HOPE BEYOND GUILT
1 PETER 2:4 – 2:12
I WANT TO VISIT TWO MORE ASPECTS OF HOPE BEFORE WE TURN OUR ATTENTION TO CELEBRATING THE ADVENT SEASON. THE FIRST ASPECT, AND THE ONE THAT I AM GOING TO SPEAK ON TODAY, IS THE HOPE THAT WE HAVE IN CHRIST THAT ALLOWS US TO LIFT THE LOAD OF GUILT THAT WE OFTEN CARRY TOO MUCH OF.
A CHANGE THAT HAPPENS AS WE GET OLDER IS AN INCREASE IN GUILT. IT COULD COME FROM AN INCREASE IN RESPONSIBILITY, PERHAPS A REALIZATION THAT WE HAVEN’T ACHIEVED SOME OF OUR LIFE GOALS, OR A MIRIAD OF OTHER REASONS, BUT THE ONLY THING I CAN SAY FOR SURE, IS THAT THERE IS AN INCREASE IN FEELINGS OF GUILT.
I THINK THAT THIS IS WHY JESUS SPOKE A LOT ABOUT THE FAITH OF CHILDREN, AND BELIEVEING IN HIM AS CHILDREN DO. JESUS SAID:
MATTHEW 18:3-4:
“3 AND HE SAID: "I TELL YOU THE TRUTH, UNLESS YOU CHANGE AND BECOME LIKE LITTLE CHILDREN, YOU WILL NEVER ENTER THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN. 4 THEREFORE, WHOEVER HUMBLES HIMSELF LIKE THIS CHILD IS THE GREATEST IN THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN.”
AS A CHILD WE APPROACHED GOD WITH AN UNRESERVED INNOCENSE. WE KNEW THERE WAS NOTHING HE COULD NOT DO, AND JUST ACCEPTED THAT FACT. AS A RESULT WE WOULD PRAY ABOUT ANYTHING.
HANK (AGE 7): THANK YOU FOR THE NICE DAY TODAY. YOU EVEN FOOLED THE WEATHERMAN ON T.V.
DAVID (AGE 7): I NEED A RAISE IN MY ALLOWANCE. COULD YOU HAVE ONE OF YOUR ANGELS TELL MY FATHER?
HARVEY: CHARLES MY CAT GOT RUN OVER. AND IF YOU MADE IT HAPPEN YOU HAVE TO TELL ME WHY.
CHILD (AGE 7): CAN YOU GUESS WHAT IS THE BIGGEST RIVER OF ALL OF THEM? THE AMAZON. YOU OUGHT TO BE ABLE TO BECAUSE YOU MADE IT. HA HA.
NOW IF WE WERE TO PUT TOGETHER A LIST OF ADULT LETTERS TO GOD, THERE WOULD BE QUITE A CHANGE WOULDN’T THERE. SHAME, GUILT, REGRET, AND FAILURE WOULD DOMINATE THE PARAGRAPHS.
THIS IS NOT THE WAY GOD WANTS US TO BE. CONSIDER OUR RESPONSIVE READING THIS MORNING. WHAT A LIST OF BLESSINGS! WHY IS IT THAT A CHILD CAN RECOGNIZE THE AWESOME POWER OF GOD TO ANSWER ANY PRAYER, AND WE AS ADULTS FEEL THAT WE SHOULDN’T BOTHER HIM WITH OUR TROUBLES, AS IF WE COULD MONOPOLIZE HIS POWER, OR HAVE A PROBLEM THAT WAS TOO BIG OR TOO SMALL, TO TAKE TO HIM.
JESUS DOES NOT WANT US TO LIVE UNDER A LOAD OF GUILT. HE HAS PROMISED THAT WE SHOULD HAVE LIFE AND HAVE IT MORE ABUNDANTLY IN HIM. HE TOLD US THAT WE ARE TO GIVE HIM OUR BURDENS AND OUR GUILT. WE ARE NOT TO PICK IT UP AGAIN AFTER WE DO. JESUS SAID:
MATTHEW 11:28-30:
“28 "COME TO ME, ALL YOU WHO ARE WEARY AND BURDENED, AND I WILL GIVE YOU REST. 29 TAKE MY YOKE UPON YOU AND LEARN FROM ME, FOR I AM GENTLE AND HUMBLE IN HEART, AND YOU WILL FIND REST FOR YOUR SOULS. 30 FOR MY YOKE IS EASY AND MY BURDEN IS LIGHT."”
SOMETIMES WE CAN PICTURE GOD ONLY IN HIS ROLE AS JUDGE, AS IF HE IS LOOKING AT ALL OF OUR ACTIONS THROUGH A MAGNIFYING GLASS, WHEN THIS IS NOT THE CASE AT ALL. THE BIBLE DECLARES THAT GOD BECAME GUILT FOR US. AS PART OF HIS SACRIFICE ON THE CROSS HE TOOK ON THE GUILT OF OUR SIN, SO THAT BY ACCEPTING HIM AS LORD AND SAVIOR, WE CAN TAKE ON HIS INNOCENSE.
COLOSSIANS 1:13-14:
“13 FOR HE HAS RESCUED US FROM THE DOMINION OF DARKNESS AND BROUGHT US INTO THE KINGDOM OF THE SON HE LOVES, 14 IN WHOM WE HAVE REDEMPTION, THE FORGIVENESS OF SINS.”
GOD HAS WONDERFUL PLANS FOR YOU AND ME. THESE PLANS WILL COME TO COMPLETE FRUITION WHEN WE ARE PRESENT WITH HIM IN GLORY, BUT UNTIL THEN WE CAN TAKE HIS PROMISES TO HEART.
JEREMIAH 29:11-12:
“11 FOR I KNOW THE PLANS I HAVE FOR YOU," DECLARES THE LORD, "PLANS TO PROSPER YOU AND NOT TO HARM YOU, PLANS TO GIVE YOU HOPE AND A FUTURE. 12 THEN YOU WILL CALL UPON ME AND COME AND PRAY TO ME, AND I WILL LISTEN TO YOU.”
THIS IS THE PROMISE OF GOD FOR US TODAY. WE LIVE NOT UNDER THE JUDGMENT OF GOD, BUT UNDER HIS GRACE. THERE WILL COME A TIME WHEN WE HAVE TO DEAL WITH HIS JUDGMENT, BUT RIGHT NOW WE LIVE UNDER HIS GRACE AND MERCY.
PETER CAPTURES THIS IN THE PASSAGE THAT WE READ TODAY. LOOK AGAIN AT VERSES 4-8 OF CHAPTER TWO.
1 PETER 2:4-8:
“4 ¶ AS YOU COME TO HIM, THE LIVING STONE—REJECTED BY MEN BUT CHOSEN BY GOD AND PRECIOUS TO HIM— 5 YOU ALSO, LIKE LIVING STONES, ARE BEING BUILT INTO A SPIRITUAL HOUSE TO BE A HOLY PRIESTHOOD, OFFERING SPIRITUAL SACRIFICES ACCEPTABLE TO GOD THROUGH JESUS CHRIST. 6 FOR IN SCRIPTURE IT SAYS: "SEE, I LAY A STONE IN ZION, A CHOSEN AND PRECIOUS CORNERSTONE, AND THE ONE WHO TRUSTS IN HIM WILL NEVER BE PUT TO SHAME." 7 NOW TO YOU WHO BELIEVE, THIS STONE IS PRECIOUS. BUT TO THOSE WHO DO NOT BELIEVE, "THE STONE THE BUILDERS REJECTED HAS BECOME THE CAPSTONE," 8 AND, "A STONE THAT CAUSES MEN TO STUMBLE AND A ROCK THAT MAKES THEM FALL." THEY STUMBLE BECAUSE THEY DISOBEY THE MESSAGE—WHICH IS ALSO WHAT THEY WERE DESTINED FOR.”
THIS PASSAGE PAINTS SEVERAL BEAUTIFUL WORD PICTURES OF THE DELIGHT THAT GOD TAKES IN HIS CHILDREN. I WANT TO SHARE FOUR OF THEM WITH YOU TODAY.
POINT ONE: WE ARE LIVING STONES IN A SPIRITUAL HOUSE:
WHEN SOLOMON’S TEMPLE WAS BEING BUILT ALL OF THE ROCKS WERE QUARRIED OFF THE SITE AND BROUGHT TO THE BUILDING SITE. PETER IS USING THE MEAPHOR OF THE BUILDING TO INDICATE HOW PRECIOUS WE ARE TO GOD.
EACH TIME A PERSON BECOMES A BORN-AGAIN CHRISTIAN IT’S ANOTHER STONE THAT IS QUARRIED OUT OF THE PIT OF SIN AND CAREFULLY FITTED INTO THE SPIRITUAL HOME THAT GOD IS BUILDING.
GOD HAS QUARRIED YOU OUT OF THE GROSS PIT OF YOUR SIN. HE HAS MOLDED YOU TO FIT A PRECISE PLACE IN HIS HOME, A PLACE THAT ONLY YOU CAN FIT INTO. HE WILL NOT LEAVE YOU ALONE. HE IS THE CORNERSTONE, THE FOUNDATION STONE FOR HIS KINGDOM. YOU CAN LEAN UPON HIM, DEPEND ON HIM.
GOD IS THE MASTER ARCHITECT AND EVERY STONE IS BEING PLACED PRECISELY WHERE IT WAS DESIGNED FOR, AND AT THE PROPER TIME. YOU AND I WERE NOT PLACED IN CAMPBELLTON AND AT THIS TIME JUST BY ACCIDENT, BUT ACCORDING TO THE SOVEREIGN PLAN OF GOD, AND HIS PLAN IS RIGHT ON SCHEDULE.
POINT TWO: WE ARE PRIESTS IN THE SAME TEMPLE:
PETER REFERS TO US AS A HOLY AND ROYAL PRIESTHOOD. THIS MEANS THAT FROM THE TIME WE ACCEPTED CHRIST WE HAVE BEEN SET ASIDE FOR A PURPOSE. WE ARE ALL PRIESTS BELONGING TO A KINGLY ORDER AND SET APART FOR SERVICE TO GOD.
AS PRIESTS WE ARE CALLED TO OFFER UP PRAYERS, BRING SPIRITUAL SACRIFICES, INTERCEDE TO GOD ON BEHALF OF OTHERS, AND STAY IN TUNE TO THE SPIRITUAL SIDE OF LIFE.
WHEN WE CONSIDER THIS WE CAN REALIZE THAT THERE IS NO PLACE IN OUR CHRISTIAN WALK FOR GUILT EITHER SELF-IMPOSED OR IMPOSED ON US BY OTHERS.
REMEMBER GUILT IS A SATAN DRIVEN FORCE. HE CAN USE OTHERS TO APPLY IT, OR HE CAN USE US PERSONALLY TO TRY TO ACCOMPLISH HIS TASK. IT IS TRUE THAT WE ARE OUR OWN WORSE ENEMIES AT TIMES.
SATAN CAN MANIPULATE ANY SITUATION WITH THOUGHTS LIKE:
I COULD HAVE DONE BETTER
ITS YOUR FAULT THAT SOMETHING HAPPENED
I LET YOU DOWN
AND THERE ARE MANY OTHERS.
HE WILL ATTACK OUR CHARACTER
HE WILL ATTACK US WITH OUR EMOTIONS. I MUST BE GUILTY OF SOMETHING. I WOULDN’T FEEL THIS BAD IF I WASN’T GUILTY OF SOMETHING IN THE SITUATION.
IN MOMENTS OF SELF-REFLECTION WE MIGHT FIND ASPECTS OF A SITUATION WE MIGHT DO DIFFERENTLY, BUT THESE ARE NOT TO BE USED TO PROVIDE GUILT, BUT RATHER AS HELP FOR THE FUTURE.
SATAN PLAYS ON A MISCONCEPTION THAT IS IN THE WORLD TODAY. WE SEE FEELING SAD AS SOMETHING NEGATIVE. WE DON’T LIKE FEELING THIS WAY, WE TRY TO AVOID IT, AND WE TRY TO GET OVER IT AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE.
THERE ARE TIMES THOUGH WHEN FEELINGS OF SADNESS, FEELINGS OF ANGER AND DISAPPOINTMENT, ARE PERFECTLY NATURAL. WE SHOULD BE SAD WHEN DEALING WITH CLOSING ASPECTS OF OUR LIFE. IT COULD BE THROUGH DEATH, PERHAPS ITS MOVING TO ANOTHER COMMUNITY, IT COULD BE MOVING OUT OF THE HOUSE YOU HAVE OWNED FOR DECADES BUT FIND YOU CANNOT KEEP UP WITH THE WORK OF IT BECAUSE OF HEALTH ISSUES. FEELING SAD DOES NOT NEGATE THE REALITY OF THE SCRIPTURES, AND WHAT THE SCRIPTURES SAY CAN HELP US DEAL WITH THAT EMOTION.
THE SAME IS TRUE WITH ANGER AND DI9SAPPOINTMENT. WE WANT TO SEE THOSE WE LOVE TO SUCCEED. WHEN THEY GO ASTRAY, OR WHEN THEY FAIL AT A VENTURE, IT WOULD BE WRONG IF WE DIDN’T FEEL BAD.
MY POINT IS SIMPLY THIS, FEELING BAD OR SAD MAY BE A NORMAL WAY TO FEEL, BUT SATAN CAN TAKE THAT NORMAL FEELING, AND MAKE US FEEL THAT IT IS WRONG.
WHEN WE REALIZE THAT WE ARE ALL A PART OF THE TEMPLE OF GOD, MORTARED TOGETHER WITH THE SCRIPTURE AND THE LEADING OF THE HOLY SPIRIT, WITH JESUS CHRIST, OUR LORD AND SAVIOR AS THE CORNERSTONE, THEN THERE IS NO PLACE FOR SATAN TO BREAK THROUGH WITH FEELINGS OF GUILT.
POINT THREE: WE ARE A CHOSEN RACE:
BEING CHOSEN FOR SOMETHING HAS ALWAYS MADE US FEEL VERY SPECIAL. WHEN CHOSEN FOR A JOB, CHOSEN TO SING A SOLO, CHOSEN TO DO A SPECIAL TASK, ALWAYS GIVES US A FEELING OF SELF-WORTH. WE RECOGNIZE IN THE CHOICE THAT THE PEOPLE CHOOSING FEEL THAT WE HAVE THE CAPABILITES TO PERFORM THE TASK THEY CHOOSE US FOR. WE AREN’T CHOSEN BECAUSE THEY DON’T WANT US, BUT RATHER BECAUSE THEY DO.
WE NEED TO UNDERSTAND THIS WITH RESPECT TO OUR SPIRITUAL LIVES AS WELL. WE MUST REMEMBER THAT WE WERE WORTH GREAT VALUE IN GOD’S EYES BEFORE HE WAS OF ANY VALUE IN OUR EYES.
DEUTERONOMY 7:6-8:
“6 FOR YOU ARE A PEOPLE HOLY TO THE LORD YOUR GOD. THE LORD YOUR GOD HAS CHOSEN YOU OUT OF ALL THE PEOPLES ON THE FACE OF THE EARTH TO BE HIS PEOPLE, HIS TREASURED POSSESSION. 7 THE LORD DID NOT SET HIS AFFECTION ON YOU AND CHOOSE YOU BECAUSE YOU WERE MORE NUMEROUS THAN OTHER PEOPLES, FOR YOU WERE THE FEWEST OF ALL PEOPLES. 8 BUT IT WAS BECAUSE THE LORD LOVED YOU AND KEPT THE OATH HE SWORE TO YOUR FOREFATHERS THAT HE BROUGHT YOU OUT WITH A MIGHTY HAND AND REDEEMED YOU FROM THE LAND OF SLAVERY, FROM THE POWER OF PHARAOH KING OF EGYPT.”
THERE WAS NOTHING WE COULD DO TO MAKE GOD CHOOSE US. IT WASN’T OUR GOOD LOOKS, OUR ABILITY TO BE A GOOD WORKER. IT ISN’T OUR CHURCH ATTENDANCE, OR EVEN BEING A MEMBER THAT MADE GOD CHOOSE US.
THERE IS ONLY ONE THING THAT MADE GOD CHOOSE US, AND THAT WAS HIS GRACE. CHUCKI SWINDELL STATES IT THIS WAY:
“HE CHOSE US NOT BECAUSE WE DESERVED IT, BUT SIMPLU BECAUSE OF HIS GRACE – A KINDNESS SHOWN TO THEM ENTIRELY WITHOUT MERIT ON THEIR PART. SIMPLY “BECAUSE THE LORD LOVED YOU.”
WAVES OF GUILT THAT SATAN TRIES TO WASH OVER US CAN BE BRUSHED AWAY WITH THE FACT THAT GOD LOVES ME AND HE CHOSE TO LOVE BEFORE HE CREATED THE WORLD. AS A MAN ONCE SAID “GOD LOVES ME, AND GOD DON’T MAKE NO JUNK.”
POINT FOUR: WE ARE GOD’S CHOSEN POSSESSION:
I WAS AMAZED WHEN I READ OF THE PRICES SOME OF THE PERSONAL POSSESSIONS OF PROMINENT PEOPLE SOLD FOR.
NAPOLEONS TOOTHBRUSH: $21,000.00
HITLER’S CAR: $150,000.00
JACKIE KENNEDY’S FAKE PEARLS: $211,000.00
Jfk’S WOOD GOLFCLUBS: $772,500
THESE ITEMS ARE NOT SIGNIFICANT IN THEMSELVES, BUT ARE MADE SIGNIFICANT BY THOSE WHO OWNED THEM. THEY GAINED GREAT VALUE.
THEN LET US CONSIDER THIS:
1 PETER 2:9: “BUT YOU ARE A CHOSEN PEOPLE, A ROYAL PRIESTHOOD, A HOLY NATION, A PEOPLE BELONGING TO GOD, THAT YOU MAY DECLARE THE PRAISES OF HIM WHO CALLED YOU OUT OF DARKNESS INTO HIS WONDERFUL LIGHT.”
SO LETS ADD ONE MORE THING TO THIS LIST OF POSSESSIONS:
YOUR NAME: THE BLOOD OF JESUS CHRIST.
CONCLUSION:
GUILT IS OFTEN RELATED TO PERSONAL WORTH. AS CHRISTIANS WE DRAW OUR VALUE FROM THE FACT THAT GOD LOVED US, SENT HIS SON TO DIE FOR US, AND WANTS AN ETERNAL RELATIONSHIP WITH US.
1PETER 2:10: “ONCE YOU WERE NOT A PEOPLE, BUT NOW YOU ARE THE PEOPLE OF GOD; ONCE YOU HAD NOT RECEIVED MERCY, BUT NOW YOU HAVE RECEIVED MERCY.”
GOD IS NOT GOING TO LEAVE HIS CHOSEN VESSELS, BOUGHT AND PAID FOR BY THE BLOOD OF CHRIST, TO LANQUISH IN FEELINGS OF GUILT AND FRUSTRATION HEAPED ON THEM BY SATAN. THE AUTHOR OF THIS BOOK THAT OUR TEXT IS FROM, PETER, DENIED CHRIST THREE TIMES, AND FELT THE GUILT AND DEPRESSION FROM IT.
GOD DID NOT LEAVE HIM IN THAT SITUATION. HE FOUND HIM IN HIS GUILT AND FORGAVE HIM. HE CAN DO THE SAME THINGS FOR US TODAY.
WE MUST ALWAYS BE ON GUARD FOR THE ATTAACK OF SATAN, AND NOT GIVE HIM A FOOTHOLD TO BUILD ON.
1PETER 2:11-12:
“11 DEAR FRIENDS, I URGE YOU, AS ALIENS AND STRANGERS IN THE WORLD, TO ABSTAIN FROM SINFUL DESIRES, WHICH WAR AGAINST YOUR SOUL. 12 LIVE SUCH GOOD LIVES AMONG THE PAGANS THAT, THOUGH THEY ACCUSE YOU OF DOING WRONG, THEY MAY SEE YOUR GOOD DEEDS AND GLORIFY GOD ON THE DAY HE VISITS US.”
AS SUCH WE SHOULD LIVE A CLEAN LIFE AND NOT DO ANYTHING THAT WOULD GIVE SATAN A CHANCE TO APPLY GUILT TO OUR CONSCIENCE.
WE SHOULD ALSO LEAVE NO ROOM FOR SLANDER. THE GREEK PHILOSOPHER PLATO SAID “I LIVE MY LIFE IN SUCH A WAY THAT IF ANYONE SHOULD BRING A DECEITFUL CHARGE AGAINST ME, NO ONE WOULD BELIEVE IT.”
WE SHOULD ALSO DO GOOD DEEDS AMONG UNBELIEVERS. LET OUR ACTIONS POINT OTHERS TO THE SOURCE OF OUR MOTIVATION. PETER SAYS HERE “ON ACCOUNT OF YOUR GOOD DEEDS” NOT ON ACCOUNT OF YOUR GOOD WORDS.
WE CAN NEVER FORGET THAT WE ARE BEING WATCHED BY SATAN AND THE WORLD. PEOPLE ARE WATCHING US TO SEE IF WE ARE WHAT WE SAY WE ARE.
LASTLY ALWAYS REMEMBER THE WORDS OF PAUL:
ROMANS 8:32-39:
“31 ¶ WHAT, THEN, SHALL WE SAY IN RESPONSE TO THIS? IF GOD IS FOR US, WHO CAN BE AGAINST US? 32 HE WHO DID NOT SPARE HIS OWN SON, BUT GAVE HIM UP FOR US ALL— HOW WILL HE NOT ALSO, ALONG WITH HIM, GRACIOUSLY GIVE US ALL THINGS? 33 WHO WILL BRING ANY CHARGE AGAINST THOSE WHOM GOD HAS CHOSEN? IT IS GOD WHO JUSTIFIES. 35 WHO SHALL SEPARATE US FROM THE LOVE OF CHRIST? SHALL TROUBLE OR HARDSHIP OR PERSECUTION OR FAMINE OR NAKEDNESS OR DANGER OR SWORD? " 37 NO, IN ALL THESE THINGS WE ARE MORE THAN CONQUERORS THROUGH HIM WHO LOVED US. 38 FOR I AM CONVINCED THAT NEITHER DEATH NOR LIFE, NEITHER ANGELS NOR DEMONS, NEITHER THE PRESENT NOR THE FUTURE, NOR ANY POWERS, 39 NEITHER HEIGHT NOR DEPTH, NOR ANYTHING ELSE IN ALL CREATION, WILL BE ABLE TO SEPARATE US FROM THE LOVE OF GOD THAT IS IN CHRIST JESUS OUR LORD.”
