Tonight, Paul Tripp spoke on the need for community in the process of our change and growth. Hebrews 3:12,13 says, "Beware, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief in departing from the living God; but exhort one another daily, while it is called 'Today,' lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin.
Here are some of my sketchy notes:
Although we build walls between our real selves and who we are in public, we need to tear down those walls, for they hinder our growth and change. Nobody knows who we really are - and we are glad, because if they did, we would be mortified! However, we were meant to live in open, honest, invasive, grace-driven community. This is true especially because "It doesn't matter how evil the culture you live in is, the most dangerous evil is the evil in your own heart." And our hearts are incredibly deceitful; masters of plausible lies, self-justification, and the art of excuse making. To even see who we are rightly, we need the intrusive ministry of the Body of Christ.
The gravity of our sin and the glorious grace of God are more clearly seen when you have "enough people with their hands on your heart." We were designed to change not in isolation, but in community. Embrace the sufficient provision of the grace of God in Christ -
after all, it is all about Him - not us!
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Ohhh - that's not easy! To show who I really am? It's hard enough to apologize and make things right with others when my sins have been glaring - but to expose what I want to keep hidden? "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me" - the grace of God is sufficient - we HAVE to believe it!
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