Three ministry engagements in Würzburg repeatedly led to the same question: On what can a person ground hope before God? Christ, his grace, and the certainty of his promise stood at the center.
A weekend before Christmas
Assurance of salvation finds its foundation in the Savior and his promise. An honest look at our failure should not trap us in endless self-examination, but lead us to Jesus Christ.
A women’s Bible study on Saturday
Shortly before Christmas, I was invited to three ministry engagements at Biblisch Christliche Gemeinde Würzburg. On Saturday, December 19, I was able to lead a women’s Bible study with Sinti women.
I presented the gospel and illustrated the broad and narrow ways on a flipchart. Conversation revealed uncertainty among several participants about their relationship with God. Some placed considerable hope in their own religiosity and conduct.
It mattered to me to point repeatedly to Jesus and his cross. Our own constancy cannot be the ultimate foundation of assurance. Christ is the reliable Savior. The women left grateful and thoughtful.
This report describes impressions from those conversations. It makes no claim to judge conclusively every individual’s inward state of faith.
An evangelistic evening
In the evening, the rows were well filled. The subject was ‘Status quo: Is the situation serious but hopeless?’ The expression status quo initially denotes the present state of affairs. At the time, the image of the Berlin Wall helped me illustrate a deadlocked situation that cannot be changed by a mere wish.
From this image, the message led to humanity’s separation from God through sin. Hope does not lie in our ability to undo guilt through our own efforts. Jesus has opened the way to God. In John 10:9, he describes himself as the door through which people find salvation.
Some listeners were touched by the message. Some came because they wanted to turn to Christ; others sought pastoral counsel. We were able to be grateful for this.
The image and its limit
A wall illustrates separation. Our relationship with God, however, is no mere spatial distance. It concerns guilt, trust, and reconciliation. Christ is therefore more than a model for courageously overcoming obstacles: his substitutionary death and resurrection are the foundation of our hope.
Grace and truth on Sunday
Sunday’s sermon addressed believers. I spoke about how grace and truth come together in Jesus’ life. He does not minimize sin and nevertheless encounters guilty people with saving care.
John 1:14–17 connects these two concepts with Jesus Christ. They are no opponents between which we must find a middle way. Truth names our real need; grace answers it with God’s care and forgiveness.
This challenges our dealings with one another. We should neither discourage people through harsh truths without love nor withhold necessary clarity through soothing words. Christ’s example calls us to honest, patient, and helpful encounters.
We may take our need seriously because God’s grace is greater than our ability to save ourselves.
Historical ministry report on the weekend before Christmas 2015. Biblical reflection: John 1:14–17; 5:24; 10:9; Romans 3:21–26; Ephesians 2:8–10. The additional explanations develop the theme; they add no further events to the report.