There’s always one thing we’d rather not put on the table when God asks us to give something up—and we usually know exactly what it is. In Luke 18, a rich man walks away from Jesus grieving because that one thing is precisely what Jesus names, and the disciples’ stunned question in response—”then who can be saved?”—turns out to be our question too.
Most of us have something we’d rather not put on the table before God—something we’re holding just tightly enough that we hope He won’t notice. In Luke 18, a ruler who has kept the commandments since his youth comes to Jesus asking what he still must do to inherit eternal life, and Jesus names exactly the one thing he isn’t ready to hear.
It’s easy to look across the room and thank God we’re not like that person—the failure, the compromiser, the obvious sinner. In Luke 18, Jesus tells a parable to confront such self-righteousness in us.
Pastor Tim provides an update about our new sermon series and special Sunday school class tonight along with a brief look at our next catechism question (“Since we are redeemed by grace alone, through faith alone, where does this faith come from?”) and accompanying Scripture.
We’ve all held something we couldn’t restore—a plan, a relationship, a season of life that’s gone dry—and kept clenching it anyway, as if sheer will might put flesh back on the bone. Naomi knew that feeling: she went away full and came back empty, and the Book of Ruth shows what God does with that kind of emptiness.
Pastor Tim takes us to the question “Since we are redeemed by grace alone, through Christ alone, must we still do good works and obey God’s Word?” from the New City Catechism. We all need to think about what it means to have faith in the only one who can offer us true salvation.
Greg takes us to the question “Should those who have faith in Christ seek their salvation through their own works, or anywhere else?” from the New City Catechism. We all need to think about what it means to have faith in the only one who can offer us true salvation.
Pastor Tim takes us to the question “What do justification and sanctification mean?” from the New City Catechism. We all need to think about what it means to have faith in the only one who can offer us true salvation.
Melanie takes us to the question “What Do We Believe by True Faith?” from the New City Catechism. We all need to think about what it means to have faith in the only one who can offer us true salvation.
Greg takes us to the question “What is Faith in Jesus Christ?” from the New City Catechism. We all need to think about what it means to have faith in the only one who can offer us true salvation.