Archive for forgiveness
Are You Living Bitter Free? – Sermon Outline
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ARE YOU LIVING BITTER FREE?
by Eddie Lawrence
Hebrews 12:14 Pursue peace with all people, and holiness, without which no one will see the Lord: 15 looking carefully lest anyone fall short of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up cause trouble, and by this many become defiled; 16 lest there be any fornicator or profane person like Esau, who for one morsel of food sold his birthright. (NKJV)
INTRO: During my 28 years of pastoral ministry, I have known several occasions when someone became offended and allowed the offense to become a root of bitterness in their lives. When this happens, people who are in the same family may go years without speaking, people who attend the same church avoid each other, people who sleep in the same bed refuse to open their hearts to one another. This bitterness is very destructive and it affects the people around it. As the writer of Hebrews wrote, "by this many become defiled."
Let's do a little digging in the hopes of uprooting this root of bitterness if it is present in any of our lives.
Let me ask some questions:
1. ARE YOU PURSUING PEACE WITH ALL PEOPLE? (v14)
If there is someone whom you do not desire to be at peace with, then that is a place to start looking for bitterness. This does not mean that if everyone is not at peace with you, that you have an unforgiveness issue. The Scripture says we are to live at peace with all men as much as lies within us. That is, we are not to be the door closers on reconcilation. We must be willing for true reconciliation to take place. This does not mean it will, but it does mean you are willing.
Neither does this mean that you are to submit to someone interrogating you under the guise of reconciliation. The purpose of reconciliation is to forgive sin not to focus on it. Some people will never be satisfied with any amount of repentance, restitution, or efforts at reconciliation because revenge lives in their hearts.
Is there anyone who desires to reconcile with you but you simply are not interested in things being made right?
Are there vindictive or revenge filled thoughts that you harbor toward anyone that keep you from reconciling?
May I also add, that if someone who has offended you never asks for your forgiveness, you still must forgive or you will become bitter.
So, be a pursuer of peace because that is necessary to remind bitter free.
2. WHAT ARE THE SIGNS OF A ROOT OF BITTERNESS?
This could be a much longer list, but here are some observations I will share with you:
A. Unforgiveness and Grudge Bearing
Someone recently asked me, "What is the difference between unforgiveness and being bitter?" I thought for a moment and then said, "Unforgiveness is the sap that flow through the root of bitterness." I do believe that bitterness is fueled by unforgiveness.
B. Pride
Believing we have the right to pass judgment, deliver a verdict, and carry out the execution is putting ourselves in the place of God and is rooted in pride. You cannot be bitter and humble; but if you are bitter, you will always have a pride issue to deal with. This pride says, "I don't deserve this but they deserve judgment!"
C. Unhealed Wounds and Echoing Words in Your Mind
It has been my experience both personally and ministerially that when bitterness is present there is often something someone did or words that someone has spoken that keeps ringing in the mind. Words are powerful dear friends. They can have a long life when they are sown deep into someone's soul through some traumatic event. A person can still hear the angry words, the words of rejection, the words that humiliate in the corridors of their memory. These have to be healed through forgiveness.
These wounds can be the result of terrible things that one person has done to another. They can range from a sentence of hate filled words to years of some type of abuse. But becoming bitter just adds another terrible thing to the list of what is happening to you.
D. A Resistance to Grace
As our Scripture bears out, bitterness occurs when we fall short of the grace of God. In other words, we need to receive God's grace to forgive. "You don't know what he did to me preacher?" I may not, but God does, and He says "Forgive them." And he offers you the grace to do it. When you refuse the grace to forgive, you choose to live in unforgiveness.
E. The soul is tormented
Refusing to forgive and choosing to linger in unforgiveness brings torment to the soul. Jesus taught this in his parable of the debtors. I have seen this in many people's lives. They are tormented over and over and over by what has been done to them and the reason they are is that they will not forgive. Forgiveness is not just for the benefit of the offender but for the person who has been offended too. Torment or freedom? That is the real choice you are making when you are deciding to forgive or not?
F. The Harboring of Hatred
Bitterness buys its groceries from hatred. When we refuse to forgive we decide to focus on and relive the offense. This breeds hatred which reinforces the bitterness.
G. Breaksdown One's Health
Bitterness causes rottenness in the bones. You can often see that someone's countenance is affected by bitterness. They eventually begin to reflect their countenance the hardness and callousness that has taken over their heart. Friends, you shave days, months, and years off your life by remaining in bitterness. This is not what Christ died to provide for us.
ILLUS-E. Stanley Jones said, "A rattlesnake, if cornered, will sometimes become so angry it will bite itself. That is exactly what the harboring of hate and resentment against others is–a biting of oneself. We think that we are harming others in holding these spites and hates, but the deeper harm is to ourselves. "
H. Forfeit Blessings Available Each Day
When there is a root of bitterness in your life, there is a part of your life that is on hold and decaying and will remain so until you forgive. You miss all the blessings you could see and enjoy if you were not blinded by bitterness.
What is it not only costing you, but what is it costing the people you love because you are paralyzed by bitterness. You can't respond like you should. You are not the same as you were. You are not who you could be.
I. You don't want someone else to be blessed.
If there is someone who you simply do not want good things to happen to, then do some soul searching about bitterness toward that person.
J. Who comes to mind?
When I first mentioned about there being someone whom you are not pursuing peace with, did someone come to your mind?
3. IF YOU ARE BITTER, WILL YOU CHOOSE TO FORGIVE RIGHT NOW?
A. Forgiveness is an act of your will and an act of faith. You choose to forgive and you trust God to give you the grace to walk it out. If you do your part, God will do His part.
B. Remove the Stinger – A man by the name of William Walton said, "To carry a grudge is like being stung to death by one bee."
Someone else has said that you may not be able to forget what has been done to you, but you can take the stinger out of the memory through forgiving.
C. You must forgive or you will not live in the benefits of God's forgiveness. This is the teaching of Scripture. Why set yourself apart from such wonderful blessing just because you want to see someone else cursed. Let love win. Let forgiveness come and cleanse you and free you of this torment.
D. If you asked Jesus right now, to forgive you, would he?
E. If he asked you to forgive that person who has offended you, would you? Well, he not only asks us to do this, but commands us to do it.
CONCLUSION: So, at this point, it is no longer between you and that other person, it is between you and Jesus. What do you choose to do right now? Would you come and let's all gather here in the altar, and we will all pray and lay down our offenses and let the river of God's forgiveness wash through this place this morning…….
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Three Minutes to Christ – preachers watch this
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Take 3:19 seconds of your time and watch this segment from one of Billy Graham's messages. It was preached in 1986 in Tallahassee, FL. Here is what it will give you:
1. A great reminder of the power of inviting people to Christ.
2. The power of asking the right questions to get people to think personally.
3. Some great illustrations that make the path simple for people to respond.
4. An unapologetic presenting of Christ as the only way to salvation.
5. A using of Scripture in a way that invites people to let go of sin and desire Christ.
Honestly, Billy Graham is able to do in a little over 3 minutes what many may not cover in an hour.
CLICK THIS LINK to see this short video.
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The Hardest Thing You’ll Ever Do — sermon idea on forgiveness
Posted by: | CommentsTHE HARDEST THING YOU'LL EVER DO – FORGIVE
by Mikki Lawrence
The following sermon outline idea is based on one my wife's, Mikki, recent postings. I have included just an excerpt below. Please go to her site to read it in it's entirety at Mikki's Journey.
What are the truths we need to know about forgiveness? I will offer a few today, and I plan to write more on this in the next few days because I can’t possibly cover it all today so know that this is a part one of a series. I offer them as suggestions from a heart that acknowledges my own weakness, my humanness, my Incomplete grade on the course, but I offer them in my own pursuit of wholeness and in the hope and belief that they might help others.
1. Forgiveness is a process. It is complicated. If we are real about the hard stuff, we must all admit that we are unable in our humanness to deal the death blow to offense in one broad stroke. I have said before that we choose to forgive, and yes, that is true. We choose, but truthfully that choice is the beginning step. It is a necessary step, but it is only a beginning step that places us on the track of healing. Great offense requires that we choose again and again and again and again. When our buried alive emotions fly out of their grave, we must choose again to access God’s grace and forgive.
2. When we think of forgiveness, we tend to view it as one person or group or family that has been wronged by another. However, relationships are much more complicated than that. More often than not, both sides carry a measure of the “blame”.
3. There is a difference in a heart that vows never to forgive an offense and a heart that acknowledges its struggle to forgive but desires to. The process of forgiveness can be a real process that is happening in our hearts and coexists with our struggling emotions. God works with us in our weaknesses. Each step towards healing, however incomplete, is important.
4. The process of forgiveness requires us to feel – our losses, our grief, our hatreds – whether they be toward ourselves or others. The process of forgiveness confronts our hearts with our emotions, and this is very important. We are less than truthful when we deny the authenticity of our feelings. Acknowledging those emotions does open the door on the path of allowing healing to come into those places. I was recently troubled by a statement someone made to me about their recent hurt. “It’s really okay,” they said and then they offered their reasons on why it was no big deal. And it was a lie. It was a big deal, but they “needed” emotionally to just push it away, deny its pain. That is inauthentic and distances us from the grace of God which comes to heal us when we are able to admit our pain.
5. Perhaps the greatest temptation is to begin to see the offender(s) as all evil. We humans love black and white thinking. All evil or all good. If we can view a person as completely evil, it is easier to deny the need to deal with our pain. If they are all evil, then it doesn’t matter that they hurt me. As we process through our forgiveness issues, we learn to accept our own humanity and the humanity of others. When we view others as all good or all bad, we are, in reality, refusing to acknowledge anything bad about ourselves (for surely we are all good and our offender is all bad). The more mature view, which I do not altogether possess, is that there is a person or a group of people who has hurt us, but yet that person or that group has good qualities as well as the bad ones which are highlighted in our feelings. It is the higher road to be able to say, “They really hurt me and wronged me, but there was a time when we had a good relationship. I still can remember the good about that person in the midst of this very hurtful situation.”
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Tiger Woods Lesson… – Guest Article
Posted by: | CommentsTiger Wood’s Lesson: Exploration of Shame and Forgiveness
By: Daryl Green
Introduction
In the 1850 novel The Scarlet Letter, author Nathaniel Hawthorne takes the reader on an emotional roller coaster with a moral-laden saga. In a 17th-century Puritan settlement, Hester Prynne bears a scarlet letter "A" on her breast for her apparent adultery. Despite the public humiliation, Hester never reveals her accomplice, Rev. Arthur Dimmesdale. Therefore, she lives her life in public shame.
Tiger Woods may feel like he’s bearing his own scarlet letter. It is unthinkable to many individuals that any reasonable person could forgive the alleged transgressions of Tiger. This reality bears out in the court of public opinion. According to a Gallup poll, his unfavorable rating surged up to 57%, compared to only 8% four years ago. Yet, it’s easy to speculate about a situation as we watch the unraveling of someone else’s life. This article explores how to deal biblically with shame and embarrassment in order to move forward.
The Situation
Public humiliation can damage relationships. As we look at endless news stories about Tiger, many wonder what happened. Tiger may be the greatest golfer in history. However, Tiger’s own imperfection has damaged his public persona. On November 25th, the National Enquirer published a story alleging Tiger Wood’s infidelity. On November 27th, Tiger crashed his Cadillac Escalade into a fire hydrant in his neighborhood without apparent explanation. Shortly afterward, several women claimed they had extramarital affairs with Tigers. Tiger has remained quiet except for his website posting: "This situation is my fault, and it's obviously embarrassing to my family and me." His delayed response to any wrongdoing came much too late. In fact, he may not be able to rapidly repair his tarnished image.
The Jesus Strategy
Forgiveness isn’t easy but is necessary for healing public shame. Public humiliation can be defined as "an action that allows an individual’s personal embarrassment to become publicly known." Shame is defined as "a strong emotion caused by guilt or disgrace." Elin Nordegren, Tiger’s wife, endures an apparent burden; she carries the public shame of her husband’s infidelity. Many people speculate that the beautiful supermodel will stand by her man. If she leaves, she would lose her social status and millions of dollars. Yet, others argue that Elin will divorce him. Many wonder if this young wife and mother can forgive Tiger because of the severity of these alleged transgressions.
Forgiving someone is a slow process for many people. Lewis Smedes, author of Forgive & Forget: Healing the Hurts We Don’t Deserve, spent a lifetime understanding how people can forgive others. Yet, he did not underestimate the damage caused to the victim: "You can forgive someone almost anything. But you cannot tolerate everything. . . . We don't have to tolerate what people do just because we forgive them for doing it. Forgiving heals us personally. To tolerate everything only hurts us all in the long run."
Some folks would declare that not everyone deserves forgiveness. However, Jesus’ forgiveness strategy contradicts this premise. Let’s look at Jesus’ life. He was mocked, betrayed, and persecuted. Yet, Jesus even asked forgiveness for those who caused his death. Peter approached Jesus on this issue of forgiveness; Peter wanted to know how many times should someone be forgiven. Jesus answered, "I say to you, not seven times but seventy-seven times." Therefore, forgiveness is something that is measured by the heart, not the head.
The Path Forward
To take back one’s integrity from public shame requires a great amount of spiritual courage. Today, public apologies are rather common. Many public figures have used the public relations playbook by announcing their transgression with a contrite spirit in hopes of getting the story behind them. However, the person who caused the public humiliation does not get off free. In the Scarlett Letter, Rev. Dimmesdale’s secret sin haunts him in the form of deteriorating health. Likewise, Tiger will continue to be the center of tabloid news and late night talkshow banter. Many wonder if Elin can overcome her hurt and take Tiger back or move on with her own life. Unfortunately, some people can allow this shame to chew up their self-worth, thereby becoming a prisoner of their imperfections. Therefore, this courage must be developed through implementing the Jesus’ forgiveness strategy. It is a daily process to think like Jesus.
________________________________________
Dr. Daryl D. Green writes on contemporary issues impacting emerging leaders across the globe. He is an ordained deacon, bible lecturer, and youth advisor at his church with over 10 years of leadership experience in religious environments. Dr. Green has written over 100 academic and popular press articles. For more information, you can reach him at www.darylgreen.org.
Article Source:
http://www.articlebiz.com/article/554491-1-tiger-woods-lesson-exploration-of-shame-and-forgiveness/
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NEEDED: MERCY GIVERS — sermon outline
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NEEDED: MERCY GIVERS
by Eddie Lawrence
Matthew 5: 7 Blessed are the merciful, For they shall obtain mercy.(NKJV)
1. The World is Headed for Judgment but in Great Need of Mercy
(Hebrews 9:27)
A. Everyone has a judgment appointment
B. Everyone can experience a mercy appointment
2. Every Person Alive Needs Mercy
(Romans 3:23)
3. Jesus Did Not Come to Condemn But to Extend Mercy
(John 3:18)
Question: Is your purpose statement different than Jesus when it comes to condemning people?
4. When We Give Mercy We Position Ourselves to Be Blessed
Matthew 5: 7 Blessed are the merciful, ….
5. The Blessing We Receive is Mercy for Ourselves
Matthew 5: 7 Blessed are the merciful, For they shall obtain mercy.(NKJV)
Gal 6 –As a man sows, shall he reap…
Conclusion: How many here today are in need of mercy? How many of you know someone else who is in need of mercy? How many of you know someone else who has needed mercy from you? What are you going to do about it? Will you be a mercy giver? If not, then what does that say about what you can expect when you need mercy?
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You Love God?
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Do You Love God?
by Eddie Lawrence
If you want to know if you love God, there are several biblical tests that can be applied. Following is one of them found in 1 John 4. Take the test and see you you do?
1 John 4:20-21 “If anyone says, "I love God," yet hates his brother, he is a liar. For anyone who does not love his brother, whom he has seen, cannot love God, whom he has not seen. And he has given us this command: Whoever loves God must also love his brother.”
1. Hatred in the Heart Nullifies Loving Words Out the Mouth
“If anyone says, "I love God," yet hates his brother, he is a liar."
-We must ask the Holy Spirit to help us discern the hatred areas of our hearts. We can become self-deceived about the hatred in our hearts. We do this by convincing ourselves we are justified in hating or by thinking we say we ‘love someone or forgive them" will override the animosity we seethe with internally.
-God’s Word says we are liars when we do this.
-We are acting with Satan’s agenda when we do this. He is the father of lies.
2. Brotherly Relationships Reveal the Reality of Heavenly Relationships
"For anyone who does not love his brother, whom he has seen, cannot love God, whom he has not seen."
-Our love for God is truly gauged by our love for our brothers.
Questions to gauge whether or not there is hatred in the heart toward a brother:
-Are you acting out toward him in hostility?
-Do you secretly plot ways to hurt or discredit him before others?
-Do you engage in accusation toward him?
-Do you say you love him while at the same time your heart despises him?
-Do you think about him continuously with mal-intent in mind?
-What happens in your physical body when you think of him?
-Would you rejoice if bad things happened to him?
-Would you rejoice if good things happened to him?
-Are you anticipating judgment falling upon him because you know God will avenge you?
3. A True Love for God cannot Exist with a true Hatred toward a Brother.
"And he has given us this command: Whoever loves God must also love his brother.”
-God’s measurement of vertical love toward Him is seen through the measure of horizontal love toward others.
-The validity of our love is in question when we are not loving a brother.
Practical considerations:
-Attempt to reconcile according to Matthew 18. If all attempts have ended in a stall, then keep an open heart and keep praying for God to bless your brother with His grace and mercy. Believe the Lord will open the door for reconciliation to occur. Paul reminds us to live at peace with all men as much as lies within us.
-Be honest about the sin in your own heart. Deal with it. Be humble and confess it to God and those biblically appropriate.
-Seek counsel from others who are outside the "drama" of the personalities involved.
-Refuse to be drawn into the fleshly battle. This is where the enemy is able to do his work.
-Submit to your spiritual authorities and follow their bible based guidance.
-Realize the cross is about forgiving and releasing offenses.
-Remember repentance brings forgiveness to our hearts.
Conclusion: The antidote for hatred is forgiveness, mercy, and love which are all grace gifts God will give us as we need them.
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Enjoying A Clean Heart — sermon 1 John
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Enjoying A Clean Heart
The Bible is clear and offers us the blessing of cleansing of our hearts so we can enjoy a wonderful fellowship with God.
1 John 1:9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
1. A CONDITION MUST BE MET
"If we confess our sins" This means we must agree with God about the true condition of our heart. It is filled with sin and in need of cleansing. It means we take responsibility for our sin. We do not blame others, we own it ourselves and are accountable to God for it.
when we sin, we can and should confess it to God! We should endeavor to maintain a confessing heart so that we can live with a cleansed heart.
2. A FORGIVENESS AND CLEANSING IS GIVEN
Notice, based on the faithfulness of God, you can be forgiven and cleansed. The whole Gospel story is the story of God taking action so that you could be forgiven and cleansed. It is your responsibility to confess and God takes responsibility from there. He forgives and He cleanses. You must stake your claim on the integrity of God that He will do what He says He will do.
The enemy will combat your mind with accusation, but you must stand on God’s Word and agree with God not only about your sin, but also about your forgiveness and cleansing. This is the way, you come to enjoy the cleansed heart. To have one, yet doubt it, robs one of the joy of what he possesses.
What spot is there so dark, that the blood of Jesus cannot wash it clean? Then do not rob the Son of God of the glory he deserves by doubting the efficacy of his blood work.
3. A COMPLETENESS OF CLEANSING IS TO BE EXPECTED
God cleanses us from "all unrighteousness." We are not half-way sinners and God is not a half-way cleanser. Understand that God always does a good job of whatever He does. When He cleanses you, you are clean. Rest in the work He has done. The message of the cross is that it is a finished work, a completed work. Jesus paid it all. When God cleanses, you are clean. Go forth from the moment of confession with an assurance that is firmly rooted in the Character of God and the completeness of salvation in Christ.
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Seven Hindrances to Prayer — sermon
Posted by: | CommentsSEVEN HINDRANCES TO PRAYER
(The following points were pulled out of R. A. Torrey’s book, HOW TO PRAY. It is not a full excerpt. Hope you enjoy them.Bold print mine not the author’s. I have added some points in brackets.)
1. [SELFISHNESS] The first hindrance to prayer we will find in James 4:3, "Ye ask and receive not BECAUSE YE ASK AMISS, THAT YE MAY SPEND IT IN YOUR PLEASURES."
A selfish purpose in prayer robs prayer of power. Very many
prayers are selfish. These may be prayers for things for which it is
perfectly proper to ask, for things which it is the will of God to
give, but the motive of the prayer is entirely wrong, and so the
prayer falls powerless to the ground.…
2. [SIN] The second hindrance to prayer we find in Is. 59:1,2:"Behold, the Lord’s hand is not shortened, that it cannot save;neither His ear heavy, that it cannot hear. But YOUR INIQUITIES HAVE SEPARATED BETWEEN YOU AND YOUR GOD, and YOUR SINS HAVE HID HIS FACE FROM YOU, THAT HE WILL NOT HEAR."…
Sin hinders prayer. Many a man prays and prays and prays,
and gets absolutely no answer to his prayer. Perhaps he is tempted
to think that it is not the will of God to answer, or he may think
that the days when God answered prayer, if He ever did, are over.
3. [IDOLATRY] The third hindrance to prayer is found in Ez. 14:3, "Son of man, these men have taken their idols into their heart, and put the stumbling block of their iniquity before their face: should I be inquired of at all by them?"(R.V.) IDOLS IN THE HEART CAUSE GOD TO REFUSE TO LISTEN TO OUR PRAYERS.
What is an idol? An idol is anything that takes the place of God, anything that is the supreme object of our affection. God alone has the right to the supreme place in our hearts. Everything and everyone else must be subordinate to Him.
4. [STINGINESS] The fourth hindrance to prayer is found in Prov. 21:13,"WHOSO STOPPETH HIS EARS AT THE CRY OF THE POOR, HE ALSO SHALL CRYHIMSELF, BUT SHALL NOT BE HEARD."
There is perhaps no greater hindrance to prayer than stinginess, the lack of liberality toward the poor and toward God’s work. It is the one who gives generously to others who receives generously from God.
5. [UNFORGIVNESS] The fifth hindrance to prayer is found in Mark 11:25, "And when ye stand praying, FORGIVE, if ye have ought against any; that your Father also which is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses."
An unforgiving spirit is one of the commonest hindrances to prayer. Prayer is answered on the basis that our sins are forgiven; and God cannot deal with us on the basis of forgiveness while we are harboring ill-will against those who have wronged us. Any one who is nursing a grudge against another has fast closed the ear of Godagainst his own petition.
6. [SPOUSAL DISUNITY] The sixth hindrance to prayer is found in 1 Peter 3:7, "Ye husbands, in like manner, dwell with your wives according to knowledge, giving honor unto the woman, as unto the weaker vessel as being also joint-heirs of the grace of life; to the end that your prayers be not hindered." (R.V.) Here we are plainly told that A WRONG RELATION BETWEEN HUSBAND AND WIFE IS A HINDRANCE TO PRAYER.
7. [UNBELIEF] The seventh hindrance to prayer is found in James 1:5-7, "But if any of you lacketh wisdom, let him ask of God, who giveth to all liberally and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him. But let him ask IN FAITH, NOTHING DOUBTING: for he that doubteth is like the surge of the sea driven by the wind and tossed. For let not that man think that he shall receive anything of the Lord." (R.V.)
Prayers are hindered by unbelief. God demands that we shall believe His Word absolutely. To question it is to make Him a liar.
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Jesus Loves Sinners — sermon
Posted by: | CommentsThe following sermon outline is from a sermon prepared by Pastor David O. Cofield. You may read his personal ministry blog here.
“Jesus Loves Sinners”
Luke 15: 1-2
Luke 15 starts as seemingly a way to introduce a new subject, “Then all the tax
collectors and the sinners drew near to Him to hear Him. 2And the Pharisees and
scribes complained, saying, “This Man receives sinners and eats with them.”
The Message says, “By this time a lot of men and women of doubtful reputation were
hanging around Jesus, listening intently. The Pharisees and religion scholars were not
pleased, not at all pleased. They growled, “He takes in sinners and eats meals with
them, treating them like old friends.”
The New Living Translation calls them “notorious sinners.”
Instead, this is not a new subject at all but a continuation of the entire purpose of the
writing of the gospel of Luke. Jesus loves sinners. He loves the outcasts, the downand-
outs. He loves the rejects.
Take a quick tour of this gospel and let us see this powerful impact of Jesus receiving
them. Most of what is listed here is found ONLY in Luke:
1. The author himself was a Gentile.
2. The book was dedicated to Theophilus, a Gentile.
3. The story begins with Elizabeth, a barren woman and the wife of a priest.
She must have been rejected by God and under His judgment because she
was a barren woman.
4. Then we read more about Mary in Luke than any other and find her
describing herself in 1:48 as a “lowly maidservant.”
5. Only in Luke do see Shepherds, the social outcasts and forbidden to enter
Temple worship, mentioned as hearing the good news of Jesus’ birth. No
wise men in Luke’s gospel.
6. Only in Luke 2 do we see Jesus astounding the scholars and teachers at the
age of 12.
7. Only in Luke do we see what type of people John drew to His teachings:
Luke 3 calls them tax collectors (vs. 12) and soldiers (vs. 14).
8. Only in Luke do we see the text for Jesus’ first message preached – Luke 4:
18-19 revealing that he was coming for the poor, brokenhearted, captives, the
blind, the oppressed and its time NOW for it to happen.
9. Only in Luke do we see Jesus’ raising the only son of a widow in Nain in
Luke 7.
10. Only in Luke do we see the woman who washed the feet of Jesus with her
tears and dried them with her hair described as a “sinner” (vs. 37) and pointed
out by the Pharisees that she was a sinner (vs. 39). A woman who was a
harlot in the presence of a man, let alone a prophet?
11. Only in Luke 8:2-3 do we see that many women provided for the needs of
Jesus.
12. Only in Luke do we learn of the Good Samaritan (chapter 10). A good
Samaritan – a contradiction of terms.
13. Only in Luke chapter 13 is there a woman who had a spirit of infirmity for 18
years healed on the Sabbath in the synagogue while he was teaching.
14. Only in Luke (chapter 14) is there a man with dropsy – swelling in his legs
and arms – was healed on the Sabbath in the house of one of the rulers of the
Pharisees.
15. Luke 14 – a great supper is made but the invited guests don’t come, so the
master gets angry ordering them to go and get the “poor, maimed, lame and
the blind” (vs. 21). The religious elite are not coming to the wedding.
16. Luke 15 is about a shepherd, a woman, and a man whose son lowered himself
to wanting to eat pig slop.
17. Only in Luke 16 do we see a man begging, filled with sores, eating crumbs
pictured like a dog that dies and goes to Heaven and the rich man dies and
goes to Hell.
18. Only in Luke 17: 16 do we see ten lepers healed with only one returning and
it says “He was a Samaritan.”
19. Only in Luke 18 do we see the story of Sunday worship with a Pharisee and
tax collector with the tax collector asking for mercy and being justified, not
the Pharisee.
20. Only in Luke do we have the story (chapter 19) of Zacchaeus being a tax
collector that Jesus goes home with and brings salvation.
21. Only in Luke (23: 39-43) do we learn of a repentant thief getting paradise
with Jesus on his day of death with Jesus.
Jesus loves sinners. He is a friend of sinners.
So, going back to Luke 15, let me make three statements of how Jesus feels toward
sinners:
1. You are of worth to him.
Shepherd is not permitted in Temple worship. Outcasts – outsiders.
But shepherds go after one lost sheep leaving 99 who don’t think they need any
repentance.
But only in the heart of a parent would you go seeking for one and not accept 99% as
good enough. Because love only in a parent’s heart is never diminished when divided.
Love knows the worth of one.
2. You are of value to him.
This is a woman. Every Jewish man prayed every day thanking God that they were
not “a Gentile, a slave or a woman.”
But she loses a coin, which was at least a day’s wages and might have been more. She
sweeps the house diligently until she finds it.
You are of great value to God. He does not want to waste a day of your life or see you
waste a day.
3. You are desired of Him.
The last two parables are all about the Father wanting a relationship with his sons.
There are two sons here but the teaching is the same: I will go to no limits to have a
relationship with my sons.
A. He will let sinful situations run their course until you come to
yourself and come into a relationship with Him.
He took 1/3 of all his father’s wealth, converted it to cash and wasted it with reckless
living, wild living. The elder son said it was with harlots. It got so bad that he desired
to eat the pigs’ food. But he came to himself, a right understanding of himself, his
ways and his father’s provisions. He prepares a speech and heads home.
The Father sees him coming and throwing away Oriental behavior, he runs to meet
him. This is the only time in the Bible we see the Father running. The father is so
eager to receive him that he won’t let him finish his speech. He:
a. Gets a robe. Not the one he wore previously, but one reserved for honored
guests.
b. Gets a ring. Symbol of authority. All the father has is now available to the
son.
c. Gets scandals. Servants or slaves never wore scandals. But he’s not a
servant, but fully accepted as a son.
d. Gets a fattened calf for a feast. Meat was normally not eaten at regular
meals, but this was a celebration.
B. He will confront sinful spirits in order for you to come to a
relationship with Him.
The elder son is a totally different story, but has the same underlying theme: The
father wants a relationship with him.
Here is the symbol of the religious elite. Why?
a. He had a self-righteous spirit. He looked down at disgust at his younger
brother for only he tells us that the younger brother spent his living with
harlots (vs. 30).
b. He was angry at the sight of joy and fun. Religious people cannot stand
somebody experiencing joy in the presence of Jesus.
c. He was work oriented. He recounts all that he has done for his father
thinking that was what the father wanted.
d. He was bitter and unforgiving. He would not come in and forgive his
brother. The meanest people in the world are religious people who are bitter
and unforgiving; yet keep right on doing their religious duties.
The sad story about the elder son was he had no relationship with his father to know
how heart broken the father was over the other son nor what the father really wanted
out of his elder son.
Unlike the younger son where the Father stayed on the porch until he saw his son
returning, with his elder son he goes off the porch and confronts him. All religious
spirits must be confronted.
In the confrontation is the appeal to the opponents of Jesus, the Pharisees and scribes –
the religious elite – that there is still time to be apart of His kingdom but you must
recognize you are a sinner and repent. The sad truth is that most religious people see
no reason they need to repent and won’t.
So what is the message for us today? Jesus loves sinners.
Romans 5:8 “But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were
still sinners, Christ died for us.”
Once President Abraham Lincoln was asked how he was going to treat the rebellious
southerners when they had finally been defeated and had returned to the Union of the
United States. The questioner expected that Lincoln would take a dire vengeance, but
he answered, “I will treat them as if they had never been away.”
That’s the same with God.
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