BLESSED BE THE LORD GOD OUR MERCIFUL FORGIVING FATHER
Trying to make the point that everyone without exception needs forgiveness, a pastor asked one of his parishioners if he had ever sinned. “Yes, I have sinned,” replied the parishioner, “but not in the last seven years.” Oh yeah?
Reminded me of an exchange that occurred years ago between me and an elderly man I was visiting in a nursing home. He proudly proclaimed, “Me and my wife were married for 68 years and never once had an argument.” And I thought to myself, “Any man who would lie about that, would also lie about other things.”
To tell the truth, “there is none righteous, no, not one” for “all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God.” Right? Has there ever existed a perfect relationship between two or more human beings? Not to my knowledge.
Fact of the matter is: Our greatest need is a relationship with Jesus Christ. Our greatest drawback in preventing or preserving that relationship is sin. Allurement toward sinning has kept (keeps) many a sinner from becoming a born-again child of God. Yet, once saved, that same allurement has presented (presents) itself as a barrier standing in the way of spiritual growth toward Christlikeness.
Thus, in the model prayer, our Lord taught us to ask for God’s forgiveness: “Forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.”
Sin is a failure against God. Technically, it means “to miss the mark” set for us by our Father in Heaven. Doesn’t matter whether the sin is against our Creator or others made in His image. Our sin constitutes nothing less than a debt we owe . . . an offense . . . a transgression . . . a trespass.
God’s forgiveness has: (1) a curative effect – cures what ails us spiritually . . .To have been forgiven, for Jesus’ sake, for the sake of our Intervener who sits at the right hand of God interceding for us . . . (2) a preventative effect - shields from yielding to temptation in our future inasmuch as we know not what tomorrow may bring in the way of allurement . . . (3) a praise effect.
Nothing elicits praise from me like the contentment - peace of mind, heart and soul – that God’s forgiveness administers to me as an antidote (vaccine) for absolving the debt I owe – absolved by the blood of Jesus - shed for the sins of the world and, therefore, for my sins.
No wonder Jesus our Lord taught us to say, as He prayed that grand finale, “For Thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever. Amen.”
Blessed be the Lord God our Merciful, Forgiving Father in Heaven!
King David – a man after God’s own heart – sinned against God . . . Who better than the greatest of kings and the most preeminent ancestor of Jesus to model a sinner’s honest confession – that is absolutely essential for (1) the purging of guilt and (2) the restoring of one’s relationship to Father God – Psalm 51:1-7 . . .
David asked for God’s favor although he knew he did not deserve it! Mercy was asked for in lieu of justice. The law would dictate the death penalty. “Lord, have mercy on me, a sinner” - the penitent plea of one who wants to be pardoned . . . do an about face . . . make things right in God’s sight.
David asked God to do three things that only God can do: Blot out . . . Wash . . . Cleanse . . . David used three terms in confessing his sins: Transgressions . . . Iniquities . . . Sin . . . David “owned” what he had done. “My” - “Mine”. As a shepherd lad he had cultivated the discipline of responsibility.
Learning to take responsibility for wrongdoing early in life helps to keep us from sinning as a lifestyle, but tackling the guilt of having succumbed to our sinful tendencies presents a much greater challenge because turning one’s life around (repentance) requires two decisive, difficult steps: confession and consecration.
Regardless of the degree of one’s rebellion against the authority of God . . . defiance of God’s rules . . . denial of God’s ownership of, and supremacy over, His creation . . . there can be no restoration to a right standing with God until there is an erasing from the chalkboard of one’s mind of that narcissistic attitude . . . a cleaning up of one’s act . . . turning of our old nature that is “bent toward sinning” into a new nature that is “bent toward doing right” in God’s sight. Thus . . .
We, like David, must ask God for renewal in our lives - of such proportions that it’s as if we have a “new heart”, a “new attitude” – Psalm 51:10-12 . . .
“If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it!” Heard that all my life, but none of us has ever met anyone who, like ourselves, did not need a little fixing. We all can stand some improvement! I’d venture to say there’s someone today you feel closer to . . . like a little bit better because of a change for the better in their lives. It’s okay to feel that way! (Dr. Borders prayer at Georgia Tech football game) . . .
None of us like to feel, as David feared, cast away from the presence of God; however, at our age and stage in life, we ought to know by now that our Father in Heaven likes us a lot better when we stay close to Him rather than wander away.
The Lord our God is grieved when we His people allow sin to disrupt our fellowship. When we go astray, therefore, His Holy Spirit pricks our conscience until we return to Him who never gives up on His children! Thus, the Lord God - our merciful forgiving Father - provided a remedy - for the asking . . . for the seeking . . . as Isaiah so beautifully put it:
“Seek ye the Lord while He may be found; call on Him while He is near. Let the wicked forsake his way and the evil man his thoughts. Let him turn to the Lord, and He will have mercy on him, and to our God, for He will freely pardon (forgive).” (Isaiah 55:6-7). God’s remedy is yours . . . mine . . . for the asking: “God, be merciful to me, a sinner!”
“Lord, have mercy!” is much more than an exclamation of exasperation . . . A plea for God’s salvation! David’s honest confession asking God’s forgiveness, coupled with his earnest plea for renewal (“Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation”) was but a foreshadowing of God’s intervention in the plight of all people via sending His Son.
“When the time had fully come, God sent His Son to redeem us, to intervene in our dire situation, to intercede mercifully on our behalf - that we might receive our inheritance as children of God.” (Galatians 4:4) Paul further explained it this way:
“You see, at just the right time . . . God demonstrated His love for us in this: While we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” (Romans 5:6-8) “. . . for without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness.” (Hebrews 9:22) There is power in the blood!
Thus, Jesus instituted our observance of The Lord’s Supper to commemorate His dying on the Cross and His shedding of His blood on our behalf per God’s Will. From the Gospels:
When the time came, while Jesus and His apostles were gathered around the Passover table, our Lord took bread and, after giving thanks, broke it and said:
“This is . . . my body, crucified for you. Do this in remembrance of me.”
In like manner, Jesus took the cup and said:
“This is . . . the new covenant in my blood shed for you. Do this in remembrance of me.”
In commemoration of our Father’s great love that gave His only begotten Son that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish but have eternal life, and, in remembrance of God’s Son and our Savior Jesus Christ who died for us, we observe the memorial supper instituted by Him:
Prayer of Thanks: Thanks be to Thee O God for your unspeakable gift! Thanks be to Thee, O Christ, for the sacrifice of your body and the shedding of your blood for the remission of our sins! To God be the Glory! Amen.
As the wafers are passed, please take and wait until everyone is served, then we will eat together as family.
As the cups are passed, please take and wait until everyone is served, than we will drink together as family.
Prayer for Continuation: As we continue life’s journey, let us never forget that: according to God’s plan we were brought into this world, by His amazing grace we have been redeemed, by His providential care we are being sustained, and to fulfill His faithful promise we shall dwell in the House of the Lord forever. Amen.
