Stone Hearts to Flesh [part three]

{Ezekiel 11:19 - I will take from them their hearts of stone, and give them hearts of flesh.}

In the last post, I wrote to you that Salvation is not the end, and that growth is rewarding (even though it is sometimes painful). This post is concerned with how to begin growing - how to take that step forward in our walks with Christ, and take in all of the character He has in store for us.

Do you remember the day you first realized what Christ did for you? The moment when you fell in love with Him, and asked Him to take over your life?

One hot summer's day (June 28, 2006) there was a young girl at a Christian summer camp. She was surrounded by the friends she had made throughout the week, everyone was laughing and talking, but she knew something was missing. From early in the week she had felt a knot in the pit of her stomach every time someone brought up Jesus. It wasn't that she didn't know what they were talking about, she knew the answers to every question they had asked her and felt confident in her knowledge of the Bible. The problem was all this talk about Jesus being the Lord of your life. The ONE person you follow forever. The ONLY master you serve.

She wasn't sure she had put Jesus in that place in her life. But she wanted that to change.

I was the little girl, 11 years old, who accepted Christ that night. And I can remember being so thrilled about the decision, that I went to all of the friends I had made to be sure that they knew just how important it was to make Christ your King.

Christ was my First Love. And during my time in the complacent church, I saw that I had turned away from the Love I had received in Him - the only love worth having. I had begun to worry more about my own material condition - about how I looked, acted, who liked me, whom I liked - than the condition of the Kingdom. More than the sacrifice Christ was. More than His power. More than His Love.

The root of the problem? I had become more interested in what Christ could DO for me, than what Christ already DID for me. I let the blessings overpower the source. Let's check out 1 Corinthians.

1 Corinthians 15: 3-4

"For what I [Paul] recieved I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, [and] that he was raised on the third day according to Scripture"

FIRST IMPORTANCE. The news that Paul is 'passing on' is to be regarded as the most important information above all others. What news?

Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures.

Christ was buried - He was not coming back.

Christ did come back - He rose after three days according to the Scriptures.

Why then, if this is to be of first importance, do we focus so little on the Gospel of Christ? Why are we so intent to share the blessings of Christ - but not intent to appreciate the sanctification of Christ?

I think part of the reason is because we no longer see the Gospel as active in our lives. We have stopped looking for the action, stopped thanking God for His gift. In the words of my friend Marc:

"...Don't tell me about what I need to do. Tell me about what Jesus did! It is the gospel that creates lasting change in our hearts! not a list of do's and dont's."
 

Faith is not about living right. Christianity is not about blessings. Being with God is not about looking pretty and carrying a cross around your neck.

Love. Gratefulness. Amazement at what God has done - He came to the filth that surrounds us, and died.

Remember that First Love. Remember that Joy. Remember His Sacrifice. Only by holding onto the message of the Gospel, will we ever be able to move forward.