The Power of God is In a Story

Building upon the thoughts shared in the message “When the Cursed Get Blessed”,
Pastor Ellery continued in Galatians 3, sharing from verses 19 through 26, 
By the Holy Spirit, the scriptures delved into the hearts and thoughts of the congregation and enlightened us to the dilemma of the Law, how it works in our lives and the unorthodox yet infallible effectiveness of the gospel of Jesus.
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Borrowing from Paul Zahl, Pastor Ellery commented that there are two basic components that we can know and relate to the Law.

There is the big "L" Law; the ten commandments, the big “thou shalt” and “shalt not” demands that are clearly laid out in the scriptures. Then there is the “little "l" law”; that internal list of our personal rules and standards that constantly remind us that we aren’t doing enough, we aren’t pretty or handsome enough, we are not as spiritual as brother or sister so and so, and the list can go on and on. The big "L" Law is working as it should when we see the standard of perfection for us set forth by God, and the reality that we do not measure up. Pastor Ellery summed it up well by saying:

  The Law is a mirror. An X-ray. A diagnostic tool. It doesn't save, it doesn't justify. It offers no grace, no hope. The Law tells it like it is. It's grace that calls things that are not as though they were.

Our problems enter the picture when the little l law starts winding us up with the notion that we can somehow do something on our own to get to that mark. It causes endless striving on our part that inevitably causes heartache, tension in and all around us, and a veritable plethora of trouble that quite frankly we were never created for or even meant to deal with. We are not saved by either the big or little "L" law, but by believing the gospel. In other words, true salvation is brought to us by God through a story.

Through the scriptures - either by our own searching or pointed out to us by someone else - we see that God single handedly secured salvation for all of us. Jesus came to live the perfect life we could not, paid for our sins by His death on the cross, and by His resurrection made His righteousness available to all of us. And it is our belief in this story - this Gospel - that saves us, not incessant striving, conniving, or any other kind of effort we put forth to make ourselves worthy.

   For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is God’s power for salvation to everyone who believes - Romans 1:16

We will never know just how desperately we need a savior until we look at the mirror of the Law and see just how bad off we really are, no matter how disconcerting. The pastor shared a considerable yet enlightening quote from Martin Luther about the dynamic of the Law and Gospel:

  “This monster of self-righteousness, this stiff-necked beast, needs a big axe. And that is what the Law is, a big axe. Accordingly, the proper use and function of the Law is to threaten until the conscience is scared stiff. The Law is a mirror to show a person what he is like, a sinner who is guilty of death, and worthy of everlasting punishment. What is this bruising and beating by the hand of the Law to accomplish? This,that we may find the way to grace. The Law is an usher to lead the way to grace. God is the God of the humble, the miserable, the afflicted. It is His nature to exalt the humble, to comfort the sorrowing, to heal the broken-hearted, to justify the sinners, and to save the condemned. The fatuous idea that a person can be holy by himself denies God the pleasure of saving sinners. God must therefore first take the sledge-hammer of the Law in His fists and smash the beast of self-righteousness and its brood of self-confidence, self-wisdom, self-righteousness, and self-help. When the conscience has been thoroughly frightened by the Law it welcomes the Gospel of grace with its message of a Savior who came into the world, not to break the bruised reed, nor to quench the smoking flax, but to preach glad tidings to the poor, to heal the broken-hearted, and to grant forgiveness of sins to all the captives. The business of the Gospel, on the other hand, is to quicken, to comfort, to raise the fallen. The Gospel carries the news that God for Christ's sake is merciful to the most unworthy sinners, if they will only believe that Christ by His death has delivered them from sin and everlasting death unto grace, forgiveness, and everlasting life. By keeping in mind the difference between the Law and the Gospel we let each perform its special task." - Martin Luther, Commentary on Galatians

So in conclusion I want to thank the pastor for reminding us that the story of what Jesus did for us is the only thing that frees us from the eternal judgment of the big "L" Law, and the constant nagging of the little "l" law that wants to keep us in a never ending cycle of wanting and trying to do more to be better. And just as God shared His story with us and we saw our need for Him, we too can share our story of what His story did for us, so those we tell may see that they have a Savior that loved them enough to do it all for them as well.

John Clark

John Clark is a husband to Julie, a father of one son living in Valrico, Florida. He has an Associate Degree of Theology from Life Christian University, and serves at Life Center of Brandon where he is a teacher and writer.