March 10, 2013 - REJOICE!

This week’s scriptures are: Joshua 5: 9-12, Psalms 32, 2 Corinthians 5:16-21, Luke 15:1-3,11-32

Please pray with me:

Dear Heavenly Father, I pray that the words of this sermon are YOUR words, and not mine.  I pray that the message here touches those that need to be touched.  I pray that those receiving this sermon remember that all Honor and Glory are yours, Lord, both now and forever.  Amen and Amen.

Grace and Peace to you, from our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ.  Amen.

REJOICE!  ALL who believe in Christ, REJOICE!  For today you are children of God and all that He has to offer is YOURS!  REJOICE!  Rejoice and be glad in Him, who sent His son to die for your sin.

All of today's scripture readings address forgiveness.  In 2 Corinthians, we are encouraged to return to God and be forgiven.  In Joshua God says He has taken away the shame of Egypt (where the Israelites were slaves because of their offenses against God).  In Luke, we are reminded that even though we have strayed, God is longing to celebrate our return to Him.  In Psalms we read about how blessed are those whose offence is forgiven,whose sin is blotted out.   

Let's take them in that order.......

Everyone of us is a sinner.  We have sinned in one way or another.  It's our nature, but it's not the way that God wants us to be.  God wants us to lead the life that He has taught us in the Bible.  To be holy and obedient to Him.  Anything else, is sinful.

Throughout history, God has set examples of what He expects from us.  What it is He wants for us and from us.  Love God, first and foremost.  Follow His words and obey Him.  By doing those things, everything else will fall into place. 

By loving God, we will love others.  By obeying God we will not fall into sin.  Simple.  The problem is there's a devil out there that does not want us to listen to God.  That devil tempts us with things that may SEEM good, but actually are harmful.

When people talk about breaking one of the "Big Ten", they usually talk about adultery.  So, let's not follow along with everyone else.  Instead, let's look at honor your mother and your father.

How often do we not honor our mother or our father?  How often do we do things that THEY disapprove of?  Now, if our mother and father are not believers, doing what they say may lead us away from God. 

However, by following God's word, we can still honor our parents by leading a Godly life.  This will set an example for our parents and pray for their souls.  Hopefully, they will come to God and be forgiven.

On the other hand, if our parents ARE believers and we disobey them, we can end up in jail, with diseases or any other problems that could have been prevented.  By honoring our parents, we honor God. 

So no matter what type of sin we continue in, we need to return to God.  We need to honestly repent and we need to move forward in a Godly life.  We need to follow the example of Christ and love God and love our fellow man.  Everything else will fall into place.

Now once we return to God, He will remove our shame (Joshua 5:9).  He'll take away the shame of being a slave to the devil. 

The Israelites kept disobeying God and the only thing that seemed to get their attention, was to allow them to become slaves.  So, that's exactly what God did.  He allowed them to be slaves.

Once they repented, God took them up out of Egypt.  He lead them to the "Promised Land".  However, it was a long journey, because there were some who still continued to moan and complain and sin.

Even in their sin, God continued to meet their needs.  He provided for them, when no one else could.  As they wandered in the desert, God fed them.  They had manna every day as they wandered.  No one went hungry.  Only God could do that.

When they were obedient to God, and in God's time, He took them into the Promised Land and fed them the produce of that land.  THEN, God took away the shame of having been slaves.

So it is with us.  Once we repent and return to God, we may go through our time of "wandering the desert" (following God all the way), but when it is God's time, we will be free of the shame we feel for our sins.  We will be released into the joyfulness of God's love.

Once we have repented and returned to God, it is a time to celebrate!  God loves us so much, that He sent Christ to die for our sins.  Now Christ has returned to heaven and is to be celebrated. 

When we are in sin, we are dead to God.  Once we return from sin, we return to God as Christ did after His resurrection.  That's a great thing!  The old has passed away and a new US is living WITH God.  We then live IN God.  And God celebrates our return from sin.

So in the end, we are forgiven and our sins are blotted out!  We are blessed by God by His forgiveness. We are blessed by God with His love.  Our guilt and our sins are taken away.

What is better than God's love for us?  What is better than being ABLE to return to God?  What is better than to be able to celebrate our return to God?  What is better than to be able to BLESSED by God?  Nothing.

So today, I encourage you to return to God.  I encourage you to allow God to take away the shame of sin.  I encourage you to allow God to celebrate your return to Him.  I encourage you to be BLESSED, because your sins are forgiven by God.  Today I say REJOICE!

Return to God.  Lose the shame.  Celebrate your return.  Be blessed.  REJOICE!  ALL who believe in Christ, REJOICE!

Amen.  Amen.

May the reading of this sermon bless you.  May God be with you and you with Him, until we meet again.

Amen.  Amen.