By: Dan Gallagher, Stewardship Team
We no sooner celebrate the Incarnation and we’re contemplating the passion of Christ. Jesus tells the crowd He’s devoted to fulfilling the will of the Father. That’s His passion. The eternal Son of God took on flesh to dwell among us (John 1:14) and “drink the cup” the Father gave Him (John 18:11). Recall His prayer in Gethsemane, “not as I will, but as you will.”
God chose us “in Christ.” He is our salvation. What the Triune God planned, purchased and preserves displays His character: His love and grace and His mercy, righteousness and justice. We share in Christ’s eternal Sonship as adopted sons and daughters. What Jesus is by nature, we are by faith “in Him.”
Jerry would often ask his students, “What’s your passion?” Do we too desire to fulfill God’s will? We pray, “Thy Kingdom come, Thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.” Oswald Chambers asks: “Are we prepared for God to do in us all that He separated us for? And then after His work is done in us, are we prepared to separate ourselves to God even as Jesus did?” We cannot do anything for our salvation, but we must “work out” what God has “worked in” us.
How so? Abide in Jesus and His Word. The truth of His revealed Word informs our minds and shapes our hearts. Accept it, adopt His way of thinking and judging, do what He says. The Holy Spirit sanctifies us from the inside out.
As our attention shifts from Bethlehem to Calvary consider that Jesus “emptied Himself” for us (Philippians 2:7). He laid down His life for us to give us new life “in Him.” True stewardship is embracing the new life God has given us and managing the use of our time, talent and treasure to walk in the good works God prepared beforehand (Ephesians 2:10).
Jesus promises to supply all we need, so that what is true of Him becomes true of us, and His passion becomes our passion.
