The Kingdom Hero Show – Episode 75
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Welcome to The Kingdom Hero Show, where CHRIST is KING and the TRUTH matters! Our mission: To advance the Kingdom of God by shining the Kingdom Light everywhere we go!
On today’s program, we look at why God chooses to forgive and save, even when it seems some people REALLY don’t deserve it. Plus, how can we ever hope to show that kind of grace to people we see as enemies?
Before that, let me remind you to subscribe to my Rumble channel. You’ll find that, all our social media links and more, at TheKingdomLight.com/links, that’s TheKingdomLight.com/links. While you’re there, remember to visit our Kingdom Storehouse – the ONLY place where you can get yourself some Kingdom Gear. Great stuff there for gifts or for yourself, so check it out. And don’t forget about Kingdom Radio! Listen to encouraging Christian music 24/7 wherever you are. Fire it up at TheKingdomLight.com/radio, and tell your friends about it, too. That’s TheKingdomLight.com/radio!
Okay, let’s get started…
– Open Tag: Ladies and gentlemen, it’s time to Let the KINGDOM HEROICS Begin! –
My friend, evangelist Anthony Sluzas, recently said:
“I challenge you to prayerfully read the following passage and not be struck by the similarities to our nation (and the world) today…”
Psalm 106:37-48
They offered their own sons and daughters
as sacrifices to the idols of Canaan.
They killed those innocent children,
and the land was defiled by those murders.
They made themselves impure by their actions
and were unfaithful to God.
So the Lord was angry with his people;
he was disgusted with them.
He abandoned them to the power of the heathen,
and their enemies ruled over them.
They were oppressed by their enemies
and were in complete subjection to them.
Many times the Lord rescued his people,
but they chose to rebel against him
and sank deeper into sin.
Yet the Lord heard them when they cried out,
and he took notice of their distress.
For their sake he remembered his covenant,
and because of his great love he relented.
He made all their oppressors
feel sorry for them.
Save us, O Lord our God,
and bring us back from among the nations,
so that we may be thankful
and praise your holy name.
Praise the Lord, the God of Israel;
praise him now and forever!
So much of our modern society can be seen in this passage. The corruption, the indecency, the blatant disregard for God’s commands… Hundreds of millions of innocent unborn children have been horribly butchered in the name of convenience. It seems a new vile and destructive form of abhorrent behavior is being embraced every other day. Sexual perversion, mutilation of the flesh, and rejection of God’s established ways are being encouraged and even taught today. So, one might look at our current situation and ask the question, “Why should God deliver us?”
I submit that there are TWO REASONS:
The first is God’s covenant.
In the scripture we just read, the people failed, God rescued them, and they’d mess up again, falling deeper into sin. But why did He continue to take notice of their distress? It says that He always heard them when they cried out to Him. He is faithful to His people even when they are not. Why? Why would He stay true to us when we seem to fail so easily? The answer is simple – God’s nature is unaffected by our nature. He will always remain true to His own character.
The passage reads, “For their sake he remembered his covenant.” See, when God makes a promise, He keeps it. There is perhaps nothing more sacred than a solemn covenant which God makes with His people. Among the many things He has promised us, He said he would never leave or forsake us. He has the unconditional love of a Father toward His children. We fall, we stumble, we make mistakes, and He is faithful to correct and forgive us.
The ultimate covenant to this effect was that which He made when sacrificing His Son on the cross. There had to be a blood sacrifice, a payment for our sins, and Jesus was the only One who could provide that. Through Christ, we are made holy and justified in the sight of God. There is no other way. None. Only Jesus. This is why those who reject God’s gift of salvation are sentencing themselves to an eternity in hell. God doesn’t want anyone to die in sin. He doesn’t want to send anyone to hell. His nature is to forgive. But forgiveness is only bought with the blood of Jesus, which is why we must accept Him as Savior. Jesus is the One Way to heaven. Period.
The second is “the reason behind the reason,” and that’s God’s love.
Why would God even make that covenant with us? Given that we’re a fallen people, why did He choose mankind with which to make such an amazingly forgiving covenant? No doubt, all of God’s creation is special to Him. But we are the crowning jewel of that creation. He made us in His own image, in His very likeness, and this makes Him our Father, and we, His children. As such, God cannot help but love us with the love of a Father.
As the passage we read earlier states, “because of his great love he relented.” As our Father, He loves us enough to rescue us, even from the messes of our own making. As we know, the Bible says that “while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” This was the love of the Father shown through the sacrifice of the Son. The more we dive into scripture, the more we begin to see that God’s amazing love is His reason for doing pretty much EVERYTHING He does for us!
This is reason for us to take heart when we look around and see the awful state of our world today. Yes, things have gotten really bad. Yes, there is more evil prevalent now than ever before, it would seem. But God’s love is as big and as effective as it has ever been. Our job is to do everything we can to share that love with those around us. To forgive as God forgives. To be the light on the hill for all to see, and to show the world there is a better way.
We’ll talk more about how to do this, in just a moment.
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So, how do we show the love of God to those around us who may be living in the depths of despair? How do we demonstrate to those currently rejecting the gift of salvation that they’ve been sold a lie? They may think all kinds of inaccurate things about Christianity, so how do we show them what it’s truly about?
We have to lay aside our carnal tendencies to write them off, thinking to ourselves, “Why bother? Why should God save them?” Instead, we must emulate the characteristics of God. Jesus set the example, we have the Word, God’s instructions are right there, so we just have to do what He says. Let’s start with forgiveness.
Forgiveness Is…
- Acceptance in spite of flaws.
- Showing favor and loving unconditionally without regard for failures or shortcomings.
- Keeping no record of wrongs.
- Divine, so the only way to do it RIGHT is to forgive like God does.
This may seem like a tall order for us, but it’s how we should treat others. Not just family and friends, but also those people we’d often rather not show any grace to. Yeah, those who get on our nerves, who make us angry, and who we many times consider as enemies. Jesus said we’re supposed to love even our enemies and those who persecute us. Ouch.
In order to gain some perspective, we need to try seeing people the way God sees them. They are His children, too. Sure, they may have lost their way and gotten off course, but we were once lost to sin as well. God wants them to be saved as much as He wants you to be saved. We need to see them through the lens of God’s incredible love.
Love: the Key Ingredient
The power of sin is strong. Too often, we downplay that. True enough, in the light of the power of God and His love, the power of sin pales in comparison. But for those who are so embedded in the ways of the world, the power of sin can be far stronger than we tend to recognize.
Think about this. Have you ever read an account from the Bible where Jesus performed miracles in full view of the Pharisees, and many of them continued to rail against Him? Did you ever wonder why? How can anyone stand in the face of what would seem like irrefutable proof that God is real and Jesus is the only way to the Father, and STILL resist that evidence and deny the truth in front of us? That’s the power of sin, and our addiction to it, which acts like giant hooks that prevent us from rising above it. In turn, that will keep our minds in denial of truth.
Sin is easy. When people are accustomed to the dark, they don’t like the light. It seems harsh, even painful. People prefer lies that tell them what they want to hear, instead of truth that can cut like a samurai sword. It hurts. Sin is addictive, comfortable, and preferable to those who don’t fully grasp where that road leads. But it’s a trap.
So again, how do we reach people for Christ? How can we show them that there’s a BETTER way? How do we convince them serving God is truly preferable to serving themselves by continuing in sin?
As always, Jesus is our example. He taught people the ways of the Father while simultaneously showing them the love of the Father. Love is the key ingredient in the recipe for reaching people’s hearts. Multitudes flocked to hear Jesus teach about love. It has to be central in our witness as well.
Once those seeds are planted, we should follow up with constant care. Reaffirm your own love for those you minister to regularly. Ask the Holy Spirit to water those seeds so they will grow. Pray that God will create within them a desire to change. We must not only realize that sin’s power over us is like heavy chains, but we must also WANT to leave those chains behind us. The desire to change comes from cultivating a closer relationship with God.
Conclusion:
The next time you find yourself struggling to witness to people, thinking “That person is too far gone. Why should God save them?” – WHOA, you were once an enemy of God! Why should He have rescued YOU from your sins? His covenant, and His love – that’s why. Remember the love He has shown to you. He loves them, too. And now He needs you to show that love to them.
Remember this scripture…
For their sake he remembered his covenant,
and because of his great love he relented.
Use the lens of love to see past their faults, just as God did for you, and make a lasting difference in their lives! Why? Because you weren’t born to be a Kingdom Zero – no, you were born to be a Kingdom Hero! Today’s a great day to grab hold of God’s purpose for your life and become what He made you to be. I’m. Just. Saying.
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presented by Great Commission Ministries 