In the Spotlight
Godly Grief
Purpose To discover and experience Jesus Christ in our midst To cultivate mutually encouraging relationships To participate in God’s mission to the world Opening Prayer Responsive Prayer — Psalm 24 The earth is the Lord’s and the fullness thereof, The world and those who dwell therein, For he has founded it upon the seas And established it upon the rivers. Who shall ascend the hill of the Lord? And who shall stand in his holy place? He who has clean hands and a pure heart, Who does not lift up his soul to what is false. He will receive blessing from the Lord And righteousness from the God of his salvation. Summary We are continuing our fall sermon series, Power in Weakness, during which we’re looking at Paul’s second epistle to the Corinthians, appropriately considered Paul’s most painful, personal, and passionate letter. This week’s passage opens with Paul’s continued appeal to the Corinthians, reaffirming his deep affection and confidence in them (verses 2-4). His heart is open toward them, and out of his deep sense of pastoral love, he longs for their reconciliation. In recounting his recent trials in Macedonia, Paul describes being “afflicted at every turn—fighting without and fear within” (verse 5) yet finding comfort in God, “who comforts the downcast” (verse 6; cf. 2 Cor. 1:3-4). This comfort came through the arrival of Titus, who not only relieved Paul’s anxiety but also brought joyful news of the Corinthians’ repentance (verse 7). Paul rejoices because the Corinthians’ sorrow led to repentance and not despair (verse 8-9). Their grief was “godly,” not “worldly.” Godly grief leads to life, while worldly grief leads only to death (verse 10). Worldly grief is self-centered; it laments the loss of personal comfort, success, or reputation, as exemplified by those who mourn over fallen Babylon (Revelation 18:9-11). By contrast, godly grief is God-centered; it grieves sin because sin offends a holy God and dishonors his grace, as seen in the contrition of David (Psalm 51:4) or in Peter’s weeping after his denial (Luke 22:62). As 17th-century Dutch theologian Johannes Hoornbeek exhorted, believers should “pay heed to your sins that grieve and oppress you,” for that struggle serves as the very evidence of divine grace at work in your life. This grief over sin is not something that only the Corinthians experienced; it is true for Christians as well. True repentance, as 17th-century English theologian John Owen notes, consists of two elements: mortification, or dying to sin, and vivification, or rising to new life. Mortification involves recognizing sin’s offensiveness before God and being “displeased with ourselves,” while vivification looks to God’s mercy in Christ, restoring courage and joy through grace. This aligns with the Westminster Confession of Faith, which defines repentance as a saving grace, whereby the sinner, “upon the apprehension of God’s mercy in Christ,” grieves for and hates sin as contrary to God’s holy nature, turning from it unto Him in obedience (WCF 15.1-2). True repentance, therefore, is not fear-based but joy-based. As Tim Keller puts it, “Fear-based repentance makes us hate ourselves. Joy-based repentance makes us hate the sin.” Godly grief is therefore the doorway to gospel joy; it humbles the sinner but also lifts them into communion with Christ. Paul’s teaching here underscores that repentance is not a single act but a lifelong disposition of the renewed heart. J. I. Packer describes it as a pattern of: realistic recognition that we have wronged God, regretful remorse at dishonoring Him, reverent seeking of pardon, resolute renunciation of sin, and requisite restitution toward others. Such repentance flows from faith and leads to life (Acts 11:18). Through repentance, believers experience both mortification and vivification: the dying of the old self and the rising of the new creation in Christ (2 Corinthians 5:17). Thus, this passage reveals the rhythm of the Christian life: affliction and comfort, sorrow and joy, death and resurrection, all held together in the gracious work of God, who comforts the downcast and brings life through repentance. Discussion Questions 1. Looking at the Bible From the passage, share with the group some key phrases or ideas that stood out to you. 2. Looking at Jesus In verse 6, Paul says that God comforts the downcast through the coming of Titus. How has Jesus, the God of all comfort, brought comfort in your own life? 3. Looking at Our Hearts Paul describes earnestness, eagerness, and zeal as the fruits of true repentance (v. 11). Do you see these qualities in your life when you turn from sin? 4. Looking at Our World When you are convicted of sin, what kind of sorrow usually arises in your heart? Sorrow over consequences or sorrow over grieving God and neighbor? Prayer Pray for each other: Share any prayer requests you have. Pray for the New York City mayoral election. Pray that the new leader would fear God and care for the people with godly wisdom. Praise that God in his providence establishes all authorities that exist, and that he is always in control.
November 2, 2025 | Read
Latest Resources
Godly Grief
Every one of us carries regrets, failures, and moments we wish we could undo. Paul reminds us there are two ways to respond: the path of guilt or the path of grace. True, godly grief doesn’t lead us into shame or self-pity but into repentance and renewal, where even our tears become instruments of God’s mercy as he reshapes our hearts by his love. Watch this sermon as Jason Harris shows how godly grief opens the door to genuine repentance and lasting change.
November 2, 2025 | Watch
The Grace-Driven Life
Many people today admire Jesus but struggle to trust His followers, seeing the Church as hypocritical or insincere. Paul’s words remind us that God’s grace is meant to transform how we live, love, and lead in a skeptical world. True credibility is restored not through power or image but through integrity, humility, and open-hearted grace. Watch this sermon as Jason Harris shows how God’s grace renews both our witness and the Church’s calling in the world.
October 26, 2025 | Watch
The Grace-Driven Life
Purpose To discover and experience Jesus Christ in our midst To cultivate mutually encouraging relationships To participate in God’s mission to the world Opening Prayer Responsive Prayer — Isaiah 49 Thus says the Lord: “In a time of favor I have answered you; In a day of salvation I have helped you; I will keep you and give you As a covenant to the people, To establish the land, To apportion the desolate heritages.” Sing for joy, O heavens, and exult, O earth; Break forth, O mountains, into singing! For the Lord has comforted his people And will have compassion on his afflicted. Summary The Apostle Paul’s words in this passage emphasize the grace-soaked nature of the Christian life. Grace should not be thought of as merely the instrument of salvation, because it is also necessary for sustaining believers through all of life’s circumstances. Paul begins by reiterating to his readers that his ministry is not his own but is from God, and that all Christians share in this calling as “fellow workers” (verse 1). By carrying the message of reconciliation (2 Cor. 5:18-20), believers become participatory instruments in God’s redemptive mission. Yet this cooperation is itself a gift of grace, which must not be received “in vain” (verse 1; cf. 1 Cor. 15:10). The urgency of that grace is underscored in verse 2: “Now is the favorable time; behold, now is the day of salvation.” What tomorrow will bring is not known (James 4:13-15), and so Paul exhorts the Corinthians to receive and act on God’s grace in the present. As the Westminster Confession of Faith (WCF 14.1) reminds us, saving faith enables believers to “accept, receive, and rest upon Christ alone,” a reality that bears fruit in the daily life of the Christian. Paul then turns to the marks of endurance that accompany the grace-filled Christian life. In verses 4-10, he offers a catalogue of trials — afflictions, hardships, beatings, and imprisonments — yet through them, the grace of God enables steadfast patience. As Paul demonstrated throughout his life, believers are called to persevere with integrity and gentleness (Galatians 5:22-23), enduring both honor and dishonor, praise and slander — and these extremes are important. The grace of God guards us both against the pride that comes with honor on the one hand and the bitterness that arises from reproach and slander on the other (verse 8; WCF 13.1). Paul then introduces the paradox of Christian life “as sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, yet possessing everything” (verses 9-10). Though believers are empty in themselves, they possess all things in Christ, who supplies every spiritual blessing and sustains His people through every hardship (Ephesians 1:3; Philippians 4:11-13; Romans 8:17-18). Finally, Paul warns against being “unequally yoked with unbelievers” (vv. 14-16). This is not a call to isolation from the world (cf. John 17:15-18) but to holiness and discernment in one’s closest relationships and partnerships. As the very dwelling place of God through the Holy Spirit, Christians are temples of the living God (verse 16; 1 Cor. 6:19-20) and must therefore avoid mingling light with darkness, righteousness with lawlessness, or Christ with idols. To defile the temple through worldliness or unwise relationships with unbelievers is to show ingratitude for the grace that made us holy (WCF 13.2). Yet even this command is grace-filled. God calls his people to separation in order to preserve their joy and integrity as his dwelling place (verse 16; Leviticus 26:11-12; Ephesians 2:19-22). Having received the grace that calls us into God’s work, sustains us in suffering, humbles us in both honor and reproach, and sanctifies us for holy fellowship with him, believers respond by walking in gratitude, bearing the paradoxical joy of those who “have nothing, yet possess everything” in Christ. Discussion Questions 1. Looking at the Bible From the passage, share with the group some key phrases or ideas that stood out to you. 2. Looking at Jesus Discuss what it would look like to “receive the grace of God in vain” (verse 1). 3. Looking at Our Hearts Read verses 4-10. What do you notice about the list of Paul’s credentials? What is Paul’s underlying message of the seemingly contradictory phrases in verses 8-10? Jesus is both the source and the example of a grace-driven life. How does Jesus and his earthly ministry demonstrate Paul’s list in verses 4-10? 4. Looking at Our World Verse 14, “Do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers,” has sometimes been misinterpreted to mean that Christians should not have any affiliation with unbelievers. What is Paul actually urging the Corinthian believers to do here as “temples of the living God” (verse 16)? Prayer Pray for each other: Share any prayer requests you have. Please pray for the finances of Central. Pray that God will supply all that’s needed according to his great riches. Praise God that he is bringing more people to Central and that he is using Central Presbyterian Church to reconcile the people of New York to himself.
October 26, 2025 | Read
Ambassadors
Purpose To discover and experience Jesus Christ in our midst To cultivate mutually encouraging relationships To participate in God’s mission to the world Opening Prayer Responsive Prayer — Psalm 36 Your steadfast love, O Lord, extends to the heavens, Your faithfulness to the clouds. Your righteousness is like the mountains of God; Your judgments are like the great deep. How precious is your steadfast love, O God! The children of mankind take refuge in the shadow of your wings. They feast on the abundance of your house, And you give them drink from the river of your delights. For with you is the fountain of life; In your light do we see light. Summary We are continuing our fall sermon series, Power in Weakness, during which we’re looking at Paul’s second epistle to the Corinthians, appropriately considered Paul’s most painful, personal, and passionate letter. In this week’s passage, Paul continues developing his defense of apostolic ministry by grounding it in the transforming power of the gospel. The “therefore” at the beginning of verse 11 connects this passage to the preceding discussion of the judgment seat of Christ (2 Cor. 5:10). Because all must appear before Christ to give an account, the Christian lives with reverent “fear of the Lord,” which compels him to persuade others to know Christ as Savior before meeting him as Judge. This fear does not come from paralyzing terror but from a holy awe that moves the believer to faithfulness and evangelistic zeal (Proverbs 9:10; Hebrews 12:28-29). As Puritan commentator Matthew Henry beautifully summarizes, “When Christ shall appear terribly, the Christian may appear before him comfortably.” The believer’s confidence comes from knowing that he is known by God (verse 11), so that even amid misunderstanding or opposition, his conscience rests secure (1 Corinthians 4:4–5; Westminster Confession of Faith [WCF] 18.1-2). Paul then explains that the love of Christ is what motivates his ministry (verse 14). That is, Christ’s love toward us in his death and resurrection both constrains and compels the believer to live no longer for self but for him “who died and was raised” (verse 15). This marks the pattern of all true Christian living: love received produces love expressed in service to God and neighbor (Matthew 22:37-40; 1 John 4:10-11; Westminster Shorter Catechism 42). Paul clarifies that Christ’s death was substitutionary and particular — “one has died for all” — not in the sense of universal salvation but in the sense that all who are “in Christ” have died with him and will also live with him (Romans 6:3-5; 1 Corinthians 15:22). While Christ’s atonement is sufficient for all, it is effectual only for those united to him by faith (John 10:11, 27–28; WCF 8.8). Thus, the “all” who died in Christ are those who, through union with him, have been made alive and now live for his glory. The believer’s response to this redeeming love is wholehearted devotion. Paul goes on to describe the transformation that reconciliation brings. Through regeneration, believers are no longer defined by worldly standards (“we regard no one according to the flesh,” verse 16) but are made “new creations” in Christ (verse 17; Ezekiel 36:26; John 3:3-8). This renewal is entirely the work of God, who reconciles sinners to himself through Christ and entrusts to the Church “the ministry of reconciliation” (verses 18-19; Romans 5:10–11; WCF 13.1-2). The language of “reconciliation” presupposes enmity: our sin had separated us from a holy God. Through the cross, that hostility has been overcome. God’s grace not only removes guilt but also restores fellowship, as Christ “who knew no sin became sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God” (verse 21; Isaiah 53:4-6; Galatians 3:13). This is the great exchange at the heart of the gospel: our sin imputed to Christ, his righteousness imputed to us (WCF 11.1; Westminster Larger Catechism 70-73). As “ambassadors for Christ” (verse 20), believers now proclaim this message of reconciliation to a world still alienated from its Creator, imploring others on God’s behalf, “Be reconciled to God.” Discussion Questions 1. Looking at the Bible From the passage, share with the group some key phrases or ideas that stood out to you. 2. Looking at Jesus Paul says that knowing “the fear of the Lord” moves him to persuade others (verse 11). How does a right understanding of Jesus as Judge deepen our awe of him? How does knowing that this Judge is also our Redeemer change the way we live before him (John 5:22-24; Hebrews 4:14-16)? In what ways does Jesus himself model godly fear and obedience to the Father (e.g., Hebrews 5:7-9; Philippians 2:8)? How might his example shape our confidence and humility before God? 3. Looking at Our Hearts If reconciliation begins with God moving toward sinners who wronged him (verses 18-19), what does it say about our hearts when we wait for others to make the first move toward us? How does that expose our struggle to believe the gospel we proclaim? Where are you withholding the kind of grace and forgiveness that God has already given you in Christ? 4. Looking at Our World If we are ambassadors of Christ (verse 20), what would it look like for our relationships, our workplaces, and even our civic engagement to reflect the character of his coming kingdom? Prayer Pray for each other: Share any prayer requests you have. Pray for the relationships in our lives that need reconciliation, that we would forgive as we have been forgiven, and that we would be strengthened to love one another as image bearers of the one who has loved us and gave himself up for us. Pray that the universal Church would embody its position as the ambassadors of Christ to a world desperate for the reconciliation offered through the gospel.
October 19, 2025 | Read
Is Christianity Escapist?
Christianity somewhat conveniently offers an unbelievable narrative that, if true, literally changes everything. Which raises the question: Is it possible that Christianity is simply wishful thinking — a framework generated by humans who were (and still are) looking to place their hope in a future that’s better than their reality?
April 18, 2025 | More...
Can We be Good Without God?
Throughout human history, both the religious and non-religious have exhibited the capacity for doing good works. But when we turn to the question of universal moral obligations of goodness, does atheism hold up? Without a belief in God, there is a ceiling to how far goodness can reach.
September 30, 2024 | More...
Grace, Then Gratitude
For many of us, the thing that we fear the most is being insignificant. This is why we are so driven and ambitious—we think that we have to do everything we can to prove that we are significant and that our life counts for something. We scramble to find whatever meaning, value, and purpose this world alone can offer. Although it is true that there is no good or fulfilling life without significance, through Jesus we are offered not only significance but grace. While we may be tempted to try and prove our worth to God or others, God relates to us not on the basis of merit, but on the basis of grace. Our life is simply a response to his love. Accepted First God showers his love upon us simply because he loves us—not because of what we have done, will do, or what potential he may or may not see within us. This is what gives us absolute and utter security. If we do not do anything to win God's love, there is nothing that we could ever do to lose it either. Furthermore, grace means there is nothing we could ever do to make God love us more, and there is nothing we could ever do to make God love us less. His love for us is immovable. This is the difference between Christianity and every other religion. Religion requires you to obey before you are accepted. But the message of Christianity is that you are accepted in and through Jesus Christ first, despite all your faults and failures, and therefore, you obey—not in order to try to win God's love or out of obligation, but out of gratitude for the love you have first been shown. Consider the Exodus story. God could have given his people the Ten Commandments while they were living in bondage in Egypt and required them to follow the law before he rescued them. But instead, he rescues his people first. It is only after he delivers them from their bondage that he then gives them the law in order to show them how to live their lives in response to his love. It is not law, then grace. It is grace, then gratitude. Contra-Conditional Love Grace is the most powerful force in the world. And yet, at the very same time, it is the most difficult thing for us to accept because it is an affront to our pride and self-sufficiency. When we accept God’s grace, we acknowledge that we cannot save ourselves. Years ago I had a conversation with a college student who told me, “I hate the very concept of grace because I want God to love me for me. I want God to love me for the things I do for him because then I know what I'm worth. Then I know that I'm valuable.” I tried to help her see that grace is far better. Consider the words of Victor Hugo who said, “The greatest happiness of life is the conviction that we are loved—loved for ourselves, or rather, loved in spite of ourselves.” God's love is not conditional or even unconditional. His love is contra-conditional. In Jesus Christ, he does not merely love us as we are. He loves us despite who we are and despite what we have done. That is why Pastor Jack Miller used to say, “Cheer up! You're worse than you think! But in Jesus Christ, you are more loved than you could ever imagine.” The House of David In 2 Samuel 7 we read that several decades after God raised David up to be the prince over Israel, David decides to build a house for the Lord. David is living in a luxurious house with paneled walls made out of fine cedar, and he realizes that by contrast, the Ark of the Covenant—the place where God said that he would dwell in the midst of his people—is being kept in a tent. It suddenly dawns on him that his housing is better than God’s! David, understandably, wants to do something for God by building him a permanent house. But rather than allowing David to follow through with his plans, God responds by saying God is going to make a house for David, and David's son, in gratitude, will be the one who builds a house for the Lord. In 2 Samuel 7:16 God says, “Your house and your kingdom shall be made sure forever before me. Your throne shall be established forever.” God makes this unconditional promise to David—not because of any merit on David's part but out of sheer grace. This is how God works with all of us. Like David, we might want to go out there and do something great for God as a way to prove our worth or win other’s respect and admiration. But God’s grace always precedes our work. He makes the first move and takes the initiative. His grace comes first. If you continue reading through the Bible, you discover the house of David eventually comes crashing down. The kingdom is plagued by civil war, and eventually, the Babylonians conquer David's kingdom, setting fire to the temple that Solomon builds and carrying away the last kings in the line of David into exile. And yet centuries before, the prophet Isaiah promises that one day a child will be born who will establish and uphold the throne of David with justice and righteousness forever. The promise made to David in 2 Samuel 7 points us forward to Christ, the true son of God, who knows God as Father. That is why Jesus is repeatedly referred to as the Son of David. When Jesus begins his public ministry, he proclaims: “the kingdom of God is at hand.” And when Jesus establishes the kingdom of God, he says that he will build a house for the Lord in the midst of his people, not in a temple made out of human hands. This means that the moment we put our faith in Jesus, we become a temple of the Holy Spirit. Building for the Kingdom After becoming a Christian, we might start talking about bringing the kingdom, building the kingdom, advancing the kingdom, expanding the kingdom. But “bringing the kingdom” is precisely the one thing that we cannot do. Only Jesus can do that. Matthew 6:33 tells us we are called to “seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness.” We are called to proclaim the good news of the kingdom, to testify to the kingdom, to inherit the kingdom. The kingdom is not something that we achieve through our own effort but rather something we receive as a gift of grace. But that does not mean that we are supposed to sit back and passively await the coming of the kingdom in its fullness. We may not be able to build the kingdom of God, but we can and must build for the kingdom of God. New Testament scholar N.T. Wright writes, “The final coming together of heaven and earth is, of course, God’s supreme act of new creation, for which the only real prototype—other than the first creation itself—was the resurrection of Jesus. God alone will sum up all things in Christ, things in heaven and things on earth. He alone will make the ‘new heavens and new earth.’ It would be the height of folly to think that we could assist in that great work. But what we can and must do in the present, if we are obedient to the gospel, if we are following Jesus, and if we are indwelt, energized, and directed by the Spirit, is to build for the kingdom…You are—strange though it may seem, almost as hard to believe as the resurrection itself—accomplishing something that will become in due course part of God’s new world. Every act of love, gratitude, and kindness; every work of art or music inspired by the love of God and delight in the beauty of his creation; every minute spent teaching a severely handicapped child to read or to walk; every act of care and nurture, of comfort and support, for one’s fellow human beings and for that matter one’s fellow nonhuman creatures; and of course every prayer, all Spirit-led teaching, every deed that spreads the gospel, builds up the church, embraces and embodies holiness rather than corruption, and makes the name of Jesus honored in the world—all of this will find its way, through the resurrecting power of God, into the new creation that God will one day make. That is the logic of the mission of God.” The kingdom of God is a present reality because the kingdom is present in Jesus. It is a kingdom of grace, which means that it can only be received. That is why Jesus said in Luke 12:32, “‘Fear not, little flock, for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom.’” He went on to say that only those who receive the kingdom like a child will ever enter it. How does a child receive the kingdom? With empty hands. Our faith does not add or contribute anything to our rescue. Faith is simply empty hands which receive what Jesus gives. And what Jesus gives us is himself. Wherever Jesus is, there is the kingdom. There is grace. ___ Adapted from David and The Good Life: Grace, a sermon delivered by Jason Harris on October 23, 2022. Listen to the sermon or read the full transcript. Christ and Contemporary Culture is a journal written by Jason Harris which reflects on the intersection between Jesus Christ and our contemporary culture. If you are skeptical or resistant to Christianity, the hope is that you might pause to reflect on your pre-existing ideas about the way things are and perhaps think again. For those who have embraced Christianity, these posts will serve to encourage you in your ability to communicate the gospel in a way that takes our current cultural context seriously. Produced by Mary-Catherine McKee
August 9, 2023 | Read
Beyond Morality: Living a Life of Worship
When most of us think of the “good life,” we are not merely imagining an ethical or moral life but a life that is truly worth living, even in the face of the existential problems with which we must contend. Luc Ferry, a French philosopher and self-proclaimed atheist, offers this interesting thought experiment: Imagine we could wave a magic wand and cause everyone living today to begin treating one another perfectly, with equal dignity and respect. There would be no more war, genocide, racism, or xenophobia. There would be no need for a police force or a standing army. Our judicial system and prisons would eventually disappear. And yet, Ferry suggests that even if we were to wave that magic wand, the most profound existential challenges we face would still not be resolved. This is how he puts it, “Still—and here I have to weigh each one of my words—none (I really mean none) of our most profound existential problems would be resolved if this came to pass. Nothing, even in a perfect realization of the most sublime morality, would prevent us from aging; from witnessing, powerless, the appearance of wrinkles and white hair; from falling sick, dying, and seeing our loved ones die; from worrying about the outcome of our children’s education or from struggling to achieve what we want for them. Even if we were saints, nothing would guarantee us a fulfilled emotional life.” The point is that morality is indispensable to human life. And yet, it is not enough. We read in the story of David in 1 and 2 Samuel about the importance of living a life of worship before God. David is far from perfect, but that is not what matters. What matters is that whether winning a great victory or committing an egregious sin, David lives a life of repentance and faith. Whether in triumph or defeat, hope or despair, David does not run away from God. He runs towards God. And that is what fills his life with enduring meaning, value, and purpose. What Is Worship? The problem with religion is that it leads us to think of God like a genie in a bottle—rub the lamp and out will pop God to grant you your wishes. Religious people tend to think God is there to serve us, to fulfill all our dreams, and to make us feel good about ourselves. We assume that if we are good enough, pious enough, zealous enough, devout enough, if we say all the right prayers, observe all the right rituals, and keep all of the right rules, then God is obligated to bless us and to make our life go well. We are not really interested in God for who he is—we are merely using God to get whatever we want. And if God does not deliver, then we become angry, bitter, and resentful because he did not fulfill our expectations. It is critical to realize that the real God will challenge our dreams, not merely fulfill them. The poet W.H. Auden once wrote that a Christian is someone who says, “I believe because He fulfills none of my dreams, because He is in every respect the opposite of what He would be if I could have made Him in my own image.” God is not here to serve us. We are here to serve him. In fact, in Hebrew the word “worship” and “serve” are the very same word. God is not here to worship us. We are here to worship him. God is not supposed to follow us according to our terms. Rather we are supposed to follow God on his terms. And if we do, then he promises that he will bless us—not out of necessity, but as a pure gift. Christianity offers this unique view of salvation: God relates to us on the basis of sheer grace, which means that a relationship with God is not something that we achieve through our own efforts, but something we can only receive with empty hands. Religion leads us to say, “I obey, and therefore, God accepts me.” But the gospel tells us, “God accepts me, despite my sin, through the substitutionary sacrifice of another, and therefore I obey.” We strive to love, serve, and honor God, not motivated by mere duty or obligation, but motivated by gratitude and joy for what he has first done for us—not as a way to try to win God's love, but in order to demonstrate that we already have it. If we know that God has done absolutely everything that is necessary in order to cover our sin and put us in right relationship with himself, then that will infuse our life with insuppressible joy, regardless of our life circumstances or personal challenges. There is, of course, a rightful place for lament as we mourn those aspects of our lives or within the wider world that are not yet in line with his purposes. Nevertheless, the foundation of a Christian’s’ life must be one of joy. The English author G.K. Chesterton once wrote, “Man is more himself, man is more manlike, when joy is the fundamental thing in him, and grief the superficial. Melancholy should be an innocent interlude, a tender and fugitive frame of mind; praise should be the permanent pulsation of the soul.” Why Worship Matters When Isaiah has a vision of the Lord seated enthroned above the ark of the cherubim in Isaiah 6:5, he immediately says, “‘Woe is me! For I am lost!’” Isaiah acknowledges that he is a sinner and “a man of unclean lips.” But despite Isaiah’s sin, God does not strike him down. Instead, one of the seraphim flies to the altar, the place of the sacrifice, and removes one of the burning coals and places it on the lips of Isaiah saying: “‘Behold, this has touched your lips; your guilt is taken away, and your sin atoned for.’” God has now made Isaiah clean. This, of course, was just a vision. We get something far better. There are only two places in the New Testament where the Greek word for “mercy seat” or “place of atonement” is used—once in Romans 3 and once in Hebrews 9. In both cases, “mercy seat” or “place of atonement” is used not to describe a place but a person. Hebrews 10 tells us that the blood of bulls and goats could never do anything to actually take away people's sin. This is just a symbol meant to prepare us for the ultimate high priest who does not enter the most holy place within a humanly constructed temple, but rather he enters into the presence of the divine being himself. And there he offers not the sacrifice of an animal, but rather the sacrifice of his very own self. He gives himself for us so that our sin might be covered by his blood, and so that God in his mercy might forgive us and cleanse us so that we can enter into his holy presence and live. Jesus is the mercy seat and the place of atonement. He is the true prince of peace and the one who makes it possible for us to approach the throne of grace and live. And the mercy seat is open, still. The gospel tells us that God is so holy and you and I really are so flawed that Jesus had to die. There was no other way for us to be able to enter into God's holy presence and live. And yet, at the same time, God is so loving and you and I are so valuable, that Jesus was willing to die for us. When you take these two truths deep into your heart and into your life, then that is what unlocks the joy. Morality and ethics are essential and important, but they are not sufficient to actually live the “good life.” The Westminster Shorter Catechism, a historic document of faith from the 1600s, begins with this question: What is the chief end of man? In other words, what is the meaning of life? The answer is short: To glorify God and to enjoy him forever. As C.S. Lewis astutely observed, those two commands are actually one and the same. In commanding us to worship him, God is inviting us to enjoy him. The only way in which we truly learn to live the “good life” is through worship, by living our lives before the God of grace. And when we do, it will fill our lives with insuppressible joy. ___ Adapted from David and The Good Life: Worship, a sermon delivered by Jason Harris on October 16, 2022. Listen to the sermon or read the full transcript. "Christ and Contemporary Culture" is a journal written by Jason Harris which reflects on the intersection between Jesus Christ and our contemporary culture. If you are skeptical or resistant to Christianity, the hope is that you might pause to reflect on your pre-existing ideas about the way things are and perhaps think again. For those who have embraced Christianity, these posts will serve to encourage you in your ability to communicate the gospel in a way that takes our current cultural context seriously. Produced by Mary-Catherine McKee
May 18, 2023 | Read