Performance Review

Mark 1:4-11

From the reading in the link above, we will be focusing particularly on these words. “And a voice came from heaven “You are my son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased.”

These words from God the Father to God the Son, Jesus Christ show the Father’s approval of and delight in His Son’s life.

Whether we admit it or not, we all seek the approval of somebody in our lives. Whether we’re seeking the approval of our parents, kids, professors, peers, siblings, spouses, friends, enemies, bosses, co-workers, employees, and yes we also tend to seek approval from God.

I think ultimately, all of us would rather have approval and compliments than disapproval and insults.

So what would people say about you? If you had to have a performance review of your life, what would they say? Joe has led a pretty ok life? Sally has been atrocious? Matt is perfect? Maybe you don’t know what to expect.

Have you ever had a performance review? I’ve had a couple, they can be nerve-wracking, but for those of you who’ve never had one, I have a clip to show you from the best place to find a performance review, The Office,

Performance Review – 1:45-4:51

Now obviously this wouldn’t probably happen in an actual performance review. I hope and pray that people as ridiculous as Michael Scott aren’t managing any companies, but we see in Pam that she doesn’t know what to expect. The reviews from Michael can be erratic, unfocused, unpredictable simply because that’s who Michael is. It has very little to do with who Pam is.

I think that if I were being reviewed by one of my friends, peers or whoever that if they were truly honest, my performance review would be the same way, random, up and down, not very steady. And that would be because of who I am, not because of who they are.

How would yours be?

Raising the stakes a bit. If a voice were to come out of heaven and speak to the whole world about you, what would it say?

On one hand, it would probably say something very similar for all people, perhaps it would begin with, to paraphrase Romans 3:23 “For You have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” Indeed that’s what it should say for me.

That’s the reality of life, we are all sinners and don’t deserve praise from our friends, bosses or God, but that Romans passage doesn’t stop there. It keeps going.

“For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, AND all are justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.”

Because of Jesus death and resurrection, we no longer need to fear the punishment for our sin. We no longer need to fear being unaccepted by God. God has accepted us because of what Jesus Christ did for us in dying and rising for the forgiveness of our sins.

So that voice that comes from heaven wouldn’t be a voice of disappointment. It would be a voice of approval. This is my beloved Son or Daughter, whom I love, who has been washed clean by the blood of the lamb.

And all this not because of who you are, but because of who God is. Not because of what you have done, but because of what God has done for you. Amen.