Happy Thanksgiving. I hope that each of you have a fantastic day and that you truly observe the day for what it was meant for…Thanksgiving. You know, most of our current holidays are just the opposite, meaning that we observe them for something other than what they were truly meant to celebrate. Think about it. Today hundreds of millions of Americans will overeat, and watch football on TV as they nap on the couch. If asked, we’ll say we’re thankful for our family and our material possessions. Where is God? There were 500 original pilgrims at Jamestown the first winter and only 60 lived through that winter. It was a bitter winter of starvation. Watching your loved ones die before your eyes, not able to give them food. Those that lived were truly thankful. Not for feasting or football, but to Almighty God for sparing their lives. When the crops came in, they had true Thanksgiving. I hope today that as you and your family gather around the bounty of food that has been gathered, that you will say a prayer to God. That you will say a prayer as heart felt as the ones the Pilgrims said at that treasured, life-giving meal. A prayer thanking God for real life. You see God offers us life beyond the physical. His Son Jesus Christ offers us real life, life in the presence of our Lord for eternity. My friends, we have oh, so much to be thankful for today. Spend time today and reflect. Spend time to TRULY give thanks to God for the life that He has so bountiful provided through His son Jesus Christ.
Today we look at Galatians chapter 3. You could pretty much call this the “Paul talks about Mosaic law versus Faith to the Galatians” chapter. Not a great Hollywood blockbuster title but well, that’s pretty much what it is. Today the ‘Mosaic Law’ seems, well, a little outdated. I mean it is a couple of thousand years old right? When I was new to God’s Word this whole concept of Law vs. Faith really just confused the pants off me. This is a great chapter to look at for explanation. I hope today we might discover a few ‘aha’ moments.
First let’s look at the big picture. What’s really wrong with the Law? Aren’t the Ten Commandments good? I mean didn’t God give them directly to Moses to give to the people? How can anything from God be bad? Well, the law IS good, I mean it’s from God. Here’s the kicker with the Law…a set of laws are only good if you can keep them. Whats the point of our society having 100 laws if they can only really enforce 20? (gun laws, right?) You see, the Law would require that we be perfect in order to keep all of them. How many perfect people have you met in your lifetime? I mean really, answer that question. Have you ever known ANYBODY in your life that had never lied? Cheated? Stolen? Judged? Gossiped? Hated? Coveted? What about committed adultery? You say, WHOA Dan, you can’t say that, my parents are saints and have been loyal for 50 years. Well, did you know that Jesus says if you LOOK at another with lust in your heart you have already committed the sin of adultery? You see the mere evil thought is enough to break the law.
So now you’re saying, “well, Dan then it’s impossible for anybody that has ever lived to keep the Law!” BINGO! This is exactly where we want to be, smack dab in the middle of chapter 3’s argument. So, if the Law is unkeepable (is that a word?) then why even have it? Well, I’ve heard it called a mirror that reflects back a truly accurate image of who we are. When you look into the mirror of the Law you see someone looking back at you that cannot possibly live up to the standard that God demands…perfection. Does God really expect us to be prefect? Well, yes. Yes He does.
Great segway Dan. So, if the Law shows me without a doubt that I am a sinner, imperfect before God and uncapable of keeping the Mosaic Law, what hope do I have? I’m so glad you asked. Your hope is summed up in the 2 most beautiful names God has ever created……Jesus Christ.
You see, God knows that we are sinners and are incapable of offering Him the perfection that He demands. Now today, our world dumbs down God to our level. We say things like, “how can a loving, forgiving God demand perfection?” I mean can’t we just do our best, live a ‘pretty good’ life and then when we die, He’ll say we did 'good enough' and let us into Heaven? Nope. Not even close.
God is righteous. God is perfect. God is light. He is Just. He cannot and will not be in the presence of sin. So let’s do the deductive reasoning on this. God cannot be in the presence of sin. Check. We are all bonafide sinners. Check. Therefore, we cannot be in the presence of God. Checkmate, that is spot on.
But never fear, this is why we should be TRULY Thankful on this Thanksgiving day. God made a way. The logical deduction we made above required God to make a way for the imperfect to be in the presence of the perfect. God made a way to ‘mask’ our sin. He sent His Son. He sent Jesus to this world to die the death of a thief. A prefect sacrifice for an imperfect people. The precious blood that flowed from Jesus’ side that day covers our sins. When we stand in front of God in Heaven, He will see the blood of His precious Son Jesus and not our sins against Him.
The Law cannot save, it was never intended to. The Law reveals our true nature and points to the Cross, to the only One that can save us from the condemnation of our sin. Our only hope of Heaven rests on the strong shoulders of Christ.
If you’ve never heard this message before, I hope it stirs within you. I hope that it makes butterflies in your stomach. This is the Spirit of God calling you. Dwell in it. Be still in it. Be quiet and listen to it. Let God speak to your heart. You can have your sins forgiven and covered today. Today can be a day like no other. Ask Jesus into your heart. Admit you’re a sinner and that only the blood He shed on the Cross that day, can cover your sins. He is a Savior, He is your Savior. Leave the regrets behind, leave the shame behind, leave the remorse behind…all the residues of sin. Today is the day. Jesus is calling you.
Oh, what a Savior, isn’t He wonderful.
Be thankful for all.
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