You ARE Great

I had several positive comments last week about the sermon. That surprised me a bit as I was trying to cram a lot into a very short time. I thought it might have been a bit incoherent. One lady said it almost made her cry. I am not sure why. Convicting? Encouraging? I didn’t think it was a crying sermon. I’m guessing it made her feel bad, or maybe Holy Spirit convicted. I hope the latter and trust that is good. Someone else jokingly told me “Can’t you just tell us how great we are?” He was expressing gratitude for me speaking the truth about our own sinfulness so that it pushes us towards Jesus. And I trust that is good, too.

         But here’s the thing and the tension for a preacher. You ARE great. Our Father in Heaven thinks so. His love for you existed while you were yet in your sins. If He thinks you are great enough to send His Son to die for you, then I ought to think that, too. And I do! But that does not, at all, discount the need for a proper look at ourselves as sinners and the need to turn to Jesus in confession and repentance.

         And turning to Jesus in confession and repentance does not change the fact that Our Father in Heaven loves you. He loved you while you were still a mess of sin. He loves you while you are still of mess of sin. It is His lavish love that draws you to Himself, that holds out life to you through His Son, that sends His Spirit to you to comfort you, sustain you, call you back, lead you, guide you, humble you, exalt you, sanctify you and bless you.

         What a privilege it is for me to have a role in speaking His great promises to a people that are beloved by my Father in Heaven. I hope you feel honored and blessed in His presence. He thinks you are His wonderful children and He is very proud of how you are turning out as you keep turning to Him. And I always agree with my Father in Heaven.