Some Thoughts after Communion Last Night

Unworthy. That’s what I am. That’s what we all are because of this sin that plagues our every thought and deed. We do not deserve, happiness, peace, liberty, life, forgiveness, and so on. All that we deserve is just punishment by a Holy God for our infinitely offensive sins. We don’t even deserve the air that we breathe.

And no matter how hard we try, there’s nothing we can do to change that for everything that we do is tainted by sin. In and of ourselves, we stand justly condemned and helpless to do anything about it.

But I’m so glad that’s not the end of the story.

This is only the terrifying prologue that sets the stage for the most beautiful story ever told. If you haven’t gotten past the prologue yet, this is the rest of the story: God sent His perfect Son to take on flesh, and He, who was like us yet without sin, took the punishment that by all rights was ours and justly deserved by us to give us more than we could ever imagine, hope or attain.

And all of this for His glory so that one day all those that find their greatest joy and fulfillment in God- people of every tribe and tongue- will gather around the throne and sing together with one voice,

“Worthy is the Lamb, who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and praise!” (Rev. 5:12)

This is the outstanding beauty of the Gospel, not that was anything in us worthy of being rescued from condemnation, but that He who was worthy and who is worthy of all glory and honor and praise and life everlasting chose to take our place so that we would not suffer our just punishment, but live forever in the eternal joy of God. Praise the Lord for sending His Son! Worthy is the Lamb that was Slain!

Looking Back

As the New Year approaches, most of us look forward to what we want to happen in the coming year. But before we look ahead, let us look back on this past year and what God has done in the year 2008.

For me, I know that God has blessed me immensely in this past year. Here a few ways in which He did:

1. God provided a way for me to attend Together for the Gospel and listen to men of God preach and exhort brothers and sisters in Christ to be more faithful and keep the Gospel the center of their lives.

2. God allowed me to meet my dear friend Christopher Hukkeri, a native missionary to Belgaum, India, and I was able to learn from him. Christopher has endured much for the sake of the Gospel and has strove to spread the Good News of Jesus Christ every where he has gone (I will be posting more about this soon). Also, see his experience with T4G here (You will need to scroll down to see his story).

3. God led me to preach my first sermon, based off of John Piper’s sermon, How the Supremacy of Christ Creates Radical Christian Sacrifice.

4. God has taught me through many different media, not least being books which I have been blessed with in abundance.

5. God brought my girlfriend and I together and has been growing us together for His glory.

Praise God for all the great things He has done and all He is going to do. I look forward to another year of growing closer with Him.

10 Things I’m Thankful for

1. God’s wondrously undeserved grace in my life

2. A family that loves the Lord

3. A beautiful and godly girlfriend

4.A Church that’s more like family than anything else

5.Friends that are counter-cultural

6. The mentoring of older men and women in the faith

7. Faithful preaching of the Word from men such as John Piper and my pastor, Mike Horner

8.Laughter

9.Music and art

10.The change of seasons (it keeps me from getting bored)