"Faith, Hope and Love" 

 

SERMONS
 

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In Loving Memory
of Des Walter
 

 
18 March 1921- 15 June 2010
 
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3rd. Pentecost  June 13, 2010

God’s incredible Grace and Mercy.

1 Kings 21: 1-10; 15-21a. Psalm 5: 1-8; Galatians 2: 15-21; Luke 7: 36- 8:3

To see these lessons goto

 
 
Through the month of May I had several sermons with one word titles: Surprise!; Yes!; Together! and so on.
 
Today I am making a rather radical change in titles:  "Two marvellous stories of God’s incredible Grace and Mercy”!  (9 words!)
 
The first story is a kind of crazy story about love of power, and incredible selfishness.
King Ahab wanted Naboth’s farm in Jezreel because it was right beside his summer palace and he wanted it for a vegetable garden. He says to Naboth, “I’ll give you the best price for your land, or I’ll trade you a better piece of land”. And Naboth says, “No, definitely not, the land is not for sale. This farm is ancestral land which God gave to my forefathers hundreds of years ago. It’s just not for sale”!
 
So when Ahab got home he was sitting around, pouting and downcast, crabby! His wife, Queen Jezebel, who was quite a piece of work, says “what’s the matter with you”? Ahab, a grown man, sticks out his lower lip and says, “Naboth won’t sell me his ancestral farm”.
Now Jezebel is used to living with Canaanite kings who simply took whatever land they wanted, tells Ahab that she would get Naboth’s land for him, and plans a rather devious scheme.
She spreads the rumor that God’s judgement of drought and famine is because of Naboth’s unrighteousness, and he should be eliminated. She plans a huge banquet and places Naboth between two scoundrels who proceed to beat him to death.
Jezebel runs to Ahab and announces to him that Naboth is dead and that he has Naboth’s land and Ahab says “Goodie!”
 
Well, as it says in today’s Psalm, God can’t handle wickedness. He sends Elijah the prophet to the king’s court and pronounces judgement. “You have sold yourself to do what is eveil in the sight of the Lord”.
He tells the king and queen that their blood will flow in the city marketplace, and that their bodies will be eaten by the crows.  Guess what happens: Ahab hears God’s judgement for his greed and complicity in Jezebel’s murderous plans, and he repents! 
And then guess what happens? He tore his clothes and put sackcloth over his bare body and fasted before the Lord...and the Lord tells  Elijah that because Ahab has humbled himself  He will not bring the disaster upon him in his days.
 
I often think of the men and women who are in maximum security prisons across Canada, and I pray for their genuine remorse and their repentance. For I know that even as God had mercy upon Ahab, even though people commit the most heinous of crimes, there is mercy and forgiveness at the foot of the cross.
You may have heard of Katy Hutchison who lives in Victoria. Several years ago, her then husband was killed while checking on a teenage house party in Squamish. Determined not to let this horrible crime leave a legacy of hatred and anger in her family, she went to see her husband’s killer, Ryan Aldridge.
Through several meetings in the jail, Ryan came to a place of remorse and contrition...she forgave Ryan, and he now works with her in presenting the consequences of teen violence. Such is the incredible love and mercy of God...far beyond our understanding, and transforming in power and love.
 
Story #2 is about two sinners and a dinner party. Simon is a religious nut and he invites Jesus over for dinner, but soon into the dinner we get the idea he has a scheme to embarrass and humiliate Jesus. He intentionally skips the water for Jesus feet, the welcoming kiss, and there’s no ointment for his head.
But a loving and repentant woman, a prostitute, comes through the shadows weeping. She began to bathe his feet with her tears and to dry them with her hair, she continued kissing his feet and anointing them with the alabaster salve. She knew she was a sinner, and she knew Jesus loved her and had forgiven her and had given her a life of freedom and hope and joy.
No wonder she loved she loved Jesus so lavishly, and was forgiven so completely and wonderfully.
No wonder Jesus gave the stingy minded Simon something to ponder through the rest of the evening... “Therefore, I tell you, her sins, which were many, have been forgiven; hence she has shown great love. But the one to whom little is forgiven, loves little.  

“Two marvellous stories of God’s great love and mercy”!


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To Read Ron's earlier Sermons go to

  including:-

Keep On Keeping on   "Off to a Good Start"

Venture Faith  "We are writing a new Chapter ...."

 Strong thoughts and feelings " ..... it is OK to cry out to the Lord Jesus when we are frightened and
feeling overwhelmed."

 The power of Small  " I rejoice in the power of small"



 

 

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