The Worth of Grace

"What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin so the grace may increase?"
-Romans 6:1
      For some odd reason, I recently thought about a message I had heard on Romans chapter six a long time ago. I specifically remember the speaker talking about the value of God's grace. I don't remember who the speaker was, but I remember that it was at some rally or retreat that I attended a couple years back. I don't know why I thought about this topic at all, but I guess God must have placed it on my heart.
      Romans 5 is a great passage talking about the justification we have by faith. It talks about how Jesus delivered us from sin and death, and how we are justified. Romans 5:21 ends the chapter by saying "so that, as sin reigned in death, even so grace would reign through righteousness to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord". Paul must have anticipated that the reader would have questions regarding God's grace and justification. Specifically, "what is our response to this amazing grace"? The reader naturally would wonder what we are to do with the abounding grace of God.
      Romans 6 starts off with a somewhat random question. In verse one, that I have written at the beginning of this post, Paul writes "are we to continue in sin so that grace may increase?" This is not the first question I would have asked, but I suppose that it is a logical one to ask. Paul says in the previous chapter that "where sin increased, grace abounded all the more". In other words, the more we sin, the more grace is needed to cover our sin. So Paul anticipates that someone may ask "if I keep on sinning, shouldn't grace keep on increasing?" Paul obviously denies this proposition, as logical as it may seem at first.
      To find out what Paul says regarding this matter, I suggest you read Romans chapter 6. Today I want to talk about something we can learn indirectly from this passage. As I mentioned earlier, I heard a message on this passage where the speaker brought up the topic of grace's worth. The speaker gave us this analogy that I will share with you now. Most (if not all) of us know what a Nintendo Wii is. It is a gaming console sold by Nintendo. How does Nintendo determine the worth of the Nintendo Wii? In very simple terms, it is by the production costs, materials, time, and profit. However, another interesting thing that gives the Nintendo Wii worth is its availability. If there were a shortage of Nintendo Wii's due to lack of materials, the Wii's price would rise significantly. Alternatively, if there were an abundance of Wii's because materials became very cheap, the price of the Wii would drop significantly.
      So how does this apply to God's grace? As we know, God's grace is infinite. In terms of economics, the supply of grace greatly outweighs the demand. This could cause us to think that God's grace is cheap, since it is always available whenever we need it. However, the speaker said something that still resonates with me today. The more we sin, the more we cheapen the value of grace. If we continue to sin, we abuse God's grace. Now, does this mean that the more we sin, the less effective God's grace is? Not at all. God's grace is always sufficient enough to cover all of our sins. What it does mean is that the less we sin, the more we recognize the worth of God's grace.
      God's grace is infinitely available, but it is also infinitely valuable. How can I say this? It is because His grace cost the highest price; His own life. No man or woman on earth could have ever paid this high of a cost. Only Jesus Christ was able to fulfill the debt of our sins. There is one last point I would like to consider. Why did Jesus pay the price of our sins? It was not so that we could keep on sinning and then be covered by grace. While certainly His grace does cover any sins we will have, that is not why Jesus shed His blood. He died on that cross so that we might have life, and life to the full. He died so that we could live eternally with Him, in whom there is no sin. This is my call to you (and myself); don't abuse the grace of God. It is infinitely valuable.
-Smart        

2015 Key Verse Testimony

      This is the key verse testimony that I wrote over the retreat that my church's young adult group had. I didn't edit it much, so it's still a bit sloppy, but I hope you enjoy reading it.
      Last year my key verse was Psalm 1:2, which reads “but whose delight is in the law of the Lord, and who meditates on His law day and night.” The reason I chose this verse was because I felt that I did not read the Word nearly as much as I should have, and I wanted to use this verse as inspiration to read the Bible more. Unlike most years, I actually followed my key verse, as I did spend more time reading the Bible. I finally after many years finished reading the Old Testament. I’m thankful to God that I was able to read more of His Word last year. I’m also thankful that God carried me through the school year, as classes are getting more and more difficult.
      I’ve been blessed this past year to serve God in many different ways, especially as a leader for YDJ. When Abe Lee left, I found that I suddenly have had a lot more responsibility on my shoulders. While it definitely has been stressful, I am learning a lot about leadership and teamwork.
      Of course, as in every year, there were struggles along with the successes. While I did read the Bible more, and I have been serving the church in many ways, I found that I’ve been compromising with sin. It felt like sin was causing me to have a half-hearted relationship with God. Obviously, sin displeases God, but often times I put my own pleasure above God’s. This was holding me back from having a deep relationship with God, and I knew it. However, sini is never easy to get rid of, as we all know.
       This year, I want to change my attitude towards sin. While I’ve always known that it is bad, I want to fully wage war against sin. I decided to choose Hebrews 12:1-2a as my key verse for 2015. This was the key verse for YDJ in the past semester, but I think I really need to set it as my personal key verse for 2015. It reads, “Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith.” Paul talks more about Jesus in later verses and how He endured the cross, scorning its shame. We should consider Him who endured such opposition so that we don’t grow weary and lose heart.
      I believe that the easiest way to fail at beating sin is to try and fight it. It sounds contradictory, but I know it’s true from experience. Now obviously, if you just give up and let yourself keep on sinning, that’s no good either. What I am saying is that if I try to fight sin on my own, I may win every now and then, but often times, I fail.
      The key to beating sin is your focus. If you focus too much on sin, it will consume you. However, the writer of Hebrews tells us to fix our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. I also like how Hebrews compares it to a race. If I am running a race, where I place my focus matters a lot to my success. If I focus on trying to beat the other racers, or if I am unfocused due to distractions, I will have a very hard time winning the race. Alternatively, if I focus on the prize and the goal, then I can run the race effectively. As Hebrews says, it takes perseverance. There are many distractions around me, so I have to put effort to focus on Jesus. However, I should take comfort in knowing that He has already defeated sin and death. I pray that this year I would fix my eyes on Jesus and throw off everything that hinders me.  
-Smart

Imitate Christ's Humility (Message Part 2)

      Now we know that humility promotes unity, so how do we inspire humility? Let’s read verse 5 together please. “In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus (v. 5).” I don’t know about you guys, but for me, the easiest way to learn is by example. It’s one thing if someone simply tells you how to do something, but it’s a different thing if they show you how to do it. How many of you know who Kobe Bryant is? This should be quite easy since I just showed you a picture of him not too long ago. Now how many of you know who Michael Jordan is? Michael Jordan is widely considered the greatest basketball player to have ever graced this earth. Recently, as some of you may know, Kobe Bryant surpassed Michael in career points. How did Kobe get to be so great at basketball? Take a look at these photos comparing Kobe and Michael. You probably noticed that Kobe and Michael play basketball in a very similar manner. This is not a coincidence. Kobe learned much of his game by studying and emulating Michael’s game. Although Kobe may never be considered quite as great as Michael Jordan was, Kobe is still a great basketball player because he took Michael Jordan, the greatest basketball player ever, as an example. We should be like Kobe, and take Jesus, the most humble person ever, as our example.
      Of course, in order to follow someone as an example, you have to know that person. Paul explains who Jesus is in verses 6-11 in a very poetic passage. Let’s read verses 6 and 7 together. “Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to His own advantage; rather, He made Himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness (v.6-7).” Last Sunday, we had a guest speaker, Todd Beall, who shared on Hebrews 2. Todd Beall reminded us that Jesus is fully God, but is also fully man. Hebrews tell us that God became man so He could help us in our weakness and temptations. One thing that Todd Beall reminded us of is the importance of God becoming man, and how we often take that for granted. The verses we just read together remind us that Jesus was indeed God, but He did not use that as an advantage. Think about who God is. God is the creator of the universe, and has full authority and power over everything. Jesus could have used all of His power and authority to rule over people, but instead, He took the nature of a servant. I really like the wording Paul uses to describe this- “Being in very nature God” and “taking the very nature of a servant.” Although Christ was by nature God, He took the nature of a servant. He chose to forgo His nature as God and become one of us. This tells us something significant- humility is a choice. Jesus was not in nature a servant, but He chose to become a servant and He chose to be made in human likeness.
      Let’s continue on to verse 8. Let’s read that together please. “And being found in appearance of man, He humbled Himself, by becoming obedient to death- even death on a cross (v. 8)!” The greatest example of Jesus’ humility is the cross. Paul tells us that Jesus “humbled himself by becoming obedient to death- even death on a cross (v. 8b)”. The cross is the single most important event in Jesus’ life. It was the fulfillment of His mission to save us from our sin. Jesus could have chosen to put His own comfort over ours and avoid the cross, but He did not. He instead chose to put us above Himself. He suffered and He died, all for us. Two particular incidents on the cross further illustrate Christ’s humility. The first is in John 19:25-27, which reads “Near the cross of Jesus stood his mother, his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. When Jesus saw his mother there, and the disciple whom he loved standing nearby, he said to her, “Woman, here is your son,” and to the disciple, “Here is your mother.” From that time on, this disciple took her into his home (John 19-25-27).” Even though Jesus was hanging on the cross, suffering excruciating pain, He remembered His mother. He told John to take His mother as His own, and to take care of her. The second incident is in Luke 23. Jesus was crucified between two thieves. Verses 39-43 tell us that one of the criminals who hung there hurled insults at him: “Aren’t you the Messiah? Save yourself and us!” 40 But the other criminal rebuked him. “Don’t you fear God,” he said, “since you are under the same sentence? 41 We are punished justly, for we are getting what our deeds deserve. But this man has done nothing wrong.” 42 Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.” 43 Jesus answered him, “Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise (Luke 23:39-43).” Again, Jesus chose to help those around Him, instead of Himself, even though He was suffering the pain from the cross. “Hallelujah, what a Savior!”
       Lastly, Paul tells us of the glorification of Jesus. Let’s read verses 9-11 together please. “Therefore God exalted Him to the highest place and gave Him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father (v. 9-11).” Jesus was able to be exalted to the highest place because He fulfilled His mission on earth. In order to fulfill His mission, He had to have great humility. Jesus set us the greatest example of humility, and now He sits at the right hand of God. If we want to share in Christ’s glory, we have to show the humility that He showed.
       So what can we learn from this passage? We have to remember that the source of unity is found in Christ, His love, and His spirit. Without Christ as our motivation, we cannot have unity. We can also learn that unity takes humility. We cannot be united unless we show humility in our lives. Otherwise, pride and selfishness will destroy our relationships with each other. Third, humility is a choice. Humility does not come naturally, it is something that we have to cultivate in our lives. Fourth, we have to follow Jesus’ example. He is the greatest example of humility. Instead of using His power and authority to rule over us and establish Himself by force, He chose to become one of us. Furthermore, He chose to become the least of us, even though He deserved to be the greatest. He died on the cross to set us free from our sins. Lastly, we learn that Jesus is Lord. God exalted Him to the highest place, and every knee should bow and every tongue confess that He is Lord. Let’s pray.
-Smart

Imitate Christ's Humility (Message Part 1)

      This is the message I gave at our YDJ's winter retreat. Some of it may not make sense since I had a powerpoint to go with it, but I hope you are encouraged through reading.

      Happy New Year and welcome to the 2014 YDJ Winter Retreat! I’m so glad to see all of you here, and I’m very happy to see a lot of people I don’t normally see at these retreats. I don’t know about you guys, but 2014 seemed to go by so fast. It’s been super busy for me, as I have been taking on many different responsibilities, including becoming a YDJ leader. Even in the midst of all my busyness, there is so much that I am thankful for in the past year. I won’t share those thanksgiving topics now, since I’ll probably do that in my New Year’s testimony. Even before we start looking at the passage today, I just want to encourage you as you reflect on this past year to first find what you are thankful for. It’s very tempting to reflect on all of the bad that has happened, or the things you wanted to do and couldn’t; but I think we should first give thanks to God for the good He has done. I once read a story that I want to quickly share with you guys now. A blind boy sat on the steps of a building with a hat by his feet.  He held up a sign which said: "I am blind, please help." There were only a few coins in the hat. A man was walking by. He took a few coins from his pocket and dropped them into the hat.  He then took the sign, turned it around, and wrote some words. He put the sign back so that everyone who walked by would see the new words. Soon the hat began to fill up. A lot more people were giving money to the blind boy.  That afternoon the man who had changed the sign came to see how things were. The boy recognized his footsteps and asked, "Were you the one who changed my sign this morning?  What did you write?" The man said, "I only wrote the truth.  I said what you said but in a different way." I wrote: "Today is a beautiful day but I cannot see it." Both signs told people that the boy was blind. But the first sign simply said the boy was blind. The second sign told people that they were lucky that they were not blind. You can bring so much joy to your life if you remember to simply give thanks. Anyway, I just felt like that should be said, but now let’s move on. Today we’re going to look at Philippians chapter 2. The key verse that I chose is verse 5. Let’s read that together please. “In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus (verse 5)”. (Prayer)

      I want all of you guys to take a look at verse 1. What is the most important word in verse 1? This is a question that the youth group teachers really liked to ask. The answer is the word “therefore”. What does the word “therefore” mean? It means “for that reason” or “consequently”. In other words, you have to take into account what has been said beforehand. The book of Philippians is written by Paul when He is in prison. He writes this letter in order to encourage the Philippians to continue to preach the gospel. In Philippians chapter 1, Paul talks about his imprisonment, and how it is actually helping advance the gospel. Paul is thankful for his chains, since it is encouraging his fellow believers to continue serving Christ. Paul in verse 27 says “whatever happens, conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ (Philippians 1:27)”. Paul rejoices because of the faith of the Philippians and encourages them to conduct themselves in a manner worthy of the gospel. It’s quite amazing that even though Paul is in prison, he is rejoicing. I believe it is because he remembers to be thankful, rather than be upset at his situation. 

      So what does Paul have to say now in chapter 2? Let’s read verses 1 and 2 together. “Therefore if you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from His love, if any common sharing in the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind (v. 1-2).” As we just talked about, Paul rejoices that the Philippians have been proclaiming the gospel. Now he urges them to make his joy complete by being united. I always thought it is interesting that Paul places so much emphasis on unity, since he seemed to never really belong to any church. One of my favorite passages on unity comes from 1 Corinthians 12. I will read for you verses 12-31. “12 Just as a body, though one, has many parts, but all its many parts form one body, so it is with Christ. 13 For we were all baptized by one Spirit so as to form one body—whether Jews or Gentiles, slave or free—and we were all given the one Spirit to drink. 14 Even so the body is not made up of one part but of many. 15 Now if the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body,” it would not for that reason stop being part of the body. 16 And if the ear should say, “Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body,” it would not for that reason stop being part of the body. 17 If the whole body were an eye, where would the sense of hearing be? If the whole body were an ear, where would the sense of smell be? 18 But in fact God has placed the parts in the body, every one of them, just as he wanted them to be. 19 If they were all one part, where would the body be? 20 As it is, there are many parts, but one body. 21 The eye cannot say to the hand, “I don’t need you!” And the head cannot say to the feet, “I don’t need you!” 22 On the contrary, those parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, 23 and the parts that we think are less honorable we treat with special honor. And the parts that are unpresentable are treated with special modesty, 24 while our presentable parts need no special treatment. But God has put the body together, giving greater honor to the parts that lacked it, 25 so that there should be no division in the body, but that its parts should have equal concern for each other. 26 If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it. 27 Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it. 28 And God has placed in the church first of all apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then miracles, then gifts of healing, of helping, of guidance, and of different kinds of tongues. 29 Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work miracles? 30 Do all have gifts of healing? Do all speak in tongues? Do all interpret? 31 Now eagerly desire the greater gifts (1 Corinthians 12:12-31).” In a nutshell, Paul is saying that the church is the body of Christ. Every part is unique, but every part is important. The body functions best when all of the parts work together. Paul says that He would be most joyful if the Philippians were to become united as one body.

      So how can the Philippians be united? How can we be united? How many of you know what an “if” statement is in programming? I have provided the logic of an “if” statement for you guys on the slide here. An “if” statement is very simple, and pretty intuitive as well. The basic idea is that the statement is never executed unless the condition is met. Let’s again take a look at verses 1 and 2. I have outlined the condition in red and the statement in yellow. We have already looked at the statement, “make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind (v. 2).” Now let’s take a look at the condition. “If you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from His love, if any common sharing in the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion (v. 1)”. Paul is saying that we cannot be united unless we meet these conditions. We must be encouraged in our unity with Christ, we must take comfort from His love, we have to have fellowship in the Spirit, and have tenderness and compassion. In other words, our motivation for unity must come from Christ, His love, and His spirit. 

      Paul mentions another way in which we can promote unity in the church. Let’s read verses 3 and 4 together. “Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others (v. 3-4).” Humility is absolutely necessary for good unity. Paul tells us that we cannot work together if we act selfishly or conceitedly. Let’s remember the analogy of the church as Christ’s body. Imagine if your hand only cared for itself. Imagine if you had to tend to a wound on your leg, but your hand refused to place the bandage. How ridiculous would that be? And how detrimental to your body’s health would that be? If that example is too abstract for you, let’s think of a sports team. My favorite sport is basketball, so let’s use that as an example. If one particular player, let’s call him “Kobe Bryant”, decides to never pass the ball, how do you think the team is going to do? Terrible, of course! No matter how great the player is, eventually the team will begin to suffer because of that player’s selfishness. Furthermore, the team will get frustrated at that player and lose their desire to play defense or get rebounds. The key to unity is humility, and looking to the interests of others above your own. Does anyone know who won the NBA Finals last year? It was the San Antonio Spurs. I am totally convinced that the reason they won is because every player was willing to put the team above themselves. They weren’t looking to better themselves, but the team. The Spurs won because they passed the ball well, and were able to get great shots as a result.
-Smart