THREE PERSPECTIVES.
1. The power of being forgiven by God – (Focus on) God’s initiative to save mankind by reconciling us back to God through Christ.
2. The power of a repentant lifestyle towards God and fellow brethren.
3. The power a changed/freed heart – The condition of my heart.
Preamble
We are relational beings. God saw that it was not good for Adam to be alone, so he made him a companion. He made us in His image and likeness so that there would be a comparable basis to relate with us.
Our relationship with God gives the benchmark for all other vital relationships of life. God charges us to love one another as He has loved us. Not how we choose to. E.g., He charges men to love their wives as Christ loves the church, children implored to obey their parents in the Lord because it right. (John 15:12, Ephesians 5)
Until we experience the love of God for ourselves, we are not able to pass it on to those we love. We also falter at how we relate to others.
Forgiveness is God’s idea and beacon to help us restore broken relationships with both God and fellow brethren.
How do we then can we appreciate/measure up this standard of life?
1. The power of being forgiven by God – Our salvation, through a reconciled relationship with God by Christ.
*Meet God Ephesians 2:1-18.
1.1 Humility – Let us never forget where the Lord brought you from, otherwise we lose sense of how much we have been forgiven (Vs 1-3).
Pastor Amos, the one who has been forgiven the bigger debt forgives more.
– We were dead in our transgressions and sins, following the ways of this world (the desires and thoughts of this contrary to God). Some of us born in Christian households.
– By nature, we were deserving the wrath of God. Script. _ We cannot live without Him, we had no clue that we were lost, and dead.
1.2 But God great love for us, God who is rich in mercy made us alive through Christ’s death. (Vs. 4)
– The forgiveness from God was not our initiative, not even of how great our great sin was or how remorseful we were (we were dead anyway) but rather because of God’s great love and mercy for us that we are now reconciled to God. To life.
– The core of forgiveness is experiencing the love and mercy of God.
– David says, (Psalms 32:1) blessed is the man whose sin is not accounted on him. Normally, the transaction of recompense of sin is that the perpetuator pays, here God paid. Imagine that!
1.3 Christ Himself is our peace, through His body He has broken down the dividing wall of hostility between us and God.
– We have free accesses to God. No longer enemies of God but children of God. Seated in heavenly places.
– You have got status. God has raised you up and seated with Christ and seated us with Him in heavenly places. Far above principalities and dominions of this world.
– Convinced that you do not have it… Yes, you do.
– You are healed, have a sound mind, above and where Christ has seated you, head and not the tail, you have got the mind of Christ, you are forgiven, the power of hell has no hold on you. God is not mad at you; you are on course for victory.
– Seen an evil** pierced themselves with many evils
2. The power of a repentant lifestyle towards God and fellow brethren (Contrast of David & Saul)
I Samuel 15:24-30.
Offender (seeks forgiveness through confession and repentance
Offended – offers forgiveness (Either of them may reach out to resolve the dispute) – Used interchangeably.
2.1 When we are confronted (correct a sinful pattern or Christian discipline), God’s intention is that we are redeemed. He does not require us to validate wrong doings ourselves but rather humble ourselves before Him and thereby find strength to do what is right. King Hezekiah - Turned back to the wall and prayed 2 kings 20.
2.2 Chapter 16, God rejects Saul, anoints David. The kingdom is transferred ripped away from him.
2.3 Vs 14, In exchange for the spirit of God and evil spirit tormented Saul.
2.4 From this point on, Saul never settled until his death. He had a conflicted heart.
Reflections.
What could we be losing because we have things, egos, rights, we are holding onto?
Could we be hurting/ because we fail to repent?
Reflections from last Sunday (A renewed presence of God, perfect peace and change of hearts)
3. The power of a changed/freed heart. (The Contrast of David and Saul)
3.1 When David faced constant needless persecution from the very person that was supposed to mentor him, someone that had great advantage over him, he did not take vengeance in his hands though he had capacity to do so. He kept honoring Saul as king and Gods anointed one. I Samuel 24:8-13.
3.2 Interestingly this is the same person that he was ministering to. Howbeit that the very place that was supposed to bring him great joy brought so much contention against him. What kind of resolute heart must David have had? This is not the person I first dated; he was not like this before.
3.3 God can sustain us in the very place where we face the greatest opposition.
3.4 The more Saul pursued David; the more David prospered whilst Saul’s life deteriorated.
Reflections
Well as Saul kept pursuing David, he kept doing exploits, growing in favor before God and men as well as turning distressed people into an army, and conquering the enemies of Israel. (I Samuel 22-1-2)
By doing good, we heap coals of fire on our haters Prov 25:21-22.
God can sustain us in the very place where we face the greatest opposition.
Wrap Up.
1. The standards of God for life are high, we must reach out for them because they will not be lowered down to us. Just as God reconciled us to Himself and continually forgives us, He calls us out to extend the same grace to those that hurt us.
2. Paul – (Gal 2:20) I have been crucified with Christ, I no longer live but Christ lives in me, the life I live in the flesh, I live by faith to the one who loved me and gave himself for me.
3. Emulate Christ.
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