Pastors Garage
March 22, 2024
Hey there, how’s the long slow entrance into spring treating you? I, for
one, am more than ready for the lamb that the lion at the beginning of
March predicted to show up! As I wrote that last sentence my thoughts went
to a very different Lion and Lamb! The one I hope we all know, love, and
serve! The reality is one day we will all kneel before Him, as either the
Lamb that takes away the sin of the world, or the Lion of Judah, who will
judge the living and the dead! In light of that, how are we to walk these
few years we have on this earth? The light of this reality should affect
how we live on a daily basis!
Last Sunday I talked about how we are called to interact with the world.
The sermon was based upon 2 Kings 6:8-23. I would suggest reading it to
give some perspective to what I am about to say if you weren’t able to be
there, or possibly have totally forgotten what I talked about already. The
reality is that the Lord is not calling us to judge, control, fight
against, manipulate, or coerce those we perceive to be our enemies in the
battle we find ourselves in. He calls us to love and bless them! He
promises to fight on our behalf, He promises to reveal, He promises to
judge. I would argue that very rarely, if ever, is anyone argued, forced,
or guilt-ed into the kingdom! But they are led! All we have is love. They
will know that we are Christians by our Love! It doesn’t matter who you see
on the offensive. Maybe someone from another lifestyle, people group,
religion. It doesn’t matter what they’ve done to you, said about you,
treated you! It doesn’t even matter how sinful they may be! We are called
to love and bless them. The rest is up to the only one who can really ever
judge and administer justice fairly! The one who is the reveal-er of the
thoughts and intents of the heart! Read that passage in second Kings again,
read the story of Jonah, read the account of the crucifixion! Redemption of
the enemy has always been at the heart of the Father! It’s the only chance
any of us have at gaining His mercy as well. It doesn’t matter what stage
you are at in your spiritual journey, we all were, at one time, enemies of
the cross!
Which brings me to a bit of a teaser as to where I am headed for the next
two Sundays. Last Sunday the key word was Love! This Sunday the key word is
Fear! What does it mean to fear the Lord? Easter Sunday the key word is
Forgive! What does it mean to both be forgiven, and to truly forgive?
“*The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the
Holy One is insight.” Proverbs 9:10(ESV)*
Pastor Mike