Was Paul the greatest apostle?

Wonder of Amazement

Paul was the greatest of the Apostles.  That is if you judge him by the number of books bearing his name in the New Testament canon.  He was a champion of grace.  Several times he pointed out that, it is not works that saves you (Romans 11:6; Ephesians 2:8-9), but grace.  However, he also wrote that Christians ought to be about the work of God (1 Corinthians 15:58). He “abounded” in God’s work.

 

You cannot read much from the writings of Paul before you realize that he was a sacrificial offering to God Almighty!  If you have not read 1 Corinthians 11:23-27 lately, please do!  Imprisoned, flogged, exposed to death, whipped with almost 200 lashes, beaten with rods, stoned, involved in three ship wrecks, spent a night and day in the open sea, constantly moving, subjected to all kinds of danger from rivers, from bandits, from his own countrymen, from Gentiles, and false brothers.  He “labored and toiled and often went without sleep.” He knew what it is like to be hungry and thirsty and to be cold and naked.   Even after all of this, he wrote in the Philippians 3, “Not that I have already obtained all this or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me.  Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it.  But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead.  I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.” He was not depending on his works for salvation.

 

Paul said, “We carry around in our body the death of Jesus…”  What a testimony! What was Paul’s secret? Why did he suffer such harm and sacrifice?  He wrote in 2 Corinthians 5:14-15, “For Christ’s love compels us, because we are convinced that one died for all, and therefore all died.  And he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again.”  From his Damascus road experience until his death Paul was filled with wonder and amazement when he considered Jesus of Nazareth.   He was motivated by his personal experience with the Christ who was raised from the dead, and the fact that others needed to know what he knew.  Others need to experience the same relationship with Christ that he was experiencing.

 

Paul gave up religion for a relationship with Jesus (Philippians 3:1-11). Am I missing something? I am challenged by this one man’s sacrificial life. Do I have religion or a relationship with Christ? What about those that I fellowship with today? What’s missing? Could it be the wonder of amazement?

 

Jim Woodell

 

 

 

 

Role Models

When it comes to sports - we do it.  In business - we do it.  In almost every field of endeavor we look for role models.  We try to find others who have been successful, and then we imitate them.  God's word tells us to do the same thing in spiritual matters.

The best role models are found right in the Scriptures.  Jesus is the ultimate example: "For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps" (1 Peter 2:21).  Other great heroes of faith serve as good role models, too.  Paul urged us to be "followers of me, even as I also am of Christ" (1 Cor. 11:1).  Hebrews chapter eleven is full of examples of faithful men and women who serve as worthy patterns for us to imitate.

Beyond these ‘champions’ of the Bible, let us suggest that we can also look to our own brethren.  In any church there are faithful, zealous, devoted Christians who are working hard to live for the Lord.  They resist temptation, spread the word, encourage others and generally work tirelessly to do His will.  Look to them.  Imitate them.  Paul encouraged this approach: "Brethren, be followers together of me, and mark them which walk so as ye have us for an ensample" (Philippians 3:17).

We know this method works in the material world.  We look for 'winners' and we imitate them.  Let's do the same thing when it comes to our most important endeavor - serving God!

- by Greg Gwin

 

Statistics on church growth

"Numbers" versus Real Growth

I have an uneasiness about any great emphasis on statistics in measuring the growth of churches.  I am skeptical because numbers can so often mask what is happening to people.  The ultimate goal of our Father for His children is both spiritual and personal.  He wills that we be "conformed to the image of His Son" (Rom. 8:29).  Success or failure in this enterprise cannot be measured by mere statistics.  A far more important question to raise as numbers change is how individual saints are faring in their effort to be more Christ-like.  Churches only truly grow as the individual members of those assemblies grow.  What is the glory of our numbers if people are not prepared to go to heaven?

- by Paul Earnhart

 

Norma McCorvey and Roe versus Wade

She was used by pro-abortion and pro-life groups, but in fairness nobody outdid Norma McCorvey at trying to use others for personal advantage. Her effort to abort her third child, in Texas in 1970, was the case used to go to the Supreme Court. By the time the appeals process wound up in legalizing abortion at the federal level, her baby was almost three years old and in the home of adoptive parents. She was the product of neglect and horrible abuse, was promiscuous, bisexual-though mostly lesbian, and was known to try to make her way by hook or crook for most of her life. She tried to leverage her infamy into financial advantage or at least a living wage.

 

It's wonderful to see that this tormented woman publicly changed her position regarding the right and sanctity of the unborn, but her home life and adult life symbolize the growing immorality stemming from a breakdown in the home. A father fairly well abandoned his role in the home. Alcohol and drugs complicated and clouded the decisions and thinking within the home. Sexual immorality created multiple problems. Sin was perpetuated from poor examples there (The Washington Post, Emily Langer, 2/18/17).

 

Pew Research found that 46% of "U.S. kids younger than 18 years of age are living in a home with two married heterosexual parents in their first marriage. This is a marked change from 1960, when 73% of children fit this description, and 1980, when 61% did" (Gretchen Livingston, 12/22/14). This is only part of the story. I know of several scripturally divorced and remarried couples, with blended families, who have raised righteous, believing children. But, the general breakdown of the home is at the heart of so many of society's woes.

 

The foregoing is far from revelatory. Sermons, articles, and Bible classes have trumpeted it for years. What I see in our broken society is endless opportunity. It will require patience, time, and lots of love, but homes like the one McCorvey grew up in and the one she attempted herself are craving what only Christ can supply-fulfillment, joy, peace, and direction. That is where you and I come in. Let us remember what we've been told by God: "But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God's own possession, so that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light" (1 Pet. 2:9). Let's be shining!

 

--Neal Pollard

 

Do's and Don'ts for Christian Citizens

Transforming Truths Series                                                    David Owens

Sermon # 5: “We Can Be Good Citizens”                                       2.12.17

Text: Psalm 146:1-10

 

Introduction:

A.   One day during the presidential transition, the “lame duck” President met with his successor in the Oval Office.

1.    Near the end of the orientation, the outgoing President presented the incoming President three numbered envelopes, with specific instructions to open them, in order, when great difficulties arose.

2.    After the new President completed his “honeymoon” period with the media and the public, the nation experienced an economic downturn.

3.    The new President opened the first envelope and inside was a card that read: “Blame me.”

4.    So he did. He criticized the former administration and things settled down.

5.    After a while, social upheaval brought about a critical domestic crisis.

6.    The President opened the second envelope and inside was a card that read: “Blame my party.”

7.    He did so, in an overt display of partisan politics and again things settled down.

8.    About a year later, his foreign policy resulted in serious problems and the President opened the third envelope.

9.    Inside, the card read: “Prepare three envelopes.”

 

B.    Thankfully, the 2016 presidential election and inauguration are now over, and, in what very few could ever have imagined, Donald Trump has become the President of the United States.

1.    No matter what our differences politically or otherwise, surely we can all agree that this campaign has been demoralizing and even traumatizing for most of the country.

2.    But unfortunately, the great divide in our country and the hostile feelings and reactions that swirled around this election are not easing up.

3.    Since the inauguration and some of the new administrations first moves to put a cabinet in place and begin policy changes, there have been protests and violence.

4.    It feels a little bit like the world has gone crazy!

 

C.    For several weeks now, I have felt compelled to try to bring a message of wisdom and peace for our congregation in the midst of the chaos and unrest around us.

       1.  As you know, I don’t like to talk about politics, and actually this sermon is not about politics.

2.    This sermon is about how we, as Christians, should conduct ourselves in the midst of a fractured nation.

3.    So, initially, I thought of this sermon as a break in my Transforming Truths series, but then I realized that I didn’t have to break into the series I had planned, because today’s lesson is another important truth that needs to be added to the series.

4.    Today’s transforming truth is the fact that we can be good citizens, and that ultimately, God requires that we strive to be good citizens.

5.    What I hope to do in today’s sermon is to give us some perspective on God’s principles for citizenship and to help us apply them to our present situation and always.

 

D.   The first thing I want to emphasize is a truth that I point to anytime I discuss politics and elections, and it is the truth that God is in control.

            1.         When Jesus’ life was in the hands of Pilate, He made this important point to Pilate.

a.    The conversation went like this, “Pilate said, ‘Do you refuse to speak to me? Don't you realize I have power either to free you or to crucify you?’  Jesus answered, ‘You would have no power over me if it were not given to you from above.’ ” (John 19:10-11)

            2.         Psalm 22:28 says, “For dominion belongs to the LORD and he rules over the nations.”

3.    And Daniel 2:20-21 says, “Praise be to the name of God for ever and ever; wisdom and power are his.  He changes times and seasons; he sets up kings and deposes them.”

4.    What a blessing it is to know that no matter who is President that God is in control and He is working things out for His purposes.

 

E.    So, what then are we to make of the fact that Donald Trump is now the President of the United States of America?  What are God’s purposes for a Donald Trump Presidency?

       1.  My honest answer is: “I don’t know.”

2.    As the political pundits weigh in on the many sociological and ideological factors that contributed to Donald Trump’s stunning victory, we must keep in mind the spiritual side of things.

3.    As I said earlier, God is in control – He sets up kings and deposes them – therefore, Trump is President because God has allowed it.

4.    So if God has raised up Trump for certain divine purposes, then we might wonder what those purposes are.

5.    To be sure, some will say, “Yes, God has raised up Donald Trump, but it is to judge America, not bless America. He has given us what we deserve, and it is not good.”

a.    God certainly did that when Israel clamored for a king and God tried to warn them against it, but in the end, God gave them what they asked for, and Saul became the first king of Israel.

b.    Saul proved to be a less than ideal king.

6.    But there are certainly, many other purposes that God may have for a Trump Presidency, and we will have to wait to see what materializes.

       a.       I hope God’s purposes are for our prosperity and not for our punishment.

7.    I read something interesting from a minister named Jeremiah Johnson, about the sense that he has about what God may do through a Trump Presidency.

a.    Johnson wrote these words back in July before he knew very much about Trump, but this is what he sensed God was telling him: “Trump shall become My trumpet to the American people, for he possesses qualities that are even hard to find in My people these days. Trump does not fear man nor will he allow deception and lies to go unnoticed. I am going to use him to expose darkness and perversion in America like never before, but you must understand that he is like a bull in a china closet. Many will want to throw him away because he will disturb their sense of peace and tranquility, but you must listen through the bantering to discover the truth that I will speak through him…”  (article by M. Brown)

8.    Consider also the perspective of Dr. Lance Wallnau, a Christian speaker and leadership coach who often thinks outside the box. (article by M. Brown)

a.    Wallnau believes that God is using Trump as a “wrecking ball to the spirit of political correctness,” claiming, “His emergence is such a destabilizing threat to the vast deal making machinery embedded in both parties that he has the unique distinction of being rejected by both liberal Democrats and establishment Republicans at the same time.”

9.    I find those to be very interesting perspectives, but let me say it again: I don’t know what God is going to do or how God might use the Trump Presidency.

10.  What I do know is that God is in control and that God’s purposes cannot be hindered.

 

F.    Allow me to speak to those who may be very unhappy and worried because Donald Trump is our President.

1.    There have been seven different Presidents during my adult life, and about half of that time, the President has not been the one that I wanted.

2.    I thought the world was coming to an end when Bill Clinton was elected – I just couldn’t believe that the majority of Americans would elect someone with such poor moral character.

a.       I was truly scared about what would happen to our country with him at the top.

b.    Well, we survived Clinton and all the other Presidents we have had, because the country is bigger and stronger than one person at the top.

3.    But even though half of the Presidents weren’t the ones I wanted, I have never had the attitude of “Not my President.”

4.    I have never wanted any U.S. President to fail, because if our President fails, then our nation fails, and we citizens of the U.S. are hurt by it.

5.    I like this cartoon that shows a hole in the boat with people at one end of the boat saying, “Sure glad the hole isn’t at our end.”

a.       If the hole causes the boat to sink, then it doesn’t matter whose end the hole is in, right?

6.    The same is true with our country – we only have one President at a time, and he is president of us all. 

a.       If he leads the country well, then we all are blessed, but if he sinks, then we all sink.

 

I.          Do’s and Don’ts for Christian Citizens

A.        So what are some “Do’s” and “Don’ts” for us as Christians that will help us to be good citizens?

 

B.        First, as Christian citizens, we must obey the law.

1.    Something that helps me to have spiritual perspective about citizenship is to realize that Christianity has been around for a long time, and that Christians have lived in every country of the world, and have had to live out their Christianity under all types of kings and governments.

2.    God’s command for us, as Christians, is to strive to be law-abiding citizens of whatever country we live in and whatever governmental system we live under.

3.    To the Christians living in Rome, the Apostle Paul wrote: Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God. Consequently, he who rebels against the authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves…Therefore, it is necessary to submit to the authorities, not only because of possible punishment but also because of conscience. (Rom. 13:1-2, 5)

4.    To the Christians scattered about the Roman Empire, the Apostle Peter wrote: Submit yourselves for the Lord's sake to every authority instituted among men: whether to the king, as the supreme authority, or to governors, who are sent by him to punish those who do wrong and to commend those who do right. For it is God's will that by doing good you should silence the ignorant talk of foolish men. Live as free men, but do not use your freedom as a cover-up for evil; live as servants of God. Show proper respect to everyone: Love the brotherhood of believers, fear God, honor the king. (1 Peter. 2:13-17)

5.    The Roman Emperors who served during the time of the early church include Nero (54-68 AD), Vespasian (68-79 AD), Titus (79-81 AD), and Domitian (81-96 AD).

6.    Those were some brutal, unethical, self-centered, delusional dictators and yet both Paul and Peter say that they were in power by God’s establishment and that they must be submitted to.

7.    The only time God’s people are not to submit to the governing authorities is when those authorities command us to do something that violates God’s commands.

a.    When the King that Daniel served under ordered that no one was allowed to pray to God, Daniel disobeyed the King and kept on praying.

b.    When the King that Shadrach, Meshack, and Abendigo served under ordered them to worship an idol, they disobeyed their government and obeyed God.

c.    When the officials told the apostles to no longer preach about Jesus, they replied, “Judge for yourselves whether it is right in God's sight to obey you rather than God.  For we cannot help speaking about what we have seen and heard.” (Acts 4:19-20)

8.    But unless obeying the government would cause us to disobey God’s commands, we must submit to the governing authorities and live according to the laws of our country.

9.    We are good citizens when we submit to those in authority and obey the law, and we are called upon by God to do so no matter who is the President – even Nero, or Domitian.

 

C.        Second, as Christian citizens, we can pray.

1.  The Bible says that the prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective. (Jms. 5:16)

2.    When Paul wrote Timothy, he instructed him: “I urge, then, first of all, that requests, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for everyone – for kings and all those in authority.” (1 Tim. 2:1-2).

3.    Concerning the nation of Israel, God said, “If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land.” (2 Chronicles 7:14)

4.    I believe that God will do the same for the United States of America if we will humble ourselves and pray and seek God’s face and turn from our wicked ways.

5.    Many of us have deep differences with our new president, and would have no matter which candidate had been elected, but we must pray that he will succeed in leading our country with wisdom and justice.

6.    And let’s pray for all our elected officials – let’s pray that they will humbly look to God for direction and that they will not pursue party or personal goals, but will do what is best for all the citizens of our country.

 

D.        Third, as Christian citizens, we should not argue, complain, judge or condemn.

1.    Paul wrote: Do everything without complaining or arguing, so that you may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation, in which you shine like stars in the universe as you hold out the word of life… (Phil. 2:14-16)

2.    Interaction in social media and in face to face conversation has gotten so negative and combative, but this should not be the way for Christians.

       a.       We must avoid complaining, arguing and being condemning about people and policies.

       b.       We must be very careful about how we represent ourselves and Christ as we communicate.

3.    If we need to enter into the arena of ideas and try to change people’s thinking, then we must follow God’s guidelines.

4.    Look at the instructions that Paul gave Timothy: “And the Lord's servant must not quarrel; instead, he must be kind to everyone, able to teach, not resentful. Those who oppose him he must gently instruct, in the hope that God will grant them repentance leading them to a knowledge of the truth…” (2 Tim. 2:24-25).

5.    We can certainly exercise our rights as citizens and contact our elected representatives with our ideas and wishes for our country, but we must do so with respect and dignified communication.

6.    Facebook and Twitter are likely not the best place to arguments and dialog on important matters.

 

E.         Fourth, as Christian citizens, we can love our neighbor.

1.    Regardless of the words or actions of our government, we can show God’s love to everyone.

2.    We can show kindness and build relationships with all kinds of people, whether they are different from us in color, country of origin, religion, orientation, education or economic status.

3.    We can love and serve refugees, unwed mothers, widows, orphans, the poor and the homeless.

4.    Rather than depending on the government to do those things, or being angry when they don’t, we must ask ourselves, “What am I doing to love my neighbor and be a good citizen?”

5.    Jesus teaches us to “love your neighbor as yourself.” (Mt. 22:39)

6.    And “do to others what you would have them do to you.” (Mt. 7:12)

 

F.         Fifth, as Christian citizens, we can give the kingdom of God our highest allegiance.

            1.         Jesus teaches us to “seek first His kingdom and His righteousness.” (Mt. 6:33)

2.    Paul reminds us: “But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ…” (Phil. 3:20)

3.    God’s Kingdom, the church, is made up of all kinds of people, brought together as one body.

4.    We belong to each other because we belong to Christ.

            5.         We are not, first, Republicans or Democrats, or conservatives or progressives.

6.  We are not even, first and foremost, citizens of the United States of America.

7.    Most importantly, we are the church of the resurrected and triumphant Lord Jesus Christ made up of people from all nations.

8.    The church has survived everything from the rage of Nero, to Communist oppression, to Middle Eastern terrorist cells, and will continue in spite of all of the attacks of Satan.

9.  We will pledge allegiance to the flag, but we will pledge a higher allegiance to the cross.

10.            Our rallying cry is not “Hail to the Chief” but “Jesus is Lord.”

11.            And regardless of what happens to America, we must seek first the Kingdom of God.

 

G.        Finally, as Christian citizens, we can put our trust in God.

1.    Our trust should not be in our country or our President and other elected representatives, rather, our trust must be in God.

2.    Psalm 20:7 says: Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the LORD our God.

3.    Psalm 118:8 says: It is better to take refuge in the LORD than to trust in man.

4.    Psalm 27:1 says: The LORD is my light and my salvation - whom shall I fear?  The LORD is the stronghold of my life - of whom shall I be afraid?

5.    Psalm 146:1-10 says:

Praise the LORD. Praise the LORD, O my soul.

I will praise the LORD all my life; I will sing praise to my God as long as I live.

                 Do not put your trust in princes, in mortal men, who cannot save.

When their spirit departs, they return to the ground; on that very day their plans come

       to nothing.

Blessed is he whose help is the God of Jacob, whose hope is in the LORD his God,

the Maker of heaven and earth, the sea, and everything in them - the LORD, who

remains faithful forever.

He upholds the cause of the oppressed and gives food to the hungry.

The LORD sets prisoners free, the LORD gives sight to the blind,

the LORD lifts up those who are bowed down, the LORD loves the righteous.

The LORD watches over the alien and sustains the fatherless and the widow,

but he frustrates the ways of the wicked.

                 The LORD reigns forever, your God, O Zion, for all generations.  Praise the LORD .

6.    Our God is all-powerful, all-knowing, He is everywhere, He is perfect, He is good, He is merciful, He is faithful and He is just.

7.    In a world full of evil and trouble and chaos, Our God is our rock and our refuge.

8.    If our trust is in the Lord, then we have nothing to fear.

 

Conclusion:

A.   In a speech in 1820, Daniel Webster, the former constitutional lawyer, U.S Senator, and Secretary of State said: “Whatever makes men good Christians, makes them good citizens.”

 

B.        As good Christians and good citizens…

            1.         We must obey the law.

2.  We can pray.

            3.         We should not argue, complain, judge or condemn.

            4.         We can love our neighbor.

            5.         We can give the Kingdom of God our highest allegiance.

            6.         We can trust in God.

 

C.        When we do so, we are good citizens, and good Christians, and God is pleased.

 

 

 

 

Resources:

Donald Trump, President of the United States by the Sovereign Intervention of God, Article by Michael

     Brown, 11.9.16,  https://stream.org/donald-trump-president-united-states-sovereign-intervention-god/

President Trump: Now What for the Church? Article by Russell Moore,

     http://www.christianity.com/blogs/russell-moore/president-trump-now-what-for-the-church.html

 

In my Father's house are many mansions:

Thought for the Week

 

In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so , I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also--John 14:2-3.

 

It now seems as if the years of my life from the day I entered this world some 82 years ago have literally flown by so quickly. As I have grown older my body has become frail and weak with age often causing days and nights to be somewhat weary. It is now that my heart is pained and weariness sometimes sweeps down over my soul as I helplessly stand by and watch as that terrible disease, Dementia Alzheimer controls the life of my beloved wife of almost 58 years and is slowly taking her from me. I am confident that many who now read these words are also experiencing some great burden under which you too groan (2 Cor. 5:2-4). It is imperative that we never let the burdens of life cause our faith in God to falter. With all my heart, I am convinced that so long as we keep our eyes on the heavenly goal (Phil. 3:13-14; Col. 3:1-2), so long as we trust in the Lord with all our heart (Ps. 31:1, 62:8; Prov. 3:5; 1 Tim. 4:10), so long as we spread it before our Lord (1 Thess 5:17; Phil. 4:6-7; Heb. 4:16) he will grant to us the measure of strength, courage, patience and understanding to see us safely through each day. Do you believe this? I do and pray you do also (Rom. 8:28-39).

 

A home in heaven is a promise God has given to us and it is a promise that marks the dawning of a better day (Rev. 21:1-4). With our human eyes we have seen the glitter of gold and we have over time beheld some wondrous things on our travel through life. I have stood high up on the Great Smoky Mountains in the dead of winter and beheld a winter wonderland so beautiful. I have heard the majestic roar and seen the splendor of a great waterfall. I have heard the laughter of my children and seen the beauty of my beloved's smile. I have no doubt that many of you, if not all of you, can say "me too". But nothing we have ever seen or heard can begin to compare with the beauty. splender and glory of that eternal home that will one day be ours if we are faithful to our Lord. Truly, as we often sing, "Heaven will surely be worth it all".  Forgive me for the personal nature of this Thought. I only pray that it will be a source of encouragement for all who are  struggling under the weight of a great burden.

 

Charles Hicks 

The Language of Love

 

In his Child's History of England, Charles Dickens tells the following interesting story:

 

This is the romance of the father and mother of Thomas a Becket who, for asserting and maintaining that the power of the clergy was superior to the king's power, was murdered by the knights of Henry II in Canterbury Cathedral of which he was Archbishop.

 

Gilbert Becket, Thomas a Becket's father, a London merchant, made a pilgrimage to the Holy Land and was taken prisoner by a Saracen lord who had one fair daughter.  She fell in love with him and told him she wanted to marry him, and was willing to become a Christian if they could escape to a Christian country.  He returned her love till he found an opportunity to escape with his servant Richard, and returned to England.  Then he forgot the fair Saracen maiden.

 

But the Saracen lady had not forgotten Gilbert.  She left her father's house in disguise to follow him and made her way to the coast.  The merchant had taught her two English words, “London” and “Gilbert”.  She went among the ships, saying again and again the same word: “London.”  Sailors showed her a ship bound for London, and she paid her passage with some of her jewels and arrived in London.

 

As the merchant was sitting one day in his office, Richard, his servant, came running in, saying, “Master!  There is the Saracen lady.  As I live, she is going up and down calling ‘Gilbert! Gilbert!’”  The merchant saw her in the crowd and went to her.  She saw him and fainted in his arms.  Soon after they were married. *

 

The love of the Saracen lady pictures the love that God has for each one of us.  Though we had forsaken Him by choosing to “escape” into a life of sin (Romans 3:23), God still loves us.  Then, in the person of Jesus Christ, God’s Son, He came looking for us.  Jesus said of Himself, “For the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost” (Luke 19:10).  He came to demonstrate God’s love and to offer salvation, reconciliation, and eternal life (Romans 6:23).  It cost Jesus His life.  “But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8).

 

Through His death, He paid the price for our sins so that we might have forgiveness (Ephesians 1:7), be reconciled to God (2 Corinthians 5:17-21), and receive the gift of eternal life (Romans 6:23).

 

God will save and give eternal life to those who accept His offer on His terms: place your faith and trust in Jesus (Acts 16:30-31), turn from your sins in repentance (Acts 17:30-31), confess Jesus before men (Romans 10:9-10), and be baptized (immersed) into Christ for the forgiveness of sins (Acts 2:38).  Then, seek to walk in the light of His Word, for God promises that “if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin” (1 John 1:7).

 

God came looking for YOU in the person of Jesus Christ.  He died for you so that you can be saved and live with Him for eternity.  That’s the language of love.

 

Won’t YOU respond to His love by giving your life to Him through your trusting obedience?

 

-- David A. Sargent

 

We Are Loved

Transforming Truths Series                                                    David Owens

Sermon #1: “We Are Loved”                                                           1.15.17

Text: Ephesians 3:14-19

 

A.        Let me begin by sharing a few simple, everyday truths:

1.  “A balanced diet is a cookie in each hand.” – unknown

2.  “A bulldog can whip a skunk, but sometimes it's not worth it.” - J. Nowell

3.  “A closed mouth gathers no feet.” - Sam Horn

4.    “An apple a day keeps the doctor away, but an onion a day keeps everyone away”. - Cassandra Chatfield

5.    “Before you criticize someone, walk a mile in his shoes.  That way if he gets angry, he'll be a mile away and barefoot.” – unknown

6.    “Blessed is he that can laugh at himself, he will never cease to be amused.” – unknown

 

B.    Although there is a bit of humor and a grain of truth in many of these sayings, I wouldn’t exactly call them transforming truths.

       1.  The Bible, however, is full of truth that can have a profound effect on our lives.

       2.  God’s truths are truly transformational.

3.    In John 8:31-32, Jesus said, “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples.  Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”

4.    Knowing God’s transforming truths sets us free from all the lies of Satan that have held us captive in lives of sin, failure, and frustration.

5.    When I say “knowing God’s truths,” I’m not talking about just knowing them in an intellectual fashion, rather I’m talking about knowing them in a personal and practical way.

6.    In order for God’s truths to make a difference in our lives, they must be internalized and exercised by faith.

 

C.    Paul explained this process in Romans 12:1-2, when he wrote, “Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual act of worship.  Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.  Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.”

       1.  Oh, how desperately we need the transformation of God in our lives!

2.    I, personally, haven’t yet arrived at maturity in Christ, and as I assess us as a church family, I can see that we still have a lot of room for growth.

3.    Transformation is based on the power of God and His blessed work within us, and we must begin God’s transformation by inviting God to work in us through the Holy Spirit.

4.    Let me ask these questions:

a.       Are we ready to admit that we need to change?

b.       Are we ready to admit that we can’t do it on our own?

c.    Are we ready to allow God to show us how we continue to be unspiritual, and for Him to show us how our thinking and behavior are still conforming to the pattern of this world?

d.       Are we ready to allow our minds to be renewed by the truth that sets us free?

5.    I’m ready and I hope you are also.

 

D.   Today’s sermon is the first in a series that I want us to work through at the beginning of this new year.

            1.         I’m calling the series “Transformational Truths.”

            2.         I believe that God continues to work through His Word to bring about transformation.

3.    The writer of Hebrews had this to say about the Bible, “For the word of God is living and active.  Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.” (Heb. 4:12)

       a.       Isn’t that what you experience when you look into God’s Word?

b.    Don’t you feel the living word of God spring into action in your soul – illuminating, correcting, convicting and transforming you?  It does me.

4.    In Paul’s farewell speech to the Ephesian elders in Acts 20:32, he said, “Now I commit you to God and to the word of his grace, which can build you up and give you an inheritance among all those who are sanctified.”

5.    Throughout this series, I will be trying to do just that – to “commit you to God and to the word of his grace” – for it is able to build us up, transform us, and lead us right to heaven.

 

E.    Today I want us to give attention to a truth that is so basic, and yet it is such a key to being transformed by all of the other truths we will explore and that we need to embrace.

       1.  The first of the transforming truths is – We are loved by God.

       2.  I am loved by God and you are loved by God.

3.    It doesn’t get any more basic than that.  It is one of the first truths we try to teach our children – “Jesus loves me this I know, for the Bible tells me so.”

 

F.         Is this something that you know and believe?

            1.         Do you know and believe that God loves you?

2.    I’m not talking about knowing and believing that God loves us in general, or that God loves the “world.”

3.    I’m asking you if you know and believe that God loves you, personally?

4.    Do you know and believe that God knows your name and is concerned about you on an individual basis?

 

G.   Max Lucado said it well when he wrote these words in his book A Gentle Thunder:  “If God had a refrigerator, your picture would be on it.  If he had a wallet, your photo would be in it.  He sends you flowers every spring and a sunrise every morning.  Whenever you want to talk, he’ll listen.  He can live anywhere in the universe, and he chose your heart…Face it, friend.  He’s crazy about you.”

       1.  Does that sound a little farfetched for you?

       2.  Does God really love each of us that much and that personally?

       3.  Do you or will you allow yourself to think about God’s love in those terms?

 

H.   I have to admit that I feel so inadequate this morning trying to describe the truth of God’s love.

1.    A.W. Tozer, a great American preacher and writer in the first half of the 20^th century, said this about the love of God:  “The love of God is one of the greatest realities of the universe, a pillar upon which the hope of the world rests.  But it is a personal, intimate thing too.  God does not love populations, He loves people.  He loves not masses, but men.”

2.    Then as Tozer attempted to explain God’s love, he wrote, “I can no more do justice to this awesome and wonder-filled topic than a child can grasp a star.  Still, by reaching toward the star the child may call attention to it and even indicate the direction one must look to see it.  And so, I stretch my heart toward the high, shining love of God so that we may be encouraged to look up and have hope.”

3.    Let’s spend the rest of our time this morning stretching our hearts toward the high, shining love of God so that we may be encouraged, have hope, and ultimately be transformed.

 

I.          What does the Old Testament say about the love of God?

            1.         Psalm 103:8, “The LORD is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in love.”

2.    At least three times God refers to us as “the apple of His eye.”  For instance, Psalm 17:7-8 reads, “Show the wonder of your great love, you who save by your right hand those who take refuge in you from their foes.  Keep me as the apple of your eye; hide me in the shadow of your wings…”

3.    Zephaniah 3:17 says, “The LORD your God is with you, he is mighty to save.  He will take great delight in you, he will quiet you with his love, he will rejoice over you with singing.”

4.    How wonderful is all of that? 

a.       God is abounding in love.

b.       We are the apple of His eye.  We are sheltered under His wing.

c.    God takes great delight in each one of us.

d.    He quiets us with his love and rejoices over us with singing.

e.    Praise God that He loves us like that!  Amen!

 

J.         When we turn to the New Testament, we learn the same truths about the love of God.

1.    Jesus told the three parables of Luke 15 in an effort to explain the love that God has even for the sinners and outcasts of society.

       a.       The three parables are the lost sheep, the lost coin, and the lost son.

b.    From those parables, we know that God sometimes searches until He finds the one who is lost, or He waits patiently for the lost one to return, but in every case when the lost one is found or returns, then God throws a party. 

c.    Why? Because He loves us so much.

2.    In Luke 12, as Jesus was trying to teach his disciples about the personal nature of God’s love, he said, “Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies?  Yet not one of them is forgotten by God.  Indeed, the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Don't be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.”  (Luke 12:6-7)

a.    While some of us may have a few more hairs than others, the message remains the same – God loves each of us and knows everything about each one of us.

            3.         Jesus said that he is the good shepherd who knows his own sheep. (Jn. 10:14-15)

4.    G.K. Chesterton, an English apologist in the early 20^th century wrote, “All people matter.  You matter.  I matter.  It’s the hardest thing in theology to believe.”

5.    Augustine, a Christian writer of the 4^th and 5^th centuries, wrote, “[God] loves each one of us, as if there were only one of us.”

 

K.   Numerous times in the New Testament, we are told that God’s love for us is proven by the sacrifice of Jesus given on our behalf.

1.    The most famous of all verses in the NT, John 3:16, speaks this truth, “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”

2.    Romans 5:6-8 reads, “You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly.  Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous man, though for a good man someone might possibly dare to die.  But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”

3.    1 John 4:9-10, “This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him.  This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.”

4.    What more than that could God do to prove His love for you and me?

5.    You’ve probably heard this saying, “Someone asked the Lord, ‘How much do you love me?’  The Lord said, ‘This much.  Then He stretched out His arms, bowed His head, and died.’ ”

 

L.         One of the more comforting verses about God’s love is found in Romans 8:37-39.

1.    “No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.  For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

2.    Nothing can separate us from God’s love, and nothing we will ever do can change God’s love for us.

3.    God loves us unconditionally. 

4.    Although God’s rewards are conditional, His love is unconditional. 

5.    Nothing and no one can cause God not to love us any longer.

 

M.        Why is that?  Why will God’s love never go away?

1.  First, Because God is love - It is His nature to love.

                        a.         Twice in 1 John 4 we read that “God is love.” (verses 8 and 16)

            2.         Second, Because God’s love is inexhaustible.

                        a.         Look again at a few verses from our Scripture reading for today from Ephesians 3.

b.    “And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.” (Eph. 3:17b-19)

c.    The love of God is so great it surpasses knowledge – it is beyond our ability to completely comprehend.

d.    God’s love is so wide – wide enough to encompass everyone – even you and me.

e.    God’s love is so long – it is eternal, never-ending, long-suffering, and patient.

f.     God’s love is so high – it is the very best, and highest of all – it is perfect.

g.    God’s love is so deep – it is absolutely solid and real – it reaches to the deepest parts of our being.

 

N.   Steven Curtis Chapman, a contemporary Christian artist wrote, “In the Gospel, we discover we are far worse off than we thought, and far more loved than we ever dreamed.”

       1.  Is that the conclusion that you have come to about the Gospel?

2.    Oh, how I wish that every single person could understand and appreciate both how lost we were, but how loved we are.

3.    1 John 3:1 declares, “How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called the children of God!  And that is what we are!”

4.    Any voice we hear or thought we have that suggests that God does not or cannot love you or me is a lie from Satan himself, and must be overcome by the truth.

 

O.        I’m praying today that the love of God for you personally has gotten a hold of your life.

1.    I’m praying that you have grasped just how wide, and long, and high and deep is God’s love for you.

2.    I’m praying that we realize that the love that God has for us cannot and does not change regardless of how much we love Him or how well we obey Him.

3.    God’s love never changes.

 

P.    When the reality of God’s love for us makes its way deep into our hearts, then it can have the transforming effect God wants His love to have.

       1.  When we truly know God’s love, then we can love God in return.

       2.  When we truly know God’s love, then we can love ourselves as God loves us.

3.  When we truly know God’s love, then we can love others with God’s love.

4.  When we truly know God’s love, then we can even love our enemies with God’s love.

5.    And when we truly know God’s love, then we are able to tell others about the Good News of God’s love for them.

 

Q.   As wonderful and good is the love that we may experience with our spouses and families, our friends and in the church, none can compare with the love of God.

 

R.    Let me tell you about a man named George Matheson.

1.  George was only 15 years old when he was told that he was losing what little eyesight he had.

       2.  Not to be deterred, Matheson continued with his plans to enroll in the University of Glasgow.

       3.  His determination led to his graduation at age 19.

4.    But as he pursued graduate studies in theology, the little eyesight he had vanished and he was completely blind.

       5.  His sisters studied right along with him in order to assist him.

6.    But Matheson’s heart was dealt a blow when his fiancée, unwilling to be married to a blind man, broke off their engagement.

7.    After that, George Matheson remained unmarried, but became a beloved preacher in Scotland.

8.    Years later, one of his sisters came to him announcing her engagement.

9.    Matheson rejoiced with her, but at the same time he felt his own heartache.

10.  Matheson consoled himself by thinking about God’s love for him which is never limited, conditional, or withdrawn.

11.  Out of that experience, he wrote a hymn that has ministered to many of us over the years.

12.  Here is the first verse of that hymn:

“O love that will not let me go,

  I rest my weary soul in thee;

  I give thee back the life I owe,

That in thine ocean depths its flow

May richer, fuller be.”

 

S.         I hope that is the way you and I feel about the love of God?

            1.         I hope it’s a love that will not let us go?

            2.         I hope it’s a love that we can rest our weary souls in?

            3.         I hope it’s a love that causes us to give our lives in return?

 

T.    If you are not a Christian this morning, then we invite you to experience the soul-saving love of God.

       1.  Allow the love of God to come into your life and bring transformation.

 

U.   If you are a Christian this morning, but you have been doubting God’s love for you, or resisting God’s love for you, or wandering away from His love, then know that God still loves you and invites you to come home to His open, loving arms.

       1.  Let’s allow the truth of God’s love for us to have its transforming effect in our lives.

 

 

 

 

Psalm 103 sermon

Transforming Truths Series                                                    David Owens

Sermon #2: “We Are Forgiven”                                                      1.22.17

Text: Psalm 103:8-12

 

A.        Once there was a man who carried a secret burden of a long-past sin in his heart.

            1.         No one knew what he had done, but he had repented and asked God for forgiveness.

2.    In spite of this, he had lived with years of remorse over the incident and had lived without any sense of God’s forgiveness.

3.    One day he met a man who claimed to have visions in which God spoke to him.

4.    The man was a little skeptical of his claims, but was desperate for help.

5.    He asked the man, “The next time you speak to the Lord, would you please ask Him what he thinks about that sin I committed so many years ago?”

6.    The man kindly agreed to do so.

7.    A few days later the two men crossed paths and the one man asked the other if he had spoken to the Lord.

8.    He said, “Yes, he had.”  He asked him, “And did you ask Him about the sin I committed?”

9.    He said, “Yes, I asked Him about it.”  “Well, what did the Lord say?” asked the man.”

10.  The man replied, “The Lord said, ‘I have no memory of the incident.’ ”

 

B.        Ernest Hemingway wrote a short story about a father and his teenage son who lived in Spain.

1.    Their relationship became strained.  Eventually it shattered and the son ran away from home.

2.    The father began a long journey in search of his lost and rebellious son.

3.    After failing to find his son, he decided to place an ad in the Madrid newspaper as a last resort.

4.    His son’s name was Paco, a very common name in Spain.

5.    The ad simply read: “Dear Paco, meet me in front of the Madrid newspaper office tomorrow at noon.  All is forgiven.  I love you, Papa.”

6.    Hemingway writes, “The next day at noon in front of the newspaper office there were 800 ‘Pacos’ all seeking forgiveness.”

 

C.        Do either of these stories strike a deep chord in your heart?

            1.         Do you, like Paco, long to be reunited with God the Father?  Do you long to be forgiven?

2.    Or do you, like the man in the first story, struggle to accept the forgiveness of God and therefore continue to suffer remorse for things that God has long forgiven and forgotten?

 

D.        Today’s sermon continues our “Transforming Truths” sermon series.

            1.         Last week, we explored the truth that we are loved by God.

a.    The truth that God loves you and me is so basic and necessary, and it is so powerful and transforming!

2.    Today, we want to explore another one of the greatest truths God offers – it is a truth that meets another one of our deepest needs.

a.       Today’s transforming truth is “We are Forgiven!”

3.    Marghanita Laski was one of England’s best-known novelists and secular humanists; she was also an avowed atheist.

a.    Shortly before she died in 1988, she gave a television interview in which she spoke with surprising candor, saying, “What I envy most about you Christians is your forgiveness; I have nobody to forgive me.”

 

E.         One of God’s greatest gifts to us is the gift of forgiveness.

            1.         At the very heart of the Christian faith is the truth of God’s forgiveness.

            2.         That forgiveness was brought about at a very high price and given to us because of God’s love.

            3.         Forgiveness is something that every one of us needs, because all of us are sinners.

4.    Paul declares in Romans 3:22b-24, “There is no difference, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.”

5.    Paul echoes that in Colossians 1:13-14, “For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.”

6.    And again in Ephesians 1:7-8, “In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God's grace that he lavished on us with all wisdom and understanding.”

 

F.    So there is no doubt about it: we are sinners, but we can find redemption and forgiveness of sins in Jesus.

            1.         God loves us and wants us in the kingdom of the Son He loves.

                        a.         And God has lavished on us the riches of His grace.

            2.         This kind of preaching doesn’t always get a lot of time in American churches today.

                        a.         The reason is because it draws attention to our sinfulness.

                        b.         It is not a popular notion for modern people to think of themselves as sinful.

            3.         We are nearing the point where it is illegal to call sinful behavior, sinful.

                        a.         Greed and selfishness are called prosperity and ambition.

b.       Pornography and obscenity are called art and free speech.

c.       Abortion is called choice. 

d.       Adultery is called open marriage. 

e.       Sexual immorality is called freedom.

f.       Homosexuality is called simply an alternative lifestyle.

g.       And the list goes on and on.

 

G.   The truth of the matter is that sin is rampant, and not just out there in the world, but in here in the church.

       1.  We all are sinners – past and present.

       2.  Some of our sins are quite blatant, while others are much more subtle.

       3.  You and I would be practicing the ultimate denial to pretend that we are perfect and sinless.

4.    The apostle John wrote, “If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us.  If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.  If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar and his word has no place in our lives.” (1 John 1:8-10)

5.    Hopefully, as we grow in Christ our sins become less blatant and numerous.

6.    Hopefully, with the assistance of the Spirit, we will put behind us the obvious and overt sins that may have plagued our pre-Christian days, and we will begin to deal more with the subtle sins of the heart – like pride, judgmentalism, and envy.

 

H.   Nevertheless, throughout the process, the acknowledgement of our sin is the first step to finding forgiveness.

       1.  If we are unwilling to admit our need for forgiveness, we will never seek it and find it.

2.    As we already read from 1 John 1:9, “If we confess our sins, he is faith and just and will forgive our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.”

3.    That certainly is an important “if” isn’t it?  “If we will admit and confess our sins…”

4.    In Psalm 32:5, David wrote, “Then I acknowledged my sin to you and did not cover up my iniquity.  I said, ‘I will confess my transgressions to the Lord’ – and you forgave the guilt of my sin.”

 

I.     Now, having established something about our need for forgiveness, I want us to marvel at the fact that God has forgiven us.

1.    In Psalm 32:1-2, King David, who had sinned greatly, wrote, “Blessed is he whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered.  Blessed is the man whose sin the LORD does not count against him and in whose spirit is no deceit.”

       a.       How blessed and wonderful to have the burden and guilt of sin removed!

       b.       I thank God for forgiveness in my own life! How about you?

2.    Look at what the Lord said in Isaiah 1:18, “‘Come now, let us reason together,’ says the LORD.  ‘Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool.’”

a.    Yes, our sin is like a dark red stain on our souls, but that sin will be removed and our souls will be white as new fallen snow.  What an unbelievable thought!

3.    In Psalm 103:11-12, we read, “For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his love for those who fear him; as far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us.”

       a.       Just how far is the East from the West?

       b.       If you head East do you ever arrive at East?  If you head West do you ever get there?

c.       No, you can head East forever, or you can head West forever.

d.       That’s how far God has removed our sins from us!  Praise the Lord.

4.    In Isaiah 43:25 God says this about Himself, “I, even I, am he who blots out your transgressions, for my own sake, and remembers your sins no more.”

a.    Quoting Jeremiah 31:34, the writer of Hebrews wrote, “For I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more.” (Heb. 8:12)

b.    God promises to forgive and forget!  That is the truth!  Aren’t you thankful?

 

J.         How might we describe what it is like to experience forgiveness?

            1.         One fundamental idea behind the biblical notion of forgiveness is the idea of “letting go.”

a.    Picture yourself being pulled over in your car by a police officer.

b.    That siren and those red or blue lights are terrifying, aren’t they.

c.    The officer sternly asks for your license and registration and then looks them over.

d.    Now let’s picture him smiling and saying something like, “I’m letting you go this time.  Try not to do that again.”

e.    How might you feel if that happened?  Oh, the wonderful relief of forgiveness!

            2.         Another part of forgiveness is the idea of pardon.

a.    This time try to picture yourself much further along in the criminal process than the first scenario.

b.    You have been caught, tried, and found guilty.  Then the judge throws the book at you.

c.    You are on death row sentenced to die.

d.    You hear footsteps coming toward your cell, and you know your time has come.

e.    When the steps end at your cell door, the warden looks at you, smiles and says, “You have been pardoned.  You are free to go.”  Oh, what a relief it is!

            3.         Perhaps more realistically for most of us is the idea of having someone cancel a debt.

                        a.         Suppose your VISA bill comes in the mail tomorrow.

b.    “Oh, no!” you think to yourself, “I owe thousands of dollars and I don’t even think I will be able to make the minimum payment this month.”

c.    But when you open your bill you see “Paid in Full” stamped in large red letters across it.

d.    There’s a note attached that says you are the lucky winner in a random drawing that pays someone’s bill in entirety each month.

e.    The weight of the world has been lifted from your shoulders!

4.    When we roll all these notions together, we can begin to understand something of the forgiveness of God.

       a.       God has paid my debt and your debt with His own funds.

       b.       God caught us “red-handed” in sin and has chosen to let it go.

       c.       God has come to death row with a pardon in hand and has announced that we can go free.

5.    Paul declared these truths so beautifully in 2 Corinthians 5, when he wrote, “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!  All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting men's sins against them.  And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation.  We are therefore Christ's ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us.  We implore you on Christ's behalf: Be reconciled to God.  God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.” (2 Cor. 5:17-21)

 

K.        In Luke chapter 7, we read about a powerful incident that happened during Jesus’ ministry.

1.    The Bible says in verse 36, “Now one of the Pharisees invited Jesus to have dinner with him, so he went to the Pharisee’s house and reclined at the table.”

a.    The Pharisee’s name was Simon.  As a Pharisee he was a Jewish religious leader who attempted to adhere to the letter of the Law.

b.    From the narrative, it is clear that Simon did not invite Jesus because of his love for him, or because he believed in him.

c.    Rather, it appears that he invited Jesus in order to set him up in some way.

d.    Certainly, Jesus was aware of this, but He accepted the invitation because He loved Simon and longed to call him to repentance.

2.    When Jesus arrived at Simon’s house, it appears that Simon didn’t even show him common courtesy.

       a.       Good manners in that day required the host to have his servant wash the guest’s feet.

b.    The host was expected to greet his visitor with a kiss on the cheek and anoint the guest’s head with oil.

c.    Simon did none of these things, and it is apparent that his actions (or lack thereof) were deliberate.

d.    Imagine being invited to someone’s house and when you arrive and extend your hand or try to give them a hug, they turn their back to you and walk away, saying, “come on in.”

e.    Jesus did not react to the impropriety, but came right in and took His place at the table and began participating in the meal.

3.    Verse 37 picks up with the story, “When a woman who had lived a sinful life in that town learned that Jesus was eating at the Pharisee's house, she brought an alabaster jar of perfume, and as she stood behind him at his feet weeping, she began to wet his feet with her tears.  Then she wiped them with her hair, kissed them and poured perfume on them.” (Lk. 7:37-38)

a.    The woman who came in was described as a “sinner in that town” which typically meant that she was a prostitute.

b.    A meal such as the one Jesus was attending was not a private occasion.

c.    Uninvited people could come in and watch what went on, but it was unheard of that a sinner like that woman would enter the house of a Pharisee.

d.    In our day and time, a woman like her would be wearing a short skirt, high heels and a low cut blouse. 

e.    But in that day, she was likely wearing clothing similar to what most women wore.

f.     What made her stand out was the fact that her long hair was not tied up, but was hanging loose, and she had a vial of perfume hanging around her neck by a cord.

g.    I’m told that prostitutes of that day often wore that vial of perfume around the neck, because in a culture where bathing was infrequent and perfume was an extravagance, it was a necessary tool of their trade.

4.    We have to wonder what she had heard about Jesus that had caused her to come, and whether what she ended up doing was something she had decided in advance to do.

       a.       Can you picture the woman slipping into the room by a side door, hoping to go unnoticed?

       b.       Perhaps her jar of perfume was a gift for him that she hoped to present and then leave.

       c.       Perhaps she intended to get Jesus’ attention and ask for healing and forgiveness.

       d.       We really don’t know what her intentions were.

5.    What we do know is that as she stood near Jesus she began to weep.

       a.       Perhaps being near Him simply overwhelmed her.

       b.       Something within her broke and tears began to flow.

c.    The tears fell onto Jesus’ unwashed feet and left streaks in the dirt and grime that Simon had refused to wash away.

d.    In her embarrassment she fell to her knees and began wiping Jesus’ feet with her hair.

e.    She kissed his feet and poured perfume on them.

f.     Lost in her emotions, I’m sure the woman had forgotten where she was and was oblivious to everyone but Jesus.

6.    However, I’m sure everyone else in the room stood there with their mouths open – they couldn’t believe what was happening.

a.    As Simon watched this little drama unfold, I can just picture his shocked face, slowly turn to a devious smile.

b.    He thought to himself, “Gotcha Jesus.  If you were really a man of God you would know what kind of woman this is and you wouldn’t have anything to do with her.”

c.    But Simon was so wrong in his judgments.

d.    Jesus not only knew what kind of woman this was, but he knew what kind of man Simon was.

7.    Jesus proceeded to tell Simon a little story, “Two men owed money to a certain moneylender.  One owed him five hundred denarii, and the other fifty.  Neither of them had the money to pay him back, so he canceled the debts of both.  Now which of them will love him more?” (Lk. 7:41-42)

       a.       One did not need to be a genius to know the answer to Jesus’ question.

       b.       Simon replied grudgingly, “I suppose it was the one who was forgiven of more.”

       c.       Bingo!  “Simon – you have judged correctly.” Jesus said.

d.    Then to be sure that Simon understood how all this applied to him, Jesus explained, “Do you see this woman?  I came into your house.  You did not give me any water for my feet, but she wet my feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair.  You did not give me a kiss, but this woman, from the time I entered, has not stopped kissing my feet.  You did not put oil on my head, but she has poured perfume on my feet.  Therefore, I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven—for she loved much.  But he who has been forgiven little loves little.” (Lk. 7:44-47)

e.    Then Jesus spoke four of the most beautiful words that woman had ever heard anyone say to her, “Your sins are forgiven.” (Lk. 7:48)

f.     Every person who has ever loved Jesus and put their trust in Jesus has received the same four words, “Your sins are forgiven.”

 

L.         Now let me ask you a question - Whom do you most resemble in this story?

1.    Do you look more like Simon who loves Jesus very little because he has been forgiven very little? 

a.       After all, in his mind he doesn’t need forgiveness because he’s not a sinner.

2.    Or do you look more like the sinful woman. 

a.       In other words, you know you are a big sinner who needs a lot of forgiveness.

3.    This woman stands as a great example that anyone can be forgiven - If she can be forgiven, then anyone can be forgiven.

4.    Any voice we hear or thought that we have that says: “You can’t or won’t be forgiven” is a lie from Satan himself.

a.    We must not believe Satan’s lies, but we must replace them with God’s truth – we are forgiven.

5.    The ultimate question is not how big or little a sinner we are, because a single sin makes us a sinner who needs God’s forgiveness.

a.    Rather, the ultimate question is whether you and I will recognize our sin, and then look to the only one who can offer the forgiveness we need.

6.    In Isaiah 55:6-7 we are given great advice, “Seek the LORD while he may be found; call on him while he is near.  Let the wicked forsake his way and the evil man his thoughts.  Let him turn to the LORD, and he will have mercy on him, and to our God, for he will freely pardon.”

7.    To receive God’s forgiveness, we first must become a Christian.

a.    In Acts 2:38, the Apostle Peter said, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.”

b.    After seeing the risen Christ, and then  fasting and praying for three days, Saul of Tarsus was told “What are you waiting for?  Get up, be baptized and wash you sins away.”

8.    Later, after we have become Christians, as we sin, we must repent and confess our sins, and God will freely pardon.

a.    Just as we saw earlier in 1 John 1:9, “If we confess our sins, he is faith and just and will forgive our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.”

9.    If we are in Christ, there is no need to continue to carry the burden of guilt for our sins.

       a.       Our sins are removed as far as East is from West, and they are forgotten.

 

M.   I’m told that not far from New York City there is a cemetery where there is a grave with a headstone with only one word inscribed upon it – “Forgiven.”

       1.  The one I have pictured here is from Rochester, N.Y.

2.  The one near New York City is undecorated by the sculptor’s skill.

       2.  There is no epitaph, no eulogy.

       3.  There isn’t even a name, or a date of birth or death, unlike the one in this picture.

       4.  All that is on the headstone is the word, “Forgiven.”

6.    But if you think about it, isn’t that the most important thing that can be said of any of us?

 

N.   Let’s be sure we understand and embrace this blessed truth – We are forgiven.

       1.  And because we are forgiven – we are saved.

       2.  And because we are forgiven – we can forgive others (But that’s a subject for another day).

 

O.   Prayer