Sermon: The Hidden Lines

Subject: The Hidden Lines

Scripture: Proverbs 29:1 “He that being often reproved and hardeneth his neck shall suddenly be destroyed, and that without remedy.”

Introduction: There is a danger in crossing God’s deadlines. It is hard to imagine that a God of love has deadlines. This verse says, a person often rebuked who becomes obstinate Will suddenly be broken beyond remedy. One who becomes stiff-necked, after many reprimands will be shattered instantly— beyond recovery. Whoever stubbornly refuses to accept criticism will suddenly be destroyed beyond recovery. Can a person cross a deadline spiritually? Can you so stubbornly, arrogantly sin against God that He will give up on you? The answer is yes. You can. The poem “The Hidden Line” describes it like this:

“There is a time, we know not when, A place, we know not where, That marks the destiny of men, To glory or despair. There is a line by us unseen That crosses every path, The hidden boundary between God’s patience and His wrath.”

But far more gripping than the words of the poem is what God says on the subject. Proverbs 29:1 is a terrifying verse: “He who hardens his neck and refuses instruction after being often reproved (corrected, criticized), Will suddenly be broken beyond repair.”

You say, “But God is a God of infinite love.” Yes, He’s a God of love, but that’s only part of the truth. Partial truth is an untruth. We need to see all God says on the subject. Yes, you can reach the point of no return.

What about the mercy of God? Mercy refers to God’s forbearance or God withholding punishment. For example, God the Father showed mercy on us when he sacrificed his son, Christ Jesus, on the Cross to pay the price for our sins. God’s grace, in Christian theology, is the spontaneous, unmerited gift of the divine favor in the salvation of sinners, and the divine influence operating in individuals for their regeneration and sanctification. As Methodist we believe in three kinds of grace: prevenient grace, which is God's active presence in people's lives before they even sense the divine at work in their lives; justifying grace, through which all sins are forgiven by God; and sanctifying grace, which allows people to grow in their ability to live like Jesus.

The religious leader, in particular, and the Jewish people had experienced the miracle of grace and mercy, and the love of God displayed in the person of Jesus Christ, his son. To justify destroying Jesus, they accused Him of being a law breaker, casting out devil by the power of Beelzebul and working miracles in league with Satan. They were in danger of Mismanaging God’s Mercy and misusing God’s grace.

This lesson points out that there is a line that we should not cross. Many today are excited about the message of grace and the liberty of the gospel. They cast off the restraints of the Laws of God and any traditional moral rules. They use their liberty as an occasion to sin. They crucify the Lord afresh and trample the love of God under their feet. Jesus saw the direction the religious leaders were going and warned them of the danger.

Years ago, the military prison system coined the phrase, “Deadline”. It was a line in the prison yard, identified as point where violators would be shot by the guards, if they crossed that line. It was the first things newly incarcerated persons were shown and taught so no one would dare test the limits. There are places in the scripture that God has drawn a line in the sand. I know for some, it maybe difficult to embrace the idea that a merciful, kind and loving God would dare set some limits.

Here are some examples, Genesis 6:3 “And the LORD said, My spirit shall not always strive with man, for that he also is flesh: yet his days shall be an hundred and twenty years.” God said, this period of Grace will end.

Genesis 6:7 And the LORD said, I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth; both man, and beast, and the creeping thing, and the fowls of the air; for it repenteth me that I have made them. God, set a day of destruction for the man he created and loved.

God set a time limit for the Holy Spirit to woo and plead with men, encouraging them to repent and return unto God. When man refused, the flood came judging every man, woman, boy and girl. They crossed the deadline. Some people view God as being cruel, hard and unjust, yet Paul warns against anyone who would accuse God of injustice. How can the one created accuse the creator of injustice? Listen to the deadline used by Jesus to the religious leaders of the danger of crossing the deadline.