What if I told you that Jesus preached a prosperity gospel?  He unabashedly told His followers that God wanted them to be rich, spiritually rich: “[The fool] is the one who lays up treasure for himself and is not rich toward God” (Luke 12:21).  What does it mean to be “rich toward God”?  It means that we recognize the inestimable worth of God.  It means that we live as if nothing in the world is as valuable to us as He is.  It means that we joyfully count the cost of our discipleship as nothing compared to the value of obtaining the Kingdom of God, the pearl of great price.  It means that Jim Elliott was right, “He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose.”  It means that we are always willing to take our next step of faith to follow Him.

The world is a complicated place. We know God made it and that there is miraculous beauty to behold at ridiculously regular intervals. But we also are aware that misery makes its rounds just as predictably. Paul tells us not to be conformed to this world, the sinful part of this world, meaning the nexus of humanity’s collective sinful nature performing under the orchestration of the Enemy. It is only possible to escape this through the mercy of God. As His mercy to us in the Gospel transforms us, we become the men and women and children God intended us to be: holy and acceptable.

Christians sometimes get stuck when it comes to Israel.  What are God’s plans for the Jewish people?  What is the relationship between Israel and the Church?  These questions aren’t just fodder for Sunday School and prophecy conferences.  They have concretely shaped our national and foreign policy! They have influenced Middle Eastern views of Americans! How do you view Israel?  More importantly, how should we view Israel (and ourselves) through the lens of the Gospel?

The gap between our lofty expectations and our disappointing experiences can be as wide as a canyon.  When it comes to relationships, the gap becomes a wound, especially when it comes to marriages.  Don Ward is the pastor of Grace Community PCA in Charlottesville and has been with us this weekend for our Merciful Marriage conference.  I'm grateful for his friendship and wisdom.  May we all look to Jesus to fill the gaps in our closest relationships, most of all in our relationship with God.

Ever been jealous?  Of course you have.  We all look around and imagine how much better life would be if we had what someone else has—their job, their spouse, their kids, their house, their hair!  The 10th Commandment warns us against coveting and greed.  But did you know there is a healthy form of jealousy?  Paul tells us that the Gospel is designed to make our lives so attractive and full of spiritual riches that others become jealous, drawing them closer to Jesus so that they too can have life in His name.

One of our greatest fears is rejection.  It goes so deep that we not only fear being rejected by those who are closest to us, but we worry about what complete strangers will think of us.  But how many people worry about God rejecting them?  Paul asked the Romans, “Has God rejected his people?”  Isn’t that the paramount question?  Will God reject me for my failures, my offenses, my sins?  Not if we are in Christ.

The Gospel is good news, literally.  “Gospel” means “good news”.  Back in the day, before everyone was texting and tweeting, before telephones and even telegraphs, news had to be carried from one place to another place by a person.  The classic example is the town herald, sent by the king, crying “Hear ye! Hear ye!” to all the villagers.  This is the way the Gospel is still proclaimed today.  The King of kings has given us a message of pardon and peace that must be heard by all nations, not to mention our own neighbors.

In a brilliant stroke of preparatory genius, I figured that moving Michael to William & Mary and Sarah into UVA this weekend was a pretty good reason for me to pass the pulpit on to another. Please welcome Lewis Lovett back to Tabernacle today as he reminds us of the call to be salt and light. In keeping with the collegiate theme this weekend, Lewis is the RUF campus pastor at Washington and Lee. Be praying for all of the students from PCA churches and other congregations as they head off to their respective schools. Pray that they would grow and mature in their faith and be salt and light on their campus.

A promise is only as good as the one who makes it   We live in a world of broken promises.  What does that say about our world?  That it is full of sin.  What hope do we have?  As Christians, we have great hope because we do not cling to the promises of this world but rather we hold fast to the promises given to us by the One who made this world.  And His promises will not fail.