Today we we continue this message series entitled “For the Least of These.” This week we focus on what we do as parents when our children turn their backs to the faith they were raised in.
If you would like to go deeper on this subject, make sure to check out the book: When They Turn Away by Rob Rienow.
Today, is a bitter sweet day. This is the very last day of our study on King David. This Sunday will be the final message! The following Sunday, after Thanksgiving, we will begin a brand new message series with the start of Advent. We will be sticking with the Old Testament and be looking at the Messianic prophecies of Isaiah.
But today our reading is from the last book in the Bible. The reading is Revelation 2:1-7.
What does this text say about what God knows (2:2)? Is there anything we will do in our life that God is not aware of?
God knows everything. He knows your deeds, both good and bad. He sees the faith in your heart. Nothing we do in our life is outside the knowledge of God.
What is the Ephesian church commended for in this letter (2:2-3)? How are false apostles found out? How do we persevere and endure hardship without growing weary?
They are commended for their deeds, their hard work, and their perseverance. The tested those who claimed to be apostles by examining the Scriptures and their deeds. When we go through times of testing and hardship we persevere through seeking God and finding our strength in him. This happens through prayer and the Word.
What is held against the Ephesian church (2:4)? What are they called to do in response (2:5)?
They have forsaken their first love. This is their relationship with the Lord. They have set their eyes on other things. The Lord is no longer the passion of their life.
The calling is for them to return back to that first love and to love the Lord in the way they loved him at first. It is a call to renewal and revival.
Is there ways your love of God has been diminished? How do you return to loving God in the way you loved him in the past?
We are human are our relationship with the Lord ebbs and flows. It is easy to be distracted and to pursue other passions first. Returning to the Lord involves repentance and setting aside those things which distract and cause us to stumble.
What does it mean to overcome (2:7)? What were some of the things David overcame in his lifetime? What do you believe God is calling you to overcome in your lifetime? What is the reward?
To overcome is to let nothing come between us and Jesus. It is to push aside everything that hinders us from living passionately for him. When we think about David and what David overcame, he overcame fear to fight Goliath. He overcame the sin with Bathsheba through confession and repentance. He overcame disappointment in his life through prayer and trusting in the promises of God. He overcame when others stumbled, by living obedient to the Lord.
Whether we admit it or not, we are all experts on the subject of sin. Unfortunately, we are experts for all the wrong reasons. It is a topic we know all too well.
Sin is something that must be dealt with. Romans 6:23 says the wages of sin is death. Sin is what separates us from God and creates a barrier between us.
I share with you this week’s email, some thoughts on sin from last Sunday’s message on David and Bathsheba.
We like sin. Sin tastes good and feels good. There is no doubt that sin brings pleasure. It is desirous.
Sin is debt. There is literally hell to pay for sin. We might receive pleasure from sin upfront, but there is a cost that follows. Long after the pleasure we derived from our sin is gone, we will still be paying the consequences.
Sin has an irresistible pull. As irrational as it may be, we are still attracted to sin. If David had knew what his sin with Bathsheba would cost him, he would have ran as fast as he could. But the pull of sin is so strong, we let our guard down, and forget the consequences.
We can try to resist. There are certainly efforts we can make to avoid sin. We can get an accountability partner who will pray with and for us while holding us accountable for our actions. We can safeguard ourselves by avoiding situations where we are tempted towards sin. These are good, but . . .
The only thing that overcomes temptation is divine power. As much as we rely upon human will-power for over-coming temptation, we will eventually fall without God’s divine power. This is why Jesus teaches us to pray, lead us not into temptation. Jesu knows that without the Spirit of God at work in us we will never be able to overcome temptation.
When you stumble into sin, admit it. Sin loves to hide in the dark. It does not want to be exposed. When the time comes that you fall into sin, don’t keep it inside. Confess it to another believer or pastor. Write it down. Don’t make excuses or try to rationalize it. Just come clean. Do more than just think thoughts about how you are sorry. Externalize it. Until you get it out of you, it is going to continue to hurt you.
After you admit your sin, ask God for forgiveness. Don’t ask for forgiveness expecting him to forgive you. There is nothing that you have done to make you worthy of God’s forgiveness. It is not God’s obligation to forgive you. There is no reason he should forgive you. Ask humbly. Appeal to his mercy and kindness.
Receive God’s forgiveness by faith. Know that your sins are forgiven because Jesus died on the cross. There is no sin that God cannot forgive. If God can forgive David, who was a murderer and adulterer, then he can forgive you. To say that my sin is so bad that God cannot forgive me is to say that the cross is not sufficient enough. It is to say that Jesus needed to do more than be beaten and die an excruciatingly painful death. Don’t think your sin is so bad that God’s love cannot cover it.
Make restitution for your sins. You can see the word restore. Making restitution is about making right was is wrong. Unfortunately, sometimes we cannot fully restore the damage we have done. In these moments we do everything that we can in our power no matter how much it costs us, trusting God will do the rest of the work.
Live a 180° life. This is what we call repentance. In the ancient Greek of the New Testament the word for repentance means to turn around and go the other direction. When I receive God’s forgiveness, I now seek to live differently than I lived before. I take a different road to travel. Jesus has given me a new life and a fresh start. I desire to honor him by doing everything possible to avoid going down the same road again and falling into that sin.
Sin is fun, but there is literally hell to pay. The cost of sin is never upfront. We always pay on the back side. There is nothing rational about sin. There is just such a gravitational pull towards it.
In this message we will talk about what sin is, what sin does, how to avoid it, and what to do when we fall into it. The reading for today is the infamous story of David and Bathsheba found in 2 Samuel 11-12.
We turn to the New Testament today. We have look at the impact of sin in the life of David, but Jesus has much to say about sin as well. Two places we will look are Matthew 5:17-37 and Matthew 18:1-9.
What is the consequence of violating God’s commands (5:19)?
Jesus says you will be called least in the Kingdom of Heaven. Violating God’s commands will not jeopardize your salvation. You are saved by grace through faith in Jesus Christ. But there is still reward for obedience and consequences for disobedience.
What does Jesus say about being angry with another person (5:22)
It says you will be subject to judgment. It puts you in danger of the fires of hell.
What does Jesus say constitutes adultery (5:28)?
It says to look lustfully at another woman is to commit adultery. We can imply it also applies towards women looking at men as well.
What steps should be take to avoid sin (5:29-30, 18:8-9)? Do think Jesus is talking literally or figuratively here?
Jesus uses what is call hyperbole for emphasis here. But he is not really exaggerating here. Sin is serious business. Sin reaps heavy consequences in our lives. We should not take sin lightly. We typically blow sin off. We know Jesus died for us. We say thank you Jesus and then we move on without much thought. But do not take Jesus’ forgiveness for granted and do not disregard the serious consequences sin will bring into your lie. It will devastate your life if you overlook it.
Is your attitude toward sin – “how much can I get away with?” or “avoid it at all cost?” What is the godly response? Why would “how much can I get away with?” be considered playing with fire?
Too often our attitude is about what we can get away. We try to push the limits. We look to see how far we can bend without breaking. But this is not he attitude God desires. It should not be how much we can get away with in our life. It should rather be about how much we can honor him with our life. If our faith is right and our attitude is right, then our desire will be to have nothing to do with sin and to avoid any potentially compromising situations.
Psalm 51 is an incredible Psalm. It is a Psalm where David is so transparent. His sin against Bathsheba has been exposed. The only thing he can do now is come clean and he does. Here he asks for God’s forgiveness. He asks for God to restore him.
When celebrities and politicians get caught in sin, they are often sorry they got caught. They are not so much sorry for having sinned. But David is a breath of fresh air. In the words of these Psalms we can see that he is not just sorry he got caught, but that he is sorrowful over his sin.
What is mercy (51:1)?
Mercy is undeserved kindness. It is act of giving grace. It is allowing a person to live even though they deserve to die. It is canceling a debt a debtor cannot pay back. It is allowing a person to maintain their position even though their actions warrant removal. To give mercy is to treat someone better than their actions deserve.
When we sin, who are we ultimately rebelling against (51:4)?
We are rebelling against God. God has given us his commandments. Sin at the heart is doing what God has told us not to do. He is our creator and he did not create us to sin.
If I was to build a computer, but the computer did not do what I wanted it to do, it would not be a very useful computer. There would not be much purpose for it. I would either throw it away or tear it down and sell it for parts. In much the same way when we do not do what God created us to do, then we are an offense to him.
What does it mean to have a pure heart? A steadfast spirit (51:10)?
A pure heart is to have a right motive. It is do good simply for the purpose of doing good and serving the Lord. Sometimes we have an agenda. Our motives are not pure. We do “good” for self gain.
To have a steadfast spirit is to remain loyal and true. It is is being true to ourself and to God. It is about doing what we say we will do no matter how hard it might be. It is to not give up and stand strong in the face of temptation.
Why would David need to be worried about being cast from God’s presence (51:11)?
God is holy. He is righteous. He is without sin. God and sin do not mix. David had committed a great sin. When we sin, we are essentially telling God that we don’t care what he thinks or what he says. We are essentially saying, “God, I don’t need you. I think I can do better.”
What is the response to God’s healing and forgiveness (51:13-15)?
David says that he will teach others about God’s goodness. He will speak the truth to others who are engaged in sin, that they might turn from their ways. He says he will sing praise unto the Lord with his lips.
What does God desire of us when we fall to temptation (51:16-17)?
God knows there are times when we will stumble and fall. In these times, God desires for us to turn from our sin and to turn back to him. It is more than just saying, “God, I am sorry, I will not let that happen again.” It is taking a serious hard look at how we got ourselves in the situation in the first place and then doing everything in our power not to let it happen again.
At the same time, no amount of will power is going to keep us from sin and help us resist temptation. Ultimately, it goes back to God. God’s Holy Spirit living in us is the only way to overcome sin. The more and more he dwells in us the more and more we will be able to stand strong. So the more and the more we need to go to the places where we know he dwells, and go less and less to the places we know we are given to temptation.
People may be right in their own eyes, but the Lord examines the heart. Proverbs 21:2
This was the very last verse in my daily Scripture reading today. One thing that I have been hearing from God during my time in devotion lately is a warning against spiritual pride. We don’t talk about pride much in the church. We are good at ranting on materialism and sexual sin, but pride is not something we often discuss. Yet, pride might be one of the most destructive sins of all.
Here is the thing, even when we do the wrong thing, we fail to admit it. We justify our actions through rationalization or from comparison. We easily shift the blame to circumstance or to others.
Spiritual pride is another matter. Many of us are so convinced we have God figured out. We know we got a direct pipeline to him. We become offended when anyone might challenge our assumptions of what we believe to be from God. We may not necessarily say it, but we believe in our heart we are never wrong.
Are you in a place where you are teachable? Are you open to correction or admonition? Unfortunately, our pride prevents us from really hearing what God has to say to us because we think we already know what he has told us.
I have learned that as much as I grow and mature, there is still so much more that I have to learn. The more I come to know, the more humble I become because I realize there is so much beyond that I have failed to grasp. God is so much bigger. His knowledge is deeper. His power is wider. His love is beyond imagination.
I think about Paul’s prayer we examined in last week’s message:
14 For this reason I kneel before the Father, 15 from whom his whole family in heaven and on earth derives its name. 16 I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, 17 so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, 18 may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, 19 and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God. Ephesians 3:14-19 NIV
I have a long way to go to reach this. It is presumptuous for me to call myself a teacher or an expert. Yes, I am a pastor, but that doesn’t mean I have all the answers. I may have a few more answers to some questions. But every answer raises at least two more questions.
We are on a journey together. We can only see what is in front of us. God gives us his Holy Spirit, his Word, his Sacraments, and each other. As we navigate we rely on each of these. Sometimes we will take a wrong turn. Are we willing to admit our mistake and turn around?
Lord, I confess my pride. Who am I to be so presumptuous before you? Forgive me. Teach me the way of humility that when you examine my heart, you will find pure and refined gold. Help me open my mind and your heart to follow your lead. Amen
Today is one of those days when it is in vogue to complain about the weather. It is hot! It is humid. It is really ugly out there. We are good at complaining about the weather. But it is not just the weather we are good at complaining about. After posting yesterday’s blogpost I realized we are good at complaining about a lot of different things. We are a lot like Job who says: “Therefore I will not keep silent; I will speak out in the anguish of my spirit, I will complain in the bitterness of my soul.” (Job 7:11)
I must confess I am the chief of sinners when it comes to complaining. I think about the things I complained about just yesterday alone. A stoplight light turned red and I complained about the traffic. I went to the Cubs game and Wrigley Field and complained about how bad the Cubs are and how expensive the food was. I read the news and complained about the politicians in Washington and Springfield. A complaint from Sunday worship was brought to me and I complained about people complaining. I could go on, but I think you get the point. I am good at complaining and I imagine you are not that much different from me.
At the end of the Book of Job, God confronts Job’s complaining spirit. Job responds by saying:
When confronted by Lord, Job’s only response was to repent of his presumptuous words and attitude towards God. He came to realize that the bitterness he was carrying was not serving him or anyone else.
If a spirit of complaint is something you are guilty of I want to invite you to confess this sin before God with me. Ask for his forgiveness and then for the Holy Spirit to move you to repentance. Ask that the Holy Spirit would change your heart of bitter complaint to one of thankful praise. Ask him to cultivate an attitude of gratitude and put to death the spirit of complaint.
The next time you sense that grumbling coming from your heart, mind, or mouth consider the following:
1) What is God teaching me to be grateful for? What is the lesson to be learned? When I think about the things I complained about yesterday, they are so silly. Why am I complaining about the traffic when God has blessed me with a car to drive and the ability to get around with such freedom? Why am I complaining about a $4 hotdog when others can’t afford 10 cent rice? Complaint will rise up within us when we fail to see blessings God has poured out for us.
2) How is God calling me to action? There are times when we will encounter a situation where we may have complaint against another person or group of people. We may have a complaint against a program or a ministry. Maybe the reason there is an unsettled tension in your heart is because God is calling you to action and to be a part of the solution. Often times if I am not part of the solution, I am part of the problem. Rather than complain about something you don’t like, consider volunteering to serve to make a difference. It is proven the more involved you are in something, the less likely you are to complain. In sports the biggest complainers are not the players on the field, but those who observe from the seats and on television.
It is unfortunate Christians are often known more for what they complain about than what they are grateful for. Christians are often identified more by what they stand against than what they stand for. How about you? Are you known more for what you don’t like? Are you known for what you are critical against? Or are you identified by others as one who exhibits love, compassion, and gratitude?
As you think about cultivating a attitude of gratitude you might consider writing some notes of encouragement and thankfulness to others. When you hear someone complain about today’s weather, share with them how everyday is a gift from God. But maybe the most important thing you can do is that when you start to give voice to your complaint, stop and give ear to what God is saying.
What are some other ways you might cultivate an attitude of gratitude? I would be interested to hear from you. Feel free to click on the comments link above to share your thoughts with me and others.