Isaiah 40:21-31; Psalm 40; 1 Corinthians 9:16-23; Luke 15:11-31
Before I begin, I’m going to confess something.
I have a weakness. I'll tell you about it later in this talk.
But for now, let me tell you two stories.
This is a story of two sheep who wanted to get clean.
Now, these two sheep had been doing the sort of stuff that wild sheep do; getting dirty. Both were covered in mud, caked in dirt, and their once pristine fur was now quite filthy. One sheep found a fast-flowing stream, and waded into it, standing near the middle where it could be cleaned by the rushing, safe, shallow waters. Naturally, the sheep got mostly clean. Not perfectly, because there would always be fine particles of dirt and mud and the like which would travel with the water and get in the wool, but on the whole, the sheep was getting –Cleaner-, but he was –still- dirty.
The other decided against it, thinking “it’s too much trouble to be worth the effort.” Instead, the sheep went to find a nearby stagnant bog. This swamp had dead waters, which didn’t flow at all. As soon as the sheep waded in, the mud at the bottom of the bog filtered up and just got the sheep wet, and filthy. ACTIVELY filthy. Instead of getting cleaner by getting in the bog, the sheep was just getting more dirty.
We’ll come back to these two sheep in a couple of minutes. Don’t forget about these sheep – they’ll appear again.
Now, I want to tell you a second story.
It's the story of the Prodigal son, and I'd like for you to see the story from the perspective of the older brother.
Luke15:25-31
“25 “Meanwhile, the older son was in the field. When he came near the house, he heard music and dancing. 26 So he called one of the servants and asked him what was going on. 27 ‘Your brother has come,’ he replied, ‘and your father has killed the fattened calf because he has him back safe and sound.’
28 “The older brother became angry and refused to go in. So his father went out and pleaded with him.
29 But he answered his father, ‘Look! All these years I’ve been slaving for you and never disobeyed your orders. Yet you never gave me even a young goat so I could celebrate with my friends. 30 But when this son of yours who has squandered your property with prostitutes comes home, you kill the fattened calf for him!’
31 “‘My son,’ the father said, ‘you are always with me, and everything I have is yours.”
Most of the time, the meaning we draw from the prodigal son is that:
(A) If you leave home, you can always come back.
(B) God will love you no matter how lost you are.
(C) Don't judge those who are trying to be redeemed.
All valid points. ALL TRUE.
I've had the blessing of meeting a few people in my life who were once not-so- very-great people. I've met people who were once involved heavily in street crime, got frequently into fights, used restricted drugs, and lived not-so-very-pleasant lives. I once told one of them that I felt somewhat envious of how his heart was burning with the Holy Spirit after his conversion.
He told me something very humbling; he told me, "Don't be envious at all. The pain I suffered from being part of this world has left deep scars on me to this day. But Jesus brought me back, and I will fight for Him, not for the drugs or the money anymore."
I don't think I'll ever be able to capture the essence, the passion which burned in those words when he spoke them.
"Jesus brought me back, and I will fight for Him, not for the drugs or the money anymore."
Now, let me share what I have found out about the story of the Prodigal Son:
Let’s say that the older brother is a steadfast Christian. Born and raised into the faith for life, he or she has a far more mature Christianity than anything that the younger son has. So; the more mature Christian weeps and is saddened by the loss of the younger son's faith... But as we watch more and more of the horrible things the younger son is doing on the news, we grow more and more doubtful of if the brother is worth saving.
It's a human flaw; we do it all the time.
My friend had what we in the world consider to be -serious- issues. But to God, he was rebelling just as much – or just as little - as the person who classically 'kill someone in their heart' or 'steals a pen from work'. By the time we were finishing our conversation, I could tell; he probably wept over what he had done. Several times.
Yet, when we hear about someone who is crying about stealing a pen from work, and how that makes them think they’re a bad person, we assume that they must in fact be a GOOD person who is trying TOO hard.
In all honesty; my friend and the person who stole the pen or killed “in their heart” are -no- different. Let me say that again; NO DIFFERENT. From God's perspective, both have broken His commandments. Both have sinned. Both are in rebellion. So why do we assume that the person who “just” stole a pen and breaks down in tears over it is a good person, worthy of being in our flock, while the drug dealer, the scam artist, the murderer is not? They are both God's children. Both God's sons and daughters. One might be older and wiser than the other, less prone to stray... But BOTH stray from His side.
It’s like two sheep out in the water; one in the dirty stagnant bog, the other in the clean flowing stream. They are BOTH dirty, and both keep getting dirty, but the one in the flowing stream is actively wanting to, and trying to get clean. The one in the bog is wallowing in the comfortable, stagnant waters.
It's not so much judging, more along the line of smugness.
Yes! Smugness!
We start to feel smug and secure in our own self-righteousness when in fact, God will take into our very same fold, even go so far as to put -THAT- dirty sheep right next to us in the pew. Ah, I mean sheep-pen, of course.
So, it comes as an absolute shock to us that God would take someone so filthy... So horrible and put them on the same path we're walking. Even go so far as to have, as Jesus said, (Luke15:7) "More joy in Heaven over one sinner who repents, than over ninety-nine righteous people who don't need repentance."
"More joy in Heaven over one sinner who repents, than over ninety-nine righteous people who don't need repentance."
Fellas, that means that Heaven is happier over one poor drug user who changes his way today, than all of you sitting out here today combined!
Now, I have a very ugly question to ask.
If someone out there had stolen your wedding ring or heirloom which had been in your family for generations, sold it, and used the money to host a party which burnt down your house while you were gone, some total stranger... If they were able to listen to the Holy Spirit because you were -gracious- towards them, would you press charges? Would you want your money back?
If there was just the slightest chance that your actions could calm their heart enough that they could listen to the Holy Spirit – and come to Christ... Tell me, would that not be worth it? ALL of Heaven would REJOICE over it!
You would have allowed the Spirit to speak with someone, allowed yourself to be an instrument through which the heartstrings of another could be tugged and led to the Lord, and you filled that role willingly, even in the face of terrible acts against you, and that person felt the Holy Spirit speak... You made ANGELS -SING-!
Isn’t that a beautiful thing?
Jesus said love your neighbor as yourself, and love the Lord your God with all your being.
He didn't say, love your neighbor as yourself, EXCEPT when he made a complete donkey of himself by dropping your favorite hammer under his truck and breaking it by accident. He didn't say, love your neighbor as yourself, EXCEPT when he punches you in the face. He didn't say, love your neighbor as yourself, EXCEPT when he's a scamp who does not deserve your daughter, or EXCEPT when she's that lost woman who has caught the eye of your son.
GOD DID NOT CALL US TO BE PEOPLE OF EXCEPTIONS, HE CALLED US TO BE EXCEPTIONAL PEOPLE!!!!
Earlier, I said that I have a weakness. My weakness is that I don't get things done when they need to be done. And sometimes, people suffer because of that. I don't love my neighbor as myself, and God forgive me, but I don't love Him with my full being.
That is my weakness. This rock represents my weakness. It's dirty. It’s from the bog. It is of this world. I don't enjoy showing it to others.
But I'll show it to God. I'll tell God, "Hey, God? Jesus told me that You're not really mad like I think You are. I have sinned in Your sight, though. I want to try better, but I want to do evil more. Help me, please? I want to walk closer to You."
I invite each of you to do the same. Be strong and confess to God your weakness. Silently or aloud. We all have one. Please do so now, if you feel led.
[Pause for prayer.}
I tell you this; when you do these things for God, it is the most beautiful thing that this universe has ever seen.
More beautiful than gold, more beautiful than diamonds, more beautiful than stars, God sees His child returning home and saying to Him, "Hey, God? I'm sorry I've done wrong. I'm sorry I left You. Can I come home now and work on getting better?"
We each have a weakness. Share yours with God right now. Devote to Him your life, and if not your entire life, then at least these next few moments of it. Give to Him your weakness.
And don't stop showing God your weakness; for then, you are walking beside Him.
(After sermon)
Let us pray.
God of grace; hear our prayer. I come before You with those gathered here, asking that You would pour out Your Holy Spirit like cleansing water over our hearts. That You would transform them, that we might walk closer to You. For those of us who have not repented; Lord, I ask that You would speak in their hearts. That they would be surrounded by people who can calm their minds enough that they might understand Your voice in their life. Let them no longer fight for the things of this world, but instead fight for Your name, by making disciples and praising You for Your mighty acts.
Assure those who are Yours, show them the sureness of their salvation, that they might do wonderful acts which are NOT OF THIS WORLD and DEFY those who say to them, stay in the pools and bogs of stagnation. Let them lead people to listen to Your Holy Spirit, let them be instruments for Your Kingdom.
In Jesus' Holy name we pray, Amen.
No comments:
Post a Comment