Bible Study Blog for Sunday, September 4, 2011
Job 34-35; Acts 15:1-21
The MESSAGE of Jesus really messed with Jewish leaders.
Their authority and control over people came from the RULES they enforced. But the message of Jesus changed that. It simply declared that people become right with God through faith in Jesus’ Sacrifice and Resurrection. No rules – no religious rituals and requirements – just faith. That was the essential conclusion of the Apostles and Elders at the council at Jerusalem.
2000 Years later – not much has changed. Today’s religious leaders often resort to the same tactics to control people: Faith in Jesus – PLUS rules, rituals, and requirements – that empower and enrich the religious elite. But Jesus’ Message also remains the same: Relationship with God by GRACE alone, through FAITH alone, plus NOTHING.
How cool is that? Do you suppose that’s why the Message is called… “GOOD NEWS?”
See you Tomorrow!
Tags: Acts, Bayside Church Woodland, Bayside Woodland, Bible Study, Job
I’ve recently engaged in conversation with an intelligent man who had a hard time hearing the Gospel in the simplicity you described. As I listened to him I found myself thinking that he spoke the very language of what you called above the “religious elite” of Jesus’ day.
I left that conversation saddened because the Holy Spirit had not given me the right words to break through that fellow’s high volume of words defending his conceptions of what the Church ought to be about. He never got a chance to really hear the Words of Life even though I tried hard to break through the fusillade of thoughts about today’s social injustices–and what ought to be done to fix them. The Holy Spirit has to break us before we can actually hear what He has for us.
The point is that grace, alone, will save the lost, and although my human perspective is not satisfied that God doesn’t call more to salvation, I only need to be obedient to Him and serve Him where he calls me.
Our work does not solve the broken relationship for our own account or, here at BW, the account of the lost who are represented by nearly everybody we meet every day here in town. The Good News is God’s business, and our part in it is only to be willing to listen to Him and be ready to do when He calls. We get nowhere when we move ahead of His call.