sacraments fit hand and glove with the gospel

"... the sacraments are not incidental to the Christian life, nor do they contradict our doctrine of justification sola fide. In fact, the sacraments fit hand and glove with the gospel. For God has promised to save us from our sins, and this promise is confirmed and renewed every time we witness a baptism and every time we take and eat. For when we hear those words, “this is my body, broken for you,” we are reminded that Jesus Christ has turned aside God’s anger toward our sins.

That same Savior who has died for me – taking away the covenant curse which I deserve – invites me to the font and to the table where he feeds and nourishes me, and where he swears on his sovereign oath, “I am your God and you are my people.” And what glorious words for sinners such as we. Come all you who are weary and burdened, for here you will find rest and refreshment."

- Kim Riddlebarger

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gratitude

"Imagine that you, in a fit of rage, wantonly and violently and irrationally destroyed your neighbor's car. Imagine that your neighbor was, for the purposes of this story, perfectly innocent. What does your neighbor owe you? Justice! He owes you prosecution to the full extent of the law. If, however, he fixed his car and gave you a 7-series BMW that would be grace. What should your response be? Should it not be humility and profound gratitude? Would you not think of your neighbor's wonderful graciousness every time you thought of or saw that BMW? Of course you would! Wouldn't that sense of gratitude color your life and relation to your neighbor and everyone else?

Of course Christians have committed crimes that are even more inexplicable than this. We violated God's law when we had been constituted righteous and holy. We forfeited glory for what? As Christians, we are the recipients of a grace that far transcends an automobile. As Paul says, we were slaves to sin and now we've been made free in Christ." - R. Scott Clark, The Heidelblog: April 10, 2007

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