Then they asked him, “What must we do to do the works God requires?”
Jesus answered, “The work of God is this: to believe in the one he has sent.”
John 6:28-29

As we enter into a new program year, it is good to ponder the question of what God requires of us. How can we please and serve God and so become more fruitful, mature disciples?

The answer is at the same time both simple and surprising….. The first and most important thing we need to do is to believe the gospel. This may seem so obvious that it need not be stated. In fact, it is very easy to forget. One of the major issues addressed in the New Testament letters was the temptation to “add” to simple faith in the gospel. These additions took various forms: “law,” good works, ritual, “wisdom” or tradition, but they each had the effect of undermining faith in Jesus Christ as the sole source of salvation and life with God. To seek to “add” to grace has the effect of canceling grace.

As soon as we begin to trust in our wisdom, our service, or our effort to justify ourselves, we are no longer walking by faith in God, but by faith in ourselves. This is the antithesis of the gospel. We are reconciled to God, we are forgiven and given the hope of eternal life, we are enabled to walk with God and serve God solely on the basis of God’s grace in Jesus Christ which we receive by faith alone! The Apostle Paul reminded the Roman church that our standing before God is “by faith from first to last, just as it is written: ‘The righteous will live by faith.'” (Romans 1:17)

Now, our actions, lifestyle and service ought be affected, radically affected, by relationship with God. Faith in Jesus Christ should change what we value, how we think and the way we live. We must, however, resist the illusion that anything we do can merit our acceptance by God, or that our effort alone can bring true change to our lives, the church or the world.

During the month October the sermons will look at what it means to live by faith. Through exploring the faith of some great Biblical characters we will come to understand the multi-faceted nature of faith and, I hope, will grow in our understanding and practice of living by faith in our Lord Jesus. The schedule for this series is:

October 6 – Joseph: Trusting Faith
October 13 – Mary: Submissive Faith
October 20 – Peter: Repentant Faith
October 27 – Paul: Passionate Faith
November 3 – David: Delighted Faith

As I ponder God’s direction in my own ministry, I am convinced that there are things God wants me to do…and there are things that he wants Calvary Church to do. I expect that I am not alone in this conviction. But I also know that the most important thing God desires is faith in the One he has sent. Let us look in faith to the One sent by the Father who alone can do great things in us and through us.

Grace and Peace,
Steve