How great the Father’s love for us that causes Him to love a stenchful retch like us
John 11:32-46
Introduction
There once was a Pastor who on a particular Sunday morning preached a fire and brimstone sermon regarding Hell and he warned sternly chastised the congregation that unless they repented of their sins they would spend an eternity burning in hell’s fire. Although it was viewed as a “downer” of a sermon, most in the congregation just shook it off as something preachers have to do from the time to time, you know, to remind his flock that hell is a real place. But little did they know the following Sunday the preacher would preach again on Hell and he went on and on how many in his congregation would spend an eternity there unless they repented? The preacher proceeded to preach the same sermon for the next twelve weeks. Each week it was “you are going to Hell unless you repent, you are going to Hell unless your repent” Finally, the church has had enough of the fire and brimstone routine and they dismissed the Pastor. After a short search they found a new Pastor and the congregation soon began to fall in love with their new Pastor. A friend of one of the members, who was privy to the history of the old Pastor, asked what types of sermons was the new Pastor preaching and to the friend’s surprise the member said, “Oh, he is preaching fire and brimstone messages just like the old Pastor. Every week he is telling the congregation unless we repent we are going to Hell.” The friend was a bit bewildered by this revelation, because this was the very reason they had dismissed the previous pastor. The church member, sensing the bewilderment of her friend, interjected, “When the first Pastor told us we were going to hell unless we repented, it was devoid of anguish, of heartache, of sadness, it was like he really didn’t care, but when our new Pastor told us we sensed he was telling us because He cared, it was like it grieved his heart that we would miss heaven unless we repented of our sins. Life repeatedly teaches me people do not really care how much you know until they know how much you care so it is with this background in mind that I stand before you today
It is my earnest desire for HMBC to be all that God desires for it to be in 2008. 2007 is quickly fading behind us and we cannot afford to live or dwell in the past but we must move forward from this moment forward and purpose in our hearts collectively to be all that God has decreed for 2008. In a message I have entitled, “How deep the Father’s love for us that causes Him to love a stenchful retch like me.” (I know, I know, the title is a bit wordy but it is my desire that God will speak to you nonetheless). I believe the story of the resurrection of Lazarus as recorded in John 11:32-44 by the Apostle John is a foreshadow of what happens to every believer spiritually as God enacts His plan of salvation. I invite you to follow along with the sermon outline in your bulletin and jot down any thoughts the Holy Spirit may bring to your mind as we explore how Jesus interacted in the life of Lazarus. Will you please stand for the reading of God’s Word?
When we speak of the Grace of God most of us easily understand that it means God’s provision of unmerited favor. That understanding while correct is incomplete, you see, there is a human component, if you will, that we have to participate in if grace is to be all that God has designed it to be. The Greek word for grace is charis and the imagery behind charis is the Greek notion that whenever a statue or picture or drama is good or beautiful, it would naturally evoke an appropriate and appreciative response on the part of the beholder. The same way we should response to the supreme goodness and magnificent beauty of God’s gift of grace. So in the N.T charis refers both to the favor, blessing and goodness God extends to undeserving creatures and also to the appropriate and thankful response of those who receive grace to the One who gave it. Today we will look at four aspects of grace which will empower us to properly response to God’s lavish gift of grace into our lives.
A. First we will realize God’s call of grace is always necessary because of man’s inability
Introduction: All across pulpits and places of worship today sermons will be preached that extols the greatness of man. The Mormons teach we can become like God. New Agers teach we only have to realize the god in us. Oprah Winfrey encourages her listeners to embrace the god all around them, be it music or poetry or whatever the latest fad is. Joel Osteen will have you practice seven keys which will enable you to reach your full potential, albeit with a price of you buying one of his books or attending one of his seminars. There are countless other examples I could give you where God is marginalized and man is exalted. Oh yes, many will evoke the name of God in their teaching and preaching but He is never given the preeminence He so richly deserves. It is so easy for believers to buy into the culture of the world and think we are entitled to wealth, health and prosperity. It is so easy to believe you deserve the best. False teachers use Bible verses like1 Peter 2:9 when it proclaims, “you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation but again that is only half of the story because Peter goes on to say in that same verse that” you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light.” So again, we can see grace is not complete unless there is an appropriate and appreciative response behind it. God has not redeemed us so we can demand prosperity no! He has redeemed us to proclaim the praises of Him. I would submit to you the greatest enemy to the church is not the devil, as he is only a Spirit of influence; nor is it the world and all the temptations it has to offer. No, the greatest enemy to the church and mankind has always been and will always remain: self. If you want to talk about what we deserve then the only answers I find satisfactory are death and damnation. I believe the text reveals three reasons God’s call of grace is always necessary because of man’s inability.
1. Lazarus was victim to the plight of Adam
a. The introduction of sin into the human race meant Adam was a dead-man walking after eating the forbidden fruit even though he lived for 930 years. The sin of Adam has doomed mankind from the very start. The Scriptures tell us we were brought forth in iniquity and in sin did our mother conceive us. Lazarus was born into a world in which it would be inevitable he would die because all die because of Adam. Lazarus was like all of us he was born dead man walking.
It is important to understand what I mean when I say Lazarus was born. Theologians have differed from the very beginning over the effects of the fall. Thomas Aquinas a prominent theologian from the 13th century advocated mankind was only wounded or sick as the result of the fall. This belief meant that when Adam sinned he relationship with God was only damaged slightly, Aquinas and those of his ilk maintained man still possesses the ability within himself to properly response to God. This was the prevailing thought amongst believers until John Calvin came onto the scene during the 16th century and he advocated the position that mankind was rendered dead as a result of the fall. I believe the story of Lazarus is an earthly example of how God redeems us from our sinful state. You see, just as Lazarus was dead physically and Jesus called him to life we are dead spiritually and in order for salvation to take place God must first call us to spiritual life because we are spiritually dead.
b. Consequently each person born subsequent to Adam is born spiritually dead.
c. What I mean when I say we are spiritually dead is that we are unable to perform any spiritual act which would please God. Paul tells us in Romans 8:7 that “ the carnal mind is enmity against God, for it is not subject to the law of God and here is the key phrase, nor indeed can be. Brother and Sisters, if you do not remember anything else from this sermon today understand the significance of this simple three-letter word in the English vocabulary and the implication it has regarding obtaining peace with God. Do you understand the difference between the words can and may? English teachers have been correcting students ever since formal schooling began regarding the difference in asking can I have or do something and may I have or do something. You see can refers to our own authority while may refers to the authority of another. (Example) So what Paul was actually saying under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit is that fallen mankind does not possess the ability to subject himself to the law of God. So when Jesus says no man can come to the Father He was teaching mankind does not possess the ability to come to the Father. The Father must come to mankind if reconciliation is to take place. While our culture continues to laud the virtues of mankind the Bible paints an altogether different picture. Paul records in Roman Chapter 3 verse 10-11, “there is none righteous, no not one; there is none who understands; there is none who seeks after God and he concludes in verses 17-18 “and the way of peace they have not known. There is no fear of God before their eyes.” Paul calls us “haters of God” in Romans Chapter one verse 30. So the Bible consistently reveals we are running away from God not running to Him. We are unable because of the stench of our sin that separates us from Him and more importantly we do not have the slightest interest in following after Him. There is none who seeks after God. That statement might be offensive to some of you because you might interject “I was saved at young age and have served the Lord all of my life.” But that respond begs the question. What I am advocating is that we were all born alienated from God; we were born with an innate desire to rebel and reject anything associated with God. Each one of us were born shaking our fist at God and everyone who is destined to go to Hell will be there because they have rebelled against God’s Holy Standard and they have refused to yield to His Lordship. True, God has saved many at a young age but that does not change the fact we were all born with rebellion in our heart. It is not until God gives us a new heart that we are able to give our lives in surrender to him. When you get a chance go back and read the entire chapter of Romans 3 and you will see Paul is making his case as to how the whole world, Jews and Gentiles, stands condemned before God because of the stench of their sins.
2. Although many people assume it but Lazarus was not the true source of Jesus’ tears. A careful reading of the entire story of Lazarus will reveal Jesus had the express intent of raising Lazarus from the dead so the passage does not harmonize with the common understanding that Jesus wept because of the death of Lazarus. Many people have been taught that Jesus wept because of his great love for his friend, Lazarus and while Jesus certainly loved Lazarus and Mary and Martha He was not crying because of Lazarus. Remember Jesus has told His disciples in verse 11 that Lazarus was asleep. No, he wept because of the refusal of the bystanders to believe in Him. They mockingly stated in verse 37, “Could not this man, who opened the eyes of the blind, also have kept this man from dying.” You see even, though Jesus had performed many miracles prior to this one people still refused to believe He was the Messiah. Jesus did not come to be known simply as a miracle-worker and so while He performed numerous miracles they were always done in perfect obedience to His Father and never because it was demanded. I bet many of you were like me once and you could not understand how someone could physically see Jesus and observe all the miracles He performed or how Israel could see the Red Sea be parted and ever doubt God again. It is only when we understand that unless God removes the scales from our eyes Jesus could walk in this church right now and perform a miraculous sign and we would still not believe He was the Messiah unless the Holy Spirit was at work convincing us of the truth. So in retrospect I now understand how people could see Jesus and not accept Him. The reason is simple: God did not provide the necessary grace to allow that to happen.
3. Lazarus, like all men, are by nature scoffers
Before we canonize Lazarus let us remember he is like all of us, a retched sinner. He was no more deserving of being raised from the dead than you or I being given God’s provision of Grace. He was born a sinner just like the rest of us and it is not until God extends grace that we are ever able to be in fellowship with Him. The only difference between Lazarus and the scoffers of verse 37 is that God extended grace to Lazarus and He withheld it from the scoffers. We need a reminder from time to time we are no different from the sinner who will spend an eternity separated from God other than God has chosen to shower down grace our way. We deserve the same exact fate of all those who will be tormented in hell. That is why grace is so amazing but it is not amazing to everyone nor is the gospel good news to everyone.
4. Illustration : Man drowning in the river
5. Application:
B. God’s call of grace is always based on His timing and wisdom
1. Jesus purposely does not always intercede
We find in verse six of the narrative that Jesus was sent a message that Lazarus was sick yet Jesus chose to stay an additional two days before making the journey to Bethany. Do you remember the story of John the Baptist when he was in prison and he was starting to wonder about this whole Jesus being the Messiah deal. I mean, I can imagine John saying to himself, come on cuz, and help a brother out. Throw your kinfolk some love over here. Although Jesus tells his disciples this sickness is not unto death we know from experience that most sicknesses will end in death, even for believers. Many times when the poor turn to Jesus they will remain poor and destitute. Many times people will turn to Jesus out of brokenness of their relationships but their earthly relationships will not change significantly simply by coming to Jesus. They will still continue to be marginalized or dehumanized by their oppressors. The point I am trying to make is that there is no promise coming to Jesus will mean your life will be rescued from your human predicament. It is amazing to see time and time again Christian believers in faraway lands being persecuted and killed but not asking for deliverance or prosperity but instead rejoicing over the good news that Jesus is their Savior. There are not asking for their lot in life to be made easier, they are only asking God that the fire of the gospel never dies out, that they be provided more bibles and people who can help them understand the Word of God. I am afraid we in the West have it so wrong; our mentality is what can I get out of Christianity instead of how God can use me to advance His kingdom. One of my anthem verses is Job 13:15 when he says, “Though He slay me, yet will I trust Him.” I can’t promise that God will deliver you from the cancer that may ravage your body or that He will repair your broken relationship. If you are struggling financially or emotionally the only thing I can promise you is that Jesus has promised He will be with you always, even to the end of the age and that because He is our High Priest He can sympathize with your weakness and upon that basis you can obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need. Paul eventually understood that premise when God told him His grace was sufficient.
2. So not only does Jesus not always intercede when he does come He sometimes purposely delays his arrival. By the time Jesus arrives at the tomb Lazarus has been in the grave for four days. Now, four days are very significant if we are to fully understand the text. You see, the Jews believed the spirit hovered over the dead body until the fourth day, when decomposition became evident. Additionally, it helps to shed light on Jesus’ proclamation that He would be raised after three days and it helps us to understand what David meant when he said in the Psalms 16:10, “For you will not leave my soul in Sheol, Nor will you allow Your Holy One to see corruption.” It was imperative that Jesus not remain in the grave for four days otherwise His soul would have saw corruption but back to the story. There was no doubt that Lazarus was dead. Martha tells Jesus in verse 39, “Lord, by this time there is a stench, for he has been dead for four days.” So how dead was Lazarus? Four days dead! Decomposition dead! Body starting to stink dead! Jesus would show to those at the tomb He possessed power over the last enemy which is death. The point to understand from this principle is sometimes God lets us get our back up against the wall so far that we have to recognize it was the hand of God. He lets us get so far in the mess we have created they we know it was nobody but the Lord who made a way out for us. Some of the greatest occasions for rejoicing in my life have been when all else seemed a lost cause but Jesus stepped in when defeat seemed certain. Jesus: He may not come when you think you need him but He is always right on time.
3. So not only does Jesus not always intercede, often times when He does come He purposely delays his arrival and thirdly sometimes Jesus purposely answers in the ways we do not expect. Martha upon reaching Jesus exclaims in verse 21, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.” When Jesus informs her that Lazarus will rise again she immediately falls backs on her O.T. understanding that Lazarus will be raised on the last day a reference to Daniel’s teaching found in Daniel Chapter 12. See Martha had her own understanding of how Jesus was going to fix the situation but Jesus had another. Ever pray, every supplication should have always include “not my will but thy will be done.” We must always be willing to yield to God’s plan even if that means we have to adjust ours. Case in point: We might have grand plans to build a new sanctuary on this land but we must be willing to adapt to where we see God opening the door to build. We can never become fixed on what we think is the way. We must let the Lord be the way. Unless He builds it we build it in vain. Do you really trust God enough to let Him be the potter and you be the clay? If you do there will be heartache along the way, they will be disappointment and sacrifice but I am the living witness that in the midst of heartache and pain, in the midst of sacrifice and disappointment you can still have joy, unspeakable joy.
C. Illustration: I read a story recently of a woman on vacation that was shopping in the finest stores. One day she saw the most beautiful cup she had ever seen. She went in bought the cup and everyday she would take the cup out and admire it. She would even talk to the cup and say, ’’I’m glad that I found you. You’re one of the most beautiful possessions I have." On her way back home she tried to keep the cup wrapped up, but it was so beautiful to her that she took the cup out and admired its beauty.
And the story goes soon she drifted to sleep, with the cup held fast in her hand. And while she slept, she dreamed, and in her dream the cup talked back to her.
The cup said, "You know, I’m tired of you telling me how beautiful I am. I’m not what I used to be. I once was nothing but clay and dirt until one day a master craftsman came along and took me out of the mire.
I didn’t understand it when he beat me and shaped me. I didn’t understand it when he put me in an oven hotter than you can imagine. I couldn’t imagine why he would paint me and then put me back in the oven.
But you know what, I learned to thank that master craftsman because if he had not molded me, I’d be shapeless and without form. If he had not put me in the oven of oppression, I’d have no structure. If he had not put that paint on me, I’d have no color. If he had not put me back in the oven to bake me again, I would fall apart." And so I thank him.
My brothers and sisters you ought to thank the master craftsman. Thank God when life to seems to beat you down. Thank him when the heat seems more than you can bear. Thank him when you’re painted in pain. Thank him in the oven of oppression. Thank Him! Because in the end you will be a beautiful cup. Will you dare to let God be the master craftsman in your life?
4. Application: Eagerly embrace all that God allows to happen in our lives
D. We have looked at why God’s call of grace is always necessary because of man’s inability and we have looked at why God’s call of grace is always based on His timing and wisdom now we will explore why God’s call of grace is always successful. There are three truths which show this to be the case.
1. Jesus demonstrates His relationship with the Father is based on His total submission to the will of His Father. It is why Jesus is able to proclaim the Father and I are one. It is why He is the Vine and His Father is the vinedresser. It is why in verse 41 he exclaims, “Father, I thank you that you heard him and I know that You always hear me.” Because Jesus lived in perfect obedience to the Father there was nothing He could ask of the Father that the Father would not grant to Him. Jesus in His Sermon on the Mount speaks of the goodness of an earthly father who when his son asks of bread. No good earthly Father would give his son a stone, or if he asks for a fish would give his son a serpent and earthly fathers are by nature evil. Jesus goes on to say, “how much more will your Father in heaven give good things to those who ask Him. Beloved, anything Jesus asks of the Father will be done and that is why it should a source of comfort to know Jesus sits at the right side of God making intercession for those who have placed their trust in Him and Him alone as we speak.
2. Jesus demonstrates has power over obstacles. I submit to you today the singular obstacle in the life of every person descended from Adam and Eve is sin and only Jesus have the power to roll away the stone.
Attempting to live a good life won’t do it.
Going to church no matter how faithfully won’t do it
Adhering to certain rituals like baptism won’t do it
Being part of a so-called Christian nation or having Christian parents won’t do it
Being part of the right church or denomination won’t do it
Only Jesus possesses the authority to move the stone of sin that is blocking our opportunity of being at peace with God and it was at Jesus’ command they rolled away the stone from the tomb. Has Jesus rolled away your stone?
3. Jesus demonstrates His call is always effacious
I wonder what you mean when the Bible says that Christ is our mediator or that He is our advocate and our intercessor. Christians have wrestled with the question of whether a person can love their salvation since the day of Pentecost. The Scriptures are too numerous that plainly teach the assurance of the believer. Jesus promises all that Father gives him He will raise on the last day (John 6:39) and Jesus exclaims in John 10:11, “And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of my Father’s hand.” You know someone once tried to convince me that that verse meant no one but the person himself. You see he was advocating what Jesus really meant was that no one but the person himself could snatch one of the Elect from Jesus’ hand but again go back to the text. It says the Father is great than all and I know I have made the point repeatedly that all does not always mean all but I have also always said the context will always determine the correct meaning of a word. There is nothing in the context that restricts the meaning of all. It is to those ‘all” who will never be snatched from the hand of God but back to my original question. What goes through your mind when you think of Christ being our mediator? First, we need to understand the role of a mediator. Webster defines it as someone who interposes between parties in order to reconcile them. You see a mediator’s goal is to reconcile two parties who have an issue or gripe between them. Is your understanding that Jesus mediates for people who are destined to spend an eternity in Hell. Do you posit that Jesus attempts to reconcile millions if not billions of people who will reject God’s offer of salvation? Christ is not the mediator for the entire world; He is only a mediator for the Elect and His meditation is always successful. You see, the Bible instead teaches that all the Father calls will come, all that Jesus chooses will come, and all that the Holy Spirit leads to call Jesus Lord will come. There is never a doubt in the mind of God that everyone who has been chosen before the foundation of the world will be part of God’s family in eternity future. So was there ever a doubt when Jesus called Lazarus to come forth that he would not come. Do you think that Lazarus could have said, “you know Jesus thanks for the offer but I have been here four days and I am moved in and I do not want to bother packing up me stuff and moving again.” Jesus never fails in His role as mediator, nor does He every fail in His role as Advocate or Intercessor. If you have been around me for any length of time you have heard me say, salvation is of God from start to finish and because it is of Him and wholly of Him I cannot do anything to merit salvation in the first place and thus I cannot do anything to forfeit it once it has been give to me. God is not like man. Love me today but nothing is promised tomorrow. You are my best friend today but tomorrow it may be someone else. Paul reminds us of this important fact when he says in Roman 11:29, “For the gifts and calling of God are irrevocable.” Jesus is the only sure the Christian truly possesses. Everything thing else withers away.
4. Illustration: During World War I, a British commander was preparing to lead his soldiers back to battle. They’d been on furlough, and it was a cold, rainy, muddy day. Their shoulders sagged because they knew what lay ahead of them: mud, blood, possible death. Nobody talked, nobody sang. It was a heavy time.
“As they marched along, the commander looked into a bombed-out church. Back in the church he saw the figure of Christ on the cross. At that moment, something happened to the commander. He remembered the One who suffered, died, and rose again. There was victory, and there was triumph. “As the troops marched along, he shouted out, ‘Eyes right, march!’ Every eye turned to the right, and as the soldiers marched by, they saw Christ on the cross. Something happened to that company of men. Suddenly they saw triumph after suffering, and they took courage. With shoulders straightened, they began to smile as they went. You see, anytime we inject Jesus into the equation our situation it does not look as bleak.”
5. Application: In every situation insert Jesus into the equation. I know many of you value the opinions of others and that is fine. Many of you will feel it necessary to seek counsel from the Pastor or one of the deacons and I am not discouraging that one bit but I am advocating you first seek counsel from the one who promises to stick closer than a brother, the One who promised you He would be with you even to end of the Age.
D. God’s call of grace always elicits a response
1. Response of Lazarus
Believers always respond to the voice of God. Jesus supports this very fact when He said the sheep know my voice and will never listen to strangers. There is never a possibility entertained in Scriptures that someone will be able to resist the call of God to salvation. Again the scripture teach all the Father gives to the Son will be raised on the last day. The power of Jesus was so great He had to call Lazarus by name. If He had simply said, “dead come forth” that everyone in the grave would have gotten up so He calls Lazarus by name. Has He called you? Have you answered that call?
2. Response of others
While many people believed in Jesus because of Lazarus many others still refused to acknowledge Him as Messiah. They took the report back to the Pharisees who were more determined to find a way to get rid of Jesus. That mentality is still amongst us today. Our society is becoming more and more opposed to anything related to the Jesus from the Da Vinci codes to programs broadcast on networks like the History Channel which offer programs that allege Jesus was married and fathered children with Mary Magadelene.
3. Response expected by God
What does God want? Oh, not much, other than our whole lives committed to Him. He wants what you want when you really go out of your way for someone else. The same way when you slave in a hot kitchen all day to put a decent meal on the table. You want someone to at least say thank you. When you work hard everyday to provide for your family, you want your children to at least say thank you once and awhile. When you put a lot of effort into a work project that was important to the company whether you get a raise or not you at least want the boss to say thank you. Well, all of these pale in comparison to what God has done for each of us who claims Him as Lord and Savior. He has lavished grace upon, grace we most certainly do not deserve. We can never come close to being able to pay God back for all he has done for us but we can commit back to Him a committed life. Remember, according to the Word of God that is only our reasonable service.
4. Illustration: I close with the story about an Air Force Sgt. Arthur Powell who said “When I was a kid growing up in St. Nicholas Project in Harlem, I was scared. I was afraid of shooting, gang harassment and threats from drug dealers. Dad wasn’t around much, and Mom, who wasn’t well, had her hands full raising eight children on welfare. So Grandma Powell took me in tow. A feisty woman with discerning eyes and an implicit faith in God, Hattie Powell took me to church often.
“One Sunday morning in 1964 as we left the First Baptist Church, she stopped on the sidewalk, lifted my chin, and, using my middle name, said, ‘Maxwell, you have got to live by the Word." She pointed back to the old stone church. "You heard what the preacher said--to pray, to ask the Lord for guidance and protection? Well, it won’t do you much good unless you surrender your life to the Lord’
”She then took my arm and directed my attention to a man lolling against a lamppost. ‘See that man? He’s always bragging about his big plans, but he never has done anything. Talk is easy,’ she continued. ‘It’s the doing that counts. God tell us to be doers of his Word, and not just hearers.
Remember, Maxwell, Monday doing is better than Sunday talking.’" The true essence of our lives as Christian is not so much defined but what we are on Sunday but how transformed our lives are beginning on Monday mornings and thru the rest of the week.
5. Application: As we journey into a new year what will be your response. Will it be status quo in 2008 for you or will you purpose in your heart to move to the next level of your walk with Christ. What tangible signs of Christian growth will you dedicate yourself towards? Will you start attending a Bible Class or Sunday school on a regular basis or maybe you will commit to joining with a group of fellow believers in a small group? Will you devote at least 15 minutes of quiet time each day to the Lord? Will you become part of the team that goes out on Monday evenings to evangelize the lost that are on a crash course to hell? Or will you respond to this sermon as you have the other 50 or so you may have heard in 2007. Will you be like the man in the story and just talk a good game but never really follow through on what you claim? Will you continue to just be satisfied with just attending church on Sunday morning and believe you have somehow fulfilled your Christian obligation? Will you continue to let 20% of the congregation do 100% of the work? As we move into 2008 there should not be one ministry position that needs to be filled that is left vacant. If the Lord Jesus is truly the Lord over this house then He has sovereignly given us everything we need right in our midst. We have all the teachers that we need; we have all the Nursery workers that we need, we have all the choir members we need and Lord know I am not one of them. You should have heard Dan and I try to sing when we went out caroling. Doris joked with me last Sunday when Dan told of a family that gave us $10, she asked whether the lady gave us the $10 dollars to stop signing and with my singing that would probably be the case. But this is ok because Christ has gifted me in other ways. . There is no shortage concerning God’s provision, the shortage is in those we are not using their gifts that God has blessed them with. Those who only want to take advantage of part of God’s provision of Grace. They want to reap the benefits of unmerited favor but do not understand nor seem to care that God expects an appropriate and appreciative response. It is why Paul spent eleven whole chapters in Romans painstakingly explaining the depths of our despair and of God’s lavish provision of grace before He introduces what should be response. He starts off chapter twelve with the word, therefore, which means in light of all of, or in consideration of, all I have told you previously. This is to what you are to do. To present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. Will you commit to this day forward for as long as the Lord tarries His coming to render to Him the appropriate and appreciative response to the Grace He has so lavishly given to you. Only time will tell but I am a lot like the preacher in my introduction who wants to remind you hell is a real place and it will be a place of torment and anguish for all those who refuse to repent of their sins and that each and everyone one of us a believer will stand before God and give an account for what we did with the gifts He gave us. If you have never really encountered the man Jesus Christ He may be calling you to Himself right now. If He is I would implore you to respond to His calling. You can do that very simply by admitting you are sinner, that you believe His died in your place and that you confess you want to live for Him the rest of your days. Now is your time to respond. God will do all He needs to do on His end but there is a part we play by believing in our hearts and confessing with our mouths that God has raised Jesus from the dead. If you feel the Lord calling then come, if you already know the Lord but realize you have not been living in obedience to the grace given to you now is your chance to reconnect with the Lord by serving with a local body of believers and if you are a believers faithfully walking with the Lord but you desire prayer or just want to commit something to the Lord then this is your hour as well. We have brothers and sisters available to pray with you, so just come. If coming down the aisle is not your thing then right from where you are do as the Lord leads you to do but if you have made a decision for Christ would you let us know so we can rejoice with you.
