Justin Tucker, LHBC Worship Pastor
Galatians 6:14
As for me, may I never boast about anything except the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ. Because of that cross, my interest in this world has been crucified, and the world’s interest in me has also died.
Hallelujah, thank You, Jesus
I was a prisoner, now I’m not
With Your blood, You bought my freedom
Hallelujah for the cross
Have you ever met someone that, no matter what, has a story or an experience better than you? Have you ever met someone that always had to have the newest, most improved “flavor of the week” thing? Have you ever met someone that just can’t win gracefully? I’m pretty sure that all of us have met that person…I’m sure we’ve also been that person. There’s nothing wrong with wanting to be someone that can entertain a room or treat themselves to something nice that they have worked for. There’s nothing wrong with winning but there is a way to do it without dehumanizing or demoralizing another person or team. In the culture that we live in today, we are measured in our success. We are measured by what we drive, where we live, whether or not you can see our tv from space or not, the clothes we wear, or by what we do for a living. Today’s culture teaches us to be loud and arrogant about what we possess, while all along…those things possess us. Those things steal our time and energy and for what? Bragging rights? Stuff that will one day all be in a landfill?
This isn’t the way that Christ intended for us to live. Through the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus we celebrate what we were freed from..eternal separation from God but do we celebrate what we were freed for? In Paul’s letter to the Galatians he writes, ”For you have been called to live in freedom, my brothers and sisters. But don’t use your freedom to satisfy your sinful nature. Instead, use your freedom to serve one another in love. For the whole law can be summed up in this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself. – Galatians 5:13-14.” Jesus doesn’t want us to use the freedom that He paid for with His blood to satisfy our desires to keep up with or pass up the Joneses. He gave us that freedom so we could love one another. He didn’t purchase us to play the comparison game, He did it so we could play the compassion game. The cross of Christ symbolizes the greatest act of love to ever be put on display. Let’s boast in that by how we love others because that is what we were ultimately freed for.
PRAYER FOR TODAY:
Heavenly Father, thank you for freeing me from death and the grave through Jesus. Thank you for saving me when I was unable to save myself. Lord, teach me and help me to realize that you freed me for the act of loving and serving others. Help me to not lean into the desires of my flesh, help me to not buy into the comparison game that is so prevalent in our culture. Let others see Your love through me. In Jesus’ name, amen.
MEMORY VERSE FOR THE WEEK:
Proverbs 3:5-6: Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.