A Disciple Who Loves

It’s hard to be good. One of my children in a moment of discipline articulated how hard it is both to do good and to know how to do good. Rarely is the problem ignorance of what is right and wrong. The problem is our sinful hearts that run toward rebellion and self-justification. Jesus addressed this fact in His teaching. He wanted people to realize that “there is no good tree which produces bad fruit, nor, on the other hand, a bad tree which produces good fruit” (Lk 6:43). In other words, what’s going at the end of the branches (the fruit) tells us all we need to know about the health of the tree. In a similar way, our sin flows out of sinful hearts. We don’t sin because we’re good people who’ve lost our way, but because we are sinners who love our rebellion and sin. That’s why we need our hearts changed. Our only hope isn’t to keep the rules better. Our failure will lead only to despair. Rather, our hope is for God to change our hearts. Transformation can happen only when God makes us right thus teaching us to reject the lusts of our hearts. The good news is that it is possible. People can change. A bad tree can be redeemed to produce good fruit, but it takes a regenerative miracle that only God can perform. –Pastor Rory

Sunday at Liberty

9AM: Baptists and Higher Education

10AM: Pastor Nate–A Disciple Who Loves–Luke 6:20-49 (sermon notes)

6PM: No Evening Gathering–Fifth Night