Is that you?
Matthew 18:7-9 NKJV
[7] Woe to the world because of offenses! For offenses must come, but woe to that man by whom the offense comes! [8] “If your hand or foot causes you to sin, cut it off and cast it from you. It is better for you to enter into life lame or maimed, rather than having two hands or two feet, to be cast into the everlasting fire. [9] And if your eye causes you to sin, pluck it out and cast it from you. It is better for you to enter into life with one eye, rather than having two eyes, to be cast into hell fire.
There’s a subject that makes us uncomfortable to speak of.
It’s something that we all indulge in.
It’s something that we hide.
No one really talks about the sins of our hearts much any more.
We like to talk about mercy.
We talk a lot about Grace.
And where would we be without love?
There’s just something about love.
We all want to be loved. We want to love the Lord.
We want to be loved by the Lord.
We strive to live a life of love and compassion.
Why?
In love there’s acceptance.
There is comfort.
The pain doesn’t hurt so bad.
There’s healing and restoration in love.
The Word of God says that love covers a multitude of sins.
We are to walk by love, be changed by love.
As a Follower of Jesus Christ love is expected of us.
They will know we are Chriatians by our Love.
Is that you?
True, pure love starts on the Cross.
Believe it or not, this kind love must come with something we don’t think about.
Hate!
Yes, Hate is a very strong word.
If we are called to love what possibly should we hate?
SIN!
We should hate the sin in our lives.
Is that you?
Can you truly follow Jesus without hating the very things He hates? Or do we give permission to the very sins God calls !
We should hate what is separating us from God. Those very things that cause God to turn His face from us. We should hate what is causing division. We should all be hating our sin and all the consequences of it.
Proverbs 6:16-19 NKJV
[16] These six things the Lord hates, Yes, seven are an abomination to Him: [17] A proud look, A lying tongue, Hands that shed innocent blood, [18] A heart that devises wicked plans, Feet that are swift in running to evil, [19] A false witness who speaks lies, And one who sows discord among brethren.
Let me ask a very serious question.
Which one of these do you give permission to?
Is that you?
Which one do we make excuses for?
Which one do you renounce at church but give permission to during the week?
Jesus is very specific in what He says.
Jesus is specific on how we should act, speak and even Follow Him. We will never be perfect at it, but we should strive to be.
There is a depravity that comes from our sin.
There is corruption of our sin.
Not just in our bodies. Not just in our thoughts, our speech. There is depravity and corruption in our very souls.
Our hands, our eyes and our feet don’t commit sin.
They don’t work independently from our hearts and thoughts.
Hands, eyes and feet are the vehicles that we act our sin out.
But our hands reach out for things, groping around to feel what it can grab.
Our eyes’ gaze may be too long. But we justify it even if it’s for a peak because of curiosity.
Our feet will walk us into the darkest places known!
Is there any sin that is respectable?
Many people will come to the Lord for forgiveness of these very sins. We ask for His Grace that’s renewed everyday.
We ask for the Mercy and compassion from His heart to cover and blanket us.
We start this new journey, this new relationship with the Son that saves you from the wrath of the Father.
Your Relationship with Him is changing.
More dependency. More faith. More Trust. And little by little that relationship gets stronger.
And it is Glorious!
Your relationship with God has changed.
The Salvation that He offers is free. The Grace He shows us is undeserved.
His love is undeniable and never ending.
Our relationship with the King of Glory changes! Everything else in our lives should start to change also. How do you now see your sin?
Let me ask you this question.
Has your relationship with sin changed too?
Jesus tells His Disciples that they must deny themselves.
They must carry their Cross.
He says that in order to be first in the Kingdom they must be last and a servant of all!
Now Jesus tells them “it would be better for you’!
Jesus tells us to cut off a hand or a foot. He tells us to pluck the eye out. That is extreme!
How can a lovinging merciful God say such a thing?
If your hand causes you to sin, cut it off.
If your foot causes you to sin, cut it off.
If your eye causes you to sin, pluck it out.
This is a call to Discipleship!
This is what it will take to be a Follower of Christ. It is a call to be more than a believer. This is what it is going to take to follow!
But how close do you truly desire to do so?
What will you cut out of your life to be close to the Hem of His Holy garment!
Any unrepentant sin will wedge you away from it!
Believe the Gospels! Repent of your sin. Deny yourself. Pick up your Cross, then cut out anything that will keep you from doing the things that separates you from Him!
This is what a True Disciple of Christ strives to do and be!
Are you specific in your repentance?
When you cry out to God to forgive you are you specific?
That’s the cutting off, when you specifically repent of a specific sin that you struggle with and have offended God through!
Those sins that not only bring division between you and God but it brings guilt and shame.
Thank God for guilt and shame!
The power of conviction never steers a heart wrong but always will bring them to the knees of repentance!
It Is an extreme comment to follow Christ!
You will always know someone that truly wants Jesus above all things.
We can actually measure ourselves on how much we want to follow Christ.
It is how we handle and deal with our own sin.
Not just how to deal with it but how we tolerate it.
If you question if you are born again, if you wonder if you are covered by the Blood shed on the Cross, this is how you know!
How much sin in your own life are you willing to tolerate?
How quick are you repenting of that specific sin?
You will always know someone that truly wants Jesus above all things.
Is that you?
Pastor Ed
