Sermon Correction...

Compelled by theological integrity and a desire for Mission Church to walk in truth, I need to correct…or at least clarify something that I said near the end of yesterday's sermon.

While speaking of Jesus going “all-in” at the cross for us apart from our worthiness, I mistakenly said that he gave his life with no guarantee that anyone would receive or respond to his grace. This is incorrect. God’s word is very clear that Jesus died for his elect, those who have been graciously and sovereignly selected for redemption. Therefore, when Jesus went to the cross to give his life for us, he knew exactly who would and wouldn’t respond to his alluring call of salvation. In other words, the wager Jesus makes by giving his whole life for our redemption was made with precision, eternal wisdom and a guarantee payoff. It was not made with a shrug and a wish. Such an idea undermines the reality of Jesus being the Eternal Son of God.

Ephesians 1:4-6 makes this abundantly clear, “…even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love he predestined us for adoption through Jesus Christ, according to purpose of his will, to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved.”

What I meant to say (and clearly should have said) was that Jesus gave his whole life, went “all-in” for us on the cross even though we have no value to offer him in return to make his wager worth while. He didn’t redeem us because of deep human potential, but because in our sin and brokenness we are dead and lost – forever apart from God. The great prize won by Jesus through our redemption is the glory of God magnified through the grace shown such unworthy recipients (us).

Here are some reasons why this is such good news for us:

1. Our redemption is complete and requires nothing from us to “top off the tank” so to speak. 
2. Our weakness, not our inherent strength and value, magnifies the grace that is continually given. Therefore there’s no point is trying to put our best face forward for God and/or others. Confession, repentance, and rejoicing bring joy to our Savior King, not pretentiousness and posing. 
3. Since we’re saved by his grace while we are dead in sin, now that we’re made alive, we are sustained by the same grace.

I pray you are set free by the unfathomable grace of God in Jesus to give yourself wholly and completley to him...to gladly and confidently go "all-in".