By Steve

For God: John 3:16

On Sunday, September 9^th at the Citywalk service, I spoke on these first two words of John 3:16…For God. The take away of my message was that we should consider the first things first, getting right that this grand story of life that we find ourselves in stars God as the main character. Each of us has a place, even a significant role in the story, but we are not the lead role or main attraction (although many of us have a tendency to draw as much attention as possible to ourselves).

Since Sunday, a few things have troubled me. While few sermons are ever exhaustive, some lack too much. Today I feel compelled to make some additions to my previous words about the place God has in our lives.

1. I am not talking about making God a priority. We prioritize things like work, exercise, hobbies and the like…in my opinion, God should not find himself on a list like this (or any list for that matter). God is not in the same category of say, our jobs. It would be quite odd, yet common, to keep placing God on the top of our priority list in the morning only to have him knocked off at some point during the day due to some pressing issue or concern, then lay in bed at night sensing the need to re-prioritize. This is a game I would rather not play or invite others into. Rather than prioritize God, it may make more sense to consider our priorities in light of our love for God. He is not on the list, but all things on the list should be wrapped up in the perspective of a Godlife.
2. While I think it’s important to get first things right first, it may not be absolutely necessary. I do believe we will struggle with much of our understanding to the truth of the gospel if we do not first get that its not all about me. Making God in our image, or fitting him into our desires/wants, or God being my co-pilot concept as the bumper sticker proclaims…well these views will not do. There is a personal redemptive quality to the atonement (atonement theories are many, I’ll say more on them another day), but the atonement, or work of the Christ on the cross was not just to “save” “me.”

But even if we don’t get all this right first, not all is lost. In fact, I could think of many friends where this (God in his right place, but not as a priority) came some time later in their journey of faith. So let me encourage you, if you are seeking truth and the way of Jesus, press on…even if you’re not so sure about God.

3. Finally, it must be possible to get many things right while getting this first thing wrong. I can imagine someone communicating brilliantly but not understanding sentence structure. I know a great piano player who doesn’t know a thing about music. And I think you can love your neighbor, serve others, pray (for example) in ways that God intended and not really get the God thing right.

Eventually, in our pursuit of truth, God, we will come to recognize that the world does not revolve around me or anyone else. When we get this first thing right, for God, other things will begin to make more sense. Things like the rest of John 3:16, that this God, whom the whole story revolves around…the star of the show, now turns his attention to me; he loved, gave, and offered life. And isn’t this what many of us work so hard to find, real love and acceptance along with a life worth living, one with purpose and fulfillment where we feel our existence is making a difference.

For God is where its at. Where it begins.