June 4, 2006
Scripture:
Scripture:
Can we go back to Romans 5 one more time; it seems to be especially precious this morning. Vv. 6 & 8, “For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” I was thinking about “in due time.” Romans is the only book that looks at man as he really is by nature. It looks at his life and practices conditionally, spiritually, and mentally. It looks at man religiously: Jew, Gentile, or Heathen. It looks at his eyes, his mouth, and his throat. Man is put under God’s microscope. The final report then given: “All are guilty.” Man was tested in government, law, and other areas for righteousness and he failed. A God of righteousness could only voice the solemn verdict that man in his natural condition was hopeless and required judgement. Then we have these words, “But God …” But God had an alternative, a very difficult one, as we were reminded this morning. God was, as it were, on the horns of a dilemma: one horn saying that man should be judged and lost, the other offering to send God’s Son to accomplish reconciliation and save men. Here it is “due time” for God to act. At this due time, we find that God decided to send his one beloved Son. “He … spared not his own Son” (Romans 8:32). This is Christ, the perfect, spotless, sinless, Son of God, coming to die so vile wretched man can be saved. God reaches out in love; not in law or justice, but in His own love. How precious to be reminded of it! Love caused one to be a substitute for us. We were sinners, but He still loved us. O how precious! And this morning we saw a little bit of what it cost God. Yes, the Lord had the joy set before Him; it has set a joy in our hearts as well. Instead of a fearful looking for of judgement, we can meet God. We, enemies, have been reconciled and justified, v. 9. And this is through Christ’s blood. That blood reminds us of His death which has saved our souls. Then, at the end of v. 10, it is his rising to life that saves our lives. WE can joy in our God, rejoicing in the one against whom we have sinned. This is because instead of bringing down the judgement we deserved, he commended His love towards us, so that now, He is our peace.
EG Hymn 306 – Like a little wandering lamb, Prayer • Today we will look at a word in our hymn: forgiveness. Read 1 John 1:9. An example of forgiveness would be this: If I stepped on your toe, I would say, “Oh, I’m very sorry about that.” Then you would probably forgive me. The prodigal son is a good picture of the Lord’s forgiveness: we were like that son, far away from God, and wasting our souls. But then that son repented, returned, and confessed to his father that he was wrong; and his father quickly forgave him. When we confess to God that we are sinners, He will freely forgive us. But we also need to forgive each other when we are wronged. There once were two brother, and the younger one had really upset his brother. “I’m going to get him!” the older boy told his mother. “You need to forgive your brother.” “I’ll never forgive him, I’ll get even!” At bedtime, his mother told him again, “You really should forgive your brother; what if he died tonight? You would be very sorry then.” “Alright,” said the boy, “If he dies, I’ll forgive him. But if he’s not dead tomorrow, I’m going to get him!” That is not the way God forgives us. When He forgives, He forgets it and cleanses us from unrighteousness. But we must first have the faith that God will forgive us. A man called lord Congleton wanted to teach his tenants about faith. The tenants all owed him a few years worth of rent, so he put up a sign saying that anyone who came to his office between 10 a.m. and noon on a certain day would be forgiven of his debt. When the tenants saw the sign, most thought it was a trick. On the appointed day, the tenants filled the streets, but none entered the open door of lord Congleton’s office. Finally, a few minutes before noon, one tenant, who had been late, rushed into the office. After quizzing him to see if he actually believed the offer, lord Congleton gave him the receipt. The man was about to go to show the others, but lord Congleton stopped him, saying that only faith would be rewarded. At noon, the man ran out to show the other tenants, who, when they saw it, hurried to the office door—but it was shut. They were shut out because of unbelief. Many people are doing that today: they refuse to accept God’s offer. But notice that God does not tell us to ask for forgiveness; we need only to confess and he will forgive. But this grace will not be forever; like lord Congleton’s office door, forgiveness will no longer be offered.
Hebrews 11:1–6 • Last week we spoke about faith and our need for it. Up until now, we have had chapters about the person and work of the Lord. Now we are getting into a more practical part of the epistle. Back in the Old Testament, people were governed by covenants, but what was required of them was faith. But before we look at Abel, Enoch, or Noah, we have a fundamental point in verse 3. This is a very important fact, and therefore one that Satan has been continually attacking: the origin of the world. Was it created, or did it evolve? God has given us the faith to believe that God created it. Why would anyone believe otherwise? One person said, “Because I don’t like the alternative.” That is the crux of it all. If there is no creator, I am an accident and therefore responsible to nobody. I can do what I want. But God did create the world, and there is a purpose for us here. We are responsible to God, and that is not bad. Through faith, the more we look at the world around us, the more we understand that God made it all. But that only tells us about Him; He wanted us to have to do with Him, and that is where Jesus’ sacrifice comes in. It takes faith to believe in creation; but it takes more faith to believe in evolution. Scientists used to be looking for the missing link in their evolutionary theory. Over and over, they have discovered some new fact or artefact, only to find that it doesn’t fit in. And over and over they must rethink the theory to make it fit. Now evolution is in shambles; but they don’t give up on it. We know the truth: we are not scientists, we have only set to our seal that God is true. Now we have Abel; how did he know to sacrifice to God? Most likely Adam told him the whole story of the Garden of Eden and sin and how God killed animals to make coats of skins. Abel sacrificed an “excellent sacrifice,” and it made him righteous. This speaks to us, though we live thousands of years later. For man to have to do with God, he must be righteous. That is the reason Cain does not get much space here: these are the worthies of faith, and Cain is a picture of those trying to live without God. EG Hymn 215 – Happy they who trust in Jesus Prayer