Morning Meditation: A Confession Lifestyle

Morning Meditation: A Confession Lifestyle

What does the Christian life look like? What does it mean to confess my sins?

Transcript: Welcome to the Light of Christ Weekly Podcast. Light of Christ Anglican Church is located in Georgetown, Texas at MLK and University Avenue. We are a modern expression of the ancient faith. You can learn more about us at lightofchristgeorgetown.org

Our morning meditation for today comes from 1 John chapter one starting in verse six. “If we say we have fellowship with him while we walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. But if we walk in the light as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another and the blood of Jesus, his son, cleanses us from all sin. If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”

I find that there's often a misunderstanding about what it means to confess and receive forgiveness as a Christian. We have this conception that we come to the cross, we confess, we receive forgiveness, and then we leave the cross to do our life as best we can until we fall on our face again and then come back to the cross. But this is not what John is talking about and this is really not the Christian life. The Christian life is not confessing and then going and doing things in your own power again, and then confessing your sin, and going doing things in you own power again until you mess up and then coming back and confess your sin again.

Rather, the Christian life is a life that is built on top of the cross. It's a life that is built on confessing. It's a confessing life, a life that's lived confessing one's sin and receiving forgiveness and living in that forgiveness. So confession isn't so much an action. I mean, it is that. But it is a lifestyle, a way of living. For a Christian, confessing sin, receiving forgiveness, and living in the power of that forgiveness should be like breathing. And John makes that very clear.

So not to get too technical here, but in Greek, the language that John is using to write his epistle, the verb has something called aspect. Aspect is what type of action the verb describes. And so this word here, for confess, “if we confess our sin,” has a continuous aspect. And so it could be translated, “if we are confessing our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” The point here is that confession of sin is the continuous activity of the Christian. We're constantly confessing our sin, receiving Christ's forgiveness so that we're not living in shame and guilt.

The problem occurs when we go away from the cross and try to do our own thing in our own power, then we fall on our face and feel like we have to come back again. But if we understand that our life is being built upon the cross and don't move away from it, then we can truly begin to live a life free from shame and guilt, constantly being renewed by the power of the Holy Spirit as we walk in the light as Christ is in the light.

Thank you for listening to the Light of Christ Weekly Podcast. Let us end our time together with a prayer from the Book of Common Prayer. You can find this prayer “In Times of Suffering or Weakness” on page 674.

Dear Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, I hold up all my weakness to your strength, my failure to your faithfulness, my sinfulness to your perfection, my loneliness to your compassion, my little pains to your great agony on the cross. I pray that you will cleanse me, strengthen me, guide me, so that in all ways my life may be lived as you would have it lived without cowardice and for you alone. Show me how to live in true humility, true contrition, and true love. Amen.

An Incredible Investor

An Incredible Investor

Where do you put your treasure?

Welcome to the Light Of Christ weekly podcast. Light Of Christ Anglican Church is located in Georgetown, Texas, at MLK and University Avenue. We are a modern expression of the ancient faith. You can learn more about us at lightofchristgeorgetown.org

Our sermon soundbite today comes from Luke, chapter 12, verses 32 through 34. Jesus says to his disciples, "Fear not, little flock. For it is your father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom. Sell your possessions and give to the needy. Provide yourselves with money bags that do not grow old with a treasure in the heavens that does not fail, where no thief approaches and no moth destroys. For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also."

Where should I put my treasure? Where should you put your treasure? Well, I'd like to ask the question, where does God locate his treasure? Because imagine if I told you that there was an investor out there who did incredible on his investments. He had the inside scoop on literally everything. His investments always win in the long term. Never fail. What would you do if you found an investor like that in the stock market? You'd follow him, right? You'd become his disciple, wouldn't you? You would do everything he did.

So how does God invest? How does God invest? Notice what Jesus says in verse 32, "Fear not, little flock. For it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom." You. Where does God locate his treasure? In you. In people. Who does he serve, as we serve our treasure? Matthew 20, Jesus tells us, "But I did not come to be served, but to serve and to give my life as a ransom for many.” Who's his treasure? Well, who does he keep safe? John 10 says, "I give eternal life and they will never perish. No one will snatch them out of my hand." And whom does he mourn the loss of? I think of Luke 19, just a few chapters from now. Jesus is going to go up to Jerusalem, and he's going to weep, because they're about to reject him. He mourns every time we turn and choose sin instead of turning to him. You are his treasure.

And so because God invests in people and God locates his treasure in people, we are commanded to do the same. Verse 33, "Sell your possessions and give to the needy." Invest in people. I think of what Saint Irenaeus says, "The glory of God is man fully alive."

Spiritual investment, heavenly investment, is investing in people, to have our treasure located in seeing others become fully alive.

Thank you for listening to the Light Of Christ weekly podcast. Let us end our time together with a prayer from the book of common prayer.

This post-communion prayer can be found on page 137. Notice how the treasure that God gives us changes where we locate our treasure.

Heavenly Father, we thank you for feeding us with the spiritual food of the most precious body and blood of your son, our savior, Jesus Christ; and for assuring us in these holy mysteries that we are living members of the body of your son and heirs of your eternal kingdom. And now Father, send us out to do the work you have given us to do, to love and serve you as faithful witnesses of Christ our Lord, to him, to you, and to the Holy Spirit: The honor and glory now and forever. Amen.

Who Really is Rich?

Who Really is Rich?

Jesus challenges our idea of what it means to be rich.

Transcript:

Welcome to the Light Of Christ Weekly Podcast. Light Of Christ Anglican Church is located in Georgetown, Texas, at MLK and University avenue. We are a modern expression of the ancient faith. You can learn more about us at LightOfChristGeorgetown.org.

Today's sermon soundbite comes from Luke, chapter 12, verse 21, after Jesus tells the parable of the rich fool, a man who has an incredible year of business, yet all he does is store it up for himself to spend on himself, thinking that that will bring him contentment. That night, God comes to him and says, "You fool. This night your soul is required of you, and the things you have prepared, whose will they be?" Jesus says in verse 21, "So is the one who lays up treasure for himself and is not rich toward God." So, the question is, who really is rich?

So, who is rich? Well, let me tell you a story. Imagine a lady who was in a home, and not only does she not have all of the knowledge of the world, but because of Alzheimer's eating holes through her brain, she can't even remember her own name. And there she is, and you know she's having really no pleasure. She can't even taste the food she's eating. As far as money, well, she has some, but can she use it? And her kids are already trying to figure out how they're going to spend it. But deep down in her heart she knows. I'm talking about relational knowing. She knows that she is beloved by God, that she is loved with the infinite love of God.

That woman, she is rich, because that will not be taken from her. She may forget her own name, but God remembers her name. She may not be able to taste her own food, but God takes pleasure in loving and knowing her. Like all of us, at the end of her life she doesn't have two pennies to rub together, but you know who knows her? The God who is the owner and King of the universe.

Who is rich? Is it the one who seeks pleasure? Is it the one who seeks money, the one that seeks information? No. It's the one who's rich towards God. That is true riches that no one can take away from you. It's the knowledge that deep down in your heart that I am loved by God.

Thank you for listening to the Light Of Christ Weekly Podcast. Let us end our time together with a prayer from the Book Of Common Prayer. You can find this prayer for those we love on page 662.

“Almighty God, we entrust all who are dear to us to your never failing care and love, for this life and the life to come, knowing that you are doing for them better things than we can desire or pray for through Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen.”

Morning Meditation: Fueling a Greater Desire

Fueling a Greater Desire

How do we begin to defeat sin patterns in our life? By being filled with a greater desire.

Welcome to the Light of Christ weekly podcast. Light of Christ Anglican Church is located in Georgetown, Texas at MLK and University Avenue. We are a modern expression of the ancient faith. You can learn more about us at lightofchristgeorgetown.org.

Today's morning meditation comes from Ephesians chapter five beginning at verse 15, "Look carefully then how you walk not as unwise but as wise making the best use of the time because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish but understand what the will of the Lord is. And do not get drunk with wine for that is debauchery but be filled with the Spirit addressing one another in psalms, and hymns, and spiritual songs singing and making melody to the Lord with your heart. Giving thanks always and for everything to God the father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. Submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ."

I was reminded of this verse after going to a dinner party the other week. I met an old friend there that is getting ready to compete in a bodybuilding championship. And so, we were all gathered around eating sugary food and, not being a very good friend, I was trying to tempt him to join us. But he refused. He decisively refused. And he did so because his heart is set, his desire is set, on being fit so that he can win this championship. And so, that reminded me of Paul's words here in Ephesians.

When our desires become warped and lead us into sin, often we are trying to defeat those by just saying no. And it's important to say no to evil desire, but to just say no is not enough. It's like playing a game of whack-a-mole. No sooner do you push one down than another rises again in its place. Instead of only saying no, we have to say yes to being filled with a greater desire, a desire to please our heavenly father. You see, you could say that this greater desire that my friend has to win at this championship drowned out his desire for sugary foods. You could even say that it transformed his desire to eat, to come into line with that greater desire, so that he's happy drinking a low carb, high protein shake. Likewise, when our desire for the Lord is great, our other desires come in line with that greater desire.

How are we filled with the Spirit so that we are not drunk with wine as Paul tells us? Well he says, "Address one another in psalms, and hymns, and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with your heart. Giving thanks always and for everything to God." These are our spiritual tools. Sin has absolutely no control over the heart that is singing with thankfulness Christ's words to the Lord.

If you have gone to an Anglican church you may notice that we sing the same songs often over, and over, and over again in our liturgy. And one of the ways that you can begin to conquer sin in your life and to increase your desire for the Lord is to sing these songs heartily even if you can't keep a tune. Trust me on this. God doesn't care. To not care what others think while singing Christ's words with all your might is incredibly liberating and being in tune has absolutely nothing to do with it. And so, during the week you can take these songs which are hidden deep in your heart and you can sing them to the Lord and they become really spiritual fuel to increase in you your desire for the Lord. So, how do we defeat sin in our life? We open ourselves up to receive the word of God into our heart, to be filled with a greater desire, a desire to please our heavenly father.

Thank you for listening to the Light of Christ weekly podcast. Let us end our time together with a prayer from the Book of Common Prayer. A Covenant Prayer written by John Wesley is found on page 673.

“I am no longer my own but thine. Put me to what thou wilt. Rank me with whom thou wilt. Put me to doing, put me to suffering. Let me be employed by thee or laid aside for thee. Exalted for thee or brought low for thee. Let me be full, let me be empty. Let me have all things, let me have nothing. I freely and heartily yield all things to thy pleasure and disposal. And now, oh glorious and blessed God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit thou aren't mine and I am thine. So be it. And the covenant which I have made on earth let it be ratified in heaven. Amen.”

Morning Meditation: Bad Haircut