Author: Scott Heitshusen (Page 2 of 111)

“In Christ we can! Will we?” (A service on justification and sanctification.)

Scripture

• Isaiah 55:1-5
• Romans 9:1-13
• Matthew 14:13-21
• Psalm 136:1-9, 23-26 (Responsory)

DUE TO SOUND TECHNICAL DIFFICULTIES, THIS SERVICE IS UNAVAILABLE. OUR APOLOGIES!

We as Christians can sometimes get a bit uppity — a bit arrogant; looking down upon those who don’t believe or don’t know Jesus. We know Christianity is correct. We know we have the right answer. Unfortunately, sometimes we share or live that out in a way that is not winsome, but rather haughty.

The Israelites sometimes got into that same quandary. They knew that they were God’s elect people — His chosen and holy Nation. And they were quick to let that be known to others. But they forgot the reason. They thought they must have been chosen because they were better than others; superior in some way.

Know therefore that the LORD your God is God, the faithful God who keeps covenant and steadfast love with those who love Him and keep His commandments, to a thousand generations.

Deuteronomy 7:9

Our text for today dispels that error. God tells us in Deuteronomy 7:7, “It was not because you were more in number than any other people that the Lord set His love on you and chose you, for you were the fewest of all people.” Instead, He tells the real reason: it is because He loved them and was keeping the oath that He swore to their fathers. In other words, God chose them for His own reasons, out of His own love, and not because of who they were, what they had done, or how superior they were.

The same is true for us. Jesus tells us that we did not choose Him, but He chose us (John 15:16). In other words, we are saved because of God, not because we are somehow superior. We are God’s holy people — set aside and consecrated by Him, for Him and His purposes. We are His treasured possession, not because of any superior aspect of ourselves or because we’re better than anyone else, but because He has chosen us for His own purposes and His own reasons.

Our scripture also says that He “keeps covenant and steadfast love with those who love Him and keep His commandments” (Deuteronomy 7:9). Yet, He does this after He has kept His covenant and steadfast love for us through Jesus. In other words, through His love, His works, His death, and His resurrection — through His love, mercy, and forgiveness — He has chosen us. He has saved us.

And now, we get to return that love and keep His commandments in joy. We cannot earn our place as the chosen; we are given that place out of God’s love. Now we get to love Him and keep His commandments out of sheer response — out of steadfast love for His mercy and grace. We are His treasured possession, as He has shown us through the work, the death, the resurrection, and the ascension of Jesus. He has shown us to be His treasured possession, and our only response, our only privilege as His holy people, is to love Him and keep His commandments.

How awesome is that?!

Thank you, Lord!

“Gracious Lord, we are amazed that we are Your holy, treasured possession through faith in Jesus Christ, who showed His steadfast love on the cross and through the empty tomb. Grant us, Lord, to respond in kind, with steadfast love and by keeping Your commandments. For we know that You are God, and we worship and praise You now and forever! In Jesus’ name, amen!”

Scripture

• Deuteronomy 7:6-9

You are God’s child all the time, and He promises good in Christ.

Scripture

• Isaiah 44:6-8
• Romans 8:17
• Romans 8:28
• Matthew 13:22-43
• Psalm 119:51-64 (Repsponsory)

There are a lot of hard words in Isaiah — words of judgment and prophecies of things to come that are not good. While there are many difficult passages, there are also some real gems in there: wonderful Gospel and tremendous hope.

Today’s Scripture is one of my favorites, from Isaiah 55:10–11: “For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven and do not return there but water the earth, making it bring forth and sprout, giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater, so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth; it shall not return to me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose, and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it.”

My word be that goes out from My mouth shall not return to Me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose, and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it.

Isaiah 55:11

God’s Word is powerful; “living, and active, sharper than any two-edged sword” (Hebrews 4:12); “breathed out” and inspired by God (2 Timothy 3:16); it is our basis, our rule, and our norm for all that we know about Him, and for all that we know and love about salvation. It tells us what He has done for us, and it reminds us of what we are to do as His people. Most importantly, it always accomplishes the purpose for which He sent it.

There are times when we worry about saying the wrong thing — and probably rightly so. There are plenty of times when we say the wrong thing and put not just one, but both feet in our mouth. But God never does. His words are perfect and right all the time. They divide between right and wrong, good and bad, godliness and evil. When we rely on His Word and rightly apply it, we cannot go wrong. It is life-giving, life-affirming, and it is Christ Himself — the Word made flesh (John 1:1).

That is why it is so important to get into the Word and to understand it, for it is the wisdom and knowledge of God. In It, we learn what God desires, who God is, what He has done, and what our eternal future holds. Because God’s Word succeeds in everything for which He sends it, why wouldn’t we want to take every opportunity — every single day — to get into it? Why wouldn’t we want to learn more and draw closer to Him?

May we always do so, because the ultimate success of His Word is Jesus Christ for our eternity.

Thank You, Lord!

“Gracious Lord, we praise and thank You for Your word, which does not return empty but accomplishes all for which You send it. Help us to get into Your word daily — to read, mark, learn, and inwardly digest it so that it becomes an integral part of who we are, just as it is an integral part of sharing who You are and what You have done. May we always be immersed in It for You. In Jesus’ name, Amen.”

Scripture

• Isaiah 55:10-13
• Psalm 65:9-13 (Repsponsory)