03/22/17 - Luke 15

March 22, 2017 – Luke 15

I tell you, there is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.  Luke 15:10

God celebrates when we pursue Him by preferring obedience.

Sin is the pursuit of self by preferring shortcuts.  Even though we know or have been taught, the choice to sin is believing the shortcut will work, or be worth the cost, or can be done without consequence.  Every sin is a choice to pursue self.  That’s what makes sin an idolatry.  In a sense, we are worshipping a different God – we are worshipping ourselves.

Holiness is the exact opposite.  It’s the choice to pursue God by preferring obedience.  Instead of shortcutting the system, we follow the system.  Sometimes that includes overcoming our doubts, struggling with desire, or even failing in execution.  But in the end, we choose to pursue God.  Holiness sees God as more important than Self.  It chooses to promote obedience over shortcuts.  It gives authority to God’s ways over our own ways. 

That’s why God celebrates when we pursue Him thru obedience.  And that’s why the story of the prodigal is both shocking and liberating.  We find in God that He REALLY DOES love us in spite of our sin.  We discover a relationship with God that is built on our pursuit over our perfection.  It’s a picture of God recognizing our true repentance as a choice instead of a historical record.

Our first step to pursuing Jesus will ALWAYS be a choice to obey.  Whatever the roadblock, we will always discover the first step of repentance is choice, and the second is obedience.  The road to God is marked with thousands of two-steps:  Choice/obey, Choice/obey.  You can’t navigate the road back to God taking any other path.  But the good news is that God is ready to receive us back as soon as we take the first pair of steps!  He doesn’t wait a year or decade to see if we can prove ourselves first.  God is ready to party with us when we start back on the first choice & obedience.

When you face any temptation or sin habit, consider what’s happening in heaven at that moment.  Every choice that pursues God is a moment to celebrate.  Every obedience is drawing you a step further away from a sin problem.  Listen in your heart for the party that happens every time we execute that 2-step plan.  God celebrates!  And the angels have a party!

Don’t keep dancing the same self-centered waltz.  Start practicing a new 2-Step dance move.  You’ll start a party, and God will be in the center of it!