Measuring Up - Part 1

John 12:20-26 Now there were certain Greeks among those who came up to worship at the feast. Then they came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida of Galilee, and asked him, saying, “Sir, we wish to see Jesus.” Philip came and told Andrew, and in turn Andrew and Philip told Jesus. But Jesus answered them, saying, “The hour has come that the Son of Man should be glorified. Most assuredly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it produces much grain. He who loves his life will lose it, and he who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life. If anyone serves Me, let him follow Me; and where I am, there My servant will be also. If anyone serves Me, him My Father will honor.”

Pastor Kyle continued last Sunday in our sermon series through the gospel of John. He stated that the feeling of not measuring up is a hard thing to deal with. Some people can feel that they do not measure up for going to church. The Bible clearly states in Romans 3:23 that “all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” We know that all have sinned against their “just & holy” Almighty Maker and therefore do not measure up to the godly standards of the Lord. It may feel like we are behind the bar and in the bondage of our sins, because we do not deserve God’s love, forgiveness and the glory of Heaven. We know that we have sinned and broke (and continue to break) God’s Laws and Commandments and deserve righteous punishment by Him. So, how do we belong with the reality of spiritual things and an intimate relationship with our sinless Heavenly Father and Lord?

Romans 3:21-25a “But now the righteousness of God apart from the law is revealed, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets, even the righteousness of God, through faith in Jesus Christ, to all and on all who believe. For there is no difference; for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God set forth as a propitiation by His blood, through faith.

The gospel is for everyone. God’s attribute is love and mercy, so He desires to extend His grace with an inclusive offer of forgiveness of sin and redemption. This salvation is received by “saving” faith in Christ, sent by Father God by His grace, to pay for our past, present and future sins on the Cross by Jesus, so that we measure up; freeing us from the Hell that we deserve, giving us the indwelling Holy Ghost, spiritual gifts, a regenerated spirit with a new godly heart, eternal life in Heaven and the reconciled and restored relationship as a child of God that frees our guilt and makes us worthy to go to church to worship and give glory, praise and honor to the living God and our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ for these free gifts.

Romans 6:22-23 “But now you are free from the power of sin and have become slaves of God. Now you do those things that lead to holiness and result in eternal life. For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord.”

Because of Christ, we are drawn near God. Those who seek Him, find Him when they seek Him with all their heart – Deuteronomy 4:29. Jesus made our salvation for sin, death and eternal damnation undeniable that because of His finished work of redemptive atonement, all who believe by saving faith measure up. God’s plan of salvation is available to all races, all nationalities, all wage classes, and even all political parties, all who repent of sin, believe in Christ with saving faith, and receive God’s offer. Galatians 3:28 says, “There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus. Sin dug an impasse of a great gap and built an impenetrable barrier between God and us, but Jesus bridged the gap and knocked down the wall.

Ephesians 1:22-2:1-8 “And He [father God] put all things under His [Jesus’] feet, and gave Him to be head over all things to the church, which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all. And you He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins, in which you once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience, among whom also we all once conducted ourselves in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, just as the others. But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God.”

But, there is more. Let’s continue Pastor Kyle message on “measuring up” in the next post.

In Christ, Brian