not married. And we're a foodie family and we cook for one another, and it really is amazing the food we eat. My contribution that week, because I like to make things that our kids remember that I would make for them because I love to cook, is the world's best cinnamon rolls. No, there is no competition. These are the best. These are an edible glory. I don't know about you, but I love how much of the glory of God and creation is edible. I just do. And I know what's going to happen. I will get up earlier before anyone else, and I will make the rolls, and I'll put them in the oven, and that gorgeous smell will start wafting down the hallway. And my children will begin to rise out of their beds and say, "My life is worth living because Paul Tripp is my father and he makes rolls." I know what's going to happen. It's predictable. The angels sing. And so I've made the rolls, they're in the oven, and I'm now positioned myself in a chair that can look down the hallway, because I'm ready for the worship that's going to come. My oldest son, Justin, comes down the hallway, and I'm getting ready for him to kneel, and he says these words to me, "Dad, do you mind if I make something else for breakfast?" I'm having trouble even processing the words at that point. I want to say, "Of course, I mind. What are you talking about?" And then he says this, "My wife, interloper that she is in this family, doesn't like to eat things so sweet for breakfast." Some people just can't recognize glory. And he says, "I'd like to make her some eggs," eggs, eggs, scrambled eggs, beaten apart former embryos. Now, I would like that not to bother me, but it does. I'm mad. I'm personally offended. And when the rolls are done, we're sitting at breakfast, she positions herself right in front of that pile of glory. Most people don't think you can actually hear the sound of people eating scrambled eggs, but I could. It sounded like this to me ... I can't believe it. And I just know she will break down and she'll just pull a piece of one of those rolls off and say, "Oh, father-in-law, I was wrong. You are right. I curse my eggs. I run to your rolls." But she doesn't. Now, you get the point? That's all about me. It's all about my glory. It's all about what I want. It's all about me being the sinner. It's all about me being right. It's all about me having control. It's fundamental, scary, anti-gospel me-ism. Sad. I am so busy loving me, I have no time to love Jesus or to reflect the love of Jesus to the life of those people. Listen, you know that's your struggle. And so as you accept your ambassador calling, you say, "Jesus, I have no ability to do this, but I am not alone. You have literally unzipped me and got inside of me by your spirit. Oh, by the power of the spirit, in some way today, help me to be your ambassador." SESSION 6 I am so busy loving me, I have no time to love Jesus or to reflect the love of Jesus to the life of those people. Listen, you know that's your struggle. So as you accept your ambassadorial calling, you say, "Jesus, I have no ability to do this, but I am not alone. You have literally unzipped me and got inside of me by your spirit. Oh, by the power of the spirit, in some way today, help me to be your ambassador." And that's a beautiful thing because hear this, no one then gives grace better than a person who's deeply persuaded they need it themselves. It's that accepting the grandeur of this calling that drives you to the throne of grace, that makes you thankful for grace and desires to give grace to someone else. No, that's just the beginning. Look what he says next. If you're going to do this, then you have to have the peace of Christ ruling your hearts. He's not first talking about horizontal piece. He's talking about something within you, something between you and Christ. And if you're going to accept your ambassador calling, there's two things that will just destroy that, that'll just be constant obstacles, fear and amnesia. First is the fear that as I minister, I will begin to be exposed as being such a poor example of the Gospel I teach. If you are afraid of that, you won't minister. And there are hundreds of thousands of Christians who are afraid. Listen, your qualification for ministry is Christ. It's Christ. He measured up. Stop trying. It's God's choice to use unfinished people to carry the message of his grace. It's God's choice. You didn't get a
Transcript: Session 6
WOMEN HELPING WOMEN
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