yourself!  The only way to fight the 
     condemnation of our hearts and the forebodings of our
     conscience is by seeking to master the content of the gospel...
     which is not possible in this lifetime, nor the next...
     we will spend eternity marveling 
     at the gospel and God's sovereign grace.
     God says, "Building yourselves..." plural pronoun.
     This is corporate activity.
     God did not intend for us to be islands unto ourselves.
     We need each other...we need the Body of Christ...
      the church...the Bride that Christ died for.
 
2.  "Praying in the Holy Spirit..."
      Structured times of prayer, as well as spontaneous prayers.
      Do you pray during the day?  
      In your car...at your workplace...throughout your day...
     
3.  "Waiting for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ
       that leads to eternal life..."
       What you're waiting for makes all the difference.
       As believers we should be thankful that we are 
       awaiting God's mercy...not his wrath!
       Anticipating what is to come transforms my thinking
       about what is happening presently.
       Waiting is not resignation...waiting is ANTICIPATION!

CJ told a story about a young man in Kentucky,
who scored perfect scores on the ACT and the SAT.
A reporter, in an interview with the young man, 
asked him what his "secret" was to scoring perfectly
on both college entrance exams.
The young man told him there was no "secret" at all.
He just paid attention during class.

Oh how we long for "the secret" to the effortless Christian life. 

There. is. no. such. secret. 

Yes...Christ did ALL the work required on the cross.
There is nothing I can add to his perfect sacrifice. 

But, lest our lives become like a big sink hole
that forms over time due to erosion taking place underground,
finally giving way and plunging all that appears lovely on the surface
into the depths of darkness...

where we are, even there, embraced...yea, "kept" by God's loving arms,
 
let us "keep ourselves in the love of God" by
"building ourselves up in our most holy faith...
praying in the Holy Spirit...
waiting for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ that leads to eternal life."

How do I thank You, oh Lord,
For taking my place on the cross?
And how do I thank You, oh Lord,
For all of Your mercy and kindness?
For calling me to You...
For letting me hear You...
For opening my heart to the gospel.

As long as I have breath, I will praise You!
As long as my heart beats, I will sing!
As long as life flows in my veins,
I will bless Your name!

How do I thank You, oh Lord,
For all of the love in Your eyes?
And how do I thank You, oh Lord,
For how You have changed me forever?
For giving me power, a hope and a future,
with favor and gladness and every good thing!

As long as I have breath, I will praise You!
As long as my heart beats, I will sing!
As long as life flows in my veins,
I will bless Your name!
                      (by Mark Altrogge)