Living the Gospel
Embrace Honesty
How do you embrace honesty?
- Give up what is already painfully obvious
- Tell the Truth without telling all the truth
- Embrace the Gospel in your failure to live the gospel
Maundy Thursday Matters
Today is Maundy Thursday. It is a special day on the Christian calendar. But many Christians don’t know what maundy means. I imagine for some this day could easily fall just after Manic Monday, Ruby Tuesday… You get the idea. So if the term Maundy Thursday sounds foreign to you, relax, you are far from alone.
The term Maundy is generally held to be derived through Middle English and old French, mande’; which comes from the Latin mandatum, meaning mandate or command. This is the first word of the Latin phrase:
“Mandatum novum do vobis ut diligatis invicem sicut dilexi vos.”
Or more familiar:
“A new command I give to you: Love one another. As I have loved you so you must love one another.” (John 13.34)
This is a special day in the life of Christ’s People. It is a day when we remember that Jesus has commissioned us, not only to believe the Gospel of his life which was to be – and has been – given for the redemption of all who believe, but to live out the Gospel in relation to one another. We are to love one another in the same tangible way, and to the same extent, as Jesus has loved us.
This is what Jesus commanded of his believers only hours before he willingly gave his life for ours. (John 15.12-14)
I Want to Walk Free, But I Still Hear the Chains Rattling
As a pastor I frequently encourage people to embrace the Gospel. It is not just to unbelievers that I present that challenge, but to believers as well – even to some who have been Christians for decades.
We all need to grow in grace, and live by grace day by day. But as easy as it sounds, I sometimes have to stop and realize that it may be far easier to say than it is to live out. Many people – many good people – struggle with how to let go of our propensity toward legalism and embrace the freedom found in Christ.
For that reason I find the following article by Richard Pratt, of Reformed Theological Seminary & Third Millenium Ministries, to be particularly pertinent. And it is as entertaining as it is insightful – at least, I think so.
The story behind it, as I understand, is that Pratt had been encouraged by fellow RTS prof, Steve Brown (Old While Guy), to write a book about the experience of freedom found in the Christian life. “I Want to Walk Free, But Still hear the Chains Rattling” is Pratt’s response to Brown’s prodding.
GRACE & PEACE 