January 26, 2025 -- Philippians 1:9 -- The Wondrous Love of God

People loved by the Father, in the Spirit's power: Sh'ma ~ hear and obey Jesus!

And it is my prayer that your love may abound more and more,
with knowledge and all discernment…
Philippians 1:9 ESV
 
Each Sunday a small group of people, some formerly incarcerated, others recovered addicts, and two Christian couples gather. The little group is called Conviction Chapel. The name is drawn from Scripture “For we know, brothers loved by God, that He has chosen you, because our Gospel came to you not only in word, but also in power and in the Holy Spirit and with full conviction” (I Thessalonians 1:4-5a). It is an odd jumble of people who can only meet because of the powerful working of the Holy Spirit.
 
This little group is being challenged to memorize the letter of Paul to the Philippians. (For those who didn’t realize this, it explains why these devotions focus on Philippians.) Today the text for chapel is Philippians 1:9-11. But for the purposes of this devotion, I just want to focus on one thing—the interplay between love and knowledge.
 
Love is, first of all, bound up with knowledge. We are aware of Who God is. Knowing God transforms all our lives. We can not remain the same. On Thursday evening, when I was in Dorchester Minimum, I met a man who is coming to know Jesus. He was at the chapel service led by the institutional Chaplain Gordon. (If Gordon is not present, I can not attend chapel, or lead a Bible Study, or visit one-on-one with inmates.) After the chapel, this man had a question or two about the forgiveness that is ours in Christ. He approached me and asked me about it. I explained, at the cross, Jesus was punished in our place. He took on all our sins. All our guilt. All our shame. The furious anger of God against sin was vented on Jesus. He in our place. Jesus had been sinless. All His life completely without any sin. That sinlessness is credited to believers. The man interjected: “But who could love us so much?!” (He was shocked into questioning: Who would die in my place?) That is exactly the appropriate response. He knew his own sin so well, so fully, so truly, that he didn’t consider anyone else’s sin. He could hardly catch his breath for the wonder of knowing his sins are forgiveness.
 
This is the reason, beloved, that we worship God. This is conviction! What wondrous love is this?! That man at the Minimum didn’t consider the sins of others. He didn’t look over the fence and ask, what about him, or that man? He knew it was a demonstration of extravagant mercy and love that God should make this great exchange, the sinless Son punished so that sinful men and women could be called children of God.
 
Get yourself to church or chapel today. Praise the God of wondrous love!
 
The prayer today is from the Old Testament prophet Micah
 
Who is a God like You, pardoning iniquity and passing over transgression for the remnant of His inheritance? He does not retain His anger forever, because He delights in steadfast love. He will again have compassion on us; he will tread our iniquities underfoot. You will cast all our sins into the depths of the sea. You will show faithfulness to Jacob and steadfast love to Abraham, as You have sworn to our fathers from the days of old. (Micah 7:18-20 ESV)
 
https://youtu.be/ohxSXsVgV-A?si=4M5xvIb8_v25vRIj What Wondrous Love is This?
 

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