Unhindered - Forgiveness

We are finishing up a sermon series this morning on unhindered letting go of the things that hold us back. I want to start by reading a little passage from a children's book that I love and it's a children's devotional and I think the author does a great job of speaking not only two children but to every person she talks about the beginning of creation and she Echoes this verse here. From Joe 38 verse 7 a Ninjago. This is when God answers job after he and his friends have issued all these complaints against God and then God shows up and says Were You There When I created everything and in the Litany of God answering Joe he says when the morning Stars sang together and all the sons of God shouted for Joy. That's a beautiful little phrase that that God Udders to job capturing a little glimpse of what creation was like in the very beginning when God created everything and this children's author catches on that theme and she says in the beginning God sang everything into being for the joy of it and set the whole universe dancing. God was in the center at the heart of everything. Like the dance of the planets before the Sun turning spinning circling Wheeling revolving orbiting around around God made everything in his world and in his universe and in his children's Hearts to center around him in a wonderful dance of Joy. It's the dance you were born for I love the way she talks about creation and we talked about that before when I placed multiple chairs on the stage and talked about the beauty in the Hebrew of Genesis 1 and 2 that when God created is the sins of the Father Son and Holy Spirit having this intimacy and love and joy between themselves and then God in Genesis 1:26 saying, let us make other beings in our image. We don't want this just to be the three of us. We want others it so pull up a chair. He says to humanity. We want you to be part of this relationship and this Fellowship in this joy that the father Son and Holy Spirit have together in Jesus Echoes those words in his final prayer in John when he talks about father the way I'm in you I want them to be with one another and to be with us so that we have this Unity so that the world would know your goodness and your love That's why I love that reality. Does the heart of the universe is love for John talk about that God is love and that love overflowed into the creation of humanity itself. But we know the story unfortunately doesn't just stay there with Humanity enjoying God and God's enjoying Humanity sin entered the picture and this other words it this way in this children's book, which I'm thinking about reading myself and it's so well done. She talks about Sin entering the world. She says it was never meant to be this way the way it is right now the world as we know it when the first human beings Adam and Eve ran from God they broke his heart and his world and tears and sickness and pain and death came in. God made is world to be our perfect home but send has spoiled everything we have made a terrible mess of God's world. We lost it all. Did God abandon us? Did he look down from heaven at the mess we made? No, you didn't just look down. He came down. And so she both captures of the beauty of creation and the sadness of the fall but also points towards Redemption that God has planned for you and I and for all of us and that's what I want to unpack this morning in the scriptures some of the truth behind this beauty of what she's written. I want unfold for us when we think about the nature of God God is a covenant keeping God. That's one of the most consistent descriptions of God in all of scripture has said that he is one that is faithful to his word. He is a covenant keeping God Exodus 34:10. We revealed himself to Moses. That's how he defines himself. I'm a covenant keeping God and a covenant is a contract for a committed relationship that that was understood and the Old Testament it is this contract for this committed relationship with one another and that's God's self defining characteristic above all else that he's faithful to. His Covenant and so that's the foundation of part of what we want to talk about the scripture in Exodus. 34:10 says the Lord replied took to Moses and the people of Israel. Listen. I am making a covenant with you in the presence of all your people. I will perform Miracles that have never been performed anywhere in all the Earth or any Nation all the people around you will see the power of the Lord the awesome power I will display for you. And so God announces. I'm making a covenant with you to Moses and Israel. Now, we broke that Covenant we we we broke even for the very beginning God had this Covenant with Adam and Eve when he said there's this whole garden and you may eat of anything in the garden of any tree in the garden and and so it was it was a wonderful world not marred by sin and yet Adam and Eve broke that Covenant, you know in the Old Testament when a covenant was sworn in the Hebrew culture and animal was cut in half. And the two parties that were the comment would walk between the house of that animal and it was a way of saying if I don't keep my Covenant May what has happened to this animal happen to me. And in the craziness the Magnificent set the god of the universe who is above all and overall and all present that he would limit his sovereignty but he would stoop down and say to humanity. You know, what I will come to you and I will make a covenant with you. I will bind myself and my Covenant will be that I will always love you and we in turn were to make the comment that said back to him. We will always love you, but we failed that Covenant.

Yet God redeems us. And how does he do that? Does he just overlooked the rules of the Covenant?

He keeps our end of the Covenant for us when we can't keep it ourselves. Look at scripture. When we talked about the idea of Covenant in this core principle in the Old Testament. What was the basis of the forgiveness of sin? This was the original Covenant the Hebrew Covenant the Old Testament Covenant the old Covenant and there was a basis to cover sin when Humanity said we send and we're no longer worthy to be in your presence God established away in the Book of Leviticus for people to be in his present and it was through sacrifices speaking of levitical priests Leviticus forces just as he does with the boy offered as a sin offering for the high priest through this process the priest will purify the people making them right with the Lord and they will be forgiven under the old Covenant forgiveness came through the sacrifice of animals through the levitical priesthood. A covenant has won more teaching Point here I come and it has three parts to it as parties terms and promises and that's the very core nature of this contractor. This Covenant God makes with us. So in Genesis God makes a covenant with Israel and says, I will be your God and you will be my people and he makes his promise of them 2nd Peter tells us that we are the party those who followed Jesus Christ Christian. We are the party of the New Covenant and then there are terms of the Covenant also called The Book of the Covenant Exodus 24:7 talk about that will read that in just a moment and then there are Promises of the Covenant. So here's the two parties like any contract and then here's the terms of this Covenant and then here are the benefits the promises of the Covenant been resting Exodus 24:7 speaking of the Hebrew scripture says then he took the book of the Covenant and you're right it allowed to the people again. They responded we will do everything the Lord has commanded. We will obey And so they said yes to that Covenant as it was explained to them between God and them. Do you realize that salvation through Jesus is also part of a covenant. That there is an old Covenant and there is a New Covenant off of times today. They get referred to as the Old Testament and the New Testament and sometimes today it it breaks my heart many Christians and many pastors will teach out of the old Covenant to Christians in the New Covenant and they will create confusion and and that they will quite like real hardship about what it means to follow God. I've heard preachers today say that hurricanes or flooding or 911 was God's punishment on humanity and they quoted scripture saying God it was never going to leave any send unpunished and it breaks my heart because that is heresy. That is heresy. Do you understand that when someone is teaching that about God they're misusing scripture is if God is roaming the Earth right now sang who has sinned. I need to punish them. All this sitting over here is really bad. I'm going to bring a flood to this city in order to punish him that idea that earthquakes are floods or our God acting directly to punish Humanity. It is heresy. And so it's so vital that we understand the difference between the old Covenant and the New Covenant between the Old Testament and the New Testament and under the Old Testament. God had a covenant with Israel and animal sacrifices and their faithfulness to that system of sacrifices was what established their forgiveness of sins. But the truth is when you read the Old Testament, they weren't even faithful to that system itself, but none the less that was the system and we need to be reminded that salvation through Jesus is also part of a covenant. Amen part of the New Covenant. We follow Jesus sometimes I think we we we live in function and act as if we follow the Bible more than we follow Jesus. Sometimes we love the Bible so much we put it on a pedestal we making idle almost of the Bible and so we open it up and anywhere we open it. Even if it's in the Old Testament, even if some of the old Covenant we grab that and say we're here it is the word of God binding upon me instead of discerning through the heart of all the scripture The Living Word himself, Jesus Christ. Amen. Jesus is above scripture a man. He's the Living Word scripture has its power because it testifies to the reality of Jesus Christ. The power isn't in the book as if there's some sort of incantation that I can get out and read and all those words and everybody bounce down to its the power is in God himself and having placed himself in human flesh. He didn't just send words. He said himself Christianity is about the historical reality that God came to Earth in the flesh in the form of Jesus Christ. And that's who is worthy of worship. And scripture is awesome and inspired and I submit to it. So do not miss hear me. But what's awesome about it? Is it take me by the hand and leads me to Jesus Christ the lord of the universe. One to whom every knee will bow and Heaven and Earth and upon all the Earth and so Salvation Army Salvation is a part of a covenant part of the New Covenant to what is the basis of forgiveness in the New Testament or the New Covenant is made clear when we look at scriptures after supper. Jesus said in the gospels, you took another cup of wine and he said this this cup is the New Covenant. The disciples just had to have their mouths dropped open their chins at the table. This is earth-shattering after the Hebrew people initial people had always been bound and followed God under the old Covenant at this Passover meal this sacred meal of the Hebrew people for Jesus to announce. Hey,

What you're drinking right now?

This wine that I'm pouring out. This meal that we're eating. Your present here disciples your present here at the establishment of a new covenant. Between God and Humanity this cup is the New Covenant between God and his people and agreement confirmed with my blood snow animal will be cut in half and laid on the ground for men and women to walk between the pledge their Covenant. Jesus gives his blood for this Covenant to make it sure and solid an agreement confirmed with my blood which is poured out as a sacrifice for you.

He says this and Matthew 26 also for this is my blood which confirms the Covenant between God and his people it is poured out as a sacrifice to forgive the sins of many. Do you see the clarity of the basis of forgiveness under the New Covenant?

And we do ourselves and the body of Christ and the gospel itself a disservice. When we muddy those Waters by dipping into the old Covenant by creating some sort of since well you have to do certain things your salvation is dependent upon you it's about whether you're good enough or you attend church enough or you jump through the right poops are memorized the right scriptures Jesus abolish all of that abolish the law and said I will provide the way it will be my blood. That provides My Sacrifice that provides this is God fulfilling his promise when Humanity cannot keep their side of the Covenant. God says I will keep it for you. I will come in the Flash. And the death that is do you for your sin?

As a result of the Covenant we made I will suffer.

The punishment Isaiah says that was due to us was laid Upon Jesus Christ. This is why when the early Christians realized all this the church exploded and the gospels were written and the letters were written and they were circulated and men and women who gave their life and refused to stop bowing down and worshiping and praising Jesus Christ as Lord and savior because he has provided for us through his blood forgiveness of sins that New Covenant. Hebrew writer says it this way, but now Jesus our high priest so over these Benz all of Hebrews making this case so solid and so clear that Jesus is the high priest. There's no longer an old covenants. There's no longer a priesthood under the Levi. Jesus is the ultimate final authoritative high priest, but now Jesus our high priest has been given a Ministry that is far superior to the old priesthood for he is the one who mediates crust a far better Covenant with God based on better promises. Did the old Covenant Mota said here's the rules if you keep them. God said Israel, I will bless you and if you don't keep them, I will curse you and Israel failed. And so God Came In the Flesh and took the punishment himself and said here's the New Covenant. I pulled out my blood for you and you are forgiven your right just pure accepted.

not more there's not more added to that. It's not if you do this or if you do that. So the idea that God is still looking to punish sin the idea that somehow something still has to be done. Is trying to add to the work of Christ on the cross or trying to take away the work of Christ on the cross. Yes, there's a verse that says God will leave no sin unpunished. And that's exactly what happened on the cross Jesus Took the punishment for our sin. Could there be a more clear Christian teaching all these centuries and get today? I see it on the Shelfs of Life way. I hear it on talk radio this heresy that somehow God is willing punishment among nations and among cities through disasters or other things and Christians heated up. They rushed to some of the mega churches that these pastors preach at the heresy not just bad teaching. It's a heresy. We are under the New Testament. We are in the New Covenant in Christ work on the cross provides for our forgiveness of sins. And so God is Not punishing us if you go to the doctor. And you get bad news. It is not God saying I am going to get them for not obeying me if you lose your job or you have hardship in your relationships. It is not God saying I'm going to teach you for being sinful. I'm going to punish you for your sins. Jesus Christ took the punishment for our sins and us we celebrate and worship him our Salvation depends on God's faithfulness to his Covenant think about the logic and the beauty of that statement. God has established our salvation. Jesus Christ through the New Covenant he has provided a way as Isaiah says again and again The Punishment Due us was placed on him. He was the land that was led to slaughter. He was the sacrifice for our sins. And so our Salvation is not dependent upon us accomplishing something doing certain things somehow pulling ourselves up by your own bootstraps. That's a cultural eye that slips into the life of the church. Our Salvation is dependent upon God's faithfulness to his coming Romans chapter 5 while we were utterly helpless Christ came at just the right time and died for us sinners. Paul makes it abundantly clear. He continues down. Most people would not be willing to die for an upright person though. Someone might perhaps be willing to die for a person who is especially good. Then he continues.

But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still Sinners. There's nothing we did to earn our way. We weren't a special race or ethnicity. We weren't people of the book. We weren't somehow extra faithful. We weren't reading and studying and discovering these secret truths and applying them to our lives. We were sinners. Sinners flossed and distant from God and Christ came and died for us and paid the price for our sins and fall continues since we've been made right in God's sight by the blood of Christ. He will certainly save us from God's condonation. Could Paul be any more clearer since we've been made right with God because of the work of Christ that condemnation is gone it no longer hangs over us as some sort of threat for since our friendship with God was restored by the death of his son while we were still his enemies. We will certainly be saved through the life of his son. So now we can rejoice in our wonderful new relationship with God because our Lord Jesus Christ has made us friends of God. That's what Sunday should be. Like that should start every service. We should start and remind ourselves. We've been restored. We've been redeemed we've come here to sing. The Praises of Christ has redeemed us forgetting a sweet walk in these doors, right? Just because the blood of Christ went walking these doors able to worship God even though we thought that I've got sit in my life in Christ blood covers that sin so that you can be welcomed into God's presence Hebrews. 4:16 says don't let us approach the throne of God with boldness. Nothing often. What year Prince sometimes sometimes people preach. Well, you come to church you better put on your Sunday best. You're not going to wear that the church are you? I mean, let's all we all know how it works. If you don't put on your Sunday Best when you go to church. You're going to be in trouble. Yeah, it's not going to be pleased with that because what's implied there is coming before God is something that we kind of timidly. Look I'm not. I'm not a good person is for something to church since my sister. I'm sorry. I've got my Sunday Best on it somehow is if that's the dynamic of a relationship with his father forgive them for they know not what they do. God is love. It's a When We Gather We Gather to celebrate. We Gather to worship Christ We Gather Round the communion table it is this supper of the Lamb to remind one another Of what Jesus has done for us and to celebrate that good news, there should be and I struggle with it like anybody else but there should be this lightness in our step. There should be this joy that we carry with us because of the accomplished work of Christ on the cross. That's what we celebrate when we come together Hebrews 10 says it this way let us hold tightly without wavering to the hope we affirm for God can be trusted to keep his promises and that's the Hebrews writer talking about salvation. We can hold on to our faith in God we can hold on to our trust in the future because what because we know how to work hard because we will never stumble because we will never send because we will never fall because God can be trusted to keep his promises Hebrews also says this is what faith is used to believe that God is one who rewards those who seek Him who trust him who depend on him faith is trusting in the character of God. Not in your own effort to be good or to be righteous by your own Works Hebrews against is it this way therefore he is able speaking of Jesus as the ultimate high priest he is able once and for ever and I beautiful think about it once and forever to save those who come to God through him. He lives forever to intercede with God on their behalf. See the rider has just explained how under the old Covenant sacrifice and had to be made again and again and again, but under the New Covenant Jesus Christ, the ultimate high priest has saved us once and forever because his priesthood is eternal so we don't have to say I never that one year that I came to church every Sunday between Christmas and Easter and I think I was really I mean, I was building up the credit with God. I was there every Sunday until by Easter Sunday. I had goose bumps on the back of my neck and I just thought God really loves me. He cares for me see something. We sometimes we get it muddled and mixed in with our own emotions. I want not want her one author say insightfully so that there are times when we go outside and we look up at the Sun and we can't see it because of clouds. There could even be times when we go outside and we look at beautiful mountains in the distance that we've seen a million times, but they might be covered by clouds. Does that mean the sun is not there? Does that mean the mountains have gone have disappeared overnight? No. I said sometimes our feelings are like those clouds that will cover the sign on occasion or cover the mountain on occasion. And we need to be careful not to base our Salvation not to base our joy not to base our walk with God on our feelings. I feel extra saved because of attention. I'm get a big gold star or I feel extra unsafe because I'm really distant from God and I let you know and I really need him but and I really want to call out to him, but I know he just looks at me disapprovingly. He's waiting for me to somehow make myself a little more righteous before I dare gravel into his present. We've got to reject those emotions when they contradict scripture and the word of God and we've got to let the word of God in scripture be the authority in our lives. Amen. That's the truth. We hold on to it live by and so do the Hebrews writer says therefore he is able speaking of Jesus once and forever to save those who come to God through him. He lives forever to intercede with God on their behalf that why did God make this plan for forgiveness? We know the scriptures for this is how God loved the world.

He gave his one and only son so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life first. John says it this way. This is real love not that we have love God, but he has loved us and sent his son as a sacrifice to take away our sins. It is God's demonstration of his love for us to provide salvation through Jesus Christ. As it is free gift. That mean it wasn't costly was very costly and cry said I'll pay the cost. Because he joins the father in love for you and I and offers us salvation.

Now just a couple moments to worship teams going to come forward and we're going to have a time when we we sing. Jesus Paid It All And during that time if you've never made the decision to accept the gospel, I want you to I want you to come to me and make that decision. I'll be in the back so you don't have to come up in front of everybody and be like in a fishbowl. I'll be in the back or if you just got a prayer concern come to me and I love to pray with you and answer any questions you have. I'll be standing in the center in the back and they'll be folks in the front and the back prepare needs if you just have a prayer concerning you want somebody to pray for you. We want to do that during that song because that's the gospel that God has provided for your salvation through Jesus Christ and invites us to say yes to that truth. Before I call the worship team up just three more scriptures. What is it that the Lord has commanded Us in the book of the New Covenant remember in the old Covenant? Israel said we here at we we heard this book of the Covenant and so we're going to Old Bay Lord. What is it that God asked us to do as those who have already heard the good news about Jesus Christ believed it accepted it with that great. Joy that great salvation that says Jesus is my Lord and Savior. I am free I shoulders can set just a little bit lower. I can have a little bit of skip in my step because salvation has been provided as a gift for those of us who know that truth. What does Scripture ask of us? Look at what Paul says in three scriptures. He says do not be afraid of what you're about to suffer speaking of the church witnessing on his behalf. I tell you the devil will put some of you in prison to test you and you will be you will suffer persecution for 10 days be faithful even to the point of death and I will give you life as a Victor's Crown. He asked us to be faithful and it's Sending or advancing the gospel. That's the heart of the call of the church. Look what Paul says in Corinthians 9. He says when I am with those who are weak, I share their weakness for I want to bring the week to Christ. Yes. I try to find common ground with everyone doing everything. I can to save some I do everything to spread the good news and a share in its blessings. That's the thing that God asked us to do to spread the good news because he's provided for our Salvation. His request is not do these things to earn your salvation. His request is not be good enough to be called a Christian. The gospel is I have provided all of that who Jesus Christ he doesn't want us to try to relate to him on our own record. He wants us to relate to him on the record of Jesus Christ. He wants us to trust the work of Christ. He wants us to let him apply that to our account because Jesus has already done everything that's required. about that Don't you sometimes live with this constant sense? If there's something I should do they're not doing. I'm not good enough have enough money haven't volunteer enough time ever in my Bible enough. I've had two oceans enough sense. And God says Jesus has already done everything. That's required. I want you to accept his work on your behalf.

Get out of that piece out of that Joy of being loved by God. Not a desire to earn God's love but I was at Joy of confident being loved and accepted by God. He asked us to be faithful and sharing the message of the good news to tell Paul says the June like the Jews of Rica must agree to the week. I'm not the week any thing that I might win some I do everything to spread the good news and share in its blessing 2nd Timothy 4. I saw him earlier solemnly urge you pause as the Timothy the presence of God in Christ Jesus who will someday judge the living and the Dead when he comes to set upon his kingdom preach the word of God be prepared whether the time is favorable or not patiently correct review can encourage your people with good teaching for a time is coming will people no longer listen to the sound of wholesome teaching. They will follow their own desires and will look for one of her teachers who will tell them whatever their itching ears want to hear. They will reject the truth and chase after missed. You should keep Clear mind and every situation don't be afraid of suffering for the Lord work at telling others the good news and fully carry out. The ministry. God has given to you as for me. My life has already been poured out as an offering to God the time of my death is near Paul says, I fought the good fight. I finished the race and I have remained faithful and now the prize awaits me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord the righteous judge will give me on the day of his return and the price is not just for me, but for all who eagerly look forward to his appearing I'm going to bite the worship team to come forward now,

What God asked us to do is not to somehow earn our Salvation that gift has already been provided through the work of Christ. When he asked us to to do is to be faithful and sharing that good news the true and pure unaltered uncorrupted gospel that God has provided a New Covenant that God has provided salvation through Christ that he extends Grace and love to all who will say. Yes to the offer to any world caught any who will call upon the name of the Lord he offers salvation. And so what the devil has succeeded in doing sometimes is treating us to putting all our energy into other things that God has already accomplished through Christ and almost no energy into inviting friends or family to church. witnessing to a neighbor learning the gospel clearly enough ourselves so that we could talk to anyone who asked us about the gospel. Here's exactly what it is. Learning how to refute false teaching that floats around in our culture. Do you think it draws people closer to Christ when some television preacher or somebody gets his book published because he's told people God is punishing America or God is punishing rush or pick any decade pick any topic they spring up and they they they get their seminars in their books and they make it happen, but it tickles the years of those who want to say. Oh, yeah, that's how the good people and there's bad people and according to this author of the category of good people and got it out. They're punishing all the other people for being bad people. That's not the gospel. That's not the gospel. Do you think if we learn the pureness of God's forgiveness offered through Christ?

Do we share that good news? We arrived at church ready just to burst with worship because of what God has done not hoping when I sure hope somehow the sermons good enough to give me a little juice to get through the week or I sure hope the worship has my favorite songs and just rely on those clouds of feelings. Do instead take the word of God and build our lives on the facts of what God has done through Jesus Christ.

And practice the habit of whipping our emotions into shape of displaying them of telling them what they're going to do. Placing a heart and mind on the facts of scripture that Jesus Christ has provided our salvation and therefore is worthy of our praise.

Take that opportunity right now as we sing. As we sing to Christ as the one who paid it all