TEXT::1Jo 3:16 Hereby we perceive the love of God, because he laid down his life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren. INTRO: TRANSITION:
1.SELF INFLICTED: It's interesting to hear God's perspective on this - Proverbs 19:3 "A man's own folly ruins his life, yet his heart rages against the Lord." That is so true. How many times have you heard someone say, "How could God let this happen? How could God do this to me?" When, in fact, they are reaping the harvest of their own mistakes. Remember, the driver is to blame for where the car ends up. Many times we blame God for where we end up - when we've been doing the driving. In fact, this may be an issue in your life right now. Maybe things have gone wrong. Things are a mess. You've got some scars. And you're allowing it to come between you and God or His people. One evening several college students spread limburger cheese on the upper lip of a sleeping fraternity brother. Upon awakening the young man sniffed, looked around, and said, "This room stinks!" He then walked into the hall and said, "This hall stinks!" Leaving the dormitory he exclaimed, "The whole world stinks!" Could it be that your scars are, at least in part, self-inflicted? It was all my doing. It IS all my fault. You refused to examine yourself. Neglected some things you should have been taking care of. You allowed some things that are really important to slip . . . to be crowded out by some things that really aren't very important. It is communion today, examine yourself, admit to God It was all my doing. It IS all my fault. 1Jo 3:16 Hereby we perceive the love of God, because he laid down his life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren. Are some of your scars self inflicted? Or at least worsend by your bitterness? Will you examine yourself honestly? Don't rage against the Lord nor another, repent and be freed! 2.PRODIGAL WIDOM: Story of the Prodigal - TURN: Luke 15:11-32 : 11 Jesus said, A certain man had two sons: 12 And the younger of them said to [his] father, Father, give me the portion of goods that falleth [to me]. And he divided unto them [his] living. 13 And not many days after the younger son gathered all together, and took his journey into a far country, and there wasted his substance with riotous living. 14 And when he had spent all, there arose a mighty famine in that land; and he began to be in want. 15 And he went and joined himself to a citizen of that country; and he sent him into his fields to feed swine. 16 And he would fain have filled his belly with the husks that the swine did eat: and no man gave unto him. 17 And when he came to himself, he said, How many hired servants of my father's have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger! 18 I will arise and go to my father, and will say unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and before thee, 19 And am no more worthy to be called thy son: make me as one of thy hired servants. 20 And he arose, and came to his father. But when he was yet a great way off, his father saw him, and had compassion, and ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed him. 21 And the son said unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in thy sight, and am no more worthy to be called thy son. 22 But the father said to his servants, Bring forth the best robe, and put [it] on him; and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on [his] feet: 23 And bring hither the fatted calf, and kill [it]; and let us eat, and be merry: 24 For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found. And they began to be merry. 25 Now his elder son was in the field: and as he came and drew nigh to the house, he heard musick and dancing. 26 And he called one of the servants, and asked what these things meant. 27 And he said unto him, Thy brother is come; and thy father hath killed the fatted calf, because he hath received him safe and sound. 28 And he was angry, and would not go in: therefore came his father out, and intreated him. 29 And he answering said to [his] father, Lo, these many years do I serve thee, neither transgressed I at any time thy commandment: and yet thou never gavest me a kid, that I might make merry with my friends: 30 But as soon as this thy son was come, which hath devoured thy living with harlots, thou hast killed for him the fatted calf. 31 And he said unto him, Son, thou art ever with me, and all that I have is thine. 32 It was meet that we should make merry, and be glad: for this thy brother was dead, and is alive again; and was lost, and is found. Here we see 2 self inflicted scars - the Prodigal son, and 'good" son! "People who are out to find fault seldom find anything else". Somtimes our sin is less blatant than the Prodigal's, more like the good son's unforgivness or selfishness. Jer 17:9 The heart [is] deceitful above all [things], and desperately wicked: who can know it? 10 I the LORD search the heart, [I] try the reins, even to give every man according to his ways, [and] according to the fruit of his doings. We need to awaken to God's search and Examine ourselves! Maybe you're reaping some of the results of your own stubbornness, unforforgivness, or refusal to do it God's way. Here's the wisdom of the prodigal son, "he came to himself." He said It was all my fault. I take the blame "I have sinned against heaven." All sin is against heaven! TURN: Isaiah 48:18 "If only you had paid attention to My commands, your peace would have been like a river, your righteousness like the waves of the sea." Perhaps God's been trying to lead you in a different direction, possibly even convicting you of some sinful attitude, some sinful action, or some sinful relationship that you need to change. 1Jo 3:16 Hereby we perceive the love of God, because he laid down his life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren. How sure are you that you are right? What chance is there that God sees it different? Will you open up to His examination? Are you willing to let God go past your decietful heart? Are you willing to hear His report? So you can come to yourself and be restored. 3.WE TAKE THE BLAME: TURN: Joh 10:15 As the Father knoweth me, even so know I the Father: and I lay down my life for the sheep. 16 And other sheep I have, which are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice; and there shall be one fold, [and] one shepherd. 17 Therefore doth my Father love me, because I lay down my life, that I might take it again. Jesus Self inflicted His scars for your sake!! To keep you from them! The Cross is about this! Communion is keeping ourselves from diffusing His Scars for us! If we keeping hurting each other and ourselves we nulify His efforts! So say the Words It was all my doing. It IS all my fault. And move on Clean! 1Jo 3:16 Hereby we perceive the love of God, because he laid down his life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren. So we follow His example: We self inflict ourselves by bearing each other infirmities, burdens and sins! Someone has to take the blame! Part of being like Jesus is taking the blame/penalty! It was not my fault but I'll take the blame! Story of a 2 brothers, one had gone out partying and got in a fight and ended up stabbing and killing a man. In desperation he ran from the police to his brother. His brother, a Christian, saw the blood stained shirt and heard the police sirens and immediately told his brother to take off his shirt, the brother in panic and fear did so. the brother took the blood stained shirt and put it on himself and told his brother to leave as he walked out to face the police. Ar you my brother? Jesus is, will you be? Ga 6:17 From henceforth let no man trouble me: for I bear in my body the marks of the Lord Jesus. I want to be able to say this! Do you? Then say this - Put the blame on me. These are scars become badges of honor for these are the marks of the Cross! We take the blame! 1Jo 3:16 Hereby we perceive the love of God, because he laid down his life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren. Will you take the blame? Even when its not yours?! Are you willing to gain some self inflicted, like Jesus did? Will you bear the marks of the Cross? CONCLUSION: All blaming & finger pointing is a waste of time. No matter how much fault you find with another, and regardless of how much you blame God or a person, it will not change you. The only thing blame does is to keep the focus off you when you are looking for external reasons to explain your unhappiness or frustration. You may succeed in making another feel guilty of something by blaming him, but you won't succeed in changing whatever it is about you that is making you unhappy. It was all my doing. It IS all my fault. How often our pain is the result and the harvest of our own selfishness, unforgiving, bad choices, our own wrong priorities, our lack of integrity, our hasty words, our lies, or our neglect. This is not a time to "rage against the Lord". This is a time to look in the mirror and accept the responsibility for the results of our choices. And, for goodness sake, let this pain make its point - that God's way of getting things done is so much better. Examine yourself this Communion and let today be a new beginning - so tomorrow's harvest will be better, not bitter. Remember, the healing of the prodigal son began when, according to the Bible, "he came to himself." It was all my doing. Put the Blame on Me. 1Jo 3:16 Hereby we perceive the love of God, because he laid down his life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren. Ask yourself: Are some of my scars self inflicted? Am I bitter somewhere? How sure am I that I'm right? What chance is there that God sees it different? Am I willing to let God go past my decietful heart? Will I take the blame? Will I gain some of Jesus' self-inflicted scars? It was all my doing. Put the Blame on Me. |
