Wednesday, April 29, 2009

Staying Near Sin

What an interesting story we have in Genesis 19. Two angels show up to warn Lot to flee. Lot offers them a place to sleep and they turn him down saying, "We will just sleep here in the square." I can imagine the panic on Lot's face. He knows that he is in a sinful place, and he must protect these two angels, but imagine the embarrassment of having to tell God, “Yes I love you and follow you, but I’m eyeball deep in sin right here and it really isn’t good for you to be here.” I believe sometimes many of us find ourselves in that same situation.
So Lot convinces the angels to stay at his house and that night the men of the village show up to rape the angels. “Lot steps outside and tries to persuade the men not to do this thing, even offers his daughters up for these men to do whatever they want. Lot has allowed sin to take such a hold on his life that as he tries to flee from it, he is willing to sacrifice those whom he should feel he needs to protect.
God saves Lot, gives him the means to escape from this sin and as Lot is fleeing, he begs God not to make him go to far away form his sin. (Genesis 19:20) Lot’s not wanting to turn fully to God and abandon the sin that has a hold on him. This leads to the destruction of his wife and moral destruction of his daughters.
How many of us can relate to what this story says. As we come to know Jesus we refuse to turn from the sins that have sway over us. As we claim to be a Christian we allow sin to still control us and lead to the destruction of those we love. We allow sin to ruin our lives, when we know that it is not necessary.
MSW

Monday, April 27, 2009

To Know Him

I was reading through Genesis today in the NKJV and I came to 18:19. The verse just seemed to jump out at me and speak. It says, “For I have known him, in order that he may command his children and household in the way of the LORD, to do righteousness and Justice, that the LORD may bring to Abraham what He has spoken to him."
God knew Abraham so that he could spread the word. God expected Abraham to teach his children and his household, those that are around him everyday, that there is a Lord and savior, and this Lord is going to watch over and take care of His children.
This verse applies to us today as much as it did to Abraham 4,000 years ago. When Jesus is revealed to us, He doesn’t want us to keep it a secret. He wants us to go out and proclaim it loudly. He wants us to tell everyone around us that there is a Lord and savior that can truly change your life. After Andrew met Jesus the first thing he did was go and tell (John1:41). When they were standing amongst a crowd of 5,000 Andrew jumped up, grabbed a kid and said, "come here I want to show you something amazing. (John 6:9) Watch what this guy can do with that fish you have there. Oh, by the way His name is Jesus."
We should be like Andrew, get to know the people around us and when God gives us an opening say, “Hey kid, watch what this guy can do for you.” “Oh, by the way did you know that he died on a cross so that you may live. Yeah let me tell you about that.”
MSW

Monday, April 20, 2009

The Great Escape

As you sit in your prison cell awaiting your execution. You look at your two accomplices and know that all three of you are about to die for your crimes. Robbery, murder, inciting others to violence, the list goes on and on. You were tried and convicted and you know you deserve to die for what you did.
Suddenly outside you hear loud angry voices, are they here to take you? The voices keep getting louder and angrier. A guard shows up and takes you from your cell. Where are we going, you think to yourself? Am I about to be beaten some more? You calm yourself knowing you deserve whatever they are about to do to you.
They push you out in front of the crowd. You stare into the angry faces. You look and there is another man standing there with you. He has been beaten and stands there bloody and bruised. Then you recognize him. This is that Jesus I’ve heard everyone talk about. Why is he here, he hasn’t done anything wrong? From what you hear he does nothing but help people.
You realize the crowd is calling your name. What are they saying? Release Barabbas! What? This is where they release the prisoner! Why are they releasing you when you deserve your punishment? As they release you and you try to leave before they change their mind. You look up and stare into the eyes of this other man. All you can see is the love pouring out from Him. This Jesus is about to take the punishment in your place. He is going to suffer for your sins as you go free.
And so it is with us. We are Barabbas deserving our death and punishment, but Jesus took that punishment for us. His sinless life will cover for all the sins we have committed. Lord, thank You for the grace You have given us. Amen.

Friday, April 17, 2009

Let No Man Separate

The other day I was drug into a conversation about divorce. A friend was trying to convince another friend to divorce his wife after discovering an affair. He told the other friend that the bible said a man could divorce a woman if she had an affair. He looked at me expecting me to confirm what he said. I told him it actually said that if a man divorced his wife and married another woman he would be committing adultery also, even if she had already had an adulterous affair.
After he told me I must have misunderstood what I read, we turned to Mark 10:11 He answered, "Anyone who divorces his wife and marries another woman commits adultery against her." He stared at me for a minute and asked if it was in another Gospel, so I turned to Matthew 5:32 and read "But I tell you that anyone who divorces his wife, except for marital unfaithfulness, causes her to become an adulteress, and anyone who marries the divorced woman commits adultery." My friend informed me he liked that version better. I told him that he is making the bible say what he wants it to say.
God Created humans man and woman. The woman, as symbolized by the taking of Adams rib, is a part of her husband. Genesis 2:24 tells us that for his wife a man will leave his parents and become united in a Holy marital covenant and the two will become one flesh. Jesus tells us in Mark 10:9, “Therefore what God has joined together, let no one separate.” In Malachi 2:10-16 God shows us that he sees our faithfulness in marriage, in direct relationship to our faithfulness to Him.
It is no coincidence that Jesus referred to Himself as the Bridegroom (Matthew 9:15) and the church is his bride. Just as Jesus wants us to be faithful to Him, He wants us to be faithful to our wives. Jesus does not turn His back on us when we sin. Divorce and adultery or awful things that have become common and promoted in our society, but that is not what God wants.

“I hate divorce,” says the LORD God of Israel, “and I hate it when people clothe themselves with injustice,” says the LORD Almighty. So be on your guard, and do not be unfaithful. Malachi 2:16 TNIV

"It was because your hearts were hard that Moses wrote you this law," Jesus replied. "But at the beginning of creation God 'made them male and female.''For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh.' So they are no longer two, but one. Therefore what God has joined together, let man not separate." Mark :10:5-9

Tuesday, April 14, 2009

Accepting the Blame For Our Sin, Part 2

This is part two in a two part post

In 2 Samuel 11 we learn of David’s adultery. As David strolls about the top of his palace he sees Bathsheba bathing on her roof. He stares lustfully at her and asks one of his servants to find out who she is. Upon finding out that her husband is gone David gives in to his desires and sends for her. The sleep together and she becomes pregnant.
David trying to cover up his sin calls for her husband Uriah. David thinks that Uriah will go home and sleep with his wife and believe that he is the father of the child. But Uriah is more honorable than David and refuses to go to his wife, when all the other men are still away at war. So David plots his death, orders his generals to set it up, and then brought Bathsheba to him as his wife.
So Nathan comes to David and tells him a parable of a poor man who has nothing but one little sheep, he raised it from a baby lamb. It eats with him, sleeps with him and he treats it as a daughter. But there is a rich man with many cattle and many sheep in this town. This rich man gets a visit from a traveler and instead of killing one of his own sheep for the meal, he steals the poor mans lamb and kills it.
David burns with anger. He says this man must pay for this lamb and must die, because he shows no pity! As David stews in his anger at this injustice, Nathan says “you are that man!” Realization of his sin sinks in as David drops to his knees broken and repentative.
David looks at Nathan and says “I have sinned against the Lord.” David could have said “If she hadn’t been on bathing on her roof this wouldn’t have happened.”
He could have blamed Uriah for not sleeping with her when he gave him the chance. David said “I have sinned against the Lord”
Then David went into prayer and as you read Psalm 51 notice how David takes all the blame on himself. He admits his sin. He asks God to forgive him and cleanse him. He declares that God is right in his judgment.
In Psalm 51:17 He says my sacrifice is a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart. God does not want a ritual or for us to put on an act of sorrow. God wants us to realize our sin and for our hearts to be grieved over failing him. He wants us to realize our brokenness and call on Jesus to save us from it. Only through Jesus can we find that relief from our guilt (v.14). Only thorough Jesus can we be cleansed of our sins( v.7).

Adam and Eve tried to pass the blame for their sins off on others. David shows us how we should accept the blame ourselves.
MSW

Psalm 51
For the director of music. A psalm of David. When the prophet Nathan came to him after David had committed adultery with Bathsheba.
1 Have mercy on me, O God,
according to your unfailing love;
according to your great compassion
blot out my transgressions.

2 Wash away all my iniquity
and cleanse me from my sin.

3 For I know my transgressions,
and my sin is always before me.

4 Against you, you only, have I sinned
and done what is evil in your sight,
so that you are proved right when you speak
and justified when you judge.

5 Surely I was sinful at birth,
sinful from the time my mother conceived me.

6 Surely you desire truth in the inner parts;
you teach me wisdom in the inmost place.

7 Cleanse me with hyssop, and I will be clean;
wash me, and I will be whiter than snow.

8 Let me hear joy and gladness;
let the bones you have crushed rejoice.

9 Hide your face from my sins
and blot out all my iniquity.

10 Create in me a pure heart, O God,
and renew a steadfast spirit within me.

11 Do not cast me from your presence
or take your Holy Spirit from me.

12 Restore to me the joy of your salvation
and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me.

13 Then I will teach transgressors your ways,
and sinners will turn back to you.

14 Save me from bloodguilt, O God,
the God who saves me,
and my tongue will sing of your righteousness.

15 O Lord, open my lips,
and my mouth will declare your praise.

16 You do not delight in sacrifice, or I would bring it;
you do not take pleasure in burnt offerings.

17 The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit;
a broken and contrite heart,
O God, you will not despise.

18 In your good pleasure make Zion prosper;
build up the walls of Jerusalem.

19 Then there will be righteous sacrifices,
whole burnt offerings to delight you;
then bulls will be offered on your altar.

Monday, April 13, 2009

Accepting the Blame For Our Sin, Part 1

I did this as a lesson on accepting the responsibility for our sins. I’m posting it in two parts here. The second part will be posted tomorrow.

The Bible starts off jumping right into man and sin. The third chapter of Genesis tells us of the Fall. God placed Adam and Eve in His garden. He told them that everything there was for them except for one tree (Genesis 2:16-17), placed in the center of the garden and next to another special tree. (Genesis 2:9) “Did God really say you can’t eat from any trees”, the serpent asked.
“Oh no, Eve replied we can eat of all the trees except one.” I can almost picture Eve looking at the serpent, getting that serious look in her eyes and saying. “God said we would die if we ate from it.”
I can imagine the serpent pulling back “surely you want die!” “No, you want die you’ll become like God. You’ll get wisdom and understanding; your eyes will be open to everything.”
Eve looks at the fruit of the tree and touches it. “Wow it’s so beautiful!” and she bites into it. She hands her husband some of the fruit and he takes a bite. Then everything changes they realize they’re naked. The pure and loving attraction they felt is replaced by a dirty lust. They don’t understand what has happened. They cover themselves with leaves and then they hear the Lord coming. Ashamed and realizing their sinful nature at the approach of a Holy God, they hide.
But the Lord calls to Adam. “Where are you?”
Adam responds broken and sinful, “I heard you and was afraid because I was naked, so I hid.”
And God asks “How did you know you were naked did you eat from the tree that I commanded you not to eat from.”

Did Adam drop to his knees and say “Lord, I have sinned! I did! I ate the fruit! Lord I have defied your authority. Forgive me, Lord Please.”?

No, Adam responded “The Women You put here…” Adam yelled “She did it!” He also went so far as to blame God for his sin. “You put her here” “If You had not put her here this wouldn’t have happened!”

Eve could have taken the high road and when God asked her “What have you done”, she could have said “I ate the fruit and I gave it to my husband.” She didn’t, she placed the blame on the serpent. Neither one of them said I did it.
How many times do we fall into this same category? We know we are not living as God has commanded us. We commit sin and instead of confessing it (1 John 1:9) we try to hide it from God. We can’t hide from God (Job 34:22) He knows what we have done.
Or worse we try to justify our sin by blaming it on God. How many times have you heard someone say if God didn’t want me to be this way, He wouldn’t have made me this way.
We can’t justify ourselves. The only justification we can get comes from our savior Jesus Christ. We must call on him, confess our sins to him, and repent of our sin. We still will struggle with our old flesh. We still will stumble but through the Holy Spirit and by pursuing God, we can finish just like the runner who keeps his eyes on the goal at hand
MSW
Hebrews 12:1-3 Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. 2Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. 3Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.