Psalm 46:1-11; Romans 3:19-28; John 8:31-36
When was the last time you joined in on a free-for-all? Typically spontaneous, free-for-alls are by their nature wide open, anything goes, chaotic situations that lack rules and structure. As fun as they may be as occasional distractions, we know that free-for-alls must be momentary exceptions to our well-ordered worlds. And that’s what makes them so much fun. However, if the chaos of a free-for-all becomes the norm, it’s anything but fun. Games would be nonsensical, sports would be brawls, traffic would be insane (even more insane than it currently is), and life would be filled with uncertainty, fear, and terror. It wouldn't be good for our everyday lives to be governed by free-for-alls.
While we recognize the danger of letting our homes, workplaces, schools, and society-at-large becoming free-for-alls, we've seemed to have lost sense of the impact that such a situation has had on the church. Once governed and structured by the clear teaching of God’s Word, the church in our culture today has devolved into a massive free-for-all. People believe what they want to believe, insist on having things done their ways, attack church leaders who don’t measure up to their expectations, demand to be entertained in worship services, decline to participate in ministry, and refuse to make any personal sacrifices to support the work of the church. It’s a free-for-all. And the church is suffering because of it.
As we observe the 495th anniversary of the Reformation, we are once again reminded that the church is always in need of renewal. Every generation of believers must stand firmly on God’s Word to keep the grace of God free for all and keep the church from being a free-for-all. In our generation the message of Christ’s love is being replaced by the message of self-love, the Sacraments set aside for specially blended coffees, and the Cross displaced by pathways to worldly success. We are called to speak out against this free-for-all and make clear the message of God’s love for people captive to death, bring the Sacraments to people broken by sin, and take up our own crosses in loving response to the Savior who has called us to bring hope to our hopeless world. His way is not a chaotic jumble of confusion, but life-giving and life-changing grace that He freely gives to everyone. Join Him in His free for all.
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