Last week
Circumcision and Baptism
C marked them as part of the promises of God
We didn’t keep our word, but God did

Torah did its job
Showed people what righteousness looked like
Showed us that we couldn’t do it on our own
So Jesus came and did it
Fulfilling the Torah, he established a new cov
Marked by baptism, not circumcision

This is why Paul says no to circumcision
Saying yes, is to go backward and misunderstand what Christ has done

That’s why his credentials are no longer where he finds meaning

They are now rubbish, dung

Righteousness from the law
(full of failure and half measures)

Has now been replaced by a righteousness from Christ
Christ - already accomplished, complete, given to us

Paul raises a great point here, even for us.
We may not have a resume like Paul
But we do still have to answer the question, what makes us right before God?

Should you too count your accomplishments as rubbish?
Break into registrar’s office?
Bury your yearbooks?
Destroy your Linkedin?
Burn down the construction projects you’ve worked on?
Hypnotize the kids you used to teach?

No - we can remember them, be grateful, celebrate them

But God doesn’t value us based on them
Father created, Christ has rescued, Spirit has filled you
That’s what we stand on

Not what I’ve done or haven’t done
We have all these tapes playing in our heads
Telling us who we are, falsely building us up or more often tearing us down

Instead of the peaks and valleys
I am my success and I am my failure
Now I am my union with Christ

Evangelism
I don’t know enough, have the right words
Wait, is that why God called you? Because you are enough?

Center is Knowing Christ
no program, no formula

Knowing Christ
Real, reigning Person - we know him by the HS

Scripture
Prayer
Body of Christ
Meet him at the Table

Paul - suffering
That even in my darkest hour
Jesus - the one who emptied himself
Jesus understands; he gets it
Even in that I can know Jesus
In death there is resurrection

Today we come to the table