September 27, 2023

The other day, a guy walked by me and thanked me for “my service.” I smiled and said, “you’re welcome.” My gentle demeanor did not betray my internal confusion. Immediately a number of questions hit me. How did he know I was a pastor? Did he attend a service I participated in? Did I know this guy? Why would he say this? Then it hit me. I was wearing a shirt that said, “U.S. Army.” He assumed that I had been in the service and he was thanking me for that. Now I felt like an idiot and an imposter.

If you have been (or are) in the military and someone thanks you for your service, the customary response is, “thank-you for your support.” So, I messed that one up rather badly. Secondly, and worse, I am not in the military. This guy thought I was, and I didn’t set the record straight. I was getting credit and honor for something that I never did and my response supported his assumption.

Now what do I do? Do I run after him and say, “Hey buddy, I never served in the army, but my father-in-law did and my daughter is currently and our entire family is really proud of her.” Do I go on to try to impress him with her credentials, which would mortify her if it ever got back to her. Do I tell him that I just have this shirt cause someone in my church gave it to me and I happily wear it. Or, do I just let it be? In the moment it seemed a bit too complicated to try to unravel, so I just let it be.

But it really wasn’t fair and it bothered me some. I never went to and through boot camp. I never did a ruck, jumped out of an airplane, deployed, trained in a tank, or even put on a pair of army boots. I never wore dog tags, did field exercises in miserable conditions, and get ordered to leave my family. And yet, by wearing this shirt, this guy assigned all of that credit to me. I was given credit and honor for something I did not do and did not deserve. No, it wasn’t fair to all those who did.

But that is a lot like the gospel, isn’t it? You have not lived a righteous life. You have not healed the sick, fed the hungry, raised people from the dead, walked on water, given sight to the blind and hearing to the deaf. You have not lived a life of perfection, pleasing God with every thought, every word, every reaction, and every motive. Nor have you laid down your life as the full and final payment for your sin. You could not and have not. But Christ did. And he did for you! He did, in your place. “In my place condemned he stood, sealed my pardon with his blood.” (Hallelujah, What a Savior: verse 2) And when you turn from your sin and put all of the weight of your trust upon Christ alone, you are given credit for his righteous life and his atoning death. You get credit for ALL that he did even as he took the blame for ALL that you have done. His life credits you with his righteousness even as his death saves you from the just wrath of God. “… be of sin, the double cure; saved from wrath, and make me pure.” (Rock of Ages, verse 1)

We are saved by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone, to the glory of God alone. We are viewed and treated by God as if everything that Christ did, we did. Everything that he accomplished, we are credited for. Everything that he secured, is ours forever. No, it isn’t fair. It is grace.

Grace and peace,

Bob

Sunday’s text: 2 Samuel 23:1-7