Category: Saturday Study

Saturday Study

Proverbs 21 (10-21-17)

In Proverbs 21, we hear Solomon emphasize again and again God-honoring counsel that we should pursue righteousness and uprightness. See the following list of verses and their counsel:

3 To do righteousness and justice is more acceptable to the Lord than sacrifice.

8 The way of the guilty is crooked, but the conduct of the pure is upright.

12 The Righteous One observes the house of the wicked; he throws the wicked down to ruin.

15 When justice is done, it is a joy to the righteous but terror to evildoers.

18 The wicked is a ransom for the righteous, and the traitor for the upright.

21 Whoever pursues righteousness and kindness will find life, righteousness, and honor.

26 All day long he craves and craves, but the righteous gives and does not hold back.

29 A wicked man puts on a bold face, but the upright gives thought to his ways.

What a valuable press for the need to live righteously. God is honored when we reject sin and do what is upright in His eyes. He will reward us, and we will be a blessing to others. But I wanted to dig deeper this morning into why the fight for righteousness is so hard and how we actually have success in the lasting practice of it.

God-honoring living is one of the great battles we face every day, because sin wants to serve self and will compromise what is right and God-honoring to get what it wants. Sin will cause us to lie, cheat, steal, hurt, abuse, and manipulate to get what we want.

Our natural inclination in sin is not good; it is evil. On this, the Bible is clear:

Titus 1:15 says “… to the corrupt and unbelieving nothing is pure; their very minds and consciences are corrupted.”

Jeremiah tells us, “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately corrupt; who can understand it?” (17:9).

In Genesis 6, we see God’s evaluation of mankind after the fall and His explanation of mankind’s condition due to the fall of Adam:

Genesis 6:5 The Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intention of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.

One of the more famous Scriptures that speak of our best-laid efforts to do any spiritual good apart from Christ is found in Isaiah 64:6: “… all our righteous acts are like filthy rags.”

As a consequence of the fall of the first man, Adam, every person born into the world is morally corrupt and spiritually dead. This is total depravity.

Let me expand. Total depravity is defined as the following: Because of the fall, every part of natural man has been corrupted by sin: his mind, will, emotions, and flesh. Sin affects the whole person; we sin because we are sinners by nature. All men are conceived in sin, dead in sin, slaves to sin, and deserving of God’s wrath. Total depravity does not mean that man is without a conscience or any sense of right or wrong, nor does it mean that man is as wicked or sinful as he could be. Total depravity recognizes the Bible teaches that even the apparent “good” things unregenerate man does are ruined by sin, because they are not done out of faith in Jesus for the glory of God.

“We are sinners not because we sin; rather, we sin because we are sinners.”

This understanding is super important, because we must understand that we do not pursue or practice righteousness unless we are first born again. We are then given a new heart and new desires via the Holy Spirit to honor God and do what is upright and righteous.

The good news is that Jesus died in the place of sinners so we could receive His imputed righteousness, be made new creations, and adopted as sons and daughters of the King.

If we have new birth then we can and should live in Christ’s power to honor God with righteous living.

Turn with me to 1 John, as he gives us a great clarity for the topic of practicing righteousness in all of life:

1 John 3:9 No one born of God makes a practice of sinning, for God’s seed abides in him, and he cannot keep on sinning because he has been born of God.

What does it mean to be BORN OF GOD?

It means something new has come into existence.

Paul calls it a new creation (Ephesians 2:10; 4:24).

Jeremiah calls it a new heart (24:7).

Ezekiel calls it a new spirit (36:26).

Being born of God is being changed by God so that the dominion of sin is broken.

John says that when we are born again, “God’s seed” abides in us, and we “cannot keep on sinning.” That’s how real the connection between the new birth and daily physical life is.

The seed may be the spirit of God, the word of God, or the nature of God—or all three.

Whatever it is specifically, God Himself is at work in the new birth so powerfully that the redeemed cannot keep on practicing sin.

Another way of looking at it: God’s seed does not live in peace with a pattern of sinful behavior.

John is saying, “Not practicing sin is evidence of the new birth.”

He flips it in verse 10 and highlights the other side of the coin:

1 John 3:10 By this it is evident who are the children of God, and who are the children of the devil: whoever does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor is the one who does not love his brother.

The point is, if God has saved you, if you are his redeemed child, you will practice righteousness and not lawlessness. The seed He has put in you will grow a godly person in you.

So, what we have to understand as we are convicted by Proverbs 21 is that we don’t need to start practicing righteousness. If Christ is in you, YOU WILL practice righteousness.

1 John 3:6-9 No one who abides in him keeps on sinning; no one who keeps on sinning has either seen him or known him. Little children, let no one deceive you. Whoever practices righteousness is righteous, as he is righteous. Whoever makes a practice of sinning is of the devil, for the devil has been sinning from the beginning. The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the works of the devil. No one born of God makes a practice of sinning, for God’s seed abides in him, and he cannot keep on sinning because he has been born of God.

The key is to realize that the present tense verbs used here in Greek for “sins” (in verse 6) and “practices” (in verse 9) imply ongoing, continuous action. This means, in John’s mind, what is impossible for the Christian is a life of unchanged continuation in sin, the same as when the person was not born of God.

Now, as you hear this you can quickly begin to think, “But that sounds like perfection.” It can sound like a true Christian never sins again.

Hear me clearly: This is not what John is saying.

The Greek verb “practice of sinning” in verse 9 implies continuous action.

We also know John isn’t teaching sinless perfection, because he says in 1 John 1:8, “If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.”

The “we” here is born-again Christians. He is saying, “There are no sinless Christians.”

Here, John goes so far as to tell Christians that it is a sin to say you never sin or that you do not struggle with or fight sin.

So…

1. How do the born again deal with their sin? Answer: Confess and repent to God.

Christians can and do struggle with carelessness, coasting, indifference, and laziness.

If you find yourself losing your vigilance against sinful attitudes and sinful behavior, the Bible says we need to RUN to our Advocate for propitiation–for mercy and righteousness.

1 John 2:1 My little children I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.

We need to confess our sin and receive cleansing.

1 John 1:9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

Christians, don’t go on sinning without real struggle and real confession and real repentance.

If you are a Christian and you see your sin, you hate it, you confess it, and you fight it.

And you do so with increasing vigilance as you grow up into Christ.

Children of God do not make excuses for sin, but instead confess sin.

Confession is agreeing with God that it is sin. It means you see the sin the way God does.

We are also called to confess to each other and pray for each other.

James 5:16 Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working.

We are to watch out for temptation and for each other and bear one another’s burdens.

Galatians 6:1-2 Brothers, if anyone is caught in any transgression, you who are spiritual should restore him in a spirit of gentleness. Keep watch on yourself, lest you too be tempted. Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.

We also are to repent of our sin.

Repentance is turning to God and away from sin.

Repentance is essential because it is the “dying to self to live for Christ.” It is taking up a new path in light of the gospel.

It is living out the transformation that Christ is doing within. It is not just a one-time thing.

As Martin Luther said so famously in his 95 theses, “When our Lord and Master Jesus Christ said, ‘Repent,’ he willed the entire life of believers to be one of repentance.”

2. How do the born again avoid sin? Answer: We must feed the seed.

Psalms 119:9–11

How can a young man keep his way pure? By guarding it according to your word.

10 With my whole heart I seek you; let me not wander from your commandments!

11 I have stored up your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you.

There is a spiritual diet without which no Christian can be strong and healthy and fruitful, and that is a diet of the word of God.

If we don’t soak in the fuel of God’s word and eat the food He intends it to be for our souls, our light dims and our souls languish.

He wants to refine out the impurities.

He wants to build into us a foundation of truth that leads to holiness.

He has saved us to practice righteousness!

How do the born again avoid sin?  We must feed the seed!

“let me not wander from your commandments! 11 I have stored up your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you.”

Psalm 119:10-11

By His grace and for His glory,

Pastor Joshua Kirstine

Disciples Church

Saturday Study

Proverbs 20 (10-14-17)

Proverbs 20:17 and 20 say the following:

17 Bread gained by deceit is sweet to a man, but afterward his mouth will be full of gravel.

21 An inheritance gained hastily in the beginning will not be blessed in the end.

This is great counsel for people who struggle with sin. Yeah, that’s all of us. We are often tempted to take the easy road or to benefit at someone else’s expense because we want the immediate gratification. But Solomon warns us that while it might taste good for a moment or a period of time, it will lead to judgment and consequence. Bread that is sweet is not worth a mouth full of gravel. There are so many things on which we are tempted to compromise. These things seem little and/or we think, “No one will know.” So we take a taste or just a look. The problem is the prize or satisfaction is so fleeting and will not last long.

Consider a few potent examples:

The person who gives into sexual engagement outside of marriage experiences a short escapade and climax that is here and then gone. But the grief and guilt and consequence of that passion played out can truly be exponential.

This is why Paul was so strong in his words in 1 Corinthians 6:18, which says, “Run from sexual sin! No other sin so clearly affects the body as this one does. For sexual immorality is a sin against your own body.”

Another example is spending money you do not have. The temptation to buy something you really want now, even though God has not yet entrusted you with the money to afford, it is very strong. The society we live in is constantly pushing this drug on us.

“Buy now and pay later,” or “It will never be this cheap again,” or telling you that you deserve to splurge a little.

The problem is spending money you don’t yet have means you are now indebted to another, and the amount you will pay in interest by the time it’s paid off means you paid three or four times the amount it cost to begin with. So much for saving money because it was on sale! I have seen this affect families and set them back for years if not decades. Talk about a mouth full of gravel.

Instead of looking to the things of the world to satisfy us, we are desperate to look to Christ alone for satisfaction.

C.S. Lewis once said, “… it would seem that our Lord finds our desires not too strong, but too weak. We are half-hearted creatures, fooling about with drink and sex and ambition when infinite joy is offered us, like an ignorant child who wants to go on making mud pies in a slum because he cannot imagine what is meant by the offer of a holiday at the sea. We are far too easily pleased.”

We are guilty of dreaming for and chasing scraps, as we try to find deep, lasting pleasure in fast cars, big screen TV’s, extra-marital sex, and tasty meals.

Pascal once said, “But these are all inadequate, because … the infinite abyss can only be filled by an infinite and immutable Object, that is to say, only by God Himself.”

Christian, instead of selling out for fleeting things and buying yourself a bunch of consequence and heartache, consider the words of the Psalmist:

Psalm 37:4 Delight yourself in the Lord. And he will give you the desires of your heart!

Psalm 63:1 O God, you are my God, earnestly I seek you; my soul thirsts for you, my body longs for you, in a dry and weary land where there is no water.

Psalm 36:8 They feast on the abundance of your house; you give them drink from your river of delights.

In the Psalms, God is the “all-satisfying object.”

In Him alone we find the source of complete and unending pleasure!

Psalm 16:11 You will make known to me the path of life; In Your presence is fullness of joy; In Your right hand there are pleasures forever.

If we are to avoid the pitfalls of sinful decisions for instant gratification, then we must fight back those temptations with a greater affection that we have in Jesus.

Jesus said in John 15:4-5, “Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me. I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.”

We must remain or abide in Jesus every day, all day, as long as it’s called today. Why? Because the temptation to see and savor something else, something in creation over the Creator, is very real and constant.

When we abide or remain in Jesus, we will bear good fruit–the fruit of the Spirit– instead of bearing bad fruit and life-altering consequences like Solomon warns about in Proverbs 20. How do we remain in Jesus? The answer is by holding fast to His word and inviting in the other branches (mature Christians) in your life to constantly reorient your focus and cling to Jesus.

This is a beautiful gift God has given us in our salvation: to walk in the body in unity and not try to navigate this treacherous life alone. We need our blood-bought brothers and sisters in our lives constantly to remind us of the beauty of the gospel and to help us stay focused on Jesus.

The author of Hebrews said this so well in chapter 12:

Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, 2 looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God  (Hebrews 12:1-2).

By His grace and for His glory,

Pastor Joshua Kirstine

Disciples Church

Saturday Study

Proverbs 19 (10-7-17)

WARNINGS! They are a good thing. Sometimes we foolishly think to ourselves that warnings are a drag–that they dampen the party or ruin the day’s fun. But I contend that warnings are a beautiful gift that keep us from greater or total ruin.

Think about it: when you are enjoying a gorgeous day riding/driving on a mountain road, it is a bummer to see the sign that says, “25mph curve ahead.” But consider what that ride/drive would be like if you didn’t have that warning. You could very easily misjudge the intensity of that curve, and your momentum could take you right off the road. Or another example: you have planned for weeks a beach vacation. You have driven many miles to be there and can’t wait to jump into the ocean, but as you run up to the water, you see a huge sign that says, “Sharks in the Water.” You are very disappointed to find out that your day of swimming is ruined. You might even be mad at the presence of the sign and see it as the reason for your busted day. But consider what your day would be like if the sign was not there and you went swimming in shark-infested waters. Now, the sign is a great blessing and help. Without that warning, you might not have all your limbs or even your life. This is the way we need to read many of the Proverbs–not as a bummer list of do’s and don’ts, but as a blessed gift of helps to navigate this treacherous and wicked world. God is good, and His word is good and good for us. So let us approach the warnings Solomon wisely gives us in the Proverbs with joy and a desire to heed their counsel and to honor God in our following them.

A number of the proverbs in chapter 19 are great and helpful warnings to us. They give us a chance to pause and consider how we are doing and what we want to stay away from. Let me point out one more thing before we look at a number of these proverbs today. Many proverbs give us the pragmatic consequence or practical reward for doing or not doing that particular thing.  But let us consider our ultimate aim and worship. We who are in Christ live for God above all else. Therefore, our motivation for doing what is right and not doing what is wrong must be the Lord and not just the pragmatic acquired benefit or avoided penalty.  We do what honors God because it honors God. He is the reason; if not, then our motivation is potentially idolatrous in nature, and we miss the purpose of these things entirely.

Ok, look with me at something Solomon says twice in this Proverb, which makes it especially stand out:

Proverbs 19:5 A false witness will not go unpunished, and he who breathes out lies will not escape.
Proverbs 19:9 A false witness will not go unpunished, and he who breathes out lies will perish.

“A false witness will not go unpunished.” If you missed it the first time, let me say it again.

Solomon says that while the lie might gain you a moment or a season, you will not escape. Escape what? Judgment!

The righteous Judge of all sees and will judge all. Yes, if in Christ we have an Advocate, and by His blood we are forgiven, but we will still stand in judgment, and either He or we will pay for our deception.

Let us instead speak truth and receive our consequences with honor and uprightness. Instead of covering sin with more sin in lying about it, let us see our sin and confess what it is: SIN. This is our way to honor God and repent. If we do not repent, all we do is give birth to more sin and reap the consequences of what will come.

Proverbs 19:13 A foolish son is ruin to his father, and a wife’s quarreling is a continual dripping of rain.

In verse 13, we read another emphasis of Solomon that is a warning about how we treat our family. A foolish son brings ruin to his father. Our sins do affect others. This is especially true of our immediate family. When God entrust a child to the leadership and authority of his/her parents, that means they are highly connected to and responsible for him/her. This means when a child is foolish and sinful, it has great effect on the parents. This is so very true for marriage as well. Solomon’s example is the argumentative nature of a wife toward her husband. A wife is designed by God to joyfully submit to her husband’s headship and spiritual leadership. This means when she is argumentative instead of submissive, it is a great pain to a husband. It breaks down the God-given design for a healthy marriage and the deep oneness a husband and wife are intended to have. We all must realize when contemplating sin and acting selfishly that it will not just impact our own lives but the lives of many around us.

If you are feeling convicted by this proverb and are seeing the error of your normal practice, then take a moment to confess your sin and to repent from your ways by committing to a new practice and habit.

Proverbs 19:15 Slothfulness casts into a deep sleep, and an idle person will suffer hunger.

Our sin is so self-serving. This means we will take the road of least resistance, which can cause us to be very lazy. Slothfulness and laziness will truly catch up to you. Many of life’s struggles come about simply because of laziness: not having enough money to pay the bills, being overweight or experiencing health problems, wasting away your day’s responsibilities because you are only a consumer and not a producer, etc. What is an area of your life with which you are lazy? Identify it, confess that you have not stewarded it unto the worthy glory of the Lord, and take an active step to begin to steward it better. Maybe it is reading your Bible, working out, being creative and romantic with your spouse, spending quality time with your children, watching less TV or social media. Whatever it might be for you, get up and make the most of every day the Lord entrusts to you under the sun. Those who reject Jesus and live only for their own flesh lack the true inspiration and motivation to live each day to the fullest. But those who belong to Jesus and are given today to live for the eternal glory of the King have the greatest motivation ever given to anyone. Let us make the most of it for His glory, our joy, and others’ eternal good!

By His grace and for His glory,

Pastor Joshua Kirstine

Disciples Church

Saturday Study

Proverbs 18 (9-30-17)

This week’s study of Proverbs 18 brings us multiple words of wisdom regarding how we use our words. How we speak is a huge part of our testimony in Christ, and our words have the power to truly build up or ruin lives, both ours and others’. Let’s dig into this week’s text and mine for helpful application for our lives today.

Proverbs 18:7 says, “A fool’s mouth is his ruin, and his lips are a snare to his soul.”

We surely can and do get into a lot of trouble simply by the words we say. We can be arrested, prosecuted, sued, fired, and demoted simply due to words we say. We can lose a close relationship or a great opportunity by the words we say.

Washington Irving (author-1783-1859) once said, “The tongue is the only tool that grows sharper with constant use.”

As Christians, we have to apply James 1:19: “… let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak …”

We need to really consider what we will say before we say it, as our words do affect people and reflect our testimony of Christ.

Solomon continues the emphasis on our words in verse 8:

Proverbs 18:8 The words of a whisperer are like delicious morsels; they go down into the inner parts of the body.

Sin loves gossip. We have TV shows dedicated to it. As a culture, we are constantly plugged into social media and what’s trending in many ways to keep up on the latest gossip. We can also struggle with wanting to hear gossip or speaking gossip to feel “in the know” or to look important. Scripture warns against any kind of gossip (Romans 1:29; 2 Corinthians 12:20; 1 Timothy 5:13). In this, we gain insight that gossip is not a part of God, His word, His image, His plan, His salvation, and His people.

I like to define gossip as anything someone might share about another that makes the listener have a tainted or lesser view of that person. Let me show you how much this doesn’t fit into the vocabulary of a Christian.

1. Cutting, degrading, gossip, or slander is never a part of the dialogue between the Trinity

All speech between Father, Son, and Spirit about the Christian is overflowing with active love (1 John 4:16). The Spirit is praying for you (Romans 8:26). The Son is your priest (Hebrews 8:1), cleanser (Hebrews 10:22), advocate (Hebrews 10:20), and the One who subdues your true enemies (Hebrews 10:13). The Father loves you with the same love with which He loves the Son (John 17:23). Never do we see the Godhead model any kind of cutting remarks about the body of Christ.

2. Slander looks to separate and not unite

Gossip and slander are built on the attitude, “We are different and separate; therefore, I am going to tear you down.”

Christianity is built on the understanding in Christ that, “We were different, but now we are intimately and eternally united before the cross. I am the same as you.”

The Son makes this possible by taking on human flesh:

Saying, “I will dwell in the mud with you” (John 1:14);

Saying, “I will become nothing and die with you” (Philippians 2:7–8);

saying, “I can totally sympathize with you” (Hebrews 4:15).

Of course, Christ is not sinful. But that is what makes the incarnation and His penal substitution so glorious—that God created commonality between us and Him “while we were enemies” (Romans 5:10). He not only became a man, but He took on the humiliation and mockery of His fellow man (Luke 22:63).  Realize that we don’t do this in our flesh!  Even one of Jesus’ closest friends (Peter) trades Jesus’ dignity to warm himself with an in-crowd around a fire (John 18:17–18). We must depend on Jesus to sanctify our sinful longings so that we speak what is honoring to God and what builds others up.

We also hear Solomon bring forth counsel in this Proverb that centers around being slow to speak and quick to listen.

Proverbs 18:2 A fool takes no pleasure in understanding, but only in expressing his opinion.

Proverbs 18:13 If one gives an answer before he hears, it is his folly and shame.

Patience is a fruit of the Spirit. We must be patient with others and honor them by listening well. When we jump in and start talking before we have heard the whole story, we can be guilty of giving bad advice. Or in our pride, we can be guilty of not caring about what another has to say but only what we have to say. Solomon says this is foolish. But how often are we guilty of it?

We must heed the words of Scripture and practice listening and purposely being slow to speak. This is a way to walk in this life in humility. This is a way to honor others and not put your foot in your mouth.

Finally, Solomon points out what our words produce. Do your words build others up or tear them down?

Do they make much of Christ or honor yourself? Listen to Solomon’s counsel:

Proverbs 18:20 From the fruit of a man’s mouth his stomach is satisfied; he is satisfied by the yield of his lips.

Proverbs 18:21 Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruits.

Death and life are in the power of the tongue. That is a weighty statement. We must practice speech that pushes others towards Christ and not towards the flesh or self. We must “Encourage one another daily, as long as it is called ‘Today,’” (Hebrews 3:13).  The author is asking, “Is TODAY HAPPENING?” YES! Then encourage one another.

He is saying, “Don’t be the body of Christ that tries to endure the war that rages around us without encouraging one another.”   For the body, it’s like breathing. Don’t try to live today without encouraging!

The problem is this is the natural tendency of our flesh. The sin we are at war with wants to discourage others. It desires self-exaltation more than anything. So, it relishes focusing on others’ weaknesses, mistakes, and flaws. This is done out of arrogance or envy and pride. It is in our arrogance that we are often guilty of thinking, saying, observing, or interpreting negatively of others.

Instead, let us outdo one another in showing honor. Let us build up and not tear down. Let the fruit of our lips be life-giving and not life-stealing. I pray that you take today’s study not just to heart, but to action. This is the kind of thing you must really stop and consider, how am I doing? What is my habit or tendency in this area? I pray that we would make war with our flesh and truly consider how to make the most of our words. May we listen better and not just listen, but really listen.

Let us mature in these things as we look to make much of Christ our Lord and be a joy to be around people as they discover that their name is safe in our mouths. May we be a trustworthy people that encourage instead of tear down.

By His grace and for His glory,

Pastor Joshua Kirstine

Disciples Church

Saturday Study

Proverbs 17 (9-23-17)

This week’s study of Proverbs 17 has two verses within it that highlight the practice of forgiveness and peacemaking. God was surely setting the standard for these two areas of life, as we also see them thoroughly taught in the New Testament for Christians. Let’s dig deeper into these two Proverbs today and pray that God will help us to mature in these two critical areas of life in Christ.

Proverbs 17:9 Whoever covers an offense seeks love, but he who repeats a matter separates close friends.

Solomon says it is loving to cover or forgive an offense. To hold it against a person or repeat the offense ruins a friendship with separation. This is huge when we understand that Christ essentially redeemed us to be unified into the family of God and to practice unity and forgiveness for the sake of unity He has bought for us with His blood. It is sin that causes separation and grudges to divide relationships, and it is Christ in us that causes us to forgive so that we can be united and not divided.

Colossians 3:12-13 Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive.

We, the church, are the chosen ones of God! As His beloved, we are set apart for holy living.

The church is set apart due largely by the way we live in Christ. We are compassionate, kind, humble, meek and patient. We are willing to bear with one another as we wrestle with sin. But probably most important of all of these is our practice to forgive each other.

WHY do we forgive one another? Because God has forgiven us.

Because we have received grace and mercy, which means the debt we are due was forgiven. No other event in our lives has altered us greater than this–to be forgiven by the God of the Universe. We are pardoned by the King of kings. It has truly changed us forever!

This means that debt doesn’t hang on us anymore.

This is what makes grace so beautiful–so amazing! He knows us at our worst, and He still paid for our freedom, forgave us, and chooses to look upon us in an entirely new light.

What this allows us to do is not only rejoice to our great and merciful God, but it also allows us to be a part of His plan for restoration and building a new community.

Probably the biggest thing our society needs is forgiveness. The number one topic of counseling is forgiveness. Fractures between mother and son, husband and wife, daughter and father is caused by sin, but it is continued by lack of forgiveness!

Oh, how desperate we are for forgiveness for eternal life. But our society is desperate for the practice of the Church forgiving one another so the flood of the gospel goes out and transforms.

Forgiveness is giving up your right to get even. So, how do you and I forgive someone who does not deserve to be forgiven?

By what power do we do this?

Colossians 3:13b forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive.

Ephesians 4:32b forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.

God did not wait for us to say, “I am sorry.” He did not wait for us to come running to Him so we could prove ourselves worthy of His forgiveness.

Worse than that, our offenses against God were not just “a one-time thing,” as it is for many of our broken relationships.

Romans 5:8,10 but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life.

àIt says we were sinner (a sinner is one who practices sin so much that they are defined by it).

àIt says we were His enemies (actively and regularly declaring war on His glory with our sin).

The GOOD NEWS is Jesus Christ.

He is the reason this church and the power God has given us exists.

As our response to the gospel, we need to live lives that honor Him by practicing forgiveness.

See, the gospel is not just about my salvation; it is a movement–a movement of people who forgive!

It is GOOD NEWS that must be shared. It is a power that moves on hearts and transforms lives.

If a wretched, wicked enemy of God who is defined by my practice of sin against Him has received a gift I am not deserving in the slightest–if that man can be forgiven–then surely you and I can forgive our neighbor, our brother, our father, our daughter, or our friend of the hurts he/she has caused you or me.

The gospel at work in our lives means the power to forgive, which means restoration of relationships. 

Ephesians 4:32 Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.

Ok, let’s look at the second proverb that Solomon gives us that is in this same vein of practice.

Proverbs 17:14 The beginning of strife is like letting out water, so quit before the quarrel breaks out.

This is Solomon’s way of calling us to be peacemakers.

We see this all throughout the New Testament, too.

Matthew 5:9 Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God.

Jesus calls the sons of God “peacemakers!” What do peacemakers do? They don’t stir up strife and quarrels; they shut them down. They pull back when they see things are getting heated.

Do you do this? Or are you guilty of letting your pride and ego get in the way?

Peacemakers are not people who have no conflict. They are people who seek to diffuse angst and pursue peace in and through that conflict.

1 Corinthians 1:10 I appeal to you, brothers, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree, and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be united in the same mind and the same judgment.

Romans 12:16 says, “Live in harmony with one another …”

I Peter 3:8 says “… live in harmony with one another …”

We must see that peacemaking and diffusing strife and arguments is the practice of a Christ-follower. What are you doing to practice this? How do we practice this? I would contend that it is Christ in us that is the source of true peacemaking. To be a peacemaker, you must know the Prince of Peace.

Isaiah 9:6 For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

Jesus is the Prince of Peace! And what did He do to bring us peace?

Isaiah 53:5… he [Jesus] was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, may we practice true forgiveness as we have been forgiven by our high and holy God, and may we pursue peace and defuse strife at all times. May we do this with the power of Christ at work in us. May it be a bright beacon of the transformation of Jesus’ work in and through us.

May it make our marriages, our homes, our parenting, our workplace, and our communities places where the gospel of Christ is at work in and through us for God’s glory, our joy and others’ good.

By His grace and for His glory,

Pastor Joshua Kirstine

Disciples Church