This message was updated – The seriousness of sin
Posts Tagged ‘sin’
The Call to Stop Sinning
Posted in Uncategorized, tagged freedom, hope, repentance, sin on January 17, 2010|
Jesus Speaks to Church in Sardis: Revelation 3:1-6
Posted in Revelation 3, tagged admonition, commitment, judgment, sin on November 29, 2009|
We are up to the fifth letter in our series on the seven letters to the churches in Revelation 2-3. Today we look at what Jesus has to say by the Spirit to the church in Sardis – and also to us.
Sardis was an important city, although more so in earlier centuries. It was known for its wealth centuries before, but was still doing well in Roman times. It was also a religious center. There was also a large Jewish community in Sardis – perhaps from the time of the Exile. Several from this community were wealthy and leaders in the city.
The situation in Sardis
Something is definitely wrong. It’s a very strong and negative letter. v. 2 – “I know your works. You have the reputation of being alive, but you are dead. Wake up, and strengthen what remains and is about to die, for I have not found your works complete in the sight of my God.” Not a lot of specifics, so let’s look closer.
First of all, they are asleep – v. 2. This metaphor is used in several places in scripture and never in a good way. It means that you are not spiritually alert. You are complacent, apathetic, lethargic or just coasting along.
The language of “sleep” and of Jesus coming as a “thief” is used in:
- Matthew 24:36-44 – talks about people “eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage.” They are caught up in the routines of life and not ready for Jesus’ coming.
- 1 Thessalonians 5:1-7 – refers to people who say, “there is peace and security.” There is no need to worry, things will continue on as always. These are not ready for Jesus to return.
To be asleep is to live like things are normal, unaware of the spiritual reality of Jesus and his coming and our need to be serving him.
Another clue is the phrase “soiled garments” – v. 4. According to Revelation 19:8 “garments” have to do with the righteous deeds of the saints. This verse speaks of the bride of Christ dressed in “fine linen, bright and pure – for the fine linen is the righteous deeds of the saints.”
Soiled garments, then, pictures that they have allowed sin and unfaithfulness in their lives.
So they are asleep and have dirty clothes. Is sounds like they are just going along with society around them, compromising in order to continue to fit in. This might be why there is no mention of persecution in this letter. It looks like they are doing well – “you have the reputation for being alive” – v. 1, but when you look closely, they are dead. They are complacent and unfaithful. Only a remnant among them is faithful and alert.
Jesus’ message
Change now!
- “Wake up” from your slumber and get moving (v. 2).
- “Strengthen what remains and is about to die” (v. 2). Whatever is left, tend to it before it’s too late.
- “Remember, then, what you received and heard” (v. 3). Get back to where you were when you started, when you first believed.
- “Repent” (v. 3). Have a change of heart and mind that leads to changed behavior.
And Jesus is saying, change now, or else. There are strong threats of judgment. v. 3 – “If you will not wake up, I will come like a thief, and you will not know at what hour I will come against you.” Jesus will come, not referring to the second coming, but in a visitation of judgment. He will be against them.
And also in v. 5, the one who conquers, Jesus says, “I will never blot his name out of the book of life.” The message is clear. If you don’t overcome, your name will be blotted out. And as Revelation 20:15 says, “If anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.”
Jesus doesn’t mince his words. He speaks the truth to them. You may think you are OK, but you aren’t. And if you don’t remedy things, you will be judged.
Finally, Jesus encourages the faithful. Some in Sardis are still faithful. They have not soiled their garments. “They will walk with me in white, for they are worthy” – v. 4. This is referring to the day of resurrection and eternal life.
Jesus speaks to us
v. 6 says, “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.” Notice again the plural. Jesus’ words to the church in Sardis are also words for us. And we need to have ears that hear his words.
1. Will we listen to Jesus when he speaks truth to us? These believers thought they were OK. But Jesus dealt directly and pointedly with them. He spoke the truth, you are dead!
We don’t know if they listened or not. But if Jesus comes to us and challenges us, when we think we are just fine, and he speaks the truth to us, will we listen? Will you listen?
2. Is our congregation dead or alive? Jesus says in v. 1, “You have the reputation of being alive, but you are dead.” This means a church can look alive, but really be dead – or dying. What would Jesus say to us?
What do you look for in a church that is alive? A certain kind of lively music or worship style? Charismatic leaders? Lots of programs? A big crowd?
According to Jesus, its not about any of these things. It has to do with our works of love and service to God and others.
3. Are you asleep? Jesus rebuked the believers in Sardis for being caught up in the normal routines of life – eating, drinking and giving in marriage, enjoying peace and security.
What about you? What’s different about you from the world around you? Are you just the same in your attitudes and actions as everybody else? Just trying to fit in with the world around you?
Jesus calls us to wake up as well. To put aside our complacency and spiritual apathy and renew our commitment to him; to be busy at his work, and to be ready for him.
4. Sometimes we have to get back to the basics. Jesus said to these believers who were complacent and unfaithful, “remember, then what you have received and heard. Keep it and repent” – v.3.
And sometimes we get off track as well. We allow sin in our lives or we get distracted by the demands of life from our commitment to Jesus. And we need to remember as well what it was like when we first became a Christian. The freshness of our commitment and the basics of the gospel.
________________________
As we end lets remember Jesus’ words of encouragement for faithfulness: v. 5 – “The one who conquers will be clothed thus in white garments, and I will never blot his name out of the book of life. I will confess his name before my Father and before his angels.”
May we be among those who are so blessed on the final day.
William Higgins
Dealing with Wrongdoing in Relationships Among God’s People
Posted in Leviticus 19, tagged admonition, community life, honesty, hypocrisy, love, sin, witness on August 30, 2009|
Today we are looking at a very familiar text – Leviticus 19. This is where the commandment, “you shall love your neighbor as yourself” comes from, which Jesus names as the second greatest commandment of all.
But how many of you know that the context of the giving of this commandment is – dealing with wrongdoing in relationships among God’s people? This is our title and focus for today.
Here is the text:
“You shall not hate in your heart anyone of your kin; you shall reprove your neighbor, lest you incur sin because of them. You shall not take vengeance or bear a grudge against any of your people, but you shall love your neighbor as yourself: I am the Lord.” – Leviticus 19:17-18 (NRSV modified)
Alright, we begin with . . .
Two initial considerations
. . . that will help us to make sense out of these verses.
1. This is talking about relationships among the people of God. There are actually several different terms used in these verses to talk about relationships, but all of them speak to fellow members of the covenant community.
The word “neighbor” used in the love command of v. 18, based on how it is used in the Old Testament, clearly means ‘fellow Israelite.’ [Leviticus 19:34, which repeats the love command, reinforces this point. It calls for love for “aliens” or “strangers” – those who immigrate and become to some degree a part of Israel. This wouldn’t need to clarified, if “neighbor” already covered everyone.]
So, we are dealing with relationships among God’s people.
2. Vs. 17 and 18 parallel each other (Jacob Milgrom). I share this because the two verses help fill out each other’s meaning; they give context to each other. There are three part to both verses, which speak to three themes:
| v. 17 | v. 18 | |
| What you shouldn’t do | You shall not hate in your heart anyone of your kin | You shall not take vengeance or bear a grudge against any of your people |
|
What you should do |
you shall reprove your neighbor |
but you shall love your neighbor as yourself |
|
Why? |
lest you incur sin because of them |
I am the Lord |
This will help us, as we now see what these verses teach us about what to do –
When you are wronged by a neighbor . . .
1. We learn what you shouldn’t do. V. 17 – You shall not hate in your heart anyone of your kin.” You can see the parallel and the expansion in v. 18, “You shall not take vengeance or bear a grudge against any of your.”
The idea is that when you have hatred in your heart (v. 17)
- You have wrong inner attitudes towards the person; you “bear a grudge” – (v. 18). And also,
- It leads you to take wrong actions towards the person; you “take vengeance;” you do them wrong in return (v. 18).
We shouldn’t harbor hatred or grudges in our heart that lead us to wrong actions on our part.
2. We learn what you should do. V. 17 – “you shall reprove your neighbor.” The word reprove is similar to rebuke, admonish, censure, or correct. It means to point out a wrong, specifically here, a wrong done to you. The idea is that you do this, so that the wrong can be righted. Instead of trying to get them back, you go to them to work things out.
The parallel here is really important. V. 18 says, “you shall love your neighbor as yourself.” So, to reprove your neighbor (v. 17) is to love your neighbor as yourself (v. 18).
Let me say it this way. In context this is what neighbor love means. When wronged:
- Don’t hate them or wrong them in return
- Rather point out the wrong in order to work through it. Come to them with the issue so that things can be made right.
This is what it means to love your neighbor, when they have wronged you.
Now the way these verses are put together makes it clear that the call to reprove, is a call to love. So obviously this is not about venting anger, telling someone off, or saying mean things. It is about loving your neighbor as you love yourself. You are to act for their good, just like you act for your own good. This is what the phrase – “love your neighbor as you love yourself” means. And so it is to be an act of love, done in a loving way.
3. We learn why you should reprove/love instead of hate/take revenge. V. 17 says, “lest you incur sin because of them.” This most likely means, if you harbor hatred it will lead you to act in hatred toward the person; that is to harm them. This is not loving your neighbor. So in this way it leads you to sin.
V. 18 says, “I am the Lord.” This means, because God said so. And God is always right. And we should do what is right and not sin.
So this is the basic teaching. Now lets ask a practical question . . .
How wrong does the wrong have to be before we act to reprove?
Well, we are always going to do things that annoy each other. This even happens among happily married couples. How much more among us!
And there will always be people with different personality types, who most likely aren’t ever gonna be best friends. And this is OK. We are called to love one another, not all be “best friends forever.”
And we will always have misunderstandings or even disagreements and we can work on these.
But these don’t mean that you need to automatically move into “reproving mode.” What I am saying is there is an element of bearing with each other, and overlooking minor things in any community’s relationships.
- As Colossians 3:12-13 says, – “Put on . . . compassion, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, bearing with one another . . .”
- As Proverbs 19:11 says, – “Good sense makes one slow to anger, and it is one’s glory to overlook an offense.” Some offenses can be overlooked.
But, how do you know when you should speak to the person? Well, if what was done is causing: resentment, bitterness, an unforgiving spirit, abiding anger, wrong words (like gossip or slander) or wrong actions on your part; in the language of our text – hatred in your heart, a grudge, or actions of vengeance – then you must act! Deal with the issue. Seek to work through it.
Now let me acknowledge that . . .
It can be hard to do deal with such issues in our relationships with each other
As Americans we just as soon break off the relationship, than to honestly deal with things. We are uncomfortable with this kind of stuff.
And as church people we think that we have failed if there is conflict, because we are supposed to be witnesses for love and peace to the world.
So we become conflict avoiders; we push everything under the rug. I mean some churches have so much stuff under the rug that when you walk around your head hurts from scraping the ceiling!
What we need to understand is that we are true witnesses when we work through issues in love, rather than just getting mad or walking away. The world already knows how to do this. When we have problems and pretend like we don’t – we just come off as hypocrites.
We will be true witnesses when they see us love each other enough to work through things in a loving way. This kind of deep love is new and different. This is our witness.
So no matter how hard it is, God calls us to have real relationships with each other. And this means dealing with problems that arise in love.
Let me just say that this is what God does with us. It’s because he loves us that he reproves us:
- Hebrews 12:5-6 (quoting Proverbs 3:11-12) says, Don’t “be weary when reproved by him. For the Lord disciplines the one he loves . . .”
- In Revelation 3:19 Jesus said, “Those whom I love, I reprove and discipline . . .”
In the same way, if we love the person, we will deal with the issue.
Alright, we could also talk about receiving reproof, forgiveness and reconciliation – but we will stop here for today.
I hope you hear me this morning:
- Let us not be a congregation where resentments build up, where relationships remain strained, where our love for one another is shallow, weak or cold.
- Let us deal with our issues that arise – and is this way love each other as we love our own selves; and in this way live in peace with one another.
William Higgins
God Is Doing Something New! And you can be a part of it
Posted in Uncategorized, tagged faith, forgiveness, gospel, Holy Spirit, Jesus' resurrection, judgment, repentance, salvation, sin on August 23, 2009|
We’re looking at the gospel, that God is doing something new in the world. And how God invites each of us to be a part of it. And the first way to do this is to . . .
1. Believe
Now, it’s obvious enough that something is wrong with the world. We see it every day, evil, injustice, suffering and death. And we don’t just see it, we experience it ourselves. Its in the news headlines all the time: wars, murders, theft, hunger and oppression. Human suffering is all around us.
But Jesus came with good news. God has begun to act through him to make all things new! He said, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand . . . ” – Mark 1:15. Jesus is saying, its begun; and its begun with my coming.
And God confirmed that he was right:
- God worked through Jesus’ ministry in amazing ways to manifest the kingdom, through healings, the casting out of demons and transformed lives.
- And God raised Jesus up from an unjust death and made him Lord of all things.
God’s kingdom has begun with Jesus – his ministry and especially with his resurrection. Jesus’ resurrection heralds the decisive inbreaking of God’s new creation; of resurrection life.
In Jesus, God has begun to do away with the old – the evil and the suffering of our world, including death, and God has begun to bring in the new – life, joy and peace. And Jesus calls us to “. . . believe the good news” – Mark 1:15.
To be a part of this new thing that God is doing, this new creation, choose to believe that God is making all things new through Jesus.
2. Turn
We not only experience evil in our lives, we also practice evil. We are by nature self-centered. And because of this we often harm others, we practice injustice, we are cruel to others. If we wonder why the world is like it is, we only need to look at ourselves. We are the problem.
So Jesus came to teach us a new way of living.
- He lived a life of love for God, doing what God wanted not what he wanted. He was “God centered” in his attitudes and actions.
- And he lived a life of humble service to others, sacrificially loving everyone, including his enemies who killed him. He was “other oriented” in his attitudes and actions.
And Jesus not only modeled this for us, he calls us to turn from our ways, to learn his new way. He said, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” -Matthew 4:17. He calls for a change of mind and heart that leads to a change in our attitudes and actions.
To be a part of God’s new creation, turn from your old life and follow the new way of Jesus.
3. Receive
God hates injustice and evil more than anyone; all the pain and suffering that it causes. That’s why God has decreed that the penalty for wrongdoing is death.
But the depth of God’s love for us is beyond understanding. And so as God looks at us, under his judgment, he has taken pity on us. God doesn’t want us to die.
So God sent Jesus to set us free from his own decree of death by dying in our place. Because of this, we are given another chance! Now we can be made new ourselves.
- We are made new by receiving the forgiveness for our sins. All the old is wiped away. This allows us to begin a new relationship with God and to have a new start on life.
- We are also made new by receiving the Spirit of God. The Spirit gives us a new heart and a new power to walk just like Jesus walked. We don’t have to live like we used to. We have new life.
Jesus calls us to receive these gifts of new life when he says, “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.” – Matthew 7:7
To be a part of God’s new creation, receive God’s gifts of forgiveness and the Holy Spirit.
4. Belong
Jesus didn’t just come to make individuals new. Jesus came to gather a new nation; a movement made up of people from all tribes and nations and languages – all made new through him. This community is different from all the nations of the earth because it is under his lordship.
And Jesus called his people to bring others in so they can belong as well. He said, “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you.” – Matthew 28:19-20. Jesus wants everyone to be a part; to be baptized and to learn his ways.
This community is Jesus’ family. We become brothers and sisters in the Lord. Like any family should, it will strengthen and encourage you as you follow Jesus in your new life.
To be a part of God’s new creation, belong to God’s new community.
5. Wait
That’s because God’s new creation will only be complete when Jesus returns on the final day.
- Then evil, suffering and death will be destroyed forever.
- Then there will be resurrection to eternal life, joy and peace.
Now, no one knows when this will happen. And God’s mercy is such that he delays, waiting for more to receive. And so we need to wait until God is finished. As Jesus said, “The one who endures to the end will be saved.” – Mark 13:13.
As we wait we must continue to be faithful to:
- Believe – for our faith will be tested.
- Turn – from our failures and walk again in the way of Jesus.
- Receive – forgiveness for our sins and the strengthening, renewing presence of the Holy Spirit in our lives.
- Belong – to be a part and to be strengthened and to strengthen others in the community of Jesus.
If we do this, the Lord Jesus will gladly welcome us into God’s new creation, on that final day.
To be a part of God’s new creation, faithfully wait for Jesus to return.
————————–
This is the gospel, the good news of Jesus. I trust that wherever you are at – whether you need to believe, turn, receive, belong or continue faithfully waiting – that you will receive the word this morning by acting on it and moving forward.
William Higgins
Our Heavenly Father’s Love For Us – Luke 15:11-32
Posted in Luke 15, tagged forgiveness, God's character, gospel, judging, love, mercy, prodigal son, repentance, salvation, sin on August 16, 2009|
We are looking at Luke 15:11-32 this morning and the story of the prodigal son.
The point
. . . of this parable is easy enough to discern. The verses right before it set the context for understanding it: Luke 15:1-2 says, “Now the tax collectors and sinners were all drawing near to hear Jesus. And the Pharisees and the scribes grumbled, saying, ‘This man receives sinners and eats with them.’”
- Jesus is receiving and eating with repentant sinners; people who have intentionally disregarded God and knowingly done what was wrong.
- The Pharisees do not approve of this; people who have tried to keep God’s will.
This is the situation that is being dealt with in the whole of Luke chapter 15.
Then in Luke 15:3-10 come the twin parables of the lost sheep and the lost coin – which comment on this situation. Yes, there are those who are not lost – the 99 sheep and the 9 coins, but when the one that was lost is found there is rejoicing. Even rejoicing in heaven among the angels.
Then in our text we have:
- The younger son’s repentance which is celebrated
- And the elder son, who grumbles about this
So, you can see how these all line up, and what corresponds to what:
So all these parables refer back to the situation of Jesus and the Pharisees and comment on it.
The point of our parable, then, is that it is right to welcome and celebrate sinners who repent.
- The father celebrates his son’s repentance. In vs. 23-24 he said, “Bring the fattened calf and kill it, and let us eat and celebrate. For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found.’ And they began to celebrate.”
- The father tells his older son that it is right to do this. In v. 32 he said, “It was fitting to celebrate and be glad, for this your brother was dead, and is alive; he was lost, and is found.”
Now, beyond this central point – there is much that we can learn from this parable about repentance, and we have looked at it in this light.
There is also something to learn about how those who have sought to be faithful and have been serving God for years, should be welcoming to repentant sinners, and rejoice for them, despite their years of sin and failure.
And there is also much to be learned about God’s love. And this is our focus today. And to get to this, first we look at . .
The love of the father in this parable
He is actually the central figure of the story. It begins and ends with him, and he is the thread that holds the two parts together, first with his younger son and then his elder son. So lets look at his love:
1. The father’s love endures rejection. His son’s request was highly unusual, indeed insulting to the father. You only get your inheritance when your father is dead! And so the son is, as it were, treating his father as if he is already dead. And he just wants his money. He doesn’t care about his father, only what he can get out of him.
But the father grants his wish. V. 12 – says “he divided his property between them,” that is the two sons.
2. The father’s love accepts his son when he repents. Even though the father knew his son was wasting his own hard earned resources and squandering his good gifts . . ..
Even though he knew that his son was debasing himself:
- using the money on prostitutes (v. 30)
- sinking to the lowest possible point for a Jew, caring for pigs which are unclean animals
- and being so hungry that he longed for their food . . ..
Even with all this, when the father saw his son coming v. 20 says,
- he “felt compassion”
- he “ran and embraced him”
- he “kissed him”
This kind of display of affection was unusual in this cultural context. It shows the intensity of his love for his son. And this despite all that his son had done wrong.
The father’s love survived all the insult and pain and was there waiting for him as he returned from far away and from his foolishness. It was waiting to accept him.
3. The fathers’ love is full of mercy. He gives him so much more than he deserves, given all that he has done. V. 22 speaks of . . .
- “the best robe”
- “a ring” (a symbol of authority)
- and “shoes”
All of these items speak to a certain social status. The father is proclaiming him to be his son and not a servant. (The son had only hoped to be accepted back as a servant).
And then the father welcomes him with a party – v. 23. The fattened calf is brought out, reserved only for the most special of occasions.
4. The father’s love is patient with the elder brothers grumbling. The elder son objected to the party. In fact, he insults his father by not taking part. Even though the father pleaded with him.
Yet the father is patient and only gently rebukes him. He says in v. 32, “It was fitting to celebrate and be glad . . ..” The father is saying, ‘He’s your brother! And something amazingly good has just happened.’
5. The father’s love rewards the faithful service of his elder son. In v. 31 he says to his elder son who has worked for him so long and so hard, “Look, dear son, you have always stayed by me, and everything I have is yours.”
This shows us again that sin has consequences. The younger son’s inheritance was still all gone. But the point here is that the father honors faithfulness. Everything the father has is his elder son’s. He is blessed for his faithfulness.
Our heavenly Father’s love for us
Now, the father in this parable certainly represents to us our heavenly Father. So let’s see what we can learn from him about the love of God:
1. God’s love endures our rejection of him. So often we dishonor God by making our own choices that go against God and God’s way. But yet, like the prodigal son, we want what we can get out of God. When we get in trouble or there is an emergency we call for God’s help.
But despite our all this, our heavenly father’s love for us endures.
2. God’s love accepts us when we repent. No matter how much we have rejected God, no matter how much we have debased ourselves, no matter how much we have squandered God’s gifts to us – when we come to our senses and come to him in repentance – God is there to welcome us with affection and love.
3. God’s love is full of mercy to us. Our heavenly father gives us so much more than we deserve. When we come in repentance –
- He blesses us with gifts
- He calls us his children
- and there is rejoicing in heaven
None of which we deserve.
4. God’s love is patient with us when we grumble. Although we all live out the prodigal son’s story to some degree, since we understand that we have all sinned against God, we can also all find ourselves in the place of the elder son.
Perhaps you were raised as a Christian, or at least you’ve been a Christian for many years – serving God and seeking to do what is right.
And we become proud and un-accepting of those who have lived truly sinful lifestyles for years. All the attention and fuss that is made over them. We’ve been toiling in silence for years!
Yet God lovingly and gently admonishes us to rejoice with those who have come to their senses; to welcome them.
5. God’s love rewards us for faithful service. God’s grace to those who have wasted so much of their lives in sin, will not cheat anyone out of God’s blessings. No one needs to fret or be upset.
If we have truly been faithful, God will be faithful to bless us for all that we do for him.
So we learn much about God’s love to us in this parable – when we are walking in sin, when we come to God in repentance and when we are faithful as well. God loves us with an amazing love!
William Higgins
A time of renewal for God’s people: Hezekiah’s reforms
Posted in 2 Chronicles 29, 2 Chronicles 30, 2 Chronicles 31, tagged commitment, community life, generosity, God, God's character, Hezekiah, loving God, renewal, repentance, salvation, serving God, sin on May 24, 2009|
In the past year or so, we have looked at several of the stories of the kings of Judah that come from 2 Chronicles: King Asa, King Jehoshaphat, King Joash, King Uzziah and now today we begin to look at King Hezekiah. Specifically the reforms he enacted in 2 Chronicles chapters 29-31 to renew and restore God’s people.
Some basics
- Hezekiah began to reign when he was 25 and reigned for 29 years – 29:1
- He “did what was right in the eyes of the Lord, according to all that David his father had done.” – 29:2
Indeed, in Chronicles he is presented as the most righteous king since David and Solomon. And he is also given the most attention since David and Solomon, 117 verses in all.
Background
The northern kingdom of Israel had just been destroyed and taken off into captivity by the Assyrians in 722 BC. And Judah itself was in a precarious position.
King Ahaz (Hezekiah’s father) was horribly unfaithful:
- He practiced all manner of idolatry, including child sacrifice, and he shut the temple down
- The results were multiple military defeats and deportations of the population. They were heading down the path of the northern kingdom.
But then comes . . .
A Time of Renewal
This begins in the heart of Hezekiah:
“For our fathers have been unfaithful and have done what was evil in the sight of the Lord our God. They have forsaken him and have turned away their faces from the habitation of the Lord and turned their backs. They also shut the doors of the vestibule and put out the lamps and have not burned incense or offered burnt offerings in the Holy Place to the God of Israel. Therefore the wrath of the Lord came on Judah and Jerusalem, and he has made them an object of horror, of astonishment, and of hissing, as you see with your own eyes. For behold, our fathers have fallen by the sword, and our sons and our daughters and our wives are in captivity for this. Now it is in my heart to make a covenant with the Lord, the God of Israel, in order that his fierce anger may turn away from us.” – 2 Chronicles 29:6-10
How different he is than his father!
First of all 1. He restored the temple – During his first year, in the first month of the year, he acted. “He opened the doors of the house of the Lord and repaired them” – 29:3. (The first month seems to refer to the first month of the calendar – see 30:2-3, but this may have also been the first month of his reign)
– He then charged the priests and Levites to purify themselves – 29:5-15
– And they then proceeded to purify the temple – 29:16-19. It had been ‘trashed.’ So, they carried out the “filth” it says, and they put it in the Kidron valley, the city garbage dump.
– After 16 days the temple was rededicated – 29:20-30
- they gave offerings to atone for sin to seek forgiveness for Judah and even all Israel
- and they worshiped with offerings, music, singing and bowing down.
The response of the people was overwhelming – 29:31-35. They brought so many sacrifices that there weren’t enough priests consecrated to handle them, so the Levites had to help the priests.
The result of this reform is articulated in vs. 35–36 – “Thus the service of the house of the Lord was restored . . . And Hezekiah and all the people rejoiced” at what God had done and that it had happened so quickly.
But Hezekiah didn’t stop here, 2. He restored the celebration of Passover
This was certainly appropriate – As 30:9 makes clear. With the dominance of the Assyrian empire, the northern kingdom of Israel was conquered, and many in Judah had been taken away. Passover, you remember, celebrates God as their deliverer from the empire of Egypt. This was an expression of hope and trust in God against all empires that would destroy them.
But there was a problem. Since they didn’t finish cleansing the Temple in time during the first month, which is when Passover is supposed to be celebrated (they were two days too late), they had to celebrate it in the second month – 30:2-4. (Perhaps they were drawing on some of the provisions for individuals from Numbers 9 about celebrating Passover the next month if you were ritually unclean or not able to assemble.)
– Hezekiah sent out a letter inviting all Israel to come – 30:1; 5-10. Not just Judah, but even those who were left of the northern kingdom of Israel. He was trying to reunite all Israel again. His letter was a powerful call to repentance and renewal.
– “A very great assembly” came. Even though many in the north had scorned the invitation, some did come, and all Judah turned out – 30:11-13
– They put away the idol altars in the city of Jerusalem – 30:14, throwing them into the garbage dump of Kidron to prepare the city.
– And then they celebrated the Passover and the associated feast of unleavened bread – 30:15-16
Then there was another problem, however, many ate the Passover “otherwise than prescribed” – 30:18. That is, they were not ritually clean, especially those from the north. This was an offense that could bring serious judgment (Leviticus 15:31).
But Hezekiah prayed and the Lord answered, “’May the good Lord pardon everyone who sets his heart to seek God, the Lord, the God of his fathers, even though not according to the sanctuary’s rules of cleanness.’ And the Lord heard Hezekiah and healed the people” – 30:18-19. God looked at their intention, even if it didn’t meet the letter of the law, and had mercy.
Again, the response of the people was overwhelming. After the initial seven day feast, they decided to celebrate another seven days – 30:23
The result of all this was . . .
- Great joy – 30:25-26. For it says “Since the time of Solomon the son of David king of Israel there had been nothing like this in Jerusalem.” Both northern Israel and the people of Judah together worshipping God in the temple.
- God heard their prayers and blessed them – 30:27
- As they left the city, the people cleansed the countryside of idol altars – 31:1
Finally, 3. He restored the priestly, Levitical system
– He reorganized them – 31:2
– He himself gave to support the temple – 31:3, providing regular burnt offerings
– He called the people to support the priests and Levites. As 31:4 notes, that they might be free to “give themselves to the Law of the Lord.” He called them to fulfill what Moses commanded concerning material support for the temple workers.
This part of the story may seem anti-climactic to us or mundane talking about priests and finances. But we have to understand that this was to sustain the reforms that had begun.
The priests and Levites could only continue to lead the people in faithfulness if they were supported. This was necessary to maintain the renewal that Hezekiah had begun.
And again, the response of the people was overwhelming. 2 Chronicles 31:5 says, “the people of Israel gave in abundance . . . they brought in abundantly the tithe of everything.” Notice the emphasis on the word “heaps.”
- “heaps” – v. 6
- “heaps” – v. 7
- “heaps” – v. 8
- “heaps” – v. 9
The priests and Levites ate all they could and there was still this abundance (v. 10). They are like, ‘What should we do with all these heaps?’ And so Hezekiah ordered them to build storage chambers – v. 11.
A summary of Hezekiah’s reforms
“Thus Hezekiah did throughout all Judah, and he did what was good and right and faithful before the Lord his God. And every work that he undertook in the service of the house of God and in accordance with the law and the commandments, seeking his God, he did with all his heart, and prospered.” – 2 Chronicles 31:20-21
Some Lessons on Renewal
1.We learn how to deal with sin. Hezekiah is an excellent example here.
- You need complete honesty. He begins right away with a brutally honest assessment of their sin. He said, they “have been unfaithful and have done what is evil in the sight of the Lord.” – 29:6. This is why God’s anger againt them in judgment.
- You need actions of repentance to make things right.
He was urgent in his actions of repentance: He started right away when he came to power and he observed Passover even though the timing was off. Within seven months it was all done. The temple restoration in the first month; the Passover restoration in the second month; and the gathering of support for the priests and Levites in the third through seventh months.
He was diligent in his actions of repentance: He did not leave it for others to do. He initiated and oversaw each step as the text makes clear at every point.
And he was thorough in his actions of repentance: He dealt with the temple itself, the Passover celebration, and the priestly system to sustain this. He moved from the temple to the city to the countryside even into northern Israel. From the inside, out.
In the same way, when we have sin in our life:
- We need complete honesty. This is the biggest obstacle to Christian renewal. We are not honest and don’t take responsibility for our wrong actions.
- We also need actions of repentance. And these actions need to be urgent, diligent and thorough – from the inside out covering every part of us from inner attitudes to outward behaviors.
We need all this in order to be right with God and to receive his blessing.
2. We also learn what renewal looks like. Hezekiah provides the pattern:
- We get rid of the “filth,” and recommit to God. They got the filth out of the Temple, the city and the countryside and renewed their covenant. So, also, we need to get rid of the filth in our lives and begin again to do God’s will. When you see this happening then you know that renewal is happening.
- We experience a renewed relationship with God. They found forgiveness from God and worshipped God in the Temple and had joy. So also, we need to find forgiveness, to be in relationship with God through prayer and worship, and to experience joy. When you see this happening then you know that renewal is happening.
- We reach out to others. They invited the northern tribes to turn back to God. And when we are renewed, we will take a concern for others and their relationship with God. When you see this happening then you know that renewal is happening.
- We give to God’s cause. Just as they gave many sacrifices and gave an abundance for the priests and Levites that left great heaps, So we give to the work of the kingdom. Renewal, if it is real, will affect our purses and our wallets. When you see this happening then you know that renewal is happening.
3. We learn that God is the source of renewal
First of all, it comes from God’s mercy. God wants to renew us; God is willing to forgive us when we turn and repent.
As Hezekiah said in his letter of invitation to the Passover, “For the Lord your God is gracious and merciful and will not turn away his face from you, if you return to him.” – 30:9. And as an example o this, the Lord was merciful on those who were unclean at Passover, but had a right heart – 30:18-19.
Second, renewal comes from God acting. Hezekiah initiated each aspect of the renewal: the temple, the Passover, and the Levitical system. But in each instance they all had to acknowledge that it was God at work:
- The temple: With regard to the generous sacrifices of the people, “Hezekiah and all the people rejoiced at what God had brought about for his people” – 29:36 (NIV).
- The Passover: “The hand of God was also on Judah to give them one heart to do what the king and the princes commanded by the word of the Lord.” – 30:12.
- The temple support: “When Hezekiah and the princes came and saw the heaps, they blessed the Lord and his people Israel.” – 31:8.
God was the one doing all this, working in people’s hearts.
May God, in his mercy, so act among us, in our individual lives and in our church community, to bring us renewal and blessing. William
“How to Receive New Life by the Spirit”
Posted in Uncategorized, tagged gospel, Holy Spirit, salvation, sin on August 3, 2008|
There’s good reason to talk about this because life without God is miserable. The Scriptures describe our life apart from God in bleak terms. To put it simply . . .
We are Spiritually Dead
Ephesians 2:1 says, “And you were dead in (your) trespasses and sins.” To spell this out a bit more, this means: (more…)
How to Find Forgiveness
Posted in Uncategorized, tagged forgiveness, gospel, joy, repentance, salvation, sin on June 29, 2008|
Someone once said that the Christian teaching on sin is the one Christian teaching that can be empirically verified . . . you can just look around with your own eyes and see its true. You don’t need faith to see all the wrongdoing, evil and the lack of love in this world. You just need to turn on the daily news – or just look in the mirror. And I say this last part because . . .
Sin is something we have all done
All of us have acted rebelliously against God, doing what is right in our own eyes instead of listening to our Maker. And all of us have injured others through our actions and our words – or perhaps by not doing or saying what we should have. It is just as Paul says in Romans 3:23 – “all have sinned.”
And we must recognize that sin has disastrous consequences:
Sin destroys our relationship with God. In Isaiah 59:2 the prophet tells us, “. . . your iniquities have made a separation between you and your God, and your sins have hidden his face from you . . ..” We can’t have a relationship with God when we are knowingly choosing to do wrong and sinful things.
Sin also destroys us. Although at the time (right?) we think – “hey, this isn’t so bad” or “this will get me out of a difficult spot.” But we really do end up paying a price.
- We experience guilt & shame (unless our heart).
- We are given over to the power of sin. This is God’s judgment. God says, “I don’t want this for you, but if that’s what you want, I will let you have it . . . But its gonna take over your life.” Sin works like a drug addiction. It seems pleasing at first and then it takes over our lives.
- We experience the misery of sin, as the “other shoe” drops and we start reaping the results of our actions.
- We are overwhelmed by death. James 1:15 says, “Sin, when it is fully grown, brings forth death.” Sin destroys us.
So if this is where you find yourself today – alienated from God and suffering under the misery of sin, whether you call yourself a Christian or not, I want to tell you . . .
How to find forgiveness
. . . how to be set free from this downward spiral; how to be released from the power and the penalty of sin. Let’s look at this:
Step #1: Look to God – God has provided the way for us to be forgiven and there is no other way:
- we can’t work our way out of the problem, trying to earn our own forgiveness
- we can’t compensate for it by being really good in some other area of our life
- we can’t pay the psychiatrist enough or go to enough therapy to get rid of the root problem of our sin
- no pharmaceutical prescription will give us forgiveness
- no self-help program or the latest self-help book
- and no false religion can do it.
God has provided the way, and that way is Jesus.
Jesus, looking ahead to his death on the cross said, “This is my blood of the covenant which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins” – Matthew 26:28. Without getting into all that he is saying here, the key for us is that his death brings us “the forgiveness of sins.”
Look to God, for Jesus is the way to find forgiveness.
Step #2: Confess your sins to God. Psalm 32:3-5 talks about how when the writer kept silent about his sins he was miserable. And then v. 5 says, “I acknowledged my sin to you, and I did not cover my iniquity; I said, ‘I will confess my transgressions to the Lord’ and you forgave the iniquity of my sin.”
You can see the connection between confession and forgiveness. There was no release, only misery, until there was confession.
Like in the Psalm, the natural human response is to hide our sins, to find excuses, or to focus on others’ faults. We want to live in denial. But if we want to be free, we have to be completely honest with God. Look, God already knows everything you’ve done – Why try to hide it? You have to come clean with God.
As Proverbs 28:13 says, “Whoever conceals his transgressions will not prosper, but he who confesses and forsakes them will obtain mercy.”
Now a part of confession is that you take responsibility for your sins; you own them. They are yours. It is what you have chosen; it what you have done. We don’t like it, but that’s a part of what confession means.
David’s prayer to God in Psalm 51:3-4 is a model for us. After he had committed horrible sins he prayed, “For I know my transgressions, and my sin is ever before me. Against you . . . have I sinned, and done what is evil in your sight, so that you are justified in your sentence and blameless when you pass judgment.” He’s saying, I did it and the consequences are my fault.
Step #3: Express your sorrow. If we see things rightly, we come to understand that our actions – our sins – have caused God and others pain. And this should cause us to feel badly for what we have done against God and others.
- Paul talks about “godly sorrow” in 2 Corinthians 7:8-10.
- David spoke of his “broken and contrite heart” after his sin in Psalm 51:17.
- James says to those who have sinned, “Be wretched and mourn and weep. Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to gloom.” – James 4:9. James is saying, “Feel it!”
There is an emotional component to this that can be healing both to us and for those we have wounded through our actions as they see our sorrow.
Express your sorrow for the wrongs you have done.
Step #4: Turn from your sin. Turn away from it and commit to do God’s will from now on.
- Proverbs 28:13 says, “he who . . . forsakes his transgressions will obtain mercy.”
- Ezekiel 18:30-32 says, “Repent and turn from all your transgressions; otherwise iniquity will be your ruin. . . Turn then, and live.”
A part of this turning is that you commit to make things right with others – as best you can.
- If you have sinned against others, seek peace with them, as Jesus talks about in Matthew 5:23-24.
- If you have harmed them in a way that can be restored, make amends to them, just as Zacchaeus said in Luke 19:8, “if I have defrauded anyone of anything, I will pay back four times as much.” He tried to make it right.
Step #5: Ask God to forgive your sins. Ask for God’s mercy. Just as the tax collector in the story of Luke 18:13 – prayed, pray “God be merciful to me, a sinner!”
The prayer of David in Psalm 51:1-2 is a good pattern for us – “Have mercy on me, O God, according to your steadfast love; according to your abundant mercy blot out my transgressions. Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin!”
Forgiveness is a gift of God to us and you need to ask for it. Just as Jesus says in Matthew 7:7 about all of God’s good gifts to us – “Ask, and it will be given to you.”
Step #6: Claim God’s promise by faith. We know that God always keeps his promises, so we can claim his promise to forgive us and know that God will do just as he says he will do.
Here is a promise to hold on to – “If we confess our sins, he who is faithful and just will forgive our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness” – I John 1:9.
Claim this and stand on it! God is faithful and just and he will do it.
Finally let me just say that if you take these six steps . . .
You can have joy
. . . from knowing that:
Your sins are covered – Psalm 32:1 says, “Blessed is the one whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered.”
God doesn’t count your sin against you anymore – Psalm 32:2 says, “Blessed is the person against whom the Lord counts no iniquity.”
God doesn’t remember your sin against you anymore – Jeremiah 31:34 says, “I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.”
God casts your sins away – Micah 7:19 says, “God will cast all our sins into the depths of the sea.”
God removes your sins far away – Psalm 103:12 says, “As far as the east is from the west, so far does he remove our transgressions from us.”
God erases your sin – Isaiah 43:25 says, “I am he who blots out your transgressions for my own sake.”
All of these are just different ways of saying the same thing – our sins are gone! Think of it – your sins will no longer separate you from God and your sins will no longer destroy you. As Romans 6:23 says, “For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
Do you want to be free of the misery of sin? Do you want to have a relationship with God? Do you want to know the joy that forgiveness and new life brings? Well, you have to act! You have to do something. God has already acted in Jesus, and he is waiting on you. Follow the six steps. Act to find forgiveness and new life. William Higgins
Jesus, our Savior
Posted in Uncategorized, tagged gospel, Jesus, judgment, salvation, sin on September 9, 2007| Leave a Comment »
Today, I want to share with you about Jesus and how he is our Savior.
The Scriptures present a dire picture of our condition
That’s because when we sin, there are always consequences. Galatians 6:7 says, talking about sin, “Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap.” This is an unfailing law for every person on earth – no exceptions. Paul says, “don’t be deceived” because for some reason we always think that it won’t apply to us. But it does.
What to do if a fellow believer wrongs you. Matthew 18:15, Luke 17:3
Posted in Uncategorized, tagged admonition, face to face, Luke 17:3, Matthew 18:15, reconciliation, repentance, sin, wronged on June 17, 2007| Leave a Comment »
In working with those who seek to join the church, I try to make a point of telling people, “You aren’t joining a group of angels. You most likely will have conflict, be wronged, or have cause to get angry at times.” I say this to get rid of any illusions to the contrary or false expectations
Church is real life, with real people and if we seek to be a close community, that is involved in each others’ lives this stuff will happen
And so I ask, “Are you committed to working through this kind of stuff?” Jesus calls us to live in peace, not just walk away from each other when there are problems – like the world does. We are to be a different kind of community; one empowered by God to live in peace with one another.
We are really looking once again at Luke 17:3 – “If a brother sins, tell him to stop; if he repents forgive him.” We have dealt with what repentance looks like. And we have dealt with what forgiveness looks like. So today we look at what it means, in the words of this verse, to “tell him or her to stop.”
I am also bringing in Matthew 18:15. It says, “If your brother (or sister) sins, go and tell him his fault, between you and him alone.
Here is a checklist of seven things to do if a fellow believer wrongs you:
1. Make sure that you really have been wronged
This may seen strange to say, but sometimes our feelings get hurt or we get annoyed and angry, but we haven’t been wronged – at least not seriously. So we need to be discerning.
Is it a misunderstanding? When people don’t communicate well, or don’t know each other well, or don’t understand each other (maybe they come from different cultural backgrounds) this is always a real possibility. In some cases you may think you have been wronged, but really the different parties just aren’t able to communicate with each other.
Is it a personality clash? Some people just don’t get along! They annoy each other and set each other off. They will probably never be close friends. And that’s OK. God likes different kinds of people. We are not all the same or even similar. We have to love each other, but we don’t have to be best friends.
This is a part of life – just don’t read into the other’s actions the worst possible motive, or make the worst assumptions just because your personalities clash. Colossians 3:12-13 says, “Put on . . . compassion, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, bearing with one another . . ..” We need to learn to bear with one another in love.
Also, when there is an offense, ask, “Is this a minor issue that can be overlooked? For example if someone agrees to help you to do some project, but they forget about it and don’t show up – well this made you work more and maybe messed up your plans, but how badly have you been wronged? Proverbs 19:11 says, “Good sense makes one slow to anger, and it is one’s glory to overlook an offense.”
How do you know if it needs to be dealt with? Check your anger level. Does it leave you feeling resentment or even a desire to get even? If there is abiding anger then deal with it.
2. Take the initiative and go
When there is a real wrong, Jesus tells us, “go” – Matthew 18:15.
I want us to notice first of all that if someone wrongs you, they should take the initiative to come to you and repent. This is what Jesus teaches in Matthew 5:23-24. Speaking to the person, he says, if you have offended someone – “.. . leave your gift there before the altar and go. First be reconciled to your brother . . ..” If you have done the wrong you are to go and make it right.
But if they don’t, don’t just let it slide. You are to go to them. In some cases, they may not be aware of what has happened or how you feel about it.
3. Go and deal with the person face to face
Jesus says, “between you and him alone” – Matthew 18:15. It needs to be a private conversation. In other words don’t go public with it at this point. Also, don’t go to someone else with gossip. Keep it between the two of you.
Now in some circumstances there has to be others involved. If the other person is intimidating or has power over the one who is wronged, for instance. But even here, when someone goes along, it is still to be seen as a private event, not a pubic one.
4. Go in order to make sure what happened
Jesus says, “go . . . between you and him” – Matthew 18:15.
Don’t rely on hearsay, you know, when someone tells you that so and so did something or said something about you that was wrong.
Jesus tells us, “Do not judge by appearances, but with right judgment” – John 7:24. If you go to the person you may find that it ends up to be a misunderstanding or a minor issue. And then this becomes the opportunity to clear things up.
And even if it is obvious that you have been wronged (there is not hearsay involved), don’t reach a final verdict about all that has happened, or what they were thinking, or their motivation. Talk to the person that has wronged you to get the whole story, not just your side.
(In some cases this step may be unnecessary – when the wrong is great and the motivation is publicly known.)
5. Go in order to restore the person
In other words, go for the right reason. There is always the temptation to go off on them in anger. But the goal here is to “gain” your fellow believer. Jesus says, “go . . .. If he listens to you, you have gained your brother (sister)” – Matthew 18:15.
In the case of a personal wrong, it means personal reconciliation. But it also means on another level the restoration of someone caught in sin back to a right relationship with God
If this is our goal, we have to deal with our anger before we go. As Paul says about confronting people in general, “If anyone is caught in any trespass, you who have the Spirit should restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness – Galatians 6:1 (NRSV).
6. Lay out the wrong and call the person to account
Jesus says, “tell him his fault” – Matthew 18:15. This word means to admonish, chastise, reprove or call to account. In Luke 17:3 the word for “tell him to stop” means to rebuke, censure or chide.
You are to confront the person – this is what you did and it was wrong and you need to do something about it
7. If the person listens to you, accept their repentance
Jesus says, “If he listens to you, you have gained your brother (sister)” – Matthew 18:15. “Listen” here means they really hear you, with the implication that they act appropriately with repentance.
This is what we talked about last week. In the words of Luke 17:3, “If a brother sins, tell him to stop; if he repents (if he listens to you and repents) forgive him.”
Here is a summary of –
The seven steps
- Make sure that you really have been wronged
- Take the initiative and go
- Go and deal with the person face to face
- Go in order to make sure what happened
- Go in order to restore the person
- Lay out the wrong and call the person to account
- If the person listens to you, accept their repentance
Finally there is the question you have all been thinking about –
“Do I have to?”
I don’t know anyone who wants to go and confront someone about a wrong. Our culture values privacy and conflict avoidance. In our culture we almost always choose not to deal with these kinds of issues. We afraid and we think it is all too messy. In fact, we are willing to sacrifice the relationship with each other, rather than to try to deal with the issues and find healing.
But Jesus values peace among his followers and not our desires for privacy or conflict avoidance. And so he tells us: Go to the one who has wronged you and seek peace.
It may be hard, but it is the only way the relationship can heal. Especially if the person hasn’t come to you, or isn’t even aware of the problem
So we need to set aside our fears, our cultural values, and whatever else stands in the way. We need to walk in faith, and do what Jesus tells us to do, even when it is difficult.
William Higgins
Christian teaching 