November 7, 2012

This morning I awoke to a gorgeous, sunshine-filled day that bespoke an opposite sentiment of many I am privileged to pastor. For these, the sun was not shinning when they awakened, and, in sentiment's place was gloom - a gloom over their sense that our culture appears bent on a path moving away from values held basic to Christian faith.

Considering this, as I prayed this morning, I sought God for a word I might share and was reminded of three simple, yet profound, principles we are all called to. For as God's people we are to:

1. Remember our responsibility - God forever calls His people, in the Old Testament, the New Testament and now, to repentance and revival.
If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land. 2 Chronicles 7:14

2. Rest in God's way - God is Judge, not us. This has forever been His responsibility, and remains. When the church attempts to take this from God, we lose our way - and we are admonished in God's Word to not do so.
For I am not aware of anything against myself, but I am not thereby acquitted. It is the Lord who judges me. Therefore do not pronounce judgment before the time, before the Lord comes, who will bring to light the things now hidden in darkness and will disclose the purposes of the heart. Then each one will receive his commendation from God. 1 Corinthians 4: 3-4 

3. Reestablish our call and purpose -  The proclamation of the gospel is the supreme purpose of the church. God's compassion for sinners is what brought us Christ, and this same position, only, is what ultimately will ignite His church and bring change to our world, if it is to be. The church flourishes in righteousness and mercy, not in righteousness and bitterness, or fear, or anger, or... etc., etc., etc.
“Judge not, that you be not judged. For with the judgment you pronounce you will be judged, and with the measure you use it will be measured to you. Why do you see the speck that is in your brother's eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? Matthew 7: 1-4 
When God called Israel to repentance and to remembrance of its purpose of being a light to the Gentiles (Nations), He spoke this word through His prophet Micah:
He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God. Micah 6:8 
The 'justice', if there is any, that God has call us to is a justice of offering mercy to one another.
"This is what the LORD Almighty says: 'Administer true justice; show mercy and compassion to one another. Zechariah 7:9 
And the New Testament epistle from Jude reminds us that though we are to remain wary and wise to sin, we are to do so mercifully.
Keep yourselves in the love of God, waiting for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ that leads to eternal life. And have mercy on those who doubt; save others by snatching them out of the fire; to others show mercy with fear, hating even the garment stained by the flesh. Jude 1: 21-23 

So my prayer for each of us today is that we will be nothing less than what God has called us to be. For God still sits on His throne and His requirement of us is unchanged. Jonah did not want to go to Nineveh, but God put him in the belly of a whale and sent him there anyway. Jeremiah was considered by his peers to be a 'nut', yet his words are remembered today. And, Jesus? Well, He was nailed to a cross, and through this God brought redemption from sin.

So whether the sun is shinning for you today, or not - God's Son, our Savior Jesus Christ, is. Let us rejoice in this and be glad.  For we really do have...

Much yet to do,

Pastor Sam