Good Enough? Impossible
I was struggling to hear the prompts of the Lord for this morning's study.
So I settled on the couch with my cup of coffee and got quiet.
All I kept hearing was an earworm of a Matthew West song:
Then I realized, the lyrics are the message today:
🎶🎶🎶🎶🎶🎶🎶🎶🎶🎶🎶🎶🎶🎶🎶
[Verse 1]
I used to think grace was a ladder
Every sinner had to climb
If only I could just do better
I could earn it over time
Tried to work my way to good
Trouble is I never could
But then You showed me
Just exactly how grace works
[Chorus]
I'm good at always falling down
You're good at never giving up
I'm good at getting turned around
You're good at saying I'm still loved
And I was wrecked by mercy
The day I understood
I'm not loved because I'm worthy
I'm loved because You're good
[Verse 2]
I think Paul wrote the book of Romans
For people just like me
For all the beat up and the broken
Who need to know that grace is free
Why do I do the things I shouldn't
And I don’t do the things I should?
That's just the proof
You're the only part of me that's good
[Chorus]
I'm good at always falling down
You're good at never giving up
I'm good at getting turned around
You're good at saying I'm still loved
And I was wrecked by mercy
The day I understood
I'm not loved because I'm worthy
I'm loved because You're good
[Bridge]
Loved because You're God
I'm loved because You're faithful to me even when I'm not
Oh God, You are so good
When there's nothing good in me
Just a grateful sinner saved by You
Is all I have to be
[Chorus]
I'm good at always falling down
You're good at never giving up
I'm good at getting turned around
You're good at saying I'm still loved
And I was wrecked by mercy
The day I understood
I'm not loved because I'm worthy
I'm loved because You're good
[Bridge 2]
Loved because You're God
I'm loved because You're faithful to me even when I'm not
Oh God, You are so good
When there's nothing good in me
Just a grateful sinner saved by You
Is all I have to be
[Outro]
And I was wrecked by mercy
The day I understood
I'm not loved because I'm worthy
I'm loved because You're good
🎶🎶🎶🎶🎶🎶🎶🎶🎶🎶🎶🎶🎶🎶
God’s Word teaches us that our inability to be good enough is exactly what qualifies us to receive His mercy:
Romans 3:23-24 NKJV
"...for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus..."
Not one single person can earn salvation through their own efforts.
Titus 3:5 NLT
“He saved us, not because of the righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He washed away our sins, giving us a new birth and new life through the Holy Spirit.”
Jesus' sacrifice and resurrection alone saves us. Not our showing up to church on Sundays, volunteering at the food pantry, or dropping a fiver in the collection plate.
Ephesians 2:8-9 NLT
“God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God. Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it.”
Salvation is a gift we receive from God. We can count on spending eternity with the Lord from day one of professing our faith in Jesus Christ.
2 Corinthians 12:9 NLT
“Each time he said, “My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness.” So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me."
The Apostle Paul reminds us it is God’s act of mercy towards His creation — not our actions or any inherent goodness — that gives us the ability to profess the name of Jesus to the world.
We will never be good enough for what the cross accomplished on our behalf.
That is our cross to bear.
But God is great enough and loves us so much, He will carry our crosses for us.
Remember who deserves our gratitude today.
Mush
SHARING THE GOSPEL
by Calvary Chapel FTL
Until The Whole World Hears
By Danny Saavedra
“And the Good News about the Kingdom will be preached throughout the whole world, so that all nations will hear it; and then the end will come.”— Matthew 24:14 (NLT)
You hear what you want to hear . . . Have you ever heard that? It’s a sentiment often expressed when someone is in the habit of twisting people’s words or intentions. I’ve seen people do this with instructions, news stories, and conversations in order to fit their agenda, offer them validation, support their argument, or justify their choices. Sadly, I’ve even seen people do this with Scripture, even with the words of Jesus Himself. One of the most prevalent cases of hearing what you want to hear is with the Great Commission in Matthew 28:19 (NIV emphasis added), which tells us to “go and make disciples of all nations.”
For some reason, people often forget that last part and simply quote the “go and make disciples” part. But it’s a vital part of Jesus’ instructions to us. It’s something He emphasized several times throughout the Gospels, notably in Mark 16:15 and also in today’s verse.
The Lord Jesus has given us this directive to arise and go, to take His good news to the very ends of the earth. And this directive in all its fullness is not optional. We don’t have the luxury to hear what we want to hear with it. But here’s the thing . . . we shouldn’t consider this as a burden - to take the gospel to every nation. We should see it as nothing less than an incredible honor—we get to be used by God to advance His kingdom, grow His family, and ensure that every tribe and tongue is represented in heaven!
Does this mean you have to abandon everything and move to a remote village in a third world country? No! For some people, that is what God has purposed, but it’s not for everyone. That doesn’t mean you can’t or shouldn’t have a part in preaching the kingdom throughout the whole world. As a friend once wrote, “God is seeking ordinary people with missional mindsets, people willing to go.”
Maybe for you, going means becoming a missionary or going on a few short-term mission trips. Maybe it means supporting a missionary, giving generously to global mission projects, or advocating for the redemptive work taking place across the globe. Or maybe it means reaching out and sharing the gospel with a neighbor, coworker, classmate, or friend from a foreign country, who can then in turn bring the gospel to their relatives and friends back home. Whatever it is, God wants to use you “to bring salvation to the farthest corners of the earth’” (Acts 13:47 NLT) before the end comes. Will you answer the call?
DIG: Why is it so important that we remember and embrace the second part of the Great Commission?
DISCOVER: What does the call to preach the gospel to all nations mean for you personally?
DO: Pray about how you can do your part to bring the gospel to the ends of the earth.
PRAYER:
Dear Lord,
There are some days the burdens we carry are too heavy. Thank you for doing the heavy lifting. Let us accept our weaknesses knowing Your strength through those weaknesses will accomplish more than meets the eye. In Jesus' name, Amen.