I Love to Tell the Story

I love to tell the story of unseen things above,
Of Jesus and His glory, of Jesus and His love.
I love to tell the story, because I know it’s true
It satisfies my longings as nothing else would do.

I love to tell the story; ‘Twill be my theme in glory
to tell the old, old story of Jesus and His love.

And the story is this: People do not earn God’s approval or salvation because of anything they have done. Rather the only reason they receive life and salvation is because of God’s love through Jesus Christ. There is no other way.

You have heard me tell this story time after time, week after week – just as Paul does again today in the Epistle.

Occasionally, I will have a brother and sister come to me and say they are tired of hearing this teaching over and over again, that they are tired of hearing this same old story. They want something with more depth and wisdom, something they can apply to lives right now. They claim that they learned this long ago and have no or very little need to hear this basic teaching again. At times I, myself will think this way, most of us do. Paul, thought this way – God responded “My grace is sufficient for you.”

You see, this is not just a basic teaching, it is the essential teaching of all of Scripture. If this teaching continues to be taught in the church, the Christian church who clings to it will remain united and pure – and it will remain free from any decay. It is this truth alone that sustains all of Christianity. It is this truth and its teaching that allows us also to identify those “wolves in sheep clothing” – those who are merely disguised as “Angels of the light” but teach a message contrary to that of salvation coming through faith alone in Christ Jesus.

“Wolves in sheep clothing” and “those disguised as angels of the light” are those with preachers in the church who teach a work-righteousness, or a prosperity (name it, claim it) gospel, or a co-operation with God for salvation. These teachings though may begin with Christ - all lead away from Christ and make the focus of our Christian life – us.

There are some Christians may brag that about how well they know that we receive God’s approval through God’s love and not because of anything we do to earn it. But if they go on to say that this is easy to put in into practice, then have no doubt they do not know what they are talking about. And probably never will. We can never learn this “simple” “basic” – foundational truth completely or understand it fully enough. Learning this truth is an art. We will always remain students of it, and it will always be our teacher. Why? Learning to depend on God’s mercy is difficult for all us – especially for us who have been raised “to pull ourselves up by our bootstraps” or “God takes care of those who take care of themselves” – that old prodestant work ethic. Our human nature always leans towards doing works – to earn our own way. We are so rooted in our old habits, and our hearts are so used to it we can not stop thinking; “If I have lived a holy life and have done great and many works, then God will be merciful to me.” It is difficult to change our thinking.

Even if we already have faith, this thinking of our good works still sticks and clings to us. We keep wanting to brag “I have done this or that, surly God will take note of what I have done for Him and others.” We want to bargain with God. We want Him to look at our lives and give us salvation based on what we have done. Remember we need mercy - not justice. As we heard a couple of weeks ago.

The ones who truly understand that they receive God’s approval by faith and put this into practice find it a pleasant taste “sweet as honey” and will pursue it always. They realize that they can not comprehend it as fully as they would like. So, they hunger and thirst for it. They yearn for it more and more. They never get tired of hearing about this truth.

I love to tell the story, ‘Tis pleasant to repeat
What seems, each time I tell it, more wonderfully sweet
I love to tell the story, for some have never heard
The message of salvation from God’s own Holy Word

I love to tell the story; ‘Twill be my theme in glory
to tell the old, old story of Jesus and His love.

God’s approval is not based on what a person does. Rather, God accepts what a person does because He already approves of the person. The person has not earned God’s approval through the good that he does. Trying to do so is what Paul calls “righteousness that is by the law” – a totally unworkable option – it is trying to be ones own savior. It is attempting to do all over again what Christ has already done for them.

Let me put it this way, a child who will be born two years from today (8/09/2010) does not yet exist. He is not yet even conceived. That child can do nothing, for the child does not yet exist. I am pretty sure everyone can understand that statement.

In the same way, all works, no matter how precious and good they might be, amount to nothing if a person does them before he is spiritually born. These works lead only to sin and death. A person who has not been born anew is unable to do good works that please God. Good works are not bad, and we all should do them. People first have to be made ready to do them by being born from above. Only then is one capable of doing good works.

Years ago there was a school for young native-American men and women, in Oakland, California, from the various tribes in northern Arizona. One of these was a Navajo young man, named John, of unusually keen intelligence. One Sunday evening, he went to a young people's meeting. They were talking about the epistle to the Romans, just as we are today - and the special subject was God’s law and God’s grace. The young people were not very clear about it, and finally one turned to John and said, "I wonder whether our new friend has anything to say about this."

John rose to his feet and said, "Well, my friends, I have been listening very carefully, because I am here to learn all I can in order to take it back to my people. I do not understand all that you are talking about, and I do not think you do yourselves. But concerning this law and grace business, let me see if I can make it clear. I think it is like this. When I was brought from my home I took the longest railroad journey I ever took. I got out at the station, and there I saw the most beautiful railroad station and hotel I have ever seen. I walked all around and saw at one end a sign, 'Do not spit here.' I looked at that sign and then looked down at the ground and saw many had spitted there, and before I think what I am doing I have spitted myself. Isn't that strange when the sign say, 'Do not spit here'?

"I go to the home of the lady who invited me to dinner today and I am in the nicest home I have been in. Such beautiful furniture and carpets, I hate to step on them. I sank into a comfortable chair, and the lady said, 'Now, John, you sit there while I go out and see whether the maid has dinner ready.' I look around at the beautiful pictures, at the grand piano, and I walk all around those rooms. I am looking for a sign; and the sign I am looking for is, 'Do not spit here,' but I look around those two beautiful drawing rooms, and cannot find a sign like this. I think 'What a pity when this is such a beautiful home to have people spitting all over it -- too bad they don't put up a sign!' So I look all over that carpet, but cannot find that anybody have spitted there. What a curious thing! Where the sign says, 'Do not spit,' a lot of people spitted. Where there was no sign at all, in that beautiful home, nobody spitted. Now I understand! That sign is law, but inside the home it is grace. They love their beautiful home, and they want to keep it clean. They do not need a sign to tell them so. I think that explains the law and grace business."

Martin Luther would say if you want to have a carpenter build a house, the carpenter must first exist. For what can be built if the carpenter hasn’t been born yet? Now say that with a "C" in Carpenter.

The same is true for good works. Doing good works doesn’t make anyone good. First, you have to be born anew. Then after that, ask what works you should do.

Let me make it clear. Salvation is not a matter of doing and earning, but of receiving. It is confessing with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and confidently believing that God has raised Him from the dead as your Savior and your Substitute.

Jesus came down to earth, to us, (we don’t have to go to heaven to get Him, or climb Jacob’s ladder to get to Heaven) Jesus came to us to live a perfect life sinners like you and me cannot live; He kept the Law perfectly for you and me. He lived a perfect life to earn the needed righteousness for us sinners. What’s more He died the death we sinners deserve for yours and my transgressions. With His blood He paid for our lack of keeping the law. By His perfect obedience He earned righteousness necessary for yours and my salvation.

Christ had done everything. God’s Word proclaims this glorious truth to you and me. It is that same word that works faith in your heart to believe and receive Christ’s righteousness. The Word creates the confidence to say “This Jesus is my Lord”.

That Word first penetrates the heart and creates faith. That faith then shows itself in confessing lips. “For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved.”

“Anyone who trusts in Christ will never be put to shame.” When that final day comes; when all the dust settles; the final verdict will always be favorable for you who have trusted in God’s mercy as shown in Christ. It is that way because your salvation is does not depend on your input but on God’s grace and mercy. God has done everything; you have done nothing and need not do anything. Salvation is yours by believing the promises of God -- or as Paul put it “calling on the name of the Lord.”

I love to tell the story, For those who know it best
Seem hungering and thirsting to hear it like the rest
And when in scenes of glory I sing a new, new song
“Twill be the old, old story that I loved so long.

I love to tell the story; ‘Twill be my theme in glory
to tell the old, old story of Jesus and His love. Amen.

jkr