Introduction

Good morning, church family! Today, we dive into a powerful message of God's Surprising Mercy, The Power of Repentance, and Living Out Our Faith. We will be exploring the sacred scriptures from Matthew 28-32, Ezekiel 18:25-32, and Philippians 2:1-13.

As we ponder these scriptures one quote comes to mind from a respected Christian author, Philip Yancey, "Grace comes free of charge to people who do not deserve it and I am one of those people. I think back to whom I was — resentful, wound tight with anger, a single hardened link in a long chain of ungrace learned from family and church. Now I am trying in my own small way to pipe the tune of grace. I do so because I know, more surely than I know anything, that any pang of healing or forgiveness or goodness I have ever felt comes solely from the grace of God."

Let's first read the scriptures for today’s message:

Matthew 28-32 says, "So those servants went out into the highways and gathered together all whom they found, both bad and good. And the wedding hall was filled with guests. But when the king came in to see the guests, he saw a man there who did not have on a wedding garment. So he said to him, 'Friend, how did you come in here without a wedding garment?' And he was speechless."

Ezekiel 18:25-32 reads, "Yet you say, ‘The way of the Lord is not fair.’ Hear now, O house of Israel, is it not My way which is fair, and your ways which are not fair? When a righteous man turns away from his righteousness, commits iniquity, and dies in it, it is because of the iniquity which he has done that he dies. Again, when a wicked man turns away from the wickedness which he committed, and does what is lawful and right, he preserves himself alive."

And finally, Philippians 2:1-13 tells us, "Therefore if you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any common sharing in the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind."

God's Surprising Mercy

The parable in Matthew 22:1-14, particularly verses 28-32, provides a vivid illustration of God's surprising mercy. The king in the parable represents God, and the wedding feast symbolizes the kingdom of heaven. The guests invited to the wedding are us, humanity. We see that the king invited everyone, both good and bad, to the feast. This is a clear demonstration of God's inclusive love and mercy. He does not discriminate or favor one person over another. His mercy extends to all, regardless of their past mistakes, current circumstances, or future potential.

This is surprising because it goes against our human instincts and societal norms. We live in a world that often rewards the good and punishes the bad. We are conditioned to believe that we must earn our place, our worth, and our acceptance. However, God's mercy operates on a different plane. It is solely based on His love for us. This is what makes it surprising and, at the same time, incredibly beautiful.

Ezekiel 18:25-32 further underscores this point. In these verses, God challenges the Israelites' notion of fairness. They believed that a righteous person should live and a wicked person should die. But God flips this concept on its head. He declares that if a wicked person turns away from their wickedness and does what is right, they will live. This is a powerful testament to God's surprising mercy. It shows that no one is beyond the reach of God's mercy and that repentance can lead to life, no matter how grave the sin.

God's surprising mercy is not just about forgiveness; it's also about transformation. It's about God taking our brokenness, our mistakes, and our failures, and turning them into something beautiful. It's about God using our past to shape our future in ways we could never imagine. This is the power of God's mercy. It surprises us, not just by forgiving us, but by transforming us.

The Apostle Paul's life is a testament to this. Before his conversion, Paul was a persecutor of Christians. But God, in His surprising mercy, transformed Paul into one of the greatest apostles of the Christian faith. This shows that God's mercy is not just about saving us from our sins; it's about empowering us to live out our God-given purpose.

God's surprising mercy is a beacon of hope in a world that often seems devoid of it. It assures us that no matter how far we've strayed, no matter how deep our sins, God's mercy is always available to us. It's a reminder that God's love for us is unconditional, unchanging, and unfathomable.

As we reflect on God's surprising mercy, it's important to remember that it's not a license to sin. Rather, it's an invitation to turn away from our sins and embrace the transformative power of God's love. It's an opportunity to experience the fullness of God's grace and to live out our faith in meaningful and impactful ways.

Pastor, would you be willing to share a personal story that illustrates the surprising nature of God's mercy in your own life? Your experiences could provide a tangible example of this profound truth and help us better understand and appreciate the depth of God's surprising mercy.

The Power of Repentance

Repentance is the act of turning away from sin and turning towards God ... View this full PRO sermon free with PRO