God Hears Us When We Call to Him! — Psalm 86:1-13

God Hears Us When We Call to Him! — Psalm 86:1-13
By Pastor Lee Hemen
April 26, 2020

I can remember my mother asking me, “Young man, did you hear what I said?” Of course no matter if I did or not the correct answer was always “yes”. Being distracted is the profession of teenage boys and unfocused believers. It is good to know therefore that God is never distracted and always hears us when we call to him.

David, in this Psalm, was crying out to the Lord and if we just read what David says we might think that perhaps God had been distracted. The reason we would think this is because we often are distracted ourselves in how we talk with God, listen to him, and how we follow through with what he asks. David comes to the Lord asking that God hear him when he calls to him, let’s discover what this means…

READ: Psalm 86:1-13

It is a curious thing but when we all of sudden need help we are often willing to humble ourselves in order to get a quick response thinking that we can perhaps fool God. However we can never fool the Lord and in fact we learn from David that…

I. God hears us when we call to him in honesty! (Vv. 1-5)

Hear, O LORD, and answer me, for I am poor and needy. Guard my life, for I am devoted to you. You are my God; save your servant who trusts in you. Have mercy on me, O Lord, for I call to you all day long. Bring joy to your servant, for to you, O Lord, I lift up my soul. You are forgiving and good, O Lord, abounding in love to all who call to you.

  1. David uses the word “hear” several times throughout this Psalm. It is the idea that David desires God to listen to his prayer. David is almost being like a small child who cries out in the middle of the night for their parent to come and comfort them. David cries out “Hear, O LORD, and answer me, for I am poor and needy.” David realizes that he cannot be dishonest with the Lord. God knows if he is lying or not and whether or not David truly needed him. Therefore David humbles himself as being “poor and needy”. David’s earnest desire is that the Lord would “Guard [his] life”. That God would protect him in the midst of his trials. God is the only one David could go to with his fear and in his fear David admits his need and that he is “devoted” to the Lord. At this time David realizes his total dependence has to be firmly in the Lord his God. “You are my God; save your servant who trusts in you.” In his need of the moment David understands that there is only one who truly would come to his aid even when perhaps he did not deserve God’s help so David prays “Have mercy on me, O Lord, for I call to you all day long.” Evidently David was suffering from his sin the consequences of which had come home to roost and now David only knew sorrow. This is why David requests God to “Bring joy to your servant, for to you, O Lord, I lift up my soul.” And in his suffering because of his sin David knows that he has to be truthful with the Lord and admit his sin. As he prays he tells God that “You are forgiving and good, O Lord, abounding in love to all who call to you.” It is there the petitioner can find joy and know God cares. David reminds us that God hears us when we call to him in honesty!

  EXAMPLE: I do not know about you but I dislike it when people have hidden agendas. Often they cannot be honest with others and they cannot be honest with their selves. God hates dishonesty. This is why when we come to him we must come to him with all that we are. Over the years as a pastor I have listened to some of the lamest excuses from folks about their relationship with the Lord. It makes me want to yell, “Just be honest!” David teaches us that God hears us when we call to him in honesty!

God knows our heart. He knows our inner most thoughts. He is never fooled by our words, false deeds, or inconsistent lifestyle. David learns not only should he be truthful with the Lord but that…

II. God hears us when we call to him for mercy! (Vv. 6-10)

Hear my prayer, O LORD; listen to my cry for mercy. In the day of my trouble I will call to you, for you will answer me. Among the gods there is none like you, O Lord; no deeds can compare with yours. All the nations you have made will come and worship before you, O Lord; they will bring glory to your name. For you are great and do marvelous deeds; you alone are God.

  1. Again, David asks God to “Hear my prayer” and to “listen to my cry for mercy.” David needed the Lord’s undeserved love. That’s what mercy is all about. David was in personal distress. “In my day of trouble I will call to you, for you will answer me.” Just like we sometimes do David felt that no one would listen or that no one would care that was facing a day of trouble. It’s like someone once told me, “Pastor, no one wants to hear about your problems!” But that is not true! God always does. He never tires of us coming to him whether it is in the good times or our troubled times. David knew God would answer him. Curiously David declares openly that “Among the gods there is none like you, O Lord; no deeds can compare with yours.” David wasn’t advocating that there were actually other gods but rather that those who believed in other gods than the Lord God should know that those made of wood, stone, or clay could not compare to the Living God. Their supposed deeds were mere fables whereas God’s deeds were real and David could testify to the fact. The truth was that eventually “All the nations” with those false gods would “come and worship before you, O Lord” and “they will bring glory to your name”! Not only was David testifying about the mercy and might of God, to grant him mercy but those nations which God had made with their mythical manmade gods would eventually have to glorify the Lord! David affirms, “For you are great and do marvelous deeds; you alone are God.” It is because of God’s greatness and who he is that he grants us his grace. David teaches us that God hears us when we call to him for mercy!

  EXAMPLE: We are willing to go to God for mercy but we often think he may not be listening to our cry for help. It always amazed me but when our daughter was little, even if she just kind of whimpered in her sleep, my wife could wake up out of sound sleep, jump out of bed, and be at her crib in seconds. Loving parents respond to the cries of their children no matter how soft and David teaches us that our loving God hears us when we call to him for mercy!

Abraham Lincoln is credited with the saying, “You can fool some of the people all of the time, and all of the people some of the time, but you cannot fool all of the people all of the time.” I’ve learned that you can’t fool the Lord at any time; he knows when we are being insincere. And here we learn from David that…

III. God hears us when we call to him with all that we are! (Vv. 11-13)

Teach me your way, O LORD, and I will walk in your truth; give me an undivided heart, that I may fear your name. I will praise you, O Lord my God, with all my heart; I will glorify your name forever. For great is your love toward me; you have delivered me from the depths of the grave.

  1. Finally David gets down to what he truly desires as the outcome of his prayer to the Lord. Later in this Psalm we learn that arrogant and ruthless men were seeking David’s life. They didn’t care that he was God’s chosen. David however knows that God is “a compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness”. This is an absolute truth that we all should write on our heart of hearts. And it is in this truth that David comes and asks God “Teach me your way, O LORD, and I will walk in your truth; give me an undivided heart, that I may fear your name.” David, even with all his sin and faults, wanted to learn from the Lord, to walk in his truth with an undivided heart. Far too many folks try to fool the Lord thinking they can pull the spiritual wool over him. In doing so they show a contempt and total disregard for whom God is. Not David, he wanted to “fear” even the very name of God. David understood that words mean nothing without action. Out of his fear, out of his entire being David tells the Lord, “I will praise you, O Lord my God, with all my heart; I will glorify your name forever.” David only considered himself the “son of a maidservant” before the Lord, even though he was king of Israel. David desired a “sign” of God’s “goodness” towards him so that his “enemies would see it and be put to shame”. In this he could confidently say, “For great is your love toward me; you have delivered me from the depths of the grave.” David knew without a doubt that God hears us when we call to him with all that we are!

  EXAMPLE: The other day as I was sitting in my living room some kids came walking by and the youngest was screaming at the top of her lungs for her mother. I mean it was not just loud; it was piercing in the extreme. Her older sister stopped in the middle of the street and being a bit annoyed and being the older sister she hollered back, “Why are you yelling so loud?” The little girl responded, “I just want mom!” You know what? When a person truly needs the Lord, God knows it. And here David teaches us that God hears us when we call to him with all that we are!

Conclusion:

God hears us when we call to him in honesty! God hears us when we call to him for mercy! God hears us when we call to him with all that we are!
—-
This article is copyrighted © 2020 by Lee Hemen and is the sole property of Lee Hemen, and may not be used unless you quote the entire article and have my permission.

Mercy! — Matthew 9:9-13

Mercy! — Matthew 9:9-13
By Pastor Lee Hemen
September 1, 2019

When the great Puritan preacher Thomas Hooker (1586-1647) was on his deathbed, a friend tried to console him by saying, “Brother Hooker, you are going to receive your reward.” “No, no!” he breathed. “I go to receive mercy!” What is this mercy Hooker longed to receive?

God’s mercy is found in every act of Jesus, his every kindness, and especially in the unmerited favor we find when we come to him as Savior and Lord. It is sacrificial in its very nature. We set aside ourselves, our desires, and our needs to give everything to another just as Jesus did when he willingly sacrificed himself for our sins. Here we find Matthew a tax collector who others felt did not deserve God’s favor finding it in the unlikely place. Matthew finds mercy. Let’s see how…

READ: Matthew 9:9-13

In our pride we think we know it all or have all the answers but we do not. In fact we discover that…

I. Mercy is found in submission! (Vv. 9)

As Jesus went on from there, he saw a man named Matthew sitting at the tax collector’s booth. “Follow me,” he told him, and Matthew got up and followed him.

  1. We never know when Jesus might call us to follow him but when he does we have to be willing to get up and go where he leads. Matthew’s day began as all other days had begun. He prepared himself for the day’s rigors of collecting taxes from a disagreeable crowd. No one liked tax collectors and especially ones who were Jewish that had gained their position by bribing themselves into the position. Matthew evidently did not care or tried to push away the thoughts of what others thought of him. He would face ridicule, anger, and obstinacy. Some would pay begrudgingly while others would beg for his mercy because they did not have the means to pay their taxes. And Matthew would have to turn a blind eye and ear to their pleas. Little did Matthew know it but this day would be different because Jesus was in the crowd and when “he saw a man named Matthew sitting at the tax collector’s booth.” Matthew’s life was about to be changed forever. Mercy, God’s grace, was going to find Matthew. “Follow me,” Jesus tells him; two simple words that would require Matthew’s immediate response. And to his credit “Matthew got up and followed him”! Matthew had a lucrative business collecting taxes on customs paid probably at the ports, in this case, Capernaum. I am sure Matthew was a pragmatist, a realist, and a practical person, and yet he willingly gets up and follows Jesus. Perhaps Matthew had longed for someone to recognize him, to look at him as he truly was, and Jesus did just that in that moment. And we discover along with Matthew that mercy is found in submission!

  EXAMPLE: In olden days when entering the presence of a king one would bow down and bare their necks to the king’s personal guard. From this act of contrition we developed the whole notion of genuflection whereby there are those who think that by bowing before an altar they are submitting themselves to God’s authority. Sorry to burst their bubble but they are not. In fact they are trying to substitute an act of theirs with the mercy of God. Here we discover that mercy is found in submission!

Mercy by its definition cannot be bought or sold and it cannot be found vicariously through heritage, DNA, or by being nice. In fact we discover here that…   

II. Mercy is displayed by relationship! (Vv. 10-11)

While Jesus was having dinner at Matthew’s house, many tax collectors and “sinners” came and ate with him and his disciples. When the Pharisees saw this, they asked his disciples, “Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and “sinners?”

  1. Matthew’s day had started like all the rest but it was going to end completely different! He immediately followed Jesus and later becomes one of his disciples but now we find that Matthew has extended a dinner invitation to Jesus and his other disciples. And “While Jesus was having dinner at Matthew’s house, many tax collectors and ‘sinners’ came and ate with him and his disciples.” The common crowd thought of those who collected taxes as “sinners”; I guess not much has changed. Matthew either wanted his fellow tax-collecting sinners to come to know Jesus as he had or he was more comfortable eating with them instead of Jesus and his disciples. Either way Jesus did not seem to mind in the least. Jesus was comfortable with anyone. Tax collectors, adulteresses, Pharisees, and those he had chosen to follow him! It did not matter to Jesus so long as they came and would listen to what he had to share. However, “When the Pharisees saw this, they asked his disciples, “Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and ‘sinners?’” Matthew had been one of these “sinners” just as we all are until he came to follow Jesus. Far too many of us agree with the Pharisees and their comments and with Paul when he wrote: “Do you not know that the wicked will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor male prostitutes nor homosexual offenders nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. (1 Corinthians 6:9-10 NIV)” Yet Paul reminds us: “And that is what some of you were. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God. (1 Corinthians 6:11 NIV)” Paul, like Jesus, knew that the only difference between a sinner and a saint is their relationship! We discover that mercy is displayed by relationship!

  EXAMPLE: When a man was asked by a friend how his mother was getting along, he was told that dementia had robbed her of the ability to remember a great many names and events from the past. “Even so,” the man added, “she can still sit down at the piano and, without sheet music, beautifully play hymns by memory.” In her life she had developed a deep abiding relationship with playing hymns. For her it was a comfort and became even more so after she lost much of her memory. We might say that “God is merciful” but in fact we discover that mercy is displayed by relationship!

I confess that there are some people I have a hard time with. Those who I know are deliberately lying to me are the hardest for me to deal with. I have to remind myself to b gracious in such circumstances and I remind myself that…

III. Jesus desires to give mercy! (Vv. 12-13)

On hearing this, Jesus said, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. But go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice.’ For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.”

  1. Believers say they want others to come to Jesus but few actually share their faith so others can do so. There are many reasons for this from fear of being rejected to just plain laziness. Jesus knew that the crowds who followed him wanted something from him. They wanted to be healed, have their friends or family healed, or they wanted to see a good show. And while Jesus came and healed many there were far more who never were healed. Jesus did not primarily come to heal the sick, make the lame to walk, drive out evil spirits, or resurrect the dead – he came to proclaim the kingdom of God — to seek and save the lost! Yes, as he went about proclaiming the kingdom is at hand he did all of those things. But perhaps you have forgotten this morning that Jesus did not come so you could be good for goodness sake, have a great worship experience, nor did he come so you could have a good life. Matthew was shocked and surprised that Jesus would ask him to follow him, but he did immediately. The Pharisees and perhaps others were just as surprised that Jesus had called Matthew to be his disciple but just remember that perhaps others around you may have been just as surprised you were called by grace. On hearing the sarcastic words of the Pharisees, Jesus responds, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. But go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice.’ For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.” The Pharisees would never understand because their own sense of selfish piety got in the way of truly hearing God or the cries of the crowd. Dear child of the King I pray this never happens to you. Jesus came for sinners just like Matthew and just like us! We learn from Matthew that Jesus desires to give mercy!

  EXAMPLE: When we used to go over to my grandmother’s house she would literally prepare a feast. It was not unusual to find several kinds of meats, potatoes, vegetables, and of course desserts afterwards. She often poured out her love in the food she prepared for her family and what was great about it is the fact that a starving young boy could get all he wanted and more! This is a perfect example of what God did through Jesus, he gave us more than we deserve and abundantly piled it on pressed down shaken together and running over! And the wonderful truth is: Jesus desires to give mercy!

Conclusion:

Mercy is found in submission! Mercy is displayed by relationship! Jesus desires to give mercy!
—
This article is copyrighted © 2019 by Lee Hemen and is the sole property of Lee Hemen, and may not be used unless you quote the entire article and have my permission.

Anger! – Matthew 5:21-26

Anger! – Matthew 5:21-26
By Pastor Lee Hemen
March 10, 2019

Angry words can never be taken back. Society’s standard of foul and angry words has declined in recent years, but we don’t have to decline with it, we should think about how to honor God with our speech. We please the Lord with our tongue when we show discernment. Proverbs 10:19 reminds us that “He who restrains his lips is wise”. When we do speak, we are to filter the words that escape our lips: “Whoever guards his mouth and tongue keeps his soul from troubles” (Proverbs 21:23 NIV). Paul’s warns us to “let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth” (Ephesians 4:29 NIV).

How can we keep our anger contained? How do we remain calm in a world that seems to be filled with hatred, evil, and ungodly behavior? Jesus in the Beatitudes sets an almost impossible situation where we are to speak right and think right all the time. Jesus did this to startle his listeners and to shock them into listening to what he was teaching about himself. And here he gives us some practical advice on what to do when we get angry with one another. Let’s discover what Jesus teaches…

READ: Matthew 5:21-26

A young lady remarked, “As I was reading the text message on my phone, my temperature started to rise and my blood began to boil. I was on the verge of shooting back a nasty answer when an inner voice told me to cool down and reply tomorrow. The next morning after a good night’s sleep, the issue that had upset me so greatly seemed so trivial.” In dealing with anger Jesus teaches us…

I. We can murder others with our angry words! (Vv. 21-22)

You have heard that it was said to the people long ago, “Do not murder, and anyone who murders will be subject to judgment.” But I tell you that anyone who is angry with his brother will be subject to judgment. Again, anyone who says to his brother, “Raca,” is answerable to the Sanhedrin. But anyone who says, “You fool!” will be in danger of the fire of hell.

     1. Jesus reminds the crowd and his disciples of the commandments of God. He relates, “You have heard it said to the people long ago, ‘Do not murder, and anyone who murders will be subject to judgment.’” “You shall not murder. (Exodus 20:13 NIV)” Jesus was also commenting on some of the prevailing opinions among the Jewish leadership of his day to show that the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees was defective. Remember he had just related that if their righteousness did not exceed that of the Pharisees they would not see the kingdom of heaven. The people needed a better righteousness or they could not be saved. Jesus illustrates what he meant by that better righteous-ness by showing that the common opinions of the scribes were incorrect. This is why he immediately remarks, “But I tell you that anyone who is angry with his brother will be subject to judgment.” Jesus is equating a person’s irrational anger to that being the same as murder! The Pharisees thought it perfectly okay and even righteous to be angered at the Romans or anyone who did not agree with them; this is how they could later justify murdering Jesus and using the Romans to do their dirty work! Jesus understood that irrational anger could lead a person to totally dismiss those one disliked and thereby “murder” them. He continues by reminding them that “Again, anyone who says to his brother, ‘Raca,’ is answerable to the Sanhedrin.” God views all human life as sacred and to dismiss someone by calling them a “fool” was the height of arrogance and yet the Pharisees did it all the time. “But anyone who says, ‘You fool!’ will be in danger of the fire of hell.” To God it demonstrates one’s intent and the sinfulness of their heart and was in danger of being condemned to hell, “Gehenna” meaning valley of Hinnom, the valley south of Jerusalem where fires consumed the city’s garbage. This became an apt name for the eternal punishment of the wicked. Jesus is reminding us that we can murder others with our angry words!

  EXAMPLE: On the playground is not uncommon for children to get into arguments. We may think it is childish and just part of growing up but words can be hurtful and especially name calling. When adults carelessly use ungodly references or names for others it is just as childish and ungodly. Regretfully, I must confess that I am often tempted to respond in anger more than I would like to admit. I constantly find myself having to put into practice familiar Bible truths, such as “Be angry, and do not sin” (Ephesians 4:26 NIV). Thankfully, God has given us his Spirit who will assist us in our battle with our sin. Peter and Paul called it the “sanctifying work of the Spirit” (2 Thessalonians 2:13; 1 Peter 1:2 NIV). We need to remember that we can murder others with our angry words!

Jesus could have just given his listeners an admonishment for their bad behavior and then let it go but he then gives them how they can resolve the issue of angry words used in haste. Jesus continued by teaching that…

II. We can be reconciled for our angry words! (Vv. 23-24)

Therefore, if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to your brother; then come and offer your gift.

  1. Jesus is not giving us a set of rules we have to put into effect in order to be forgiven by God. Sadly there are those who actually think that this is exactly what Jesus was doing but he is not. What Jesus begins to do is to teach us through example how we are to come before God when we do sin and how we are to treat one another when we act horrendously. The Pharisees were intent only on the external act in worship. They looked not at all to the internal state of the individual. If a man conformed to the external rites of religion, however much envy, and malice, and secret hatred he might have, they thought he was doing well. Jesus taught a different doctrine. It was of more consequence to have the heart right than to perform the outward act. How many of us have been dismissive of our parents, our children, siblings, neighbors, or fellow believers? How could anyone say they love God and yet harbor in their heart ill feelings toward another? We could never go to worship! Jesus puts it in a way everyone could fully understand. He related “Therefore, if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there in front of the altar.” I must insert here that Jesus will later tell us what the two greatest commandments of God are to “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind (and to)… Love your neighbor as yourself (Matthew 22:37-39 NIV)”! Here he is sharing how they could do this when they realize that they have offended another by their hateful words. If they realized it they were stop what they were doing, even if was going to worship God, and “First go and be reconciled to your brother; then come and offer your gift.” This would have been shocking behavior to the Pharisees who thought their worship was far more important than anything including people’s view of them! What Jesus is describing here is not the actual act we are to do but rather how we are to respond when we realize we have offended someone else with angry words. And in his example Jesus is teaching us that we can be reconciled for our angry words!

  EXAMPLE: “Now go and tell your brother that you are sorry” my father admonished me. My retort was, “What if he doesn’t care?” My dad reminded me that I had been given only one brother and that I would always be his brother no matter what. It did not matter how he responded but rather how I acted. And here in Matthew’s gospel we discover a wonderful picture of how we can readily approach God anytime we have sinned! It does not matter where we are we can come before him and be forgiven! Also if we say we love God but do not care about those we have offended then what does that truly say about our love of God? This is where the Pharisees failed but Jesus pointed to a new covenant of reconciliation between us and God and one another! We can be reconciled for our angry words!

Words mean things. If they didn’t then we would not use them to express ourselves. This is why Jesus knew that words said in anger can truly be hurtful and can literally “murder” another’s character. As believers we need to be careful of our words and anger. Jesus teaches us that…

III. Unreconciled anger will lead to judgment! (Vv. 25-26)

Settle matters quickly with your adversary who is taking you to court. Do it while you are still with him on the way, or he may hand you over to the judge, and the judge may hand you over to the officer, and you may be thrown into prison. I tell you the truth you will not get out until you have paid the last penny.

  1. The consequence of not being reconciled Jesus expresses in the language of courts. The adversary (the one you offended or perhaps God himself who becomes our adversary when we do not confess our sin) shall deliver us to the judge, and then to the executioner and he shall throw us into prison! If we are unwilling to be at peace with others how will God deal with us? God’s dealings with those that harbored these feelings towards those who would not be reconciled with their fellow believers results in the example of punishment inflicted by human courts! That is, he would hold us as violating the sixth commandment and would punish us accordingly. Murdering someone can occur when we willingly know we have sinned and refuse to confess our sin or be forgiven by others! We should therefore “Settle matters quickly with your adversary who is taking you to court.” It is like when I would call my brother a stinky name and I knew as soon as I did I had better say I was “sorry” and mean it or suffer the consequences! Jesus related if we did not immediately do what we know we are supposed to do in such a situation we could suffer the consequences: “Do it while you are still with him on the way, or he may hand you over to the judge, and the judge may hand you over to the officer, and you may be thrown into prison.” Jesus is not suggesting that the believer will never be forgiven and thereby end up in hell for an eternity, because we know this to be patently false. What Jesus is teaching is the seriousness of our angry words and our ungodly actions! His disciples, his followers, were to act differently than even the pious Pharisees! God wanted us to be holy because he is holy and he knew this was totally impossible because we are ungodly in our attitudes and actions! It is only through the shed blood of Jesus we are made holy and can be seen as righteous! We could surpass the righteousness of the Pharisees in Jesus! Our ungodly anger will lead us to an eternity in prison: “I tell you the truth you will not get out until you have paid the last penny.” We can never pay the debt we own without Jesus’ sacrifice! Unless we take care of it through our faith in Jesus our unreconciled anger will lead to judgment!

  EXAMPLE: David McCasland writes: “A friend told me about the time he was watching football on TV as his young daughter played nearby. Angered by his team’s bad play, he grabbed the closest thing and threw it down. His little girl’s favorite toy was shattered, along with her heart. My friend immediately embraced his daughter and apologized. He replaced the toy and thought all was well. But he didn’t know how much his fury had frightened his 4-year-old, and she didn’t know the depth of her pain. In time, however, forgiveness came. Years later he sent an identical toy to his daughter when she was expecting a baby. She posted a photo of the toy on Facebook with the words, ‘This gift has a very long story going back to my childhood. It wasn’t a happy story then, but it has a happy ending now! Redemption is a beautiful thing. Thanks, Grandpa!’” When we are the victim of anger, God asks us to “be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you” (v.32). Unreconciled anger will lead to judgment!

Restored relationships are not easy, but they are possible by the grace of God.

Conclusion:

We can murder others with our angry words! We can be reconciled for our angry words! Unreconciled anger will lead to judgment!
—
This article is copyrighted © 2019 by Lee Hemen and is the sole property of Lee Hemen, and may not be used unless you quote the entire article and have my permission.

Prayer! – Matthew 6:5-15

Prayer! – Matthew 6:5-15
By Pastor Lee Hemen
June 4, 2017

I have learned a lot by being a people watcher and listener. When I was younger it was hard for me to keep my mouth shut; I know it seems hard to believe but it is true! So, over the years I have made it a goal to really focus on how people pray and what they pray and in doing so I have noticed several things. First, a lot of folks misunderstand what prayer is and secondly, interestingly, they copy others in how they pray. Now that I have made you conscious and uncomfortable of how you should pray in front of me, I believe we need to learn what prayer is all about.

Prayer for the Hebrew during Jesus’ day was much by rote. They were kind of “Catholic” in a sense in that they all got together and recited similar prayers all together at the same time. They were not as dreadful as some religions and their overly mind-numbing chanted prayers that begin to sound like so much background white noise than actual prayer. Jesus’ disciples noticed how Jesus intimately prayed and they wanted to learn more. In the midst of Jesus’ landmark sermon on the mount he introduces a lesson in how to pray; let’s discover what he has to say about prayer…

READ: Matthew 6:5-15

Luke tells us that “One day Jesus was praying in a certain place. When he finished, one of his disciples said to him, ‘Lord, teach us to pray, just as John taught his disciples.’” (Luke 11:1 NIV) Here in Matthew is the fuller rendition of what Jesus taught them. We learn that…

I. Jesus taught that prayer is to be personal! (Vv. 5-8)

And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by men. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full. But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words. Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.

  1. For Jesus there was never any doubt that his followers would not pray regularly and so he tells them, “And when you pray”. Prayer should be just like our taking a breath, something we do not even thinking about it but we do it anyway. Not like some robot reciting the same catch phrases, wording, or mantra but rather it should be something we naturally do! Notice he warned that when we pray we are not to “be like the hypocrites” who loved fine sounding words. Jesus said that “they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by men.” They loved the sound of their own voices but more than that they loved the attention they got from others! Have you ever known someone who loved the sound of his or her own voice? Jesus bluntly told them, “I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full.” However, when the believer speaks to God it is to be one-on-one and personal. It is your conversation with the Creator of the universe and so Jesus quietly tells them, “But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.” Now did he mean we should never pray publically? Nope. What Jesus is telling us is that our prayer is not for the ears of others but a conversation between two individuals: us and God! We are not to think about what others think; we are to focus on the one to whom we are conversing. The Pharisees had turned prayer into an act to be seen by men to demonstrate their supposed righteousness. Their prayers were directed not to God but to other men, and consisted of long, repetitive monologues. Jesus taught, “And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words.” Like the wind rattling through the trees or the sound of rushing water their prayers were meaningless. So Jesus warns us, “Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.” Jesus taught that prayer is to be personal!

  EXAMPLE: In the animated Disney film Beauty and the Beast there is a crude, rude bully named Gaston. He likes himself and the sound of his own voice. Can you imagine telling the person you love just how much you love them in meaningless phrases at the top of your lungs in a crowded public place? While we may think it kind of romantic the first time it would soon get old, embarrassing, and meaningless if you did it all the time. Prayer is not all about you; it is your conversation with the Lord. It is individual and to be special. Jesus taught that prayer is to be personal!

As Baptists we often forget to whom we are praying and while it is a conversation with God we must never forget to whom we are speaking to. We learn that…

II. Jesus taught we are to remember we are praying to God! (Vv. 9-11)

This, then, is how you should pray: “Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us today our daily bread.”

  1. Notice how Jesus taught that our prayer should focus on the one we are praying to. He begins by teaching, “This, then, is how you should pray: “Our Father in heaven”. He understood that prayer is directed to “Our Father in heaven” and not to some manmade idol, statue, or effigy. God is our father not in that we are biologically related as some heresies teach but rather he is the one who made us, loves us, and sent himself to save us! Like children with loving parents, we depend on him for everything in life! Jesus continued by teaching our conversation with our Father in heaven should also remember his distinctiveness: “hallowed be your name”. God is to be revered and honored because he is God! He is holy, just, loving, all powerful, all knowing, and everywhere. God should be honored in our prayer to remind us to whom we are praying. Our prayer is not to be all about us and in fact we are to pray that God’s purpose and plan for creation should be fulfilled: “your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.” God’s kingdom will be established whether we think it will or not. Jesus fulfilled the coming of God’s purpose and no matter what the rest of the world believes, God’s purpose and plan “will be done on earth as it is in heaven”. Our prayers should fit within the framework, purpose and plan of God which is to “seek and save what was lost”! (Luke 19:10 NIV) Far too often we think our purpose and plans are more important than God’s and that the only reason Jesus came was to give us a better life. I hate to burst your bubble but he did not. He came to give us life in him! We are to be dependent on God alone therefore we are to pray, “Give us today our daily bread.” Food was a daily focus for folks of Jesus’ day; not like today where we have refrigeration, grocery stores every four blocks, and availability to all kinds of food within hands reach. We can even get it pre prepared and sent to our homes over our cell phones! Earning enough money and being able to go to the market or being able to grow your own food for the day was a concern. Jesus was teaching that we are to be more dependent on God than we realize. Jesus taught we are to remember we are praying to God!

  EXAMPLE: Don’t you just hate it when you have to go to some business or family function and you are greeted by folks who have a pasted on smile, nod and mouth they are glad to see you but are really looking for someone more important to greet than you? You know what I mean; before they are done with you they have already dismissed you and moved along. Now suppose you treated your significant other, your spouse, or the person you were dating this way? How long would your relationship last? And yet this is how we often pray. We go through the motions wanting to get through it in order to do the next chore we have to do. Prayer is not to be a check off list of regurgitated phrases. Jesus taught we are to remember we are praying to God!

Our conversation with God is to be more than about ourselves; it is a reflection of our attitude and our relationship with the Lord. We learn that…

III. Jesus taught that prayer reminds us of our condition! (Vv. 12-15)

“Forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.’ For if you forgive men when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.”

  1. To truly have a conversation with someone there has to be give and take with both of you listening and sharing. And in this sharing you must be sincere and focused just like when you pray. Our prayer is a reflection of who we are. If we cannot honestly converse with our Creator, Savior, and friend how do we expect our prayers to be answered? Prayer, our conversation with our Father God, should be open and honest. It should begin with us reflecting on our relationship with others and with him! Jesus taught we are to ask him to “Forgive us our debts, as we have forgiven our debtors.” These are not debts we can repay or owe to God but rather are so called, because on account of them we owe satisfaction to the justice of God. Jesus paid our debt of sin fully, but we must acknowledge the payment daily for the sins we commit. If we cannot forgive others their sin against us how in the world can we expect God to forgive us? Our prayer should acknowledge our inability to make satisfaction for the debt we owe due to our sin and that only God can forgive and fully pay the debt! We are to humbly ask for forgiveness as we have forgiven others who have sinned against us. If we are willing and wanting that the Creator should forgive us we should be as mere humans more than able and ready to forgive fellow sinners. God is to be our guide in life. He is the one we are to follow and so it is quite correct to ask him to “lead us not into temptation”. The idea is not that God would deliberately tempt us or take us where we might be tempted but rather it is asking him to always clearly show us the right path to follow and “deliver us from the evil one”. The idea is we are to ask that we not be led astray by the world or Satan but that we instead would be drawn to God’s wonderful presence! Jesus explains that “if you forgive men when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.”  Jesus knew the Jews were a people very subject to revenge; an eye for an eye. Believers are not to be this way. Jesus is teaching about personal fellowship. One cannot walk with God and be unwilling to forgive others. Paul said it best, “Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.” (Ephesians 4:32 NIV) Jesus taught that prayer reminds us of our condition!

  EXAMPLE: Jesus knew he was about to do something so marvelous that it would boggle the minds of those around him. Because of what he would do their relationship with God would change forever. He would pay the price for their sins and the sins of the entire human race past, present, and future! When Jesus did this prayer no longer was a means by which one would come begging before God but it would reflect the relationship the believer now enjoys with his Father in heaven. Paul wrote that we have “received the Spirit of sonship. And by him we cry, ‘Abba, Father.’” And that “The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children.” (Romans 8:15-16 NIV)  Again Paul wrote, “For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light… find out what pleases the Lord.” (Ephesians 5:8, 10 NIV) Jesus taught that prayer reminds us of our condition!

Conclusion:

Jesus taught that prayer is to be personal! Jesus taught we are to remember we are praying to God! Jesus taught that prayer reminds us of our condition!
—-
This article is copyrighted © 2017 by Lee Hemen and is the sole property of Lee Hemen, and may not be used unless you quote the entire article and have my permission.

Discover, Decide, and Defend! – 1 Peter 3:15-16

Discover, Decide, and Defend! – 1 Peter 3:15-16
By Pastor Lee Hemen
July 20, 2014

But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect, keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your good behavior in Christ may be ashamed of their slander. (1 Peter 3:15 NIV)

Loyalty, we all like it when companies, family, or friends are loyal to us but are we loyal in return? And what does it mean for you to be loyal? You have to believe in the person, place, or thing you decide to be loyal to. God desires our loyalty. This is why Peter reminds us, “But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord.” We are to hallow; honor as holy, enshrining God in our hearts as Jesus reminds us in the Lord’s Prayer where he reminds us to pray, “Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name” (Matthew 6:9 NIV). God’s holiness is thus glorified in our hearts, our entire lives, as the dwelling-place of his Spirit. This is where our loyalty is to begin and end. The very first commandment God gave the Israelites was, “You shall have no other gods before me (Exodus 20:3 NIV).” Jesus told Satan we are to “Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only (Matthew 4:10 NIV).” And, this is why he reminded the teachers of the law that we are to, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength (Mark 12:30 NIV).” One of the very last verses in the Bible tells us, “Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with me (Revelation 3:20 NIV).” We have to decide to make Jesus the Lord of our lives. We have to decide if we will follow Jesus or not. We have to decide if we will hear his voice and give our lives to him. Paul said, “That if you confess with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord,’ and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved (Romans 10:9-10 NIV).” We have to decide with our whole heart exactly who we will be loyal to in life!

I believe we are to decide to follow him after we have discovered who Jesus is. We are to “set apart Christ as Lord”. It is a conscious decision that we are to make for ourselves. No one else can make it for us, nor can we make the decision for someone else. Setting apart Christ in our lives means we make a decision to follow him alone. Anything else would be adultery! James would say we are to, “Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded (James 4:8 NIV)!” We are to repent of our lives without him. We are to repent, turn away from and ask forgiveness of our sinful condition. In fact this is a serious matter for the individual. There are those who have deluded themselves into thinking they serve God and love the Lord, but in reality their hearts are divided and they are not totally his! However, it is more than an emotional feeling; it is an act of will. We determine that we will set our hearts, our lives, all that we are to live for the Lord. We have forgotten that God only accepts a perfect sacrifice without spot or blemish. Jesus is that sacrifice for us. We become perfect, holy, when we give ourselves to him alone. When we act out of our emotions we can fool ourselves into thinking that as long as we feel good about ourselves, we are okay. Jesus warned, “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?’ Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers’ (Matthew 7:21-23 NIV)!” In fact, Jesus concludes, “Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock (Matthew 7:24 NIV).” We are to deliberately turn our lives completely over to the Lord’s will. Just as Peter warned the crowd at Pentecost, we are to “Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord (Acts 3:19 NIV).” Refreshing comes as we walk in Him alone and change direction away from the things of the world. We are to “set apart Christ as Lord!”

Our lives in Christ do not end there however, we are to “Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have.” Far too many of us have never shared our faith with another individual. Yet, we are told over and over again to be able to witness and if fact we are commanded to go into the entire world. We are to help others discover the truth. We have fallen for the modern-day mantra of lifestyle evangelism. And while there is benefit in befriending others in order to gain an arena whereby we can eventually share our faith in Christ, far too many of us use it as an excuse to never actually mention Jesus to anyone. Cookies for Christ never won a soul unless you use them to comment on him. We are far more fearful of what others may think of us if we share our faith than we are horrified about their final outcome without Christ. When Peter remarked that we are always to be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks, he did not mean we are to wait until they come up to us and say, “Hey, I’ve noticed you are different today? Why?” Because the only way they will ever ask is if they actually see a change in our life and see us living for Jesus! What Peter meant is we are to be prepared, like Paul told his friend Timothy, “Preach the Word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage–with great patience and careful instruction.” The wording here does not mean like “preach it brother” on a soapbox or from a pulpit, but rather it means to speak out, tell others. Believers are to speak out; we are to tell others about the Lord Jesus Christ! Why? Peter goes on to say, “For the time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths. (2 Timothy 4:2-4 NIV)” Now, let me ask you, “Don’t you think this is true in our world today?” So, what is the answer? We should be able to give anyone, at anytime, the answer for eternity – Jesus Christ! Yet, we are to do it “with gentleness and respect”. The wording here is interesting because in actuality it means “with meekness and fear”! We are to be humbled by the very prospect of sharing such a tremendous truth that we are to do it trembling because it is a sacred certainty that can change a person’s life forever! Plus, it was bought with such a bloody price. We are to sow the seed of the gospel and allow the Holy Spirit to germinate it in the life of those we share it with. We are to help others discover the truth.

Wherever we go and whoever we meet we are to be ready with the gospel. We are to be ready to defend what we believe, “keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your good behavior in Christ may be ashamed of their slander.” We are not to be deliberately abrasive, but we are to be willing to stand up for Christ. Far too many of us worry and wonder what in the world will I say, what if I offend someone, what if I lead someone astray by not being able to tell them exactly what they need to hear? This is all so much hogwash. Have you forgotten the promise of Jesus in this matter? He told his disciples and the curious crowds, “When you are brought before synagogues, rulers and authorities do not worry about how you will defend yourselves or what you will say, for the Holy Spirit will teach you at that time what you should say. (Luke 12:11-12 NIV)” We are not to be gospel scholars or Biblical professors, we are to be ourselves. Some of the best witnessing is when we simply share what Jesus has done for us, and it is most effective when we babble on about it! Why? Because it is sincere! It is us being us and sharing how God has worked in us! If someone wants to have a theological ontological pre-millennial post tribulational argument with you, respond by telling them, “What!?” And then share what you do know from your own life and if they do not want to hear it, be respectful and talk about something else!  If the God who knows the very number of hairs on your head, your coming and going, and everything else there is to know about you, don’t you think he can give you what you need to say about your walk with the Lord when you need it? (I do.) He promised to do so!

She was this petite, quite, little 8th grade girl who always sat in the back row when we did youth camp. However, one day she came to me and asked, with a whole lot of fear and trembling I might add, to be able to share a testimony during our share time at Camp. You see, we always asked the youth that if they felt God prompting them to share something during share time they could. (Most of the time it was punctuated by a lot of cricket chirping, scuffling of feet, and utter quite.) So, that night as we all sat around enjoying the worship music, the skits, and the devotions, the time came for me to stand up and again ask if there was anyone who wanted to share. She quietly stood up and began to share what God was doing in her life. This beautiful quiet girl was a foster child. She came to camp because her foster mother thought it would be a good idea. She hated church, she hated Christians, and she did not particularly like the outdoors and sleeping in a cabin with fifteen strange girls who snored. The very first day she had sat alone on her bunk and had determined to run away. She was overcome by her circumstance in life. She shared that a slight breeze blew through the open door and flipped the pages of a Bible lying on an adjacent bunk. Curious, she went over to read where it had opened and she read these words: “Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline. So be earnest, and repent. Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with me. To him who overcomes, I will give the right to sit with me on my throne, just as I overcame and sat down with my Father on his throne. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. (Revelation 3:19-22 NIV)” She sat down on the floor of the cabin and gave her life to Christ. Tearfully she asked the now quiet crowd of youth “Is there anyone else here who needs to do what I did? I just felt I needed to share this and ask.” Over a dozen came forward that night. To my surprise most came from foster homes and were sent to the camp by their foster parents in order to give them the experience. She did not argue theology, eschatology, or the social implications of faith; she just shared what she knew.

When was the last time you decided to follow Jesus, discovered who he is, and defended his gospel so others would come to know him?
—
This article is copyrighted © 2014 by Lee Hemen and is the sole property of Lee Hemen, and may not be used unless you quote the entire article and have my permission.

Luke 15:1-7, 11-13, 22-24, 28-32 – When folks come to Christ!

Luke 15:1-7, 11-13, 22-24, 28-32 – When folks come to Christ!
By Pastor Lee Hemen
March 18, 2012 AM

The meeting grew quiet. Tension filled the air. The pastor had just shared his concern for the lost of the community. A deacon stood. “Pastor, if they want to come to our church, they know where it is. We need to take care of our own. I’m not sure they are our kind of people anyway.” The pastor took that deacon visiting, and he experienced the joy of seeing someone saved. The deacon now leads witnessing teams to experience what he has experienced. He changed from hindering evangelism to promoting and leading it in his church. Evangelism is taught, but it is also caught.

Salvation is a joy like no other. The point of Jesus’ parables in Luke 15 is to teach us to invite people to Christ and welcome all who come to Him. Jesus’ stories should inflame our hearts for outreach and turn skeptics into joyful participants

READ: Luke 15:1-7, 11-13, 22-24, 28-32

In our Lord’s eyes, everyone is someone who matters. To Christ, there is no insignificant person. Red, yellow, black, or white, each one is precious in His sight. The parable of the lost sheep expresses Jesus’ concern. His compassion for lost people shows itself in heartfelt action. The shepherd goes on a search-and-find mission that should be the mission of every disciple. Shepherds search for lost sheep; believers search for lost people. When folks come to Christ believers should…

I. Manifest Compassion (Luke 15:1-7)
1. Compassion comes when we sacrifice our safety for the security of others! — Leeferism
1) In response to the religious leaders’ attitude toward His actions, Jesus gave a package of three parables all designed to show how wrong the leaders were and how right He was. His defense began in the form of a question that suggested an agreeable answer, “Suppose one of you has a hundred sheep and loses one of them. Does he not leave the ninety-nine in the open country and go after the lost sheep until he finds it?” Jesus described the sheep as lost from the flock, a word that portrays a life-threatening situation for a sheep. The number of safe sheep does not justify the shepherd ignoring the missing one. The right decision was to go after the lost one on a rescue mission! It became the highest priority even to the point of leaving the 99 in the open field! Certain risks and obstacles would have to be faced to mount the rescue! The “go after” mind-set of the shepherd is worth noting. In this case, the searching shepherd refuses to quit until he finds the one lost sheep. To go after … until he finds should be the focus of every Christian. Lost people are a priority with a loving God. Whatever risks there are to bear, the disciple should never allow taking care of the “found” to replace exhaustive efforts to reach the “lost.” Notice what occurs after the one lost sheep is found, “And when he finds it, he joyfully puts it on his shoulders and goes home. Then he calls his friends and neighbors together and says, ‘Rejoice with me; I have found my lost sheep!’” This parable ended with Jesus’ words, “I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent.” Heaven rejoices when the lost are found! God manifested His compassion on us “in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” Believers manifest compassion when they seek and win the lost!
EXAMPLE: I shook from fear the first time I shared my faith. Yet after I had shared with the young mother, she accepted Jesus as her Savior and Lord! Her husband later was saved and served as a deacon. She is still active in her church and all her children are saved as well. The adventure of outreach is a risky adventure. It will push a Christian to the edge of his or her courage. What is sacrificed in shrinking back from going out is the finder’s joy of seeing the lost coming in. This heavenly delight is more experienced than explained. To see a lost person receive Christ because of your witness is to experience the Father’s joy.

Jesus was facing religious experts who had more of an accusing finger and less of a forgiving heart. We can understand it by the misbehavior of the “tax collectors and the sinners” of His world. One ripped off honest people to line their pockets while the other led trashy lives. It was not a wholesome crowd. When it comes to forgiveness, however, all of us are in the category of “tax collectors and the sinners”. Too often, our Christian voice is raised more in accusation than in celebration. What should drive us more is the response of heaven—a chorus of hallelujahs! When folks are saved we should…

II. Celebrate Forgiveness (Luke 15:11-13, 22-24)
1. We will either hardly party or party hardy when someone comes to Christ! — Leeferism
1) A man had two sons. The younger son approached the father with an arrogant attitude: “Father, give me my share of the estate.” What should have been a request was a demand. How often do we “demand” from our loving Father our “fair share” right now? The son was not patient enough to wait for his father’s death but wanted his share of the estate immediately. Jewish law would award the younger son a third of the estate at his father’s death (Deut. 21:17). The son, however, succumbed to his greed. We learn that “Not long after that, the younger son got together all he had, set off for a distant country and there squandered his wealth in wild living.” The younger son wasted no time he took his share and split. A rich son quickly became a broke son and another thrill ride came to a miserable end. He spends all he has and to make matters worse, there is a severe famine. In desperation the son has to hire himself out to a pig farmer, a disgrace to a Hebrew, and had to eat the pig’s food! In the midst of his misery he comes to his senses and decides to head home and ask his father for forgiveness. In the other parables, the shepherd searched, the woman searched, but here the father waited. Will the father forgive him? Will he love him again? After the son confesses that father’s response are orders to his servants, “Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let’s have a feast and celebrate! For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found!” This celebration spared no expense and restoration would not be complete without a major celebration. “So they began to celebrate.” We should always celebrate forgiveness!
EXAMPLE: Too many evangelical churches have stopped having a response time at the end of their worship. The excuse is so they do not embarrass those who need to make a decision. Is it any wonder that the percentage of folks coming to Christ has diminished? The response time not only follows Jesus’ public asking his disciples to “come and follow me” and it is also a time of public congregational rejoicing! The body of Christ is to celebrate together when someone comes to Christ! Forgiveness is our greatest need and God’s greatest provision. The joy of our receiving it is only exceeded by God’s joy in giving it. The prodigal reminds us of how gracious God has been to all forgiven sinners. Regardless of the depth of sin, every Christian is a product of amazing grace. Therefore, as we join the forgiveness celebration we rejoice with the forgiven, but we also delight in the Forgiver. Join the party. When folks are forgiven, we are to celebrate!

Not all is happiness in the family, however. The older brother is the poster child of self-righteousness. He reflects the attitude of the scribes and Pharisees of Jesus’ day and sadly some believers today. The eldest son had been off stage while the younger brother had been restored. Coming in from the fields, he heard the music and asked for an explanation. The news of his brother’s return and the fattened calf being slaughtered stopped him in his tracks. In all three parables of chapter 15 everybody experienced joy except the elder brother. We learn that when folks are forgiven we must…

III. Reject Self-Righteousness (Luke 15:28-32)
1. We can be right, we can be correct, and yet be oh so wrong! — Leeferism
1) The news about his brother’s return and the ongoing party made the older son angry. You would think he would be happy not resentful and sullen. Anger for the wrong reasons can be destructive. He refused to be part of the celebration; he didn’t want to go, not even to speak to his brother. So the father had to take the initiative to restore the relationship. He went to his son. The father’s discussion with his firstborn was not an in-your-face speech. He “pleaded” with him repeatedly in an effort to change his attitude. The son accuses, “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.” It all seemed so unfair! Perhaps the father had preferred the arrogant younger brother. The elder blames his father, “But when this son of yours who has squandered your property with prostitutes comes home, you kill the fattened calf for him!” The father responds in the only way he can, in love, “My son.”  The father gently reminds him, “You are always with me, and everything I have is yours!” The acceptance and forgiveness of the younger brother did not mean the rejection and dismissal of the elder brother. The father loved them both! The father desired his son reject his self-righteousness, “We had to celebrate and be glad, because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found!” The older brother just didn’t get it. The issue was not him, not his father, not even his brother. The issue was that his brother had been dead and lost to them but now was found! When folks are forgiven we are to reject self-righteousness.
EXAMPLE: “You don’t know him like I do!” he declared to me. He was angry that his friend who had betrayed him with a girlfriend had just accepted Christ. I reminded him, “That is true, but God knows him even better than both of us. Do not allow your anger to get in the way of what God has done.” When folks are forgiven we are to reject self-righteousness. The parable ends on an open-ended note. We are left not knowing the response of the elder brother. The appeal, however, moves beyond the parable occasion to reach out to the self-righteous of every age. Each of us is challenged to break the gridlock of our own elder brother attitude. Rejoicing with the Father is far better than nursing the coldness of self-righteousness. It is the difference between stagnation and celebration. When folks are forgiven we are to reject self-righteousness!

Conclusion:
When folks come to Christ believers should manifest compassion, celebrate forgiveness, and reject their own self-righteousness! What about you? What do you do when folks come to Christ?
—
Scripture taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 Biblica. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved.

Pastor Lee Hemen has been the outspoken pastor of the same church for 25 years in Vancouver, WA. He writes regularly on spirituality and conservative causes and maintains several web blogs. This article is copyrighted © 2012 by Lee Hemen and is the sole property of Lee Hemen, and may not be used unless you quote the entire article and have my permission.