August 17, 2021
1 Corinthians 3:1-2
Brothers and sisters, I could not address you as people who live by the Spirit but as people who are still worldly—mere infants in Christ. I gave you milk, not solid food, for you were not yet ready for it. Indeed, you are still not ready.
CONSIDER THIS
The first step on the road to the second half of the gospel is holy discontent. In case you haven’t seen the video yet. Watch it here.
In good Maxie Dunnam form, let me say that again:
The first step on the road to the second half of the gospel is holy discontent.
It is quite easy to be an unholy malcontent, to endlessly diagnose the problem as “out there.” It’s another thing entirely to get in touch with the matter of one’s holy discontent with themselves. Holy discontent is that sense of soul that says, “There must be more of God than what I presently know.” It is the size of the gap between the story the Bible tells and the story your life is telling. Holy discontent is the distance between the truth one knows and the reality one experiences. Holy discontent is the beginning of the movement from spiritual milk to spiritual meat; from infancy in Christ to mature faith.
If the first half of the gospel is, “Lord you took me out of Egypt,” the second half is, “Now take Egypt out of me.”
If the first half of the gospel is believing in Jesus, the second half is becoming like Jesus.
If the first half of the gospel is justification by grace through faith, the second half is sanctification by faith through the outworking of grace.
If the first half of the gospel is forgiveness of sin, the second half is freedom from sin.
If the first half of the gospel is, “I’m not perfect, just forgiven,” the second half is, “I’m not just forgiven, I’m being made perfect.”
If the first half of the gospel is coming to faith in Jesus Christ, the second half is growing in the fullness of the Holy Spirit.
And yes, if the first half of the gospel is milk, the second half of the gospel is meat.
Holy discontent is coming to the place where we know that we know that we know there is more God has for us and wants for us and wills to do through us, and we know we can no longer settle for anything less.
Said another way: No more snooze bar.
The first step on the road to the second half of the gospel is holy discontent.
It is the beginning of great awakening.
THE PRAYER
Father, thank you for creating me in the image of your Son, Jesus Christ. Thank you for your faithfulness to your transformational work in my life. You will bring it to completion. Come Holy Spirit and lead me to full participation in your work for my good and God’s glory. In Jesus name, amen.
THE QUESTION
Can you think of other, “If the first half of the gospel is_____________, the second half is _________________.”
For the Awakening,
J.D. Walt
Sower-in-Chief
seedbed.com