“From Legalism to Gratitude” (1 John 4:19) We love because he first loved us.  

This is one of the most important messages I could ever present! We begin with the tale of two fathers

Luke 15:20-24, 32 Two fathers. Two very different responses! Two different kind of relationships! Both fathers may have had broken hearts, but they handled it differently!

Father #1 is the Christian legalist, while Father #2 is Christian gratitude. Legalism is not about keeping rules; we all have truths, standards, teachings that put before us right and wrong.   Legalism IS about our motivation for keeping those rules! It’s a twisted system that implies that it is difficult to gain God’s love. That we are always in a position of needing to earn the love of God.

It’s a response to love withheld It’s a response to love withheld. It ends best with what I do, my power, my achievements.   And it produces fear! Inside it causes us to be “scared to death” because we never know how we stand with God.

This legalistic attitude is 180 degrees opposite to the development of faith and maturity in the Bible. (Rom 8:1 NIV) "Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus,"   (1 John 5:13 NIV) "I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life."

When God gave the 10 commandments to the children of Israel, before He began, He makes clear that He wants their response to be based on a relationship with Him: (Exodus 20:1-3 NIV) And God spoke all these words: {2} "I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery. {3} "You shall have no other gods before me.

Listen to the words given to Israel as they are about the possess the promised land: Joshua 24:1-3 NIV Joshua 24:13-15 NIV Gal 2:15-16 NIV Gal 2:21 NIV Rom 8:15-17 NIV  

Our life as Christians is NOT about earning love from a God who won’t give it!! No Way! The greatest expression of God’s love is in the death of His Son. “But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us” (Rom. 5:8, nasb).  

Love lavished; we are “sons” “daughters” Love withheld GRATITUDE LEGALISM Love lavished; we are “sons” “daughters” Love withheld What God has done What I do Confidence (certain of eternity) Fear (judgment) Security Insecurity Fill our spirit Crushes our spirit Bless our lives Curse our life

After Peter’s denials (Luke 22:61 NIV) "The Lord turned and looked straight at Peter. Then Peter remembered the word the Lord had spoken to him: "Before the rooster crows today, you will disown me three times.""  

Story of two husbands and the list.