Unworthy Is Not Worthless

Should we be surprised when increasing numbers of young people see themselves - and others - as fundamentally worthless, when materialists tell them that there is no God, no spiritual realm, no after-life, no ultimate justice? Is it any wonder then that the most basic ache of the human soul - to find true meaning and purpose through a vital connection with our infinitely powerful and limitlessly loving Maker - remains painfully unsatisfied? Might this explain why certain "extreme" groups today are so appealing to young people? #is #isis #isil #suicide

Into a culture invaded by material-terrorists who poison the minds of the vulnerable with the heinous lie that we are all just the result of a random / spontaneous / uncaused / fluke vacuum fluctuation in gravity (#stephen_hawking) we now have a culture of rampant despair and disregard! For the past few weeks in one of my children's school classes, the government-funded educators have been telling their young students that morality is just a hang-over from the by-gone days of religious superstition. Neither your body nor your actions have any objective moral boundaries governing them. As my teen endured this government re-education training, she looked at many of class-mates and reflected on the connection between what they were yet again being told, and the tragic resultant scenarios being played out in their lives. Many (too many) of her fellow class-mates were now resorting to drugs to try and quell the persistant cry of the soul for a meaningful and significant existence in harmony with their Maker. Believing the destructive lies they are being told about their worth (that they are no more than a collection of molecules and that the notion that there is anything immaterial about them is just superstitious nonsense) these girls are often reduced to thinking and believing that they are essentially worthless unless they can be of some sexual worth to someone. Hence, many (too many) of these early-teen girls have lost something they can never get back and now no longer care that it's gone. #boysonlywantonething #ifeelworthless

¶ Now may the God of peace himself sanctify you completely, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.
First Thessalonians 5:23

There is a (not-so) silent cry arising from the deep recesses of this generation. It's a soul-chilling shriek that says, "I must be worthless!" Social researchers are bewildered at this. They merely look at the symptom and oversimplify the diagnosis: we have rising rates of depression. #duh One Tasmanian academic in his book, Born Bad, even blames Christianity for our current malais! He argues that Christians teach that the world is fallen, every person is born corrupted by inherited sin, therefore we are conditoned to feel worthless. But this gross misdiagnosis distorts the hope that the teaching of Christ's Word brings. This academic's criticism o Christianity fails to distinguish between worthless, and, the vastly different concept of, unworthy. No person - irregardless of their size, location, environment, or development-stage (SLED), is worthless. On the contrary! Every person - irregardless of their abilities, intellect, achievements or potential - is of immeasurable worth and always has a divinely appointed purpose from their Maker!

For I am the least of the apostles, unworthy to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. 
First Corinthians 15:9

As rampant as the poisonous lies to our young people are here, we have not yet succumb to the lie (that we are merely material beings) to the extent as some other parts of the Western world. There are towns where this evil deception has run its logical course and resulted in the inevitable flagrant disregard for the lives of fellow human beings. #usaschoolshootings But now we are seeing something strange. Some young people are embracing another lie: that God is utterly whimsical and unpredictable (He "abbrogates"), uncaring (He cares nothing for "infidels"), and offers those who kill these infidels eternal sexual bliss! Bewilderingly, this is being described by those unaware of the elementary teachings of these ideas as 'extremist' and 'not a reflection of this great religion of peace'. But to many young people who are told that they are worthless, these ideas give them purpose, and seem to satisfy the excruciating universal ache of the human soul for a pleasing connection with their Maker. But this god is made! Anything made (including an idea) cannot be The Maker - since The Maker made all things that were made. 

For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him.
Colossians 1:16

When we meet Sunday by Sunday for worship we are acknowledging our unworthiness and our Maker's limitless worth. When we worship Him we displaying to the world a powerful story - a story so deeply intrinsic to every human soul that it is written into our DNA from conception. It is a story of our first ancestors. It is a story that says they were created perfectly suited (as distinct from being created perfect) to the world in which our Maker placed them. It is a story that says an alien invader corrupted the moral integrity our First-Father and First-Mother and brought enmity between them and The Maker. It is story that says that the Maker, who eternally dwells in infinite loving divine community ( #trinity ), reached out in love to a now rebellious mankind, and sacrificed His eternal co-equal Son in our place. It is a story that says The Maker now offers forgiveness to all mankind so that each one can now be restored to a loving, peace-filled, guided relationship with Him. #jesus . Thus, when we assemble to worship we are telling a powerful and reminiscent story. When we worship our Maker we are ascribing great worth to Him, the lives He has given us, our fellow man, and the world in which He has placed us. When we desclare His worth-ship ( #worshipisworthship ) we are surrendering afresh to Him and declaring that He is uniquely worthy. Singing to Him is an act of worship. And as Victoria Osteen tried to say, God doesn't need our worship, but we need to worship Him!

Worthy are You...
Revelation 5:9 

In a world increasingly filled with hopelessness and despair where more and more young people are beguiled by the lie that they are worthless and life is meaningless, we have an opportunity to shine a different story. A story that is utterly different to the materialist's. Our story could not be more different to the story of the ones who claim that our Maker is actually the Moon-God ( #notethesymbolontopoftheirhousesofworship ) who sometimes shows love and mercy. What our Maker requires of us is love for one another - even with those who disagree us, and for those who refuse to believe. And every time we make the effort to assemble for worship and instruction in the ways of God, we are declaring to both the Materialist and the Moon-god-worshiper that our Maker is most worthy of worship and we are most unworthy of His grace. But our unworthiness is not the same as being worthless! #jesuslovesus #themeaningoflifeisJesus #createdinhisimage #theoldtestamentandthekoranbearnoresemblance

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Ps. Andrew

BENEDICTIONS OF AMAZING GRACE, EXTRAVAGANT LOVE, AND INTIMATE FRIENDSHIP

Does your mind wander at times? Come for a wander with me now into some unimaginably lush garden forests of reverie. In these forests, those who love to let their minds mull and wander are able to explore what most people fail to even notice. This is a forest of benedictions. Our Italian brothers could readily tell us that 'bene-diction' means good words. And as we venture into this inviting garden-forest we come across the grandest benediction. Eugene Peterson is already seated on the carpet of heath admiring it. He has drawn us a picture of this loveliest part of the reverie garden-

¶ The amazing grace of the Master, Jesus Christ, the extravagant love of God, the intimate friendship of the Holy Spirit, be with all of you.
Second Corinthians 13:14 THE MESSAGE, by Eugene Peterson

John Newton wandered through this exquisite forest some time ago. He picked some of the generous blooms of this wordy garden, put them in a vase and let the world admire them.

Amazing Grace, how sweet the sound,
That saved a wretch like me....
I once was lost but now am found,
Was blind, but now, I see.
AMAZING GRACE, John Newton

The Apostle Paul's closing words to the beleaguerd Corinthians were exactly what they needed. His epistle to them had been (at times) harsh and stern. Someone in their church had claimed it was not sin to be sexually involved with his step-mother. He claimed that the grace of Christ permitted him to sin freely. But by doing this, he had grossly distorted what God intended as 'love'. This disgraceful conduct and attitude had fractured the fellowship of their church.

Added to this were some who had misused the grace-gifts and used them in a very unloving manner. Their arrogant conduct threatened the now fragile fellowship of their church.

Into this barren wasteland of disarray, the apostle introduces God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. He points them back to God the Father and reminds them of His dealings with Israel and how this revealed His great faithfulness. As he does, the dusty soil seems to change colour. He introduces a throne into the middle of the scene and vegetation begins to appear. In a glimmer of strange light it appears that Someone is seated on the throne. The apostle talks a lot about Him - His sacrifice, His redeeming work, His great passion. Then on-cue, a very light mist envelopes the garden and waters the plants which have gently appeared and the apostle speaks of the Holy Spirit - His empowering, His gifts, His power. The Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit work together in harmony and unison of purpose.

¶ The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.
Second Corinthians 13:14

Perhaps your life has become barren and desolate? Vitality, passion, and joy might seem to have gone from your life. Consider, muse, and ponder on what the Apostle Paul is telling the Corinthians: The Trinity of Grace, Love, and Fellowship can turn your dryness into lushness. These are "good words" from the Apostle. Perhaps you could use a dose of benediction in your life right now? It is hard to imagine a grander benediction than this.

Grace is any gift given freely and undeservedly. God's grace is even more than this because it is a gift given freely and undeservedly meeting our present need. Could you use the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ in your life now? I could. F.W. Boreham, in his classic book, On The Other Side of The Hill, tells us that the affect of receiving such a grace is that we become ourselves become gracious, loving, and friendly. The one touched deeply by the power of this benediction cannot help but pass it on to others. He tells us that it is the same as a person taking a leisurely walk through a thick garden of fragrant flowers and having the fragrance of the garden's flowers linger about them for days.

¶ But thanks be to God, who in Christ always leads us in triumphal procession, and through us spreads the fragrance of the knowledge of him everywhere.
Second Corinthians 2:14

Dr Boreham also points out that it's not just grace, love and fellowship, that these benedictory words bestow, it is the accompaniment of the Triune Bestower as well. Christians, dedicated followers of Christ, are given the grace of Jesus Christ because we have received Christ. We are given the love of God because we have yielded our lives to God and He has chosen to live in us. We given fellowship with the Holy Spirit because the Holy Spirit now dwells with and in us. Understanding the Trinity is not merely the domain of lofty Theologians. It should be the delight and refreshment of every follower of Christ. For in pondering the union of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, we see what infinite grace has looked like for all eternity. We see what infinite love looks like in its most glorious fashion. And we see the original archetype of intimate fellowship. These musings cause us to be gracious toward the undeserving, loving toward the difficult, and open-heartedly friendly toward those we not yet or fully know. Eugene Peterson captures this benediction well when he describes this wonderful blessing available to all believers when he calls it- amazing, extravagant, and intimate.

Mankind was originally placed in a garden. It was in this Garden of Eden that God would come down in the cool of the day and walk with Adam. As he experienced God's presence he was nourished to the core of his soul on grace, love and fellowship. He would have known unimaginable peace, joy, and satisfaction. Without God and His benediction spoken into our soul, people are left to their own inadequate devices and left wondering why they feel so empty and dry. In a world full of desolate words, couldn't you use an amazing, extravagant, and intimate benediction to fill your mind with renewing, refreshing, comfort? May you know the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit deep in your soul.

Andrew