For those not familiar with an Anglican service there are four Scripture readings prior to the message. The readings for today are: Genesis 25:19-34; Psalm 119:105-112; Romans 8:1-11; and Mathew 13:1-23.
A Pastor in the Philippines, ......a much loved man of God ......carried the burden of a secret sin .....he had committed many years before.
He had repented ..... but still he had no peace, ......no sense .....of God's forgiveness.
In his parish ..... there was a woman ......who deeply loved God ......and who said she had visions ......in which ....she spoke with God ....and he with her.
The Pastor however, was somewhat skeptical.
To see if it was true he said to her, ......"The next time you speak with God, ....I want you to ask him ...what sin your pastor committed ...while he was in seminary."
The woman agreed.
A few days later the pastor saw her and asked., ....."Well, did God visit you ....in your dreams?"
"Yes, he did," .....she replied.
"And did you ask him what sin I committed in seminary?" ......."Yes I did."
"Well, what did he say?"
"He said,...... 'I don't remember'"
Beloved.... Take heart: BIBLE "As far as the east is from the west, so far does God remove our transgressions from us." And the Scriptures go on ....... "You (O God) will cast all our sins .....into the depths of the sea." END
We do dumb things .....we make mistakes... we sin.
Many of these things....are born out of hurry ... frustration .....or distraction.
It is part ......of the human experience.
Our text from Romans begins with one of the greatest promises in all of Scripture. (Pause)
"There is therefore now no condemnation ....for those ....who are in Christ Jesus."
There is something in those words ..... in that promise of God.....that makes your heart ..... year for his presence. .
The significance....... is the fact ...... that in spite of our sin, .....God... does not condemn us. (Pause)
It is .........overwhelming.
And when you read that verse in light of Romans Chapter 7, ........the personal application of its truth ....... Should bring us great peace.
You see, Romans 7 contains a most powerful insight..... concerning our struggle with sin.
What makes it so powerful ....... is that Paul ....... is providing us a glimpse ...... into his own struggle.
And for me ....... that is encouraging.
Often when I think of the apostle Paul, .....I picture someone .....who is almost .....larger than life.
I can see him standing ..... defending his faith ......in front of governors ......and even ..... the emperor of Rome.
We have all listened to his words...... as he instructs the churches to be faithful, ...... And as he encourages Timothy and Titus .....as pastors.....to remain true .....to their calling.
Probably most of us..... have put Paul ...... on a pedestal.
But when we look to the 7th chapter of Romans, we get a peek..... behind eyes...... of the apostle.
And he is a lot more human ...... than we might have first thought.
Paul is a fellow struggle in the Faith. Here his words: BIBLE "....... I am of the flesh, sold into slavery under sin. 15 I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate. ...... 19 For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want ....is what I do. END
Paul is honest enough ......to recognize within himself .......a tendency to get caught in the stranglehold..... of sin.
A grip ... that can become so tight .....that many believe ......that they are ......beyond forgiveness.
Karl Menninger, ......the famed psychiatrist, once said: "....if he could convince the patients in psychiatric hospitals .....that their sins were forgiven, ......75 percent of them ......could walk out the next day!"
We Sin ... we all sin. It happens to us all.
Earlier in his letter to the Believers gathered in Rome Paul proclaimed "Not one is righteous, no not one."
Later he stated biblical fact: ......That "All have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God."
But now...... he states its effects on him ..... personally.
He is telling us "I struggle with sin, ....and sometimes ....I lose."
Finally, the frustration of losing seems to break through to the surface as Paul proclaims: in 7:22-24
BIBLE "........ I see in my members ..........at war with the law of my mind, ......making me captive to the law of sin ......that dwells in my members. 24 Wretched man that I am! .....Who will rescue me from this body of death?" END
You try to be patient .....but in a flash .....you strike out ......and the words you say ......have done their damage.
You thought .......you had broken the grip ..... but you listened to the whisper of the old nature ..... "it will be okay just this once," ....and now you feel .....like a failure.
You knew you should have steered clear, ......but. before you know it, ......you have found out .....you were weaker than you thought.
You do not live up to the standards ..... that you know are right.
And now all you feel is stupid, filthy. Wretch-ed ....... to use the language of Paul.
We all fail... we all give in.
Yet Paul takes us to Victory ..... In Chapter 8
BIBLE " Wretched man that I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death? 25 Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord! So ...... There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. 2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and of death. END
The greatness of the promise.... This promise of grace .......is that even when we fail ...... again and again,......We have assurance..........there is No condemnation .....for those ....who are in Christ Jesus.
There now is no condemnation ..... For who?
(Slow) For those ....who are in Christ Jesus.
Beloved.....There is security in our relationship with God.
When God looks at you, ......He does not see a wretch, .....He sees a son ...... he sees a daughter.
Remember the story of the prodigal son.
The boy disregarded his father, ......and then in every way.....disgraced himself. (Pause)
Dr. Vernon McGee says: ......."Do you know the difference between the son in that pigpen ....and the pig?
The difference is that no pig has ever said to himself,....... "'I will arise ...... and go to my father.'"
He is right, ...... but a child of God ....can do that!
And when the Prodigal Son ...... came within eyesight of home, .....The Father ran ..... He ran to meet his son..... to embrace him.
Paul wants you to know......to truly know ..... that God the Father......is just as anxious .....to throw His arms .....around you..... and embrace you.
"There is now No condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus." (Long Pause)
A young boy .....was arrested .....and brought before the magistrate for taking a bag of candy .....from the shelf of a local store.
The owner of the store pressed charges ...... he wanted the boy ......to learn a lesson.
After a lecture from the judge, .......the judge asked the young boy if he had anything to say...... before he passed sentence.
The boy sat very quietly with his head hung low ....... then slowly raised his head and focused his eyes ........on the eyes of the judge.
The boy said, very slowly,...... "Judge have you ever stolen anything?"
The room became very quiet ...... finally the judge said, ........ "Case dismissed."
"There is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus."
In Christ... You are free.... You are free indeed.
Why is this important?
Because if the truth be known, ......there are times when there is condemnation .......for those who are in Christ Jesus.
But it never .... Ever...comes from God. ..... But it does come from Satan.
The name ......"Satan" means? Accuser!
And Satan wants us to believe..... that we are condemned.
He wants to trap us into believing that we are so wretch-ed ...... that God ......wants nothing to do .....with us.
He wants us to be like Adam and Eve..... in the garden ...... after they sinned.
All they wanted to do ......was hide from God!
And the truth is, ...... (Slow) we have all been there.
We have all failed, ...... We have all felt condemned.
And we too have turned away ..... and have tried to hide ourselves .....from God.
Not because we do not love Him, ..... but because ......we are .... As Adam and Eve....ashamed.
We have listened to Satan .....when he whispers..... that we are condemned for our sin.
Beloved sin enslaves us ..... forgiveness frees us. REPEAT. (Long Pause)
A little boy who was visiting his grandparents .....was given ......his first slingshot.
He practiced in the woods, .....but he could never hit his target.
As he came back to Grandma's back yard, .....he spied her pet duck.
On an impulse he took aim .....and let fly.
The stone hit, .....and the duck .....fell dead.
The boy panicked.
Desperately he hid the dead duck in the woodpile, .....only to look up ......and see his sister ...watching.
Sally had seen it all, .....but she said nothing.
After lunch that day, Grandma said, ......"Sally, let's wash the dishes."
But Sally said, ....."Johnny told me he wanted to help in the kitchen today. .........Didn't you, Johnny?"
And she whispered to him, "Remember the duck!
So Johnny did the dishes.
Later Grandpa asked if the children could go fishing.
Grandma said, "I'm sorry, ......but I need Sally to help make supper."
Sally smiled and said, ......"That's all taken care of Grandma....... Johnny wants to help with supper."
Again she whispered, "Remember the duck."
Johnny stayed ....while Sally went fishing.
Finally......After several days of Johnny doing both his chores and Sally's, ......he couldn't stand it any longer.
He confessed to Grandma ....that he had killed the duck.
"I know, Johnny," she said, giving him a hug.
"I was standing at the window ....and I saw the whole thing.
I forgave you at that very moment.... Because I love you.
And I wondered how long you would allow Sally ...... to make a slave of you.
Sin enslaves us and forgiveness frees us.
O Beloved......Seek forgiveness....
Our heavenly Father already knows ... nothing done in the dark .....is hidden from him.
(Slow) "There is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus." (Long Pause)
Paul recognizes a very important truth, .............that we act ......according....... To who WE believe we are.
If we are deceived into thinking that we are wretched..... That we are not who God says we are.
Then we are going to keep on acting .... In the past..... under the old nature.
Beloved ..... in order to break the power ...... of the old nature...... of the past.
You must see yourself .....as God sees you.
Then and only then ...... will you begin to understand .... The vastness of the Fathers love,
Then and only then.... Will you fully understand all that Jesus did for you. (Pause)
O' You are loved... you are forgiven.
You are a son ... you are a daughter... of the King of Kings.
Beloved.....Hold on...... to God's Promise:
"Therefore, .....there is now ....... no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.
Do you believe it....
Do you truly ...... Believe It?
You should... and you can!
Amen and Amen!
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