Just As If You Never Sinned - Captain Erika Hernandez
Romans 3:23-25
http://pomonacorps.blogspot.com/2009/08/08-09-09-just-as-if-you-never-sinned.html
Wouldn’t it be wonderful to live life Just as If We never sinned! There so many in the world that have not idea how that would feel like, not having the heaviness in our heart or burden of knowing all the wrong we have done with no escape.
In The Salvation Army.... we believe that we are justified by grace through faith in our Lord Jesus Christ and that he that believeth hath the witness in himself. And all of these children have learned that simple truth this week.
This entire week we have had a great time learning about God and how He listens, provides, forgives, protects and rules.
The children have been learning the Lord’s Prayer the entire week and has shown them just how loving and merciful God is in what He does for us, His children.
When a Seat of Mercy Becomes a Throne of Grace
Exodus 25:17-25:22
17 And thou shalt make a mercy seat of pure gold: two cubits and a half shall be the length thereof, and a cubit and a half the breadth thereof… …
22 And there I will meet with thee, and I will commune with thee from above the mercy seat, from between the two cherubims which are upon the ark of the testimony, of all things which I will give thee in commandment unto the children of Israel. Ex 25:17, 22 (KJV)
15 For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. 16 Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.
Heb 4:15-16 (KJV)
In Exo 25, we find the Lord giving instructions for his dwelling place on earth Notice that he calls it a MERCY SEAT. If you were God of the universe, the Creator of all things – what would you call your throne?
I think God’s choice of names for his throne is interesting. He is awesome. He is holy. He is just.
But he says, “When you approach me – first and foremost I want you torealize I AM MERCIFUL.”
The Lord’s Prayer starts our in acknowledging just how power and holy God is saying. “Our Father who art in heaven hollowed be thy name, they kingdom come they will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread.”
MERCY: "When God does NOT give us what we deserve."
We are first introduced to his mercy in Genesis 3. Adam thought that they would die when they ate of the fruit. He hid in fear and shame. But instead of revenge, he received a covering.
Lucifer’s plans were immediately unsuccessful (he wanted to see the judgment of God on Adam). He did not understand the mercy of God.
Lucifer is the inspiration behind all other gods. We know that he is a liar, and the father of lies (John 8:44) But he does not understand mercy…
MERCY DEMONSTRATED IN THE OLD COVENANT
But how did the mankind experience mercy before Jesus?
6 Now when these things were thus ordained, the priests went always into the first tabernacle, accomplishing the service of God.
7 But into the second went the high priest alone once every year, not without blood, which he offered for himself, and for the errors of the people: Heb 9:6-7 (KJV)
Every year, on the day of atonement – sins were “pushed back” one more year. God said, “You will NOT YET be judged for sin…”
You might ask, “Why would the Lord wait?” If judgment is coming eventually, why show mercy now???
Isa 30:18 – Therefore will the Lord wait, THAT HE MAY BE GRACIOUS unto YOU… The Lord postponed judgment and punishment, and was merciful, because something better was coming! Jesus Christ!
A NEW COVENANT
11 But Christ being come an high priest of good things to come, by a greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this building; 12 Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us. Heb 9:11-12 (KJV)
When Jesus was here on earth, He became the perfect sacrifice for sin. At His death, the veil was torn (Mk 15:38). This symbolized that God’s presence wasn’t just in one place but all over the earth! Even in our hearts.
Because of Jesus, the relationship that God has with man has changed. As has His seat, here on earth… This is the reason why Jesus had taught the people how to pray, because they didn’t know what it was like to pray to God the Father.
Today we are privileged to have the presence of God in our lives and hearts, and because of His Son Jesus we can talk to our God and He will listen to our prayers.
First of all, the POSITION HAS CHANGED God’s seat is no longer located in some remote place. It is not in the temple in Jerusalem. His
throne room is now PRESENT.
And the NAME HAS CHANGED
The "Seat of Mercy" has become a "Throne of Grace" (Heb 4:16 – text)
The Throne of Grace GRACE: "When God gives us what we do not deserve."
What did the the death and resurrection of Christ give us?
· Bought our freedom from the slavery of sin
· Released us from the promise of death
· Gave us healing for our bodies
· Opened the doors for us to receive the Life of God
On the day of Pentecost, people were convicted of their sin. They said, “What must we do?” (Acts 2:37)
Peter replied, “Repent, and be baptized everyone one of you for the remission of sins… “ (v 38)
But notice that he did not stop with the remission of sin! He goes on - “And you shall receive the gift…” (v 38)
And then he goes on some more - “For the promise is unto you… “ (v 39)
They came expecting mercy, but found so much more! The Seat of Mercy had become the Throne of Grace.
In the Lord’s prayer, it continuous by saying “And forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors, and lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil”.
YOUR PERSPECTIVE
Friends, you may not realize it, but your life to this point has been overshadowed by the mercy of God. He has not judged you for the many sins you have committed. He allowed you to live long enough to come here, today – and hear why.
He wanted you to know that He now occupies a Throne of Grace! He not only wants to forgive you, but He wants to give you a new life.
He has justified us.
Justification - “Just As If You Never Sinned”!
Before Jesus came to save us from our sins, every person had to follow God’s law to the T in order to be considered just. They had to be true and faithful in keeping every law.
Justification is a declaration by God respecting the Christian that he has been made forever right and acceptable to Himself.
Romans 5:1-2 “Therefor, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God”.
John 10:10 – I am come that they might have life, and have it more abundantly.
Perhaps you have had the wrong perspective… Have you been approaching a Mercy Seat, not realizing that it was now a Throne of Grace?
We might think that if we come and ask for forgiveness He won’t punish us but the reality is that if we come to Him, He will bless us with more than we can imagine.... that’s His throne of Grace.
Romans 10: 9-11 “That if you confess with your mouth, ’Jesus is Lord’, and believe with your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.
For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved. As the Scripture says, ’Anyone who trust in him will never be put to shame’.
You see, God has revealed his heart to us by the name of his throne. How amazing it is to me that when I first came to him, I came expecting the Judgment Seat, but found instead a Mercy Seat. But for some of us – it’s still a Mercy Seat. It’s a place we can go and not be condemned.
And that’s wonderful. But God has so much more in mind for us.
Because of Jesus, his throne is now called the Throne of Grace! Not only will he forgive, or not give you what you deserve because of our sins…
But his intent is to bless you and give you what you do not deserve! Grace, forgiveness!
Perhaps you had a rough week this week. Perhaps you even failed God at one point. And you came dragging in here this morning hoping - perhaps expecting - that you would receive mercy.
But to actually be blessed? Nah – couldn’t happen today… Oh yes, it can… You see o many churches still gather around a Mercy Seat every weekend. So much of Christianity is talking about how great it is that God forgives.
And so many Christians’ perspective is that is what Jesus is all about. He accepts them, in spite of them.
And that he does. But I came to tell you this morning that we have a different perspective - because we found out that the Mercy Seat has become a Throne of Grace.
And Jesus wants you not only to walk in forgiveness – He wants you to walk in blessing. He wants you to walk in abundance. He wants to give you something!
It happens when you receive His Holy Spirit. That is the blessing of the New Covenant.
The Holy Spirit is the very reason that the Lord was merciful throughout the Old Covenant. It was because He had something better in store.
And it is the reason that he has been merciful to you. It is the reason that He justified you. It is the reason He washed away your sin.
It is the reason you are still here. The Lord waited, so that he could be gracious to you.
Titus 3:4-8 “But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy.
He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that, having been justified by his grace, we might become heirs having the hope of eternal life.
This is a trustworthy saying. And I want you to stress these things, so that those who have trusted in God may be careful to devote themselves to doing what is good. These things are excellent and profitable of everyone”.
Are you still living in the Old Covenant? Or have you stepped into the New?
What we are is God’s gift to us, What we become is our gift to God. His gift is yours today…won’t you pray with me this morning!
