THE RACE TO THE END
6-17-12 Fathers Day, New Liberty Christian Church. with Rich McQuinn, Minister
TEXT: REVELATION 20:12-16
INTRODUCTION; Good morning to each of you and my I wish to all of you a very Happy Fathers Day. I hope it is a day of cook outs, rest, family outings and gatherings and pure joy. We do not meet the same standards on Father’s Day that we do with Mother’s Day. On Mother’s Day we crowd the churches and restaurants and on Fathers Day it is a relaxed celebration. No reservations are needed.
I am going to give you today several scriptures to look at, so I will ask you to keep your Bibles open as we study together. The text today is the same text I will use for next Sunday as well as we celebrate the graduations of our high school seniors.
Please turn with me to Revelation 20:12-16 (NIV) The Judgment of the Dead
11 Then I saw a great white throne and him who was seated on it. The earth and the heavens fled from his presence, and there was no place for them. 12 And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Another book was opened, which is the book of life. The dead were judged according to what they had done as recorded in the books. 13 The sea gave up the dead that were in it, and death and Hades gave up the dead that were in them, and each person was judged according to what they had done. 14 Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. The lake of fire is the second death. 15 Anyone whose name was not found written in the book of life was thrown into the lake of fire.
I have chosen this text for the mere reason to let everyone here and beyond know that our time on earth is very very very short and we should do as much good while the time allows us to do so. Do good every day you have left.
How many today consider yourself a failure in life? I didn’t think I would have any takers on that one. The fact remains no matter if we are a father, mother, son or daughter we have all failed. Even Romans 3:23 tells us that, we do not go around and wring our hands and tell everyone we meet that we are the world’s greatest failure. You learn from your mistakes and move on. That is part of life.
The Bible informs me that our God is a Second Chance God. He took a murderer by the name of Moses, and turns him into a great national and spiritual leader. He took a liar and deceiver by the name of Jacob, and made him the cornerstone of a nation. He took an adulterer and murderer like David, and used him to write many of the Psalms to strengthen and encourage the people of God. He took a woman who had been married and divorced five times and was now living with a sixth man and turned her into the first evangelist to go into Samaria. He took some of us, who know what we were, and turned us into to what we are becoming today. Amen!
It is by the Grace of Almighty God that I stand with you today. I am blessed and not afraid to praise the Saviour who saved me from my sins.
Let’s look at the next set of scriptures I want you to consider today. That being in the reading to II Chronicles 33:1-20
I. II CHRONICLES 33:1-20
Manasseh was twelve years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem fifty-five years. 2 He did evil in the eyes of the LORD, following the detestable practices of the nations the LORD had driven out before the Israelites. 3 He rebuilt the high places his father Hezekiah had demolished; he also erected altars to the Baals and made Asherah poles. He bowed down to all the starry hosts and worshiped them. 4 He built altars in the temple of the LORD, of which the LORD had said, “My Name will remain in Jerusalem forever.” 5 In both courts of the temple of the LORD, he built altars to all the starry hosts. 6 He sacrificed his children in the fire in the Valley of Ben Hinnom, practiced divination and witchcraft, sought omens, and consulted mediums and spiritists. He did much evil in the eyes of the LORD, arousing his anger.
7 He took the image he had made and put it in God’s temple, of which God had said to David and to his son Solomon, “In this temple and in Jerusalem, which I have chosen out of all the tribes of Israel, I will put my Name forever. 8 I will not again make the feet of the Israelites leave the land I assigned to your ancestors, if only they will be careful to do everything I commanded them concerning all the laws, decrees and regulations given through Moses.” 9 But Manasseh led Judah and the people of Jerusalem astray, so that they did more evil than the nations the LORD had destroyed before the Israelites.
10 The LORD spoke to Manasseh and his people, but they paid no attention. 11 So the LORD brought against them the army commanders of the king of Assyria, who took Manasseh prisoner, put a hook in his nose, bound him with bronze shackles and took him to Babylon. 12 In his distress he sought the favor of the LORD his God and humbled himself greatly before the God of his ancestors. 13 And when he prayed to him, the LORD was moved by his entreaty and listened to his plea; so he brought him back to Jerusalem and to his kingdom. Then Manasseh knew that the LORD is God.
14 Afterward he rebuilt the outer wall of the City of David, west of the Gihon spring in the valley, as far as the entrance of the Fish Gate and encircling the hill of Ophel; he also made it much higher. He stationed military commanders in all the fortified cities in Judah.
15 He got rid of the foreign gods and removed the image from the temple of the LORD, as well as all the altars he had built on the temple hill and in Jerusalem; and he threw them out of the city. 16 Then he restored the altar of the LORD and sacrificed fellowship offerings and thanks offerings on it, and told Judah to serve the LORD, the God of Israel. 17 The people, however, continued to sacrifice at the high places, but only to the LORD their God.
18 The other events of Manasseh’s reign, including his prayer to his God and the words the seers spoke to him in the name of the LORD, the God of Israel, are written in the annals of the kings of Israel. 19 His prayer and how God was moved by his entreaty, as well as all his sins and unfaithfulness, and the sites where he built high places and set up Asherah poles and idols before he humbled himself—all these are written in the records of the seers. 20 Manasseh rested with his ancestors and was buried in his palace. And Amon his son succeeded him as king.
In this scripture we met King Manassah. Manassah had the opportunity to have the greatest impact on the nation of Judah because he was the longest reigning king. He ruled for 55 years. His father had been a king who loved the Lord and did a lot in leading the nation back to serving God.
As soon as Manassah got the opportunity, he undid everything his father had spiritually tried to do for the nation. Manassah spent most of his 55 years doing evil in the eyes of the Lord. He worshiped idols, tried talking to dead people through witches and sorcerers, he sacrificed his sons as human offerings to idols, he put to death innocent people who challenged what he was doing. The account of Manassah in 2 Kings tells us he filled Jerusalem with innocent blood. Tradition tells us he had the prophet Isaiah sawn in half.
Manassah was full of pride. He did not have to answer to anyone. He did not apologize to anyone for anything he did. He could care less about God. But one day, God decided enough was enough. God sent the King of Assyria to invade Jerusalem. Manassah was captured, and they put a hook in his nose and chains on his hands and feet and led him away as though he was some wild animal.
This former king was thrown into some Assyrian prison. All the riches and power of which he had boasted now meant absolutely nothing. None of the many idols he had made and created could do much to help him. His situation was hopeless, and he was helpless.
How many Manassah’s are with us today, who are just waiting for some circumstance in life to come and humble them? Oh you may be on top now, and the future may look bright, and you see no need of God in your life. But God is going to send an Assyrian king into your life, because God hates pride and he will bring down all those who are proud of heart. But God’s purpose in humbling us, is to bring us to our senses that we might make a change.
It was in the dark of the prison, that Manassah remembered, that the God of Israel, was a second chance God. This murderous, lying, abuser of people, had the audacity to think God that if he humbled himself, God just might hear his prayer. I’m amazed at the people who do not understand how big the heart of God is. They actually believe they have done something so bad, that God could not possible love or forgive them. When this evil man humbled himself before God, God had a plan for his Life.
The Scriptures tell us in 2 Chronicles 33:12-14 In his distress he sought the favor of the LORD his God and humbled himself greatly before the God of his fathers. And when he prayed to him, the LORD was moved by his entreaty and listened to his plea; so he brought him back to Jerusalem and to his kingdom. Then Manasseh knew that the LORD is God.
Sometimes it takes a life time to straighten out our lives and move on the right track. How great is our God to have as much patients with us to allow us to live long enough to get it right.
Our God knows where each one of us is today. He knows which of us really blew it this past week. He knows which of us have been pretending for a long time. Today is the day to stop abusing your wife. Today is the day to let go of the drugs. Today is the time to get rid of everything which entices you to pornography. Today is the day to get rid of your little secret sin, and humble yourself in the presence of God. God’s not going to be shocked by your confession. He’s been waiting for a long time for you to get serious about your problem. He’s the Second Chance God, and He’s offering you a second chance to make things right in your life.
Look closely at this scripture lesson on how any failures we have walked through can be used in a positive way to bless our loved ones and God. Do you agree with me that we are all serving a second chance God?
II. II SAMUEL 9:1-11
The second group of scriptures that we need to look at today is found in II Samuel 9:1-11 David asked, “Is there anyone still left of the house of Saul to whom I can show kindness for Jonathan’s sake?” 2 Now there was a servant of Saul’s household named Ziba. They summoned him to appear before David, and the king said to him, “Are you Ziba?”“At your service,” he replied.3 The king asked, “Is there no one still alive from the house of Saul to whom I can show God’s kindness?”Ziba answered the king, “There is still a son of Jonathan; he is lame in both feet.”4 “Where is he?” the king asked. Ziba answered, “He is at the house of Makir son of Ammiel in Lo Debar.”5 So King David had him brought from Lo Debar, from the house of Makir son of Ammiel.6 When Mephibosheth son of Jonathan, the son of Saul, came to David, he bowed down to pay him honor. David said, “Mephibosheth!”“At your service,” he replied.7 “Don’t be afraid,” David said to him, “for I will surely show you kindness for the sake of your father Jonathan. I will restore to you all the land that belonged to your grandfather Saul, and you will always eat at my table. ”8 Mephibosheth bowed down and said, “What is your servant, that you should notice a dead dog like me?”9 Then the king summoned Ziba, Saul’s steward, and said to him, “I have given your master’s grandson everything that belonged to Saul and his family. 10 You and your sons and your servants are to farm the land for him and bring in the crops, so that your master’s grandson may be provided for. And Mephibosheth, grandson of your master, will always eat at my table.” (Now Ziba had fifteen sons and twenty servants.)11 Then Ziba said to the king, “Your servant will do whatever my lord the king commands his servant to do.” So Mephibosheth ate at David’s table like one of the king’s sons.
We’re going to look at the story of Mephibosheth, because this obscure Old Testament Character gives us a picture of God’s grace to sinners. II Samuel chapter 4 tells us that after David was firmly established on his Throne, he remembered his promise to Jonathan. He found young Mephibosheth --- the only surviving son of Jonathan --- the grandson of his old enemy Saul --- and he restored Mephibosheth to the Palace of the King.
As we look at the restoration of Mephibosheth, we’ll see that his story represents what God has done for each of us.
Jonathan, Saul’s son had a son crippled in his feet. He was five years old when the report of Saul and Jonathan came from Jezreel, and his nurse took him up and fled. And it happened that in her hurry to flee, he fell and became lame. And his name was Mephibosheth. II Samuel 4:4.
Mephibosheth started out at a distinct disadvantage. His well-meaning nurse panicked and --- in her haste to get the boy away from danger --- she dropped him. Because of that, Mephibosheth grew up crippled in both feet. This child would, for the rest of his days, need the help of others in order to get by. He was pretty much at the mercy of anyone who came looking for him.
In much the same way, the human race is crippled because of the fall of Adam: We are also at a distinct disadvantage because of our propensity to sin.
• Morally speaking – we cannot live up to the perfect standards of God
• Physically speaking we all face pain and sickness and death.
• Spiritually speaking we cannot make ourselves righteous enough to approach God.
We have the same basic problem Mephibosheth had. He was crippled in both feet. We are crippled when it comes to pleasing God on the basis of our own deeds. Like Mephibosheth, we were all crippled by a fall. The fall of sin in our lives.
The good news is that, like Mephibosheth, we were SOUGHT BY THE KING. He is the King of Second Chances.
Maybe, just maybe we have been crippled in life by one way or another. Maybe it was our fault and maybe we could not help the circumstances that were poured on us, but we have a God who looks after us 24 hours a day 365 days a year to help us deal with our everyday problems
Mephibosheth did not search for the King. The King searched for him. He was only 5 years old when he fled the palace. Chances are, he didn’t even know David. But David made himself known to Mephibosheth … just like God has revealed Himself to us.
King David went out of his way to seek out this lost son. Fortunately, for Mephibosheth, he sought him out for good. In very much the same way, Jesus came into the world seeking those who were not seeking him.
John 1:10 says He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him.” Jesus said: “I have come to seek and to save that which was lost.” Luke 19:10
So today--------Do you want a second chance in life? Then you have to recognize where you have been in this life, where you walked off the path and start mending the ways of life. You begin on your knees. You recognize as a father, mother, son or daughter that we are nothing without the hand of Almighty God on us. We were built in His image. We are all SONS and DAUGHTERS of the King of Kings.
Can you ever repay a loving God? Nope! Can He make you whole? Yep! But you have to do your part and ask. You have to recognize that you are lost without direction and the direction only comes from HIM.
We are all crippled in our sins but it is in the grace of our Lord that we find the strength to get up and move on. Look at I John 1:9 If we confess our sins, HE is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.
We have to ask for forgiveness. Forgiveness not automatic. It is God who leads the way. It is God that is calling you. Get off the freeway of your life and stop and listen to the still small voice of a living God who is saying to each of us today:
I love you, I love you, I love you.
Your Loving Heavenly Father, on Father’s Day is giving you a chance to come clean with your life and come closer to Him. The greatest lesson in life today is to know that Jesus died for all fathers…..mothers….sons and daughters.
If you have never accepted Jesus as your Saviour. You have never made a public statement of your belief then today I want you to make your way to the front as we stand and sing our hymn of decision.
Amen and Amen
