10/25/08
It’s His Kindness
It’s easy to comprehend that we are in economic hard times, financial hard times, because it affects our wallets, our bank accounts, and our investments. You can’t really miss the problem.
The same could be true for certain medical and physical problems. Sometimes you can’t miss it, because it affects how you feel, how you walk, how you drive, how well you breathe, how you sleep, etc.
But there are some physical problems that are almost imperceptible. You don’t know there’s a problem for the longest time. And then by the time you start having symptoms the disease is way out of control.
Well, that’s exactly the way it is in the spiritual realm. We are spiritual beings. We are created in the image of God. But the problem is we are FAR REMOVED from that original purity and perfection with which our first parents were clothed. The human race has gradually but definitely experienced a demoralizing and a deadening, because of sin.
Now, you and me—we live in the 21st century. I mean—we have it all together. We’ve got a gadget for just about anything you can think about or need. We don’t have to wage war on our neighbors or neighboring towns like they often did in times of old. That’s not to say that violence doesn’t occur, obviously. It’s just more modern, more sophisticated, more convenient, like everything else.
Because sin is so pervasive and yet so sneaky and hard to see for what it is, we can easily fall prey to sin. Sin ravages
the soul. It destroys our faith in God, and our love for God and spiritual things. But it doesn’t happen over night.
The deceptive nature of sin is such that a generation of believers can come to view themselves as somehow above sin or without sin. They can easily push the notion of sin aside, minimizing it to the point that they aren’t even phased by the convicting power of truth.
This is exactly what happened to the generation of Jesus. Sin and self-centeredness had so clouded their minds, that they actually thought they were without sin. The message of repentance that Jesus spoke didn’t even phase them. He didn’t fit their construct of what the Messiah should be. They were blinded by sin, and wanted a messiah who would fulfill their personal dreams and wants and wishes.
Jesus took a look at the situation, and basically told them to get real, and repent:
But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to his baptism, he said to them, “Brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? 8 Therefore bear fruits worthy of repentance, 9 and do not think to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’ For I say to you that God is able to raise up children to Abraham from these stones. Matthew 3:7-9
“Therefore I say to you, the
broken; but on whomever it falls, it will grind him to powder.” Matthew 21:43, 44
They were hiding behind centuries of redemptive history. They felt secure in their heritage, and in their associations. But that’s not enough to save a person. Jesus looks at the heart, and sees the need of the heart.
Sin is so deceptive and tricky, it will lead you to think that you are all right, when you’re not.
It was because Jesus was kind and compassionate that He urged the people of His day to repent, and to bring forth the evidence of repentance, which is a changed life.
Only the power of God can change our lives. We cannot begin to change our lives. Only complete trust and reliance on God can change us.
The fact is, those religious leaders in Jesus’ time were no better than the other sinners among the common people. And the Jews were no better than the Gentiles. This is something that Paul tried to help the Jews understand, in Romans chapter 2.
In the first chapter of Romans, Paul concluded that the Gentiles, even though they didn’t have a very good understanding of God, were still without excuse, because you can tell that there is a God just by observing the things He has made. Paul said, “Look, Gentiles, some of you are actually obeying the law of God and you don’t even know it.
Because you are responding to God naturally and to what little truth you know.”
Paul then turned his attention to Jews—to religious people—in chapter two of Romans. He did this because sin had so blinded God’s people that they could not see their great need of Him.
Therefore you are inexcusable, O man, whoever you are who judge, for in whatever you judge another you condemn yourself; for you who judge practice the same things. 2 But we know that the judgment of God is according to truth against those who practice such things. 3 And do you think this, O man, you who judge those practicing such things, and doing the same, that you will escape the judgment of God? 4 Or do you despise the riches of His goodness, forbearance, and longsuffering, not knowing that the goodness of God leads you to repentance? 5 But in accordance with your hardness and your impenitent heart you are treasuring up for yourself wrath in the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God, 6 who “will render to each one according to his deeds”; 7 eternal life to those who by patient continuance in doing good seek for glory, honor, and immortality; 8 but to those who are self-seeking and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness—indignation and wrath, 9 tribulation and anguish, on every soul of man who does evil, of the Jew first and also of the Greek; 10
but glory, honor, and peace to everyone who works what is good, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. 11 For there is no partiality with God.
Romans 2:1-11
Several powerful truths come out of this passage:
1. We shouldn’t judge, because often we are guilty of the very things we are speaking out against.
2. God’s judgment is truth, and is reliable.
3. God’s judgment in inescapable. We WILL be looked at closely by God.
4. It’s God’s goodness and kindness that lead us to repentance. When He convicts us of something, He’s not trying to be mean; He’s trying to save our lives.
5. We should not despise or ignore the patience and kindness of God in leading us to repent of our sins.
6. When we continue in sin, with an unrepentant heart, and seek our own pleasure, we are guaranteeing that we will face the wrath of God someday for our sin.
7. When we repent, live for Christ, and obey the truth, we are guaranteeing that eternal life will be ours.
8. In the judgment, God does look at our deeds, to see if they are consistent with true repentance.
9. God is not partial. He accepts EVERYONE who comes to Him as they are, and He works powerfully in their lives to heal them.
How good it is of God to lead us continually to repentance—to realness. How kind it is of our Father in heaven to lead us continually to the cross of His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, who provides a perfect sacrifice for our sins.
You know, we may take sin lightly here and there in our lives. But that is something God will never do. He saw just how devastating sin really is, and He knew that only a perfect atonement would take care of the sin problem.
Jesus has provided that atonement for our sins, so that He can save us from the penalty of sin—eternal death—and He can save us from the very POWER of sin. Jesus Christ has forever shattered the power of sin, through His perfect life of righteousness, His infinite sacrifice for sin, and His bodily, real resurrection from the tomb. JESUS STANDS READY TODAY TO TAKE US BY THE HAND AND GIVE US A NEW HEART, A NEW DIRECTION, A NEW JOY, A NEW LIFE, A NEW FUTURE.
When you sense that the Lord is tugging on your heart, and asking you to be more careful how you live, or how you talk, or how you act—remember that IT’S HIS KINDNESS THAT IS AT WORK IN YOUR LIFE. YOU ARE BEING LOVED AT THAT MOMENT OF TRUTH—THAT MOMENT OF CONVICTION. IT’S BECAUSE JESUS LOVES US THAT HE CONVICTS US OF SIN. HE DOESN’T WANT TO LOSE US. HE DOESN’T WANT US TO MISS OUT ON AN ETERNITY WITH HIM. HE DOESN’T WANT TO SEE US
DESTROYED BY SIN. IT’S HIS KINDNESS THAT LEADS US TO REPENTANCE.
Communion is a special time of getting close to God. It’s a time for repentance, if we are open to it. It’s a time for the Holy Spirit to convict and to teach. If we let Him, He will break down the barriers of resistance in our hearts, so that we are more open to Him.
I invite you to take part in all that God is doing today in your life. Enter into the humility and servanthood of our Lord Jesus, as you experience what He experienced, in washing the feet of another.
Enter into the death experience of our Lord Jesus, by partaking of the bread, which represents His broken body on the cross, by partaking of the juice, which represents His innocent blood that was shed for you.
Enter into resurrection of our Lord Jesus, by rising along with Him from the tomb in your life, and leaving this service today in the power of new life in Christ Jesus.
May this be truly a new beginning for all of us who long for newness of life. God bless you.