The Gospel Shreds Your Resume | J.D. Greear

There was a man who was saved during the There was a man who was saved during the Great Awakening named Nathan Cole. He Great Awakening named Nathan Cole. He Great Awakening named Nathan Cole. He was a poor farmer, but he kept a journal was a poor farmer, but he kept a journal was a poor farmer, but he kept a journal that you can still see in a museum up in that you can still see in a museum up in that you can still see in a museum up in Connecticut. Connecticut. Connecticut. And in his journal, Nathan Cole recounts And in his journal, Nathan Cole recounts And in his journal, Nathan Cole recounts hearing one of the famous Great hearing one of the famous Great hearing one of the famous Great Awakening Evangelists. Here's what he Awakening Evangelists. Here's what he Awakening Evangelists. Here's what he wrote in his journal that day. And I wrote in his journal that day. And I wrote in his journal that day. And I love this. As I heard him preach, love this. As I heard him preach, love this. As I heard him preach, gave me a heart wound. gave me a heart wound. gave me a heart wound. By God's blessing, my old foundation was By God's blessing, my old foundation was By God's blessing, my old foundation was broken up. And I saw that my broken up. And I saw that my broken up. And I saw that my righteousness would not save me. Notice righteousness would not save me. Notice righteousness would not save me. Notice Nathan Cole did not say as I heard him Nathan Cole did not say as I heard him Nathan Cole did not say as I heard him preach, I got motivated to be a better preach, I got motivated to be a better preach, I got motivated to be a better man. man. man. I decided to be a better dad and a I decided to be a better dad and a I decided to be a better dad and a better husband. I decided to stop my better husband. I decided to stop my better husband. I decided to stop my sinful habit. I decided to become more sinful habit. I decided to become more sinful habit. I decided to become more moral. No. What he said is when I heard moral. No. What he said is when I heard moral. No. What he said is when I heard him preach, my foundation was broken up. him preach, my foundation was broken up. him preach, my foundation was broken up. True gospel preaching wounds the very True gospel preaching wounds the very True gospel preaching wounds the very thing that we're trusting in to make us thing that we're trusting in to make us thing that we're trusting in to make us good enough for God. True gospel good enough for God. True gospel good enough for God. True gospel preaching shreds your resume. My old preaching shreds your resume. My old preaching shreds your resume. My old foundation was broken up and I saw that foundation was broken up and I saw that foundation was broken up and I saw that my righteousness would not save me. By my righteousness would not save me. By my righteousness would not save me. By the way, that breaking up of our the way, that breaking up of our the way, that breaking up of our foundation, that's not something that foundation, that's not something that foundation, that's not something that happens only one time at salvation. This happens only one time at salvation. This happens only one time at salvation. This is the ongoing secret of the Christian is the ongoing secret of the Christian is the ongoing secret of the Christian life. Just as you look to Christ's life. Just as you look to Christ's life. Just as you look to Christ's righteousness to save you, you start to righteousness to save you, you start to righteousness to save you, you start to learn to look to Christ's power to learn to look to Christ's power to learn to look to Christ's power to sustain you. Hear me. You don't have sustain you. Hear me. You don't have sustain you. Hear me. You don't have what it takes to live the Christian what it takes to live the Christian what it takes to live the Christian life.

life. life. You don't have what it takes to overcome You don't have what it takes to overcome You don't have what it takes to overcome temptation. You don't have what it takes temptation. You don't have what it takes temptation. You don't have what it takes to accomplish the will of God. And the to accomplish the will of God. And the to accomplish the will of God. And the sooner you learn that, the better. The sooner you learn that, the better. The sooner you learn that, the better. The more you know of Christ, the more you're more you know of Christ, the more you're more you know of Christ, the more you're going to say with Nathan Cole, "My old going to say with Nathan Cole, "My old going to say with Nathan Cole, "My old foundation is broken up. And I see that foundation is broken up. And I see that foundation is broken up. And I see that just like my righteousness could never just like my righteousness could never just like my righteousness could never save me. My own power could never keep save me. My own power could never keep save me. My own power could never keep me. It's his righteousness, not mine, me. It's his righteousness, not mine, me. It's his righteousness, not mine, that saves me, it's his resurrection that saves me, it's his resurrection that saves me, it's his resurrection power, not mine, that sustains me, power, not mine, that sustains me, power, not mine, that sustains me, Jesus, in my place." Learn this, Jesus, in my place." Learn this, Jesus, in my place." Learn this, Christian. Learn this. All the gospel's Christian. Learn this. All the gospel's Christian. Learn this. All the gospel's blessings come not through blessings come not through blessings come not through accomplishing. They come through accomplishing. They come through accomplishing. They come through receiving. Not through our impressive receiving. Not through our impressive receiving. Not through our impressive resume, but through humbly receiving resume, but through humbly receiving resume, but through humbly receiving gift righteousness and gift power. And gift righteousness and gift power. And gift righteousness and gift power. And by the way, by the way, by the way, that means there's hope for you. Because that means there's hope for you. Because that means there's hope for you. Because that means that no matter how messed up that means that no matter how messed up that means that no matter how messed up you feel, it is not about your power for you feel, it is not about your power for you feel, it is not about your power for God. It's about his power in you. So to God. It's about his power in you. So to God. It's about his power in you. So to the husband who feels like he's made a the husband who feels like he's made a the husband who feels like he's made a mess out of his family, I'm not telling mess out of his family, I'm not telling mess out of his family, I'm not telling you be a better man. My message to the you be a better man. My message to the you be a better man. My message to the drug addict is not, "Hey, look at what a drug addict is not, "Hey, look at what a drug addict is not, "Hey, look at what a mess you've made. Try harder. I'm mess you've made. Try harder. I'm mess you've made. Try harder. I'm telling you, there's an empty tomb in telling you, there's an empty tomb in telling you, there's an empty tomb in Jerusalem that's been open for you Jerusalem that's been open for you Jerusalem that's been open for you from which the power of new life flows from which the power of new life flows from which the power of new life flows to all who will receive it as a gift."

to all who will receive it as a gift." to all who will receive it as a gift." Maybe the most surprising thing for the Maybe the most surprising thing for the Maybe the most surprising thing for the Philippians is what Paul says there Philippians is what Paul says there Philippians is what Paul says there right at the end. Paul says, verse 10, right at the end. Paul says, verse 10, right at the end. Paul says, verse 10, "Because my goal is to know him and the "Because my goal is to know him and the "Because my goal is to know him and the power of his resurrection. Therefore, power of his resurrection. Therefore, power of his resurrection. Therefore, I'm happy to share in his sufferings and I'm happy to share in his sufferings and I'm happy to share in his sufferings and become like him in his death because become like him in his death because become like him in his death because that's the means by which I attain the that's the means by which I attain the that's the means by which I attain the resurrection, the power of resurrection. resurrection, the power of resurrection. resurrection, the power of resurrection. The gateway to resurrection power, Saul, The gateway to resurrection power, Saul, The gateway to resurrection power, Saul, Paul says, is through weakness and Paul says, is through weakness and Paul says, is through weakness and suffering. suffering. suffering. And so, my own failure, Paul says, it And so, my own failure, Paul says, it And so, my own failure, Paul says, it helps me. It helps me trust in Jesus helps me. It helps me trust in Jesus helps me. It helps me trust in Jesus instead of me. And when something blows instead of me. And when something blows instead of me. And when something blows up on me, when something falls apart, up on me, when something falls apart, up on me, when something falls apart, when something really disappoints me, when something really disappoints me, when something really disappoints me, he gives me a chance to tell myself and he gives me a chance to tell myself and he gives me a chance to tell myself and others, my hope is not in that thing. My others, my hope is not in that thing. My others, my hope is not in that thing. My hope is in Jesus. That Stanley couple hope is in Jesus. That Stanley couple hope is in Jesus. That Stanley couple rush, but Jesus is eternal. rush, but Jesus is eternal. rush, but Jesus is eternal. Here's what's more. When I suffer Here's what's more. When I suffer Here's what's more. When I suffer unjustly, unjustly, unjustly, when I'm persecuted, when I'm persecuted, when I'm persecuted, that becomes a gateway to spiritual that becomes a gateway to spiritual that becomes a gateway to spiritual power. Think about it. Paul says, "God power. Think about it. Paul says, "God power. Think about it. Paul says, "God brought salvation into the world through brought salvation into the world through brought salvation into the world through Jesus dying unfairly in weakness and in Jesus dying unfairly in weakness and in Jesus dying unfairly in weakness and in shame." God did not bring the power of shame." God did not bring the power of shame." God did not bring the power of resurrection into the world through resurrection into the world through resurrection into the world through Christ's perfect resume.

Christ's perfect resume. Christ's perfect resume. No, God brought resurrection power No, God brought resurrection power No, God brought resurrection power through Christ's unjust suffering. And through Christ's unjust suffering. And through Christ's unjust suffering. And so that means when I suffer unjustly, so that means when I suffer unjustly, so that means when I suffer unjustly, when I feel like I'm bearing a cross, when I feel like I'm bearing a cross, when I feel like I'm bearing a cross, when I feel weak, when I feel weak, when I feel weak, I got access to that same power.