No Condemnation for Christmas
Romans 8:1
"Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus"
Yesterday, as is our custom, we went to Saddleback Church to hear Rick Warren preach. Normally, on a typical Sunday morning, the commute would be a killer. Since we are out in California, the trip to church wasn't too long. Going to Saddleback is only our custom when we are visiting her parents who live in Laguna Niguel--about 30 minutes away from Saddleback's campus.
Lina made a comment that Saddleback looks kind of like Disneyland. When we came driving in, parking lot after parking lot was full and we kept getting waved on to a distant lot. Finally, we skirted behind some "No Parking" cones where the lot was almost completely empty. The cones were obvious a remnant from a previous event.
Fortuitously, we parked fairly close to the "Overdrive" venue (our goal) where Rock and Roll worship music is served up loud like a Boeing jet engine. Mentioning jets, we barely got out of Harrisburg International on Saturday morning during the snowstorm. The drive up 283 was a little scary...I had to carefully balance the competing variables of not missing the plane versus winding up in ditch. So, I set a moderate pace of 50 mph to HIA.
Some dude on the long-term parking bus to the Terminal had gotten into a car accident on the way to the airport and now was somewhat frantically on his cell phone trying to tell some official that he was on his way. To have gotten in an accident and missed the plane...the worst combination possible. Fortunately, we arrived in time accident-free, got through security in seconds (that has to be HIA's most appealing feature), and hopped on the plane. After the plane was awashed with de-icer for several minutes, we were good to go into the friendly skies and off the icy and frozen ground. Felt like a jail break or a bat out of Hell.
I am sad to have missed the snow in Pennsylvania. I always enjoy kick-ass snowstorms. However, I am sure that our driveway will be a frozen glacier when we get back that I will have to dynamite free of the frozen elements. Yipee.
At the snow-free Saddleback, Rick Warren preached on Romans 8. Well, snow- free isn't quite accurate. There was a jumbo tv screen behind his head that had an endless loop of a forest scene with snow gently falling. That was kind of cool. Warren was sitting on a comfy couch with two guitarists and another Saddleback pastor. He said that he wanted to calm people down during the hectic Christmas season and not rev them up, so that explained the more layed-back motif and methodology.
Although Warren was the primary focus, he did naturally bring the others in at different points of his sermon and they either played a tune or offered some insight on the sermon topic. By the way, at the different "venues" at Saddleback, Warren's sermon is shown via closed-circuited tv. Saddleback diversifies the musical plate, offering a buffet of styles. It serves up Warren as the main course.
Warren preaches a message based on six truths from Romans 8. Romans 8:1 about "no condemnation" kind of reminded me about the verse of "Come now, let us reason together," says the LORD. "Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow." (Is. 1:18)
Warren made the comment that he has surely had his share of people who have been condemnatory towards him for one reason or another (praying at Obama's Inaguration, et. al). He winsomely observed that he probably deserves some of the negativity that has come his way; that was a refreshing admission from a Church leader. He also notes that he probably gets his share of unmerited criticism. I think one of the amazing qualities that Warren has is his affability and kindness (yet) he still speaks the truth. He talked about hell in his sermon; he didn't blur the distinction between those "in Christ" and those not.
Warren also got into self-condemnation. He shared a story about when he was a young pastor about how he was able to pronounce to a girl who had an abortion that she was forgiven forever from what she had done because she has accepted Christ. He said that her face became instanteously radiant when the light of the Gospel broke through the dark clouds of depression arising from self-condemnation. Warren noted that our consciences, God's voice within us, will not be silenced.
You know how when snow first falls, it is all pristine and white. Then, dogs pee in the snow, it starts to melt and it gets mixed with mud, and the cinders and salts from the plowing turns the white to gray? Condemnation can do that. The miracle is that God's mercies are new every morning. He covers up our bad with His good. God will deal with us if we blacken the snow with conscious sin after we accept Christ. Yet, if we are truly in Christ, all of our past, present, and future sins are forgiven. Period.
Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow. Even in California...on a tv screen.
"Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus"
Yesterday, as is our custom, we went to Saddleback Church to hear Rick Warren preach. Normally, on a typical Sunday morning, the commute would be a killer. Since we are out in California, the trip to church wasn't too long. Going to Saddleback is only our custom when we are visiting her parents who live in Laguna Niguel--about 30 minutes away from Saddleback's campus.
Lina made a comment that Saddleback looks kind of like Disneyland. When we came driving in, parking lot after parking lot was full and we kept getting waved on to a distant lot. Finally, we skirted behind some "No Parking" cones where the lot was almost completely empty. The cones were obvious a remnant from a previous event.
Fortuitously, we parked fairly close to the "Overdrive" venue (our goal) where Rock and Roll worship music is served up loud like a Boeing jet engine. Mentioning jets, we barely got out of Harrisburg International on Saturday morning during the snowstorm. The drive up 283 was a little scary...I had to carefully balance the competing variables of not missing the plane versus winding up in ditch. So, I set a moderate pace of 50 mph to HIA.
Some dude on the long-term parking bus to the Terminal had gotten into a car accident on the way to the airport and now was somewhat frantically on his cell phone trying to tell some official that he was on his way. To have gotten in an accident and missed the plane...the worst combination possible. Fortunately, we arrived in time accident-free, got through security in seconds (that has to be HIA's most appealing feature), and hopped on the plane. After the plane was awashed with de-icer for several minutes, we were good to go into the friendly skies and off the icy and frozen ground. Felt like a jail break or a bat out of Hell.
I am sad to have missed the snow in Pennsylvania. I always enjoy kick-ass snowstorms. However, I am sure that our driveway will be a frozen glacier when we get back that I will have to dynamite free of the frozen elements. Yipee.
At the snow-free Saddleback, Rick Warren preached on Romans 8. Well, snow- free isn't quite accurate. There was a jumbo tv screen behind his head that had an endless loop of a forest scene with snow gently falling. That was kind of cool. Warren was sitting on a comfy couch with two guitarists and another Saddleback pastor. He said that he wanted to calm people down during the hectic Christmas season and not rev them up, so that explained the more layed-back motif and methodology.
Although Warren was the primary focus, he did naturally bring the others in at different points of his sermon and they either played a tune or offered some insight on the sermon topic. By the way, at the different "venues" at Saddleback, Warren's sermon is shown via closed-circuited tv. Saddleback diversifies the musical plate, offering a buffet of styles. It serves up Warren as the main course.
Warren preaches a message based on six truths from Romans 8. Romans 8:1 about "no condemnation" kind of reminded me about the verse of "Come now, let us reason together," says the LORD. "Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow." (Is. 1:18)
Warren made the comment that he has surely had his share of people who have been condemnatory towards him for one reason or another (praying at Obama's Inaguration, et. al). He winsomely observed that he probably deserves some of the negativity that has come his way; that was a refreshing admission from a Church leader. He also notes that he probably gets his share of unmerited criticism. I think one of the amazing qualities that Warren has is his affability and kindness (yet) he still speaks the truth. He talked about hell in his sermon; he didn't blur the distinction between those "in Christ" and those not.
Warren also got into self-condemnation. He shared a story about when he was a young pastor about how he was able to pronounce to a girl who had an abortion that she was forgiven forever from what she had done because she has accepted Christ. He said that her face became instanteously radiant when the light of the Gospel broke through the dark clouds of depression arising from self-condemnation. Warren noted that our consciences, God's voice within us, will not be silenced.
You know how when snow first falls, it is all pristine and white. Then, dogs pee in the snow, it starts to melt and it gets mixed with mud, and the cinders and salts from the plowing turns the white to gray? Condemnation can do that. The miracle is that God's mercies are new every morning. He covers up our bad with His good. God will deal with us if we blacken the snow with conscious sin after we accept Christ. Yet, if we are truly in Christ, all of our past, present, and future sins are forgiven. Period.
Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow. Even in California...on a tv screen.
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