Worth it

This past Sunday I referenced the story of the "Eight Cow Wife". It's a beautiful story about the power of transforming love. Johnny Lingo paid eight cows for Sarita and this showed her how much she was worth to him. She hadn't thought very highly of herself until that point.

I think it's the same for us. Oftentimes, we don't feel like we are worth anything. We tend to beat ourselves up with negative talk ("You're so stupid, you'll never amount to anything, you're such a loser", etc). Even the enemy will try to discourage us by reminding us how much we miss the mark - but the good news is that God doesn't see us that way.

When God looks at us, He sees his Son Christ Jesus living in us. Numerous times the Bible talks about how our identity and worth are found in Christ. We live in Him and He lives in us. And as far as paying a price: 1 Peter 1:18-19 says, "For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your forefathers. but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect".

God sees incredible worth in every person which is why He sent His Son to be the ultimate, perfect sacrifice and pay the ransom for our sins. Be reminded of that powerful truth the next time you are tempted to feel worthless or no good. God didn't die for junk!

Making the Connection

We have been reading this week about the building of the Tabernacle. God gave specific instructions on how this was to be built and what materials to use. It was a massive undertaking. The point of the Tabernacle was so God could "come down" and dwell (tabernacle) with His people. It was also a way for the people's sins to be forgiven through offering sacrifices. Only the priest was allowed to enter the holiest place once a year and offer these sacrifices for the people. There were all kinds of rituals they had to go through before they could enter.

There was alot of killing this, purifying that, sprinkling blood here, there and everywhere. Here's what it means for us:

According to Hebrews 9:11-14, when Christ came as a high priest...then through the greater and perfect tent (not made with hands) he entered once for all into the Holy Place, not with the blood of goats and calves, but with his own blood, thus obtaining eternal redemption. For if the blood of goats and bulls...sanctifies those who have been defiled so that their flesh is purified, how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without blemish to God, purify our conscience from dead works to worship the living God!

I mean - thank God we do not have to go through all of these requirements just to have our sins cleared and to be redeemed anymore.

Hebrews 9:24-26 says, "For Christ did not enter a sanctuary made by human hands..., but he entered into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God on our behalf. Nor was it to offer himself again and again, as the high priest enters the Holy Place year after year with blood that is not his own; ...But as it is, he has appeared once for all at the end of the age to remove sin by the sacrifice of himself.

Keep in mind, the Old Testament continues to point us to what Jesus ultimately fulfilled on our behalf.

Beyond Disneyland

Sometimes I think so much about "church stuff" that I neglect my calling as a Christian. I often think more about "how can I get more people in the seats" rather than "how can I share the gospel with people in the streets". Here's what I mean:

The predicament of the American church is that we live in a kind of Magic Kingdom. Like going to Disneyland, you buy your ticket, and once you are inside the gates, everything you experience is controlled. The rides, the food, the shows are all there to entertain and amuse you. All you have to do is be there and observe.

Yet just beyond the walls of Disneyland is Anaheim and the rest of Los Angeles. This is the real world with real problems: pollution and congestion, drugs and violence, islands of upscale neighborhoods surrounded by slums. Inside the Magic Kingdom, the outside world is almost inconceivable.

As Christians, we too are tempted to see our world that way. We can start thinking that our job is to invite a few fortunate others into the theme park, away from the troubles outside. But our job is not to increase the attendance at Disneyland; it's to tear down the walls and transform the world outside.

Excerpt from Richard Stearns, "Shedding Lethargy," Leadership Journal (Winter, 2012)