For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.[Ephesians 2:8-10]
One of the great preachers of the 19th century was a Scottish Presbyterian minister by the name of Alexander Whyte.
Reverend Whyte was one of those wonderful people who had a living, loving relationship with his Savior. That, coupled with the fact that Rev. Whyte had done some serious soul searching, made him beloved by his congregation, which he served for almost 40 years. So great was their admiration that one day a member of his church came and gushed: "Dr. Whyte, I just love being in your presence. You are so saintly."
Pastor Whyte looked at the lady and said, "Madam, if you could look into my soul, what you would see would make you spit in my face."
By human standards, Alexander Whyte may have been a pretty good fellow.
But Alexander Whyte knew, in his final judgment before God, being a pretty good guy was not going to be enough to get him into heaven. Truly, by God's standards, none of us is good enough to get into heaven. The Old Testament book of Ecclesiastes sadly says, "Surely, there is not a righteous man on earth who does what is right and never sins" (Ecclesiastes 7:20).
Try as you might, you're not good enough to earn heaven.
Let me tell you what I mean by using a story. It begins with a man who died and found himself standing before the gates of paradise. St. Peter told him that he could come in if he accumulated 1,000 points.
"No problem," the man said to himself. He began, "I was an active Christian."
"A hundred points," said Peter.
"I sang in the choir."
"Twenty-five points."
"I was a substitute teacher once in Sunday school."
"Ten points."
With only 135 of the necessary 1,000 needed, the man became concerned. "I had a cousin who was a pastor and a great uncle who was a missionary."
"Five points each," came back St. Peter's reply.
"I went to a congregational voters' meeting."
Well, that counted for something: "A hundred points."
Unable to think of anything else, and with a grand total of 245 points to his credit, the man mumbled, "I'm not gonna make it. Nobody could. Only by the grace of God alone can I ever get into heaven."
Listening carefully to the man's mumbling, Peter replied, "That's 750 points! Come on in."
Now I don't want you to think you can even begin to get into heaven by your own power.
Scripture is clear: "The wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord" (Romans 6:23). No, if we're going to get into heaven, it will only be because we have been given faith in Jesus Christ as our Savior and Lord. If you have faith in Jesus Christ as your Savior, you will get into heaven. No doubt, no question, no second-guessing, no balance scales.
With faith in Jesus Christ, you are going to heaven. That's because, in Jesus, the just Judge says, "All is done."
THE PRAYER: Dear Lord, I give thanks that You have taken care of all I could never have done. Because of my Savior's sacrifice I have been granted life, forgiveness and salvation. In His Name I give thanks. Amen.
One of the great preachers of the 19th century was a Scottish Presbyterian minister by the name of Alexander Whyte.
Reverend Whyte was one of those wonderful people who had a living, loving relationship with his Savior. That, coupled with the fact that Rev. Whyte had done some serious soul searching, made him beloved by his congregation, which he served for almost 40 years. So great was their admiration that one day a member of his church came and gushed: "Dr. Whyte, I just love being in your presence. You are so saintly."
Pastor Whyte looked at the lady and said, "Madam, if you could look into my soul, what you would see would make you spit in my face."
By human standards, Alexander Whyte may have been a pretty good fellow.
But Alexander Whyte knew, in his final judgment before God, being a pretty good guy was not going to be enough to get him into heaven. Truly, by God's standards, none of us is good enough to get into heaven. The Old Testament book of Ecclesiastes sadly says, "Surely, there is not a righteous man on earth who does what is right and never sins" (Ecclesiastes 7:20).
Try as you might, you're not good enough to earn heaven.
Let me tell you what I mean by using a story. It begins with a man who died and found himself standing before the gates of paradise. St. Peter told him that he could come in if he accumulated 1,000 points.
"No problem," the man said to himself. He began, "I was an active Christian."
"A hundred points," said Peter.
"I sang in the choir."
"Twenty-five points."
"I was a substitute teacher once in Sunday school."
"Ten points."
With only 135 of the necessary 1,000 needed, the man became concerned. "I had a cousin who was a pastor and a great uncle who was a missionary."
"Five points each," came back St. Peter's reply.
"I went to a congregational voters' meeting."
Well, that counted for something: "A hundred points."
Unable to think of anything else, and with a grand total of 245 points to his credit, the man mumbled, "I'm not gonna make it. Nobody could. Only by the grace of God alone can I ever get into heaven."
Listening carefully to the man's mumbling, Peter replied, "That's 750 points! Come on in."
Now I don't want you to think you can even begin to get into heaven by your own power.
Scripture is clear: "The wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord" (Romans 6:23). No, if we're going to get into heaven, it will only be because we have been given faith in Jesus Christ as our Savior and Lord. If you have faith in Jesus Christ as your Savior, you will get into heaven. No doubt, no question, no second-guessing, no balance scales.
With faith in Jesus Christ, you are going to heaven. That's because, in Jesus, the just Judge says, "All is done."
THE PRAYER: Dear Lord, I give thanks that You have taken care of all I could never have done. Because of my Savior's sacrifice I have been granted life, forgiveness and salvation. In His Name I give thanks. Amen.
In Christ I remain His servant and yours,
Pastor Ken Klaus
Speaker Emeritus of The Lutheran Hour®
Lutheran Hour Ministries
Through the Bible in a Year
Today Read: 2 Samuel 6-7; Psalm 30; John 1:29-51
2 Samuel 6:1 Again David summoned all the picked troops of Isra’el, 30,000 men. 2 Then David, taking along the entire force he had with him then, set out for Ba‘alei-Y’hudah to bring up from there the ark of God, which bears the Name, the name of Adonai-Tzva’ot enthroned above the k’ruvim. 3 They set the ark of God on a new cart and brought it out of the house of Avinadav on the hill, with ‘Uzah and Achyo, the sons of Avinadav, driving the new cart. 4 They led it from the house of Avinadav on the hill, with the ark of God; Achyo walked in front of the ark. 5 David and the whole house of Isra’el celebrated in the presence of Adonai with all kinds of musical instruments made of cypress-wood, including lyres, lutes, tambourines, rattles and cymbals.
St. Louis, Missouri 63141, United States
1-800-876-9880
www.lhm.org
---------------------
Pastor Ken Klaus
Speaker Emeritus of The Lutheran Hour®
Lutheran Hour Ministries
Through the Bible in a Year
Today Read: 2 Samuel 6-7; Psalm 30; John 1:29-51
2 Samuel 6:1 Again David summoned all the picked troops of Isra’el, 30,000 men. 2 Then David, taking along the entire force he had with him then, set out for Ba‘alei-Y’hudah to bring up from there the ark of God, which bears the Name, the name of Adonai-Tzva’ot enthroned above the k’ruvim. 3 They set the ark of God on a new cart and brought it out of the house of Avinadav on the hill, with ‘Uzah and Achyo, the sons of Avinadav, driving the new cart. 4 They led it from the house of Avinadav on the hill, with the ark of God; Achyo walked in front of the ark. 5 David and the whole house of Isra’el celebrated in the presence of Adonai with all kinds of musical instruments made of cypress-wood, including lyres, lutes, tambourines, rattles and cymbals.
6 When they arrived at Nakhon’s threshing-floor, the oxen stumbled; and ‘Uzah put out his hand to steady the ark of God. 7 But Adonai’s anger blazed up against ‘Uzah, and God struck him down on the spot for his offense, so that he died there by the ark of God. 8 It upset David that Adonai had broken out against ‘Uzah; that place has been called Peretz-‘Uzah [breaking-out of ‘Uzah] ever since. 9 David was frightened of Adonai that day; he asked, “How can the ark of Adonai come to me?” 10 So David would not bring the ark of Adonai into the City of David; rather, David took it over to the house of ‘Oved-Edom the Gitti. 11 The ark of Adonai stayed in the house of ‘Oved-Edom the Gitti for three months; and Adonai blessed ‘Oved-Edom and all his household.
12 King David was told, “Adonai has blessed the house of ‘Oved-Edom and everyone who belongs to him, thanks to the ark of God.” So David went and joyously brought the ark of God up from the house of ‘Oved-Edom into the City of David. 13 When those bearing the ark of Adonai had gone only six paces, he sacrificed an ox and a fattened sheep. 14 Then David danced and spun around with abandon before Adonai, wearing a linen ritual vest. 15 So David and all the house of Isra’el brought up the ark of Adonai with shouting and the sound of the shofar. 16 As the ark of Adonai entered the City of David, Mikhal the daughter of Sha’ul, watching from the window, saw King David leaping and spinning before Adonai; and she was filled with contempt for him.
17 They brought the ark of Adonai in and put it in its place inside the tent that David had set up for it. David offered burnt offerings and peace offerings before Adonai. 18 When David had finished offering the burnt offering and peace offerings, he blessed the people in the name of Adonai-Tzva’ot. 19 Then he distributed to all the people of Isra’el, to everyone there, both men and women, a loaf of bread, a portion of meat and a raisin cake, after which the people all left for their homes.
20 When David returned to bless his household, Mikhal the daughter of Sha’ul came out to meet him and said, “Such honor the king of Isra’el earned for himself today — exposing himself before his servants’ slave-girls like some vulgar exhibitionist!” 21 David answered Mikhal, “In the presence of Adonai — who chose me over your father and over everyone in his family to make me chief over Adonai’s people, over Isra’el — I will celebrate in the presence of Adonai! 22 I will make myself still more contemptible than that, and I will be humiliated in my own eyes, but those slave-girls you mentioned will honor me!” 23 Mikhal the daughter of Sha’ul remained childless until the day she died.
7:1 After the king had been living in his palace awhile and Adonai had given him rest from all his surrounding enemies, 2 the king said to Natan the prophet, “Here, I’m living in a cedar-wood palace; but the ark of God is kept in a tent!” 3 Natan said to the king, “Go, do everything that is in your heart, for Adonai is with you.”
4 But that same night the word of Adonai came to Natan: 5 “Go and tell my servant David that this is what Adonai says: ‘You are going to build me a house to live in? 6 Since the day I brought the people of Isra’el out of Egypt until today, I never lived in a house; rather, I traveled in a tent and a tabernacle. 7 Everywhere I traveled with all the people of Isra’el, did I ever speak a word to any of the tribes of Isra’el, whom I ordered to shepherd my people Isra’el, asking, “Why haven’t you built me a cedar-wood house?”’
8 “Therefore say this to my servant David that this is what Adonai-Tzva’ot says: ‘I took you from the sheep-yards, from following the sheep, to make you chief over my people, over Isra’el. 9 I have been with you wherever you went; I have destroyed all your enemies ahead of you; and I am making your reputation great, like the reputations of the greatest people on earth. 10 I will assign a place to my people Isra’el; I will plant them there, so that they can live in their own place without being disturbed any more. The wicked will no longer oppress them, as they did at the beginning, 11 and as they did from the time I ordered judges to be over my people Isra’el; instead, I will give you rest from all your enemies.
“‘Moreover, Adonai tells you that Adonai will make you a house. 12 When your days come to an end and you sleep with your ancestors, I will establish one of your descendants to succeed you, one of your own flesh and blood; and I will set up his rulership. 13 He will build a house for my name, and I will establish his royal throne forever. 14 I will be a father for him, and he will be a son for me. If he does something wrong, I will punish him with a rod and blows, just as everyone gets punished; 15 nevertheless, my grace will not leave him, as I took it away from Sha’ul, whom I removed from before you. 16 Thus your house and your kingdom will be made secure forever before you; your throne will be set up forever.’” 17 Natan told David all of these words and described this entire vision.
18 Then David went in, sat before Adonai and said, “Who am I, Adonai Elohim; and what is my family, that has caused you to bring me this far? 19 Yet in your view, Adonai Elohim, even this was too small a thing; so you have even said that your servant’s dynasty will continue on into the distant future. This is [indeed] a teaching for a man, Adonai Elohim — 20 what more can David say to you? For you know your servant intimately, Adonai Elohim. 21 It is for the sake of your word and in accordance with your own heart that you have done all this greatness and revealed it to your servant. 22 Therefore, you are great, Adonai, God; for there is no one like you, and there is no God besides you — everything we have heard confirms that. 23 Who can be compared with your people, with Isra’el? What other nation on earth did God set out to redeem and make into a people for himself? You made yourself a reputation by doing for your land things that even for you are great and terrifying, for the sake of your people whom you redeemed for yourself from Egypt and from other nations and from their gods. 24 You set up your people for yourself as your people forever; and you, Adonai, became their God. 25 So now, Adonai, God, establish forever the word you have spoken to your servant and his house; do what you have promised. 26 May your name be magnified forever, so that it will be said, ‘Adonai-Tzva’ot is God over Isra’el, and the dynasty of your servant David will be set up in your presence.’ 27 You, Adonai-Tzva’ot, God of Isra’el, have disclosed to your servant, ‘I will build you a house.’ This is why your servant has the courage to pray this prayer to you. 28 Now, Adonai Elohim, you alone are God; your words are truth; and you have made this wonderful promise to your servant. 29 So may it please you to bless the family of your servant and thereby cause it to continue forever in your presence. For you, Adonai Elohim, have said it. May your servant’s family be blessed forever by your blessing.”
Psalm 30: (0) A psalm. A song for the dedication of the house. By David:
2 (1) I will exalt you, Adonai, because you drew me up;
you didn’t let my enemies rejoice over me.
3 (2) Adonai my God, I cried out to you,
and you provided healing for me.
4 (3) Adonai, you lifted me up from Sh’ol;
you kept me alive when I was sinking into a pit.
5 (4) Sing praise to Adonai, you faithful of his;
and give thanks on recalling his holiness.
6 (5) For his anger is momentary,
but his favor lasts a lifetime.
Tears may linger for the night,
but with dawn come cries of joy.
7 (6) Once I was prosperous and used to say,
that nothing could ever shake me —
8 (7) when you showed me favor, Adonai,
I was firm as a mighty mountain.
But when you hid your face,
I was struck with terror.
9 (8) I called to you, Adonai;
to Adonai I pleaded for mercy:
10 (9) “What advantage is there in my death,
in my going down to the pit?
Can the dust praise you?
Can it proclaim your truth?
11 (10) Hear me, Adonai, and show me your favor!
Adonai, be my helper!”
12 (11) You turned my mourning into dancing!
You removed my sackcloth and clothed me with joy,
13 (12) so that my well-being can praise you and not be silent;
Adonai my God, I will thank you forever!
John 1:29 The next day, Yochanan saw Yeshua coming toward him and said, “Look! God’s lamb! The one who is taking away the sin of the world! 30 This is the man I was talking about when I said, ‘After me is coming someone who has come to rank above me, because he existed before me.’ 31 I myself did not know who he was, but the reason I came immersing with water was so that he might be made known to Isra’el.” 32 Then Yochanan gave this testimony: “I saw the Spirit coming down from heaven like a dove, and remaining on him. 33 I myself did not know who he was, but the one who sent me to immerse in water said to me, ‘The one on whom you see the Spirit descending and remaining, this is the one who immerses in the Ruach HaKodesh.’ 34 And I have seen and borne witness that this is the Son of God.”
35 The next day, Yochanan was again standing with two of his talmidim. 36 On seeing Yeshua walking by, he said, “Look! God’s lamb!” 37 His two talmidim heard him speaking, and they followed Yeshua. 38 Yeshua turned and saw them following him, and he asked them, “What are you looking for?” They said to him, “Rabbi!” (which means “Teacher!”) “Where are you staying?” 39 He said to them, “Come and see.” So they went and saw where he was staying, and remained with him the rest of the day — it was about four o’clock in the afternoon. 40 One of the two who had heard Yochanan and had followed Yeshua was Andrew the brother of Shim‘on Kefa.
41 The first thing he did was to find his brother Shim‘on and tell him, “We’ve found the Mashiach!” (The word means “one who has been anointed.”) 42 He took him to Yeshua. Looking at him, Yeshua said, “You are Shim‘on Bar-Yochanan; you will be known as Kefa.” (The name means “rock.”)
43 The next day, having decided to leave for the Galil, Yeshua found Philip and said, “Follow me!” 44 Philip was from Beit-Tzaidah, the town where Andrew and Kefa lived. 45 Philip found Natan’el and told him, “We’ve found the one that Moshe wrote about in the Torah, also the Prophets — it’s Yeshua Ben-Yosef from Natzeret!” 46 Natan’el answered him, “Natzeret? Can anything good come from there?” “Come and see,” Philip said to him. 47 Yeshua saw Natan’el coming toward him and remarked about him, “Here’s a true son of Isra’el — nothing false in him!” 48 Natan’el said to him, “How do you know me?” Yeshua answered him, “Before Philip called you, when you were under the fig tree, I saw you.” 49 Natan’el said, “Rabbi, you are the Son of God! You are the King of Isra’el!” 50 Yeshua answered him, “you believe all this just because I told you I saw you under the fig tree? You will see greater things than that!” 51 Then he said to him, “Yes indeed! I tell you that you will see heaven opened and the angels of God going up and coming down[John 1:51 Genesis 28:12] on the Son of Man!”
660 Mason Ridge Center DriveSt. Louis, Missouri 63141, United States
1-800-876-9880
www.lhm.org
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