Inspired Sunday Christian sermons based upon the Gospel of Jesus Christ
and the Holy Bible. These uplifting sermons are presented here for your edification.
Inspired Christian Sermons
Sunday Sermon #3
FORGIVENESS - THE HEART OF THE GOSPEL
By
Jim Lee
Jim Lee is a retired Pastor with the Worldwide Church of God in South St. Louis, Missouri. He is currently an Elder in the Desoto Worldwide Church of God. Click the Affiliated Church Directory link below for information about this church.
The building blocks that make up the foundation of all the world
religions are identical: 1) the universe that is visible has its origin in
a Creator who is neither visible nor subject to the laws he created; 2)
the universe came into being from nothing; 3) the universe has been
created for the pleasure of its Creator. 4) Therefore, the purpose of
religion is ultimately to teach the creature how to please the Creator -
that is, how to fulfill the Creator's purpose for our lives.
For the Christian, the way we please the Creator is to accept him as
"Father" instead of simply "Creator". We do this by becoming God's adopted
children.
Scripture makes it clear that we love God only because he first loved
us. No one just decides to love God. We, of and by ourselves, can't even
know him. We can't choose to know him. God chooses to let us know him by
first revealing himself to us.
None of this would be possible without the perfect sacrifice our Lord
made. Now the Book of Hebrews assures us that Jesus died once for ALL
humanity. Nevertheless, God is the one who convinces each of us
individually that his death applies to us.
You see, God, in his holiness, was safely ensconced over the Ark of the
Covenant behind the curtain that separated the Holy of Holies from the
Holy Place. It was that great "wall of petition" which separated us from
our Creator that was torn in two when our Lord was crucified. With his
resurrection and ascension, Jesus presented himself as "the Lamb of God
slain from the foundation of the world."
The wonderful thing about the sacrifice of Jesus Christ is that there
is nothing outside its power to forgive. In Psalm 103, David said, "Praise
the Lord, I tell myself, and never forget the good things he does for me.
He forgives ALL my sins and heals all my diseases. He does not punish us
for all our sins, nor does he deal with us as we deserve" [:2-3, 10]. Why
is this? Because "the Lord is like a father to his children, tender and
compassionate to those who fear him. For he understands how weak we are;
he knows we are only dust" [:13-14].
It is quite plain in Scripture that God is more willing to forgive us
than we are ourselves. As strange as it may seem at first, we expect more
of ourselves than God does! He knows our limitations; we don't seem to. We
think we are stronger than we really are. The fact is, NO ONE CAN SAVE
HIMSELF OR HERSELF! No one can be good enough; no one can be strong
enough. But with God all things are possible! He alone can save.
A first step in our Christian walk is to come to that realization. It
isn't easy. It is humiliating. We live among a people that glorify the
human spirit and it's ability to overcome any obstacle; conquer any foe.
The movie, "Independence Day" is a typical example of this concept. The
swagger of an NFL quarterback upon a Super Bowl victory is another
example. We are absolutely fascinated by such achievements.
But these accomplishments mean nothing when it comes to pleasing God.
Remember: our purpose is to please him not other people. That is why the
bulk of our prayer is in private; why the majority of our tithe paying is
done in private. That is why we are told not to do our good works to be
seen by others.
To do a good work to be seen by others is "salvation by works". To do
good works for my own satisfaction or assurance is "salvation by works".
Only when we do a good work for the glory of God and to please him are we
living in a state of "salvation by grace." Abraham offered Isaac in
private even though others were around. They had no idea what was going
on. Even Isaac didn't know. It is obvious that Abraham was not trying to
please or impress others. He certainly was not trying to please himself.
Nor was he trying to impress God. This is the meaning of James comment:
"faith without works is dead."
You see, God is trying to develop in each of his children, his divine
love. It was the love that brought Jesus to this earth. The Nicene Creed
tells us, "For us men and our salvation, he came down from heaven."
Nothing is too much to give for human beings. That is the love he wants to
shower upon us and to develop in us as well. He wants us to be not only in
his IMAGE but also in his LIKENESS. Eternal bliss, peace and joy will be
impossible without it.
The very first fruit of the Holy Spirit is Love. Paul says it is the
greatest gift God can offer. It is, therefore, the greatest gift we can
extend to others. We are well aware of that even in the physical world,
without any inspired thought from God. Everyone wants to be loved by
someone else. We really do not feel complete without it. To lose it is one
of the most devastating losses possible.
We are told in Luke 6 that, "even sinners love those who love them."
There is a love that is possible simply by being human. It is a wonderful
love. We see it between lover and beloved, between husband and wife,
parent and child, patriot and country. All of these are wonderful, right
and good. They are what make humans so beautiful. Much sacrifice is
necessary to make even these examples of love up and running.
But these examples of love come as "standard equipment" to one degree
or another. They do not require any additional help from our Creator who
endowed us with it by virtue of our being human.
But the love God gives through the indwelling of the Holy Spirit is
quite beyond our grasp. Listen to Luke again: "I say, love your enemies.
Do good to those who hate you. Pray for the happiness of those who curse
you. Pray for those who hurt you. If someone slaps you on one cheek, turn
the other cheek. If someone demands your coat, offer your shirt also. Give
what you have to anyone who asks you for it; and when things are taken
away from you, don't try to get them back. Do for others as you would like
them to do for you" [6:27-31].
WOW!.Wow!.wow. I hardly know what to say when I read this. "Thankfully"
[I say this with tongue in cheek] we have numerous books that try to help
us soften this by intimating that we should not to take such scriptures
too literally! The only other subject that gets as much coverage
attempting to explain what our Lord really meant is that of his
admonitions concerning divorce! How can we stand before such awesome
scriptures as Luke 6? "With man it is impossible. But with God all things
are possible."
Such admonitions as these drive us to our knees, begging God's
forgiveness, mercy and strength. Let's face it. We don't want to forgive!
We want to be forgiven of our own infractions, of course, but we don't
want to forgive others who have wronged us. After all, we were in the
right! Our enemies need to come asking our forgiveness!
Yet it was the Lord himself who, from the cross, prayed: "Father,
forgive these people, because they don't know what they are doing" [Lk.
23:34]. Remember: these were not repentant sinners he was praying for! No,
I would be very hesitant to believe that our Lord did not mean it when he
said we must not only forgive, but we must FORGIVE FROM OUR HEART AND LOVE
OUR ENEMIES.
There are no "helpful hints" I know of to help you with this. For I
know of no way that you or I can possibly do this. When the magicians in
Egypt were confronted with the plague of lice they found themselves
helpless to reproduce it. They had been able to reproduce, in some
fashion, all of the great plagues God had performed before this. But this
one they could not do. Turning to Pharaoh, as they swatted and scratched,
they said in all humility and amazement, "This is the finger of God" [Ex.
8:19]!
So it is that Jesus told us, "let your good deeds shine out for all to
see, so that everyone will praise your heavenly Father" [Mat. 7:16].
Forgiveness from the heart is the heart of the Gospel. Our Lord wants it
to become the heart of every Christian as well. Reconciliation with God or
between humans is impossible without it. Murder, vengeance, divorce,
bitterness, hatred are but some of the results of not having it. There can
be no Kingdom of God without it. Above all, it will take the "Finger of
God" to make it possible for us to do so. We, as Christians, are God's
children: we should strive to act like it! Beseech him for the gift of
forgiveness. If you harbor feelings toward another, lay it before his
throne of Grace. Ask his forgiveness and the power to do so to others. He
will not fail us in this most important matter. After all, seeing our
Godly love for others is what pleases our heavenly Father, his Son and the
Holy Spirit more than anything else on earth. AMEN.
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