Episode 73 - Getting Ready for Lent

Share:

Listens: 0

Wye Mills UMC Podcast

Religion & Spirituality


We are about to enter into the season of Lent. Next Sunday is the first Sunday in Lent,And next Sunday we will talk about what that means from a Biblical perspective…Not a worldly perspective.And to prepare for this upcoming season of Lent, i want to look at God’s Saving Grace.And I want to start by looking at the Ten Commandments.Let’s dig in.The 10 Commandments…the Law of God.Where is the grace in the Law?Well, we heard in our reading this morning these Ten Commandments,And it would seem there is no grace in there.Just a list of what, and what not, to do.And that is true on the surface.Now, I am not going to go through each commandment this morning.Instead I want to look at the Spirit of the Law.What is the purpose of the Law?It is to show us our need for God’s Great Grace.We can’t live up to the letter of this Law.Let me ask you something…Have you ever lied?Then you are a liar.Have you ever stolen anything?Then you are a thief.Have you ever gossiped or been involved in rumors?Then you have borne false witness.Have you ever not honored your parents?Have you ever misused the Name of the Lord?You get the point?You and I cannot, and have not, lived up to the letter of the Law.We are sinners.And in the presence of a Holy and Just God, we cannot stand.Because of God being Holy and Just and Omniscient,God knows we cannot live up to the letter of the Law.Then why give it to us?Well, because without God’s Law, we sinners do not know we have sinned.Without something to measure against, we cannot know where we stand.And this Law of God is not just on a couple of tablets.It is written on our hearts and minds.You see, God has made known to each one of us the Law of God.And in this Law that is written on our hearts and minds, we find that we have a longing,To be made right with God…to worship God.We recognize there is a hole in who we are that needs to be made complete.And we will spend our lives trying to find that completeness in any variety of ways.God’s Law is in us, but to be fully realized, there is another component we need.See, this Law of God doesn’t save us, or show us grace in and of itself.Instead, it points us to Grace.The Law shows us where and why we need God’s Great Grace.It points out my need for a Savior…for Christ.Because of my sinful nature, the Law itself cannot save me.And that is why God used the Law to show my need for Him,And then gave himself TO save me!God told us, ‘here is what is required, and you cannot meet it.But do not lose hope because I have made a way for this requirement to be met!’God says to us that though we fail short, and cannot meet the Law’s requirements,He is faithful to us, even in our sin…our falling short!Hallelujah! Praise God!The Law shows us that our sinful nature leads to death, because not meeting the Law’s requirements leads to death!Our sinful nature cannot fulfill the Law, and failing to meet the Law’s requirements brings death.I hope you see the connection here.List