Obstacles to the Life of Grace

Introduction

Please open your Pilgrim’s Guide to page 42 and pray with me at the top of the page.

Come Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of your faithful and kindle in us the fire of your love. Send forth Your Spirit and we shall be created, and You shall renew the face of the earth.

Oh God, who by the light of the Holy Spirit instructs the hearts of the faithful, grant, that by the same Holy Spirit we may be truly wise and ever rejoice in His consolations. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.

Good Morning! My name is Pastor Chuck Benway, I made Western North Carolina Via De Cristo Mixed # 20 in the Fall of 2004, where I sat with my brothers in Christ at the table of St. Mark. This time I am blessed to be seated at the Table of…

The title of this talk is “Obstacles to the Life of Grace”.

We have seen that God’s love for us is habitual - it is part of God’s nature. God has revealed in Christ this permanent, personal, unconditional love relationship with us. Our piety and study can deepen this relationship each day.

We have considered how God continues to make His grace available to us to strengthen our resolve to live as Christians.

We have realized that to remain vital our faith has to be active in love.

All this grace talk! If God really loves us so much and literally showers us with so much grace, why isn’t it a reality in everyone’s life? Good question - and that’s what this talk this afternoon is about. Obstacles - Obstacles to Grace.

According to Webster’s, an obstacle is “anything that gets in the way or hinders”. It need not be insurmountable, but it can discourage and distract from moving ahead”.

Think for a minute of some of the obstacles some familiar figures faced:

-Don Quixote’s windmill;

-Abraham and Lot trying to settle Palestine (water, pasture, dividing of territory);

-Moses, and the people of Israel facing the Red Sea;

-Noah and his ark (naysayers, animals, sewage).

Then, think for a minute of some of the obstacles you have faced in the past:

-Perhaps you have faced unemployment

-or, maybe a medical / physical challenge

-the loss of a loved one, child or spouse

-or, addiction, divorce, financial issues; you name it

We have all come through some minor or major disaster in our lifetimes. I has been said that there are only three states of being: You’re either in the middle of a crisis, coming out of a crisis or going into a crisis! Seems that way doesn’t it!?

In this talk we will stare down the ultimate obstacle, for which we ourselves are responsible: and that is SIN.

I. God’s Plan - let’s talk for a minute about how God intended things to be.

A. God’s ideal

1) A perfect creation (Genesis 1)- we read in Genesis how God created everything out of nothing; the land, seas, ski, planets, stars, sun, moon, plants and animals and such; and He said it was “good”

2) Humankind - then He created Adam and Eve, created in God’s image: free, thinking, caring, compassionate, loving, spiritual, rational; and He said it was “VERY good”)

And, then God does something unique, very special...

B. God gives the creation into our care and safe-keeping

1) God gave everything - not only did He give us the plants and animals and the like, He gave us our very existence, personality; He gave us the world!

2) God placed us into the world to enjoy it - He didn’t put us here to assume its ownership. But, we act like it sometimes, don’t we?!

3) God gave natural, physical laws to which all creation is subject - the laws of physics, biology and other sciences; these are all things we can and seek to understand; they govern our well-being.

C. God’s intent was to live in relationship with humankind - to a large extent, that is what our faith is built upon

- In Genesis - God “walks in the garden”

1) Established some “spiritual” laws to govern our relationship with him - they were gifts, not burdens; life in grace depends upon them - St. Augustine understood it: “My heart is restless, O God, until it finds it’s rest in Thee!”

III. Our Sin - stands in the way of this satisfying relationship and life

A. Definition - an acrostic, Self Inflicted Nonsense

1)Disobedience to God

We speak of these spiritual laws that He gave us, aka, the Ten Commandments. To the mature believer these are what is referred to as “Spiritual Milk”. Much like an infant cannot stomach solid food, a new believer needs something to start with, a foundation to build upon. These are guidelines while we grow in the faith, becoming second nature at spiritual maturity. Jesus summed them up in Matthew 22:35-40 as loving God and loving each other. When we learn to love, really love, like He taught us, we obey God.

2)Doing what we want to do rather than what God wants.

The Cadet Prayer at West Point says this, “Make us to choose the harder right instead of the easier wrong and never to be content with a half-truth when the whole can be won.”

St. Paul says in Romans 7:18-19 “18 For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh. For I have the desire to do what is right, but not the ability to carry it out. 19 For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I keep on doing.”

How many times have you had the “morning after” effect? You look back on the previous day / night and regret something / everything you did. What do you do?

3)Placing ourselves at the center of the universe - wanting to be equal with God (goes right back to the garden)

Has anyone here read the book, done the Bible study around the book by Kyle Idleman “gods at war”? The title word, god, is spelled with a small “g”, for a good reason. He refers to all of the competing things in our lives that we allow to supplant Jesus on the throne of our lives. These gods we must dethrone. The most prevalent of these gods, and the hardest to deal with, is the “god of self”. We just simply want to be in control, don’t we? It is the highest form of idolatry! It is original sin! Jesus is the only rightful heir to the throne of our lives!

B. Sin as Obstacle - whatever keeps us from being what we truly are, were meant to be.

1) Forgetting that we are creatures of God

Adam forgot - since I was a kid growing up in church I believed that Eve sinned and tricked Adam. As I studied further I discovered that that fool was standing right next to Eve all the while she was listening to the serpent. He should have smacked that apple out of her hand and that serpent upside the head! He had a choice to make: his woman or God. We all know what happened, God help us!

Peter forgot, and he was right there with Jesus for 3 years, seeing it all go down. One minute Peter is proclaiming Jesus as the Son of God, the next, forbidding Jesus from fulfilling His mission. One minute we’re cheering Peter on, the next, Uugghh, not again! How do you not see it Peter?

I forgot. Even though I was brought up in church, I never really developed a relationship with Jesus. I never built that firm foundation. We / I was just “doing church”. Once out on my own, the governor came off, so to speak, and my life resembled anything but that of a Christian. Oh, sure, I attended church on Sunday, even some Bible studies here and there. But my mind was elsewhere. If I wasn’t working or “doing church”, my mind, and my life, was in the gutter! Until a series of unfortunate events led me to some Godly men that the Lord placed in my path. Thank God for that miracle! When I look back, I wonder how I got so far into the weeds, so far off the beaten path. The musical group Casting Crowns wrote a song that really answers that question. The song is entitled, “Slow Fade”. Some of the lyrics go like this:

Be careful little eyes what you see. It’s the second glance that ties your hands as darkness pulls the strings. Be careful little feet where you go. For it’s the little feet behind you that are sure to follow. {Did you hear that? Someone may be watching you; someone is always watching!}

Be careful little ears what you hear. When flattery leads to compromise, the end is always near. Be careful little lips what you say. For empty words and promises lead broken hearts astray.

It’s a slow fade, when you give yourself away. It’s a slow fade, when black and white have turned to gray. And thoughts invade, choices made, a price will be paid, when you give yourself away. People never crumble in a day, it’s a slow fade.

Jesus said in Matthew 15:16-18, 16 “Are you also still without understanding? 17 Do you not see that whatever goes into the mouth passes into the stomach and is expelled? 18 But what comes out of the mouth proceeds from the heart, and this defiles a person.” How did that information get in there in the first place?

It is through our senses of sight and hearing that we receive sinful input. We have to guard these with extreme prejudice. Once those images and sounds are there, they cannot be undone, cannot be unseen or unheard. It is there to be referenced, FOREVER! It’s like the card file in a library. Oh, I’m sorry, I’m dating myself! It’s like “Google”, you can reference it at will. After awhile, you don’t need any additional input to go down those dark paths. I know. I’m speaking from experience!

2) Being unwilling to be who we are

The Pharisees tried to live life so perfectly they built walls around themselves. They were imperfect human beings trying to be something they were not. We like to call this “putting on airs”. When you try to do this, what inevitably happens? You eventually get found out, don’t you; and it’s embarrassing! Not only that, what else is it? It’s exhausting!

The main point here, though, is that we are unwilling to be who we are in Christ, Children of God! Somehow we don’t think it’s cool. I’m here to tell you that your life will somehow never be right until you give up and give God your whole heart and live for Him! Also speaking from experience!

3) Being afraid to be who we are

“I tried, I failed, it’s no use” - remember the old saying, “If at first you don’t succeed, try, try again.”? It’s true!

Dale Carnegie once said, “Most of the important things in the world have been accomplished by people who have kept on trying when there seemed to be no hope at all.”

Thomas Edison once said, “I have not failed 10,000 times—I've successfully found 10,000 ways that will not work.”

So, what are we afraid of again?

4) Not caring who or whose we are

Now, this is a real problem, apathy. This either leads to depression or arrogance. Both are extreme and real issues. Where depression can lead to suicide, the other is equally destructive. Both can destroy the person and those that love them. Again, self-centered and selfish. The person caught up in this just can’t seem to see it as it is. This is where I found myself!

C. Sin’s environment (The Terrible Trinity)

1) The Devil - the personification of the forces of evil that tempt us, but we still decide. We cannot say, “the Devil made me do it”. Anyone a fan of Carol Burnett? Sometimes she would say, “Get thee behind me Satin and push!” Funny, but not funny, when you think about it!

2) The World - the mores and ethics of society are opposed to the Word.

Things have seemingly gone crazy. We seem to be more concerned with saving the whales than saving babies.

More concerned about the rights of animals than of humans

What is revered today (worshipped, if you will)? Power, money, success, possessions, notoriety…No other gods before me!

Purity of Speech. How often do we hear things from our elected officials even that tear down and do not build up? How often do we follow suit? Monday evening Building 429 came to Hickory and led worship at “Celebrate the Harvest” for Safe Harbor. Their name is derived from Ephesians 4:29, “29 Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear.”

3) The Flesh - that rebellious part of us rejects God’s claim upon us

Whenever we hear the word flesh, we immediately turn to sexuality don’t we? But, it also includes anything that would be considered a worldly desire.

How about pornography? Although not illegal and, if you really want it, there is enough of it free that you would never have to spend a cent, but those who partake still act in the shadows. The real problem with pornography is that it degrades the object of desire, male / female, and robs the very soul of the viewer. Most viewers refuse to admit it to be a problem, just like any addict would. I was once told by someone who God had freed of this that, “It was the most difficult addiction I ever dealt with, and I have done them all.” What did Jesus say in Matthew 5:27-28, “27 “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ 28 But I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lustful intent has already committed adultery with her in his heart.” Same goes the other way around. This is becoming a real issue for women as well.

Personal Financial Stewardship - how well do we manage our household finances? Are we spending too much on things we really don’t need and not saving enough? Are we carrying too much debt, debt at all? Are we giving back to God like we should? How is this affecting our charitable endeavors?

As a financial advisor, I see this sort of thing all the time. Thrivent is affectionately known as the “Generosity Company”. We like it by the way! Every day I see someone who would not bat an eye at going in debt $30-40-50,000 for an auto but, at the same time, balk at giving more to their church, much less to someone in need. Proverbs 22:7 says, “7 The rich rules over the poor, and the borrower is the slave of the lender.” Trust me when I say that is a burden that will rob you of things, of your joy!

D. Our sinful self as the obstacle

1) Personal sin is real.

It is part of our rebellion

It’s in our very nature.

Romans 5:12 says “12 ...sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men because all sinned—”

The multiplication effect is that evil in the world results from ours and everyone else’s sin magnified, exponentially.

How many times throughout history have we seen this? One person’s ideas are taken up by many and perpetuated on the masses: Hitler, Marx, Muhammed (Radical Islam), Tribal Chiefs in Africa, Iran, Iraq, Afghanistan...

Christianity is not immune either. Remember the Crusades, the Spanish Inquisition?

God didn’t create sin, but has given us the answer to its power over us. That, my friends is good news!

IV. God’s remedy

A. Jesus Christ’s life-giving death and resurrection

1) Cleanses us from all sin - the sin we have committed, are committing, and will commit in the future.

2) Frees us to be ourselves, sinful or good - we are both saint and sinner. Have you ever seen the bumper sticker that says, “Not perfect, just forgiven”?

3) Allows us to take ourselves less seriously - we don’t have to be perfect; we will fail at it anyway! Listen, if we could have attained salvation on our own, God would not have sent Jesus to do it for us!

B. Repentance Matthew 4:17 “17 From that time Jesus began to preach, saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.””

1) Jesus came to call us to genuine repentance - not just “feeling guilty”. When we truly repent, we are grieved to our souls, falling down on our knees before a holy God, turning our backs on what we were doing and committing to never doing it again.

2) This is metanoia - a changed mind (it may not be emotional at all)

a. Causes us to reconsider our purpose and strategy for living - a new direction for our lives

b. Brings us to change our thinking - Romans 12:2 “2 Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.”

c. Stirs us to change our living patterns and choices

I recently suffered a heart attack, back in July 2020. It happened because I was literally sinning against my body, the temple of God. I was doing everything wrong you could do, eating poorly (anything I wanted) and was not getting enough exercise. Four stents later, I was faced with some choices. I am happy to say that I prayed long and hard to God and repented of ways. I have radically changed my lifestyle. I am eating like I should have been all along, like never before. I exercise 4-6 times a week. Through all of this I have been given a renewed and a new sense of purpose. God is good! All the time!

3) This is not our work - it is the work of the Holy Spirit

The Holy Spirit is that still small voice that speaks to our very souls.

C. Confession

1)We sin but we also have an answer

2)There is freedom in confession and power in absolution

3)Our sins are removed “as far as east is from the west” and “to be remembered no more”

There are those out there that believe that they can go on wantonly sinning and will be okay as long as they confess on Sunday morning and ask for forgiveness. We call that “cheap grace”; and it is a lie. repentance comes from the heart, not the head.

D. Living a grace filled life (3-legged stool)

1)Live each day in an increasingly closer relationship with Christ (Piety)

2)Enrich your understanding (Study)

3)Step out in boldness to make a difference in the lives of others (Action)

All of these measures require a certain degree of intentionality on our part. It is choosing to incorporate Jesus into every aspect of our lives. It’s not really making Him a priority or giving him a slice of your daily pie, even if the largest portion. Sticking with the pie theme, Jesus would be the pie tin. The One holding it all together.

We cannot live two lives, one worldly and one for Jesus. We have to take Jesus everywhere we go; to work, to the grocery store, to the bank, to the gym (yes, I said it. You all know it!), to the doctor and hospital, and here’s a scary one…in our cars! Purposefully invite Jesus to be integral in all things: our prayers, our quiet time, our busy time, personal relationships, work relationships, our decisions.

V. Conclusion

Obstacles? What obstacles? Christ died for us and took our sin upon him when he died. As a free gift to us, he removed the only true obstacle we have to living an abundant, grace filled life - our sinful self. It was was once said, “We have met the enemy and he is us!” Jesus has defeated that enemy too! We can now truly love ourselves, we can overcome our stumbling in the light of God’s forgiveness, and we can be a part of the ministry of reconciliation for others. Sounds like a great life to me! Are you in?!

God loves you my brothers and sisters, and so do I!