Calvary For Clunkers!

Let me pause this week from my series on having a Kingdom attitude to that of a subject that has gotten my attention these past few weeks. We have seen a certain government program get to be very popular to the American people, so much so that it has run out of money long before it was intended to. As we know, this program is known as "Cash for Clunkers." The government has invited Americans to trade in their old gas-guzzling car for a brand new, efficient running machine. Those who trade in their old car will then get a $4500 rebate toward the purchase of a new car; and boy have the old clunkers been turned in to the trash heap for the promise of something new.

As I thought about this program, I could not help but think that God Himself had a program already in place that was very similar to our government. In fact, the plan by God, offered to all mankind, gives us far more than any government program can offer, i.e. salvation from our sins and eternal life in heaven. Now I know some might think that the word "clunkers" is not a very nice word to describe man, but I would disagree. The apostle Paul could have very well used this word when saying, "Oh wretched (clunker of a man) man that I am! Who will set me free from the body of this death?" (Rom. 7:24) Or the prophet Isaiah could have meant "clunker" when he declared in Isaiah 6:5 - "Woe is me, for I am ruined (a clunker)...!" Man is not naturally good, we are all born into sin, broken down clunkers. We run very shakily at best, and we are all truly guilty of being polluted by sin and polluting this word with our sinful actions and desires our whole life (Ps. 51:5; Rom. 3:23).

Yet the good news is this - God is offering us His best deal - "Calvary for Clunkers." God stepped out of heaven to this earth, and took on the form of man. Jesus lived a sinless life and willing went to the cross of Calvary to die for our sins; to take our place in death. Is. 53:12 states that He died for our sins on the cross. He was buried, and three days later rose from the dead (1 Cor. 15). He now offers this gift to all mankind - "Calvary for Clunkers." He has promised that when we turn in our old self, He will forgive us our debt and will make us a brand new creature in Christ. No longer do we walk in the path of sin (pollution), but we are to walk in newness of life in righteousness (Rom. 8). Isn't this a great program? Yet make sure you take advantage of this heavenly offering, because there is coming a day in each of our life that it will be too late to trade in your "clunker for Calvary."

Having a Kingdom Attitude 20

In our next passage, Matthew 7:7-12, we read one of the most important commands given to us by Jesus; and this command guarantees that we have a less stress life. Verse 12 is know as "The Golden Rule" - "Do for others as you would have them do for you." This verse may be familiar to us today, but in Jesus' day this kind of thinking was unheard of. The motto back then was like today's, "He who has all the gold makes all the rules." The "religions" and "philosophies" in Jesus' time taught the negative form of the Golden Rule. The Jewish rabbi Hillel said, "What is hateful to yourself do not to someone else." Confucius taught, "What you do not want done to yourself, do not do to others." Do you see that the negative form focuses on self preservation? Yet Jesus turns man's selfish thoughts upside down by stating that a true child of God will be proactive, doing good for others in the same way they would want to be served.

In this passage Jesus gives us three reasons we are able to live out the Golden Rule in a fool's-gold world. First God has given His children His personal promise that if we are persistent (keep on) and progressive (ask...seek...knock) with our prayers then God will give us what we need (7:7-8). But if we are unwilling to show love to our fellow man, why should God answer our prayers? Second, we can live out the Golden Rule because God lived out the Golden Rule for us(7:9-11). God did not wait for man to do good to God, but rather He being the very definition of love, initiated goodness by providing the very best for us, Himself. This is exactly what He requires of us. Lastly, God's purpose for His children demand living the Golden Rule (7:12). When God's children live out the Golden Rule, they are imitating very the best quality of their heavenly Father. They are also living obediently to Scripture. The Golden Rule is not only a New Testament message, it is the very foundation for the 39 books in the Old Testament. Jesus' message to us is this: Kingdom living is only possible if you are a child of God. It is a supernatural calling that can only be accomplished by the Holy Spirit. Yet, when we practice the Golden Rule, it releases the love of God in our lives and in our world, to enable us to help others, even those who have hurt or hate us. When we walk in God's power, we can do for other's as we would like done for us; and in return live a less stressed life. Until next time, keep walking close with Christ.