There, but for the Grace of God Go I

Introduction

How many of you have ever wished you could be a Bible character, that you could have been their with the patriarchs and watched God’s leading, or have watched God win battles for the kings of Israel without them lifting a hand, or have heard David composing songs while he watched his sheep? You ever wished you could have been their with the prophets as their prophecies were fulfilled? Or have been their with Jesus in person as He walked the earth or journeyed with Paul on his missionary journeys? I can’t say that I haven’t had such thoughts but you know we serve that same God? You know He is coming back again? We too can see Him working if we just look around and one day we will be able to walk in person with Him. But there was a downside for these people who were recorded in Scripture. How many of you have done something that you are glad that no one or very few people know about? Well for some of these people, their worst moments, and their worst characteristics have been laid out in Scripture to be talked about and discussed for all eternity. I don’t like to do this, but tonight, I want to look at some people’s worst moments, to look at some of our heroes in their worst days.

Their Worst Days

Lets begin in Matthew chapter 1. Matthew 1:1–2 “The book of the generation of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham. Abraham begat Isaac; and Isaac begat Jacob; and Jacob begat Judas and his brethren;” The patriarchs, the ones from whom the rest of Israel descended. Abraham, a great man of faith right? Well in Genesis 16 Abraham’s faith was growing weak and instead of waiting on God to work, Abraham thought maybe God needed some help and he had a child with his wife’s servant. Without even pausing to ask God what He thought Abraham acted and brought bad days upon himself, upon his wife, and upon his descendants. How about Jacob, he stole his brothers birthright by taking advantage of his hunger and by tricking his elderly father. Lets jump back to Matthew 1:5 “And Salmon begat Booz of Rachab; and Booz begat Obed of Ruth; and Obed begat Jesse;” Joshua 2 adds some context about Rahab. “And they (the spies) went and came into an harlot’s house, named Rahab.” Matthew 1:6 “And Jesse begat David the king; and David the king begat Solomon of her that had been the wife of Urias;”

Now this is a perfect example of why I don’t like to look at people’s worst moments. David was king for 40 years and what do we talk about more during his time as king than his very worst moment. 40 years of walking before God and winning battles but us preachers like to focus not on the victories but the failures and here I am doing it too.

We know the story well. David took another man’s wife and when she conceived he tried to devise a lie that would cover his sin and when that failed he murdered the man and stole his wife.

How about Peter at the trial of Jesus? He denied Christ. How about Thomas, he doubted the resurrection. How about Saul, the persecutor and executor of the early Christians?

The Adulterous Woman

John 8:1–4 KJV 1900

Jesus went unto the mount of Olives. And early in the morning he came again into the temple, and all the people came unto him; and he sat down, and taught them. And the scribes and Pharisees brought unto him a woman taken in adultery; and when they had set her in the midst, They say unto him, Master, this woman was taken in adultery, in the very act.

I have reminded you of some people’s worst moments and worst actions. Those things were wrong, its easy to see. A murderer, an adulterer, a traitor, an executioner of innocents, a faithless person, a liar and a cheat. These are the people mentioned in 1 Corinthians 6:9–10 “Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God.”

Bad people you think. You might think you know where I am going in this message and you are probably correct, but I want to take an important detour before we get there. It is easy to think for those who have been Christian for most of their lives or for so long that they forget what they really were. Murderers. I don’t do not think we have any murderers here tonight, but how many could be? You don’t think you could get there? You don’t think you could be a traitor, that you could be faithless, you think that these evil actions are beyond what you would ever do? You are forgetting who you were. Or maybe you were blessed and you never found out. You know that silly quote, every love story is beautiful but ours is my favorite? Well I think it’s silly because.… obviously! Also its silly because some stories are objectively better than others. Its true in testimony as well though. Some testimonies are objectively better than others. There is a best testimony! It is that one who when first spiritually awakened chooses to love God and then serves God faithfully his whole life. But its also true that mine is my favorite. Some of you may not admit or realize who you were. You are thinking of some wrong, some evil that someone has done that you know you would never do, that even without God you are better than that. NO YOU AREN’T. I Corinthians goes on to say and such were some of you. On the one hand I wish that I had always obeyed and loved God, but that’s not my story and because of that disbelief and hate toward God I got the awful privilege to see the darkness of man. Maybe just me, but I do not think so. I got to realize the monster that sin creates. Thanks be to God that by His grace He kept me from nearly all that was in my mind, and thanks be to God that I Corinthians continues and says “but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.

Lets read further in John 8:5-11

John 8:5–11 KJV 1900

Now Moses in the law commanded us, that such should be stoned: but what sayest thou? This they said, tempting him, that they might have to accuse him. But Jesus stooped down, and with his finger wrote on the ground, as though he heard them not. So when they continued asking him, he lifted up himself, and said unto them, He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her. And again he stooped down, and wrote on the ground. And they which heard it, being convicted by their own conscience, went out one by one, beginning at the eldest, even unto the last: and Jesus was left alone, and the woman standing in the midst. When Jesus had lifted up himself, and saw none but the woman, he said unto her, Woman, where are those thine accusers? hath no man condemned thee? She said, No man, Lord. And Jesus said unto her, Neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more.

Now we have no idea what Jesus wrote on the ground, but I do like the theory that He was writing the sins of the Pharisees and they stood realizing the truth before the Word of Truth. They realized that they were exactly as guilty of breaking God’s law as was this woman. That they could not throw a stone, for they too ought only to be judged and punished. I also like that we do not know what was written. If it really was their sins why should we know? Is there any reason we need to know the sins of others? Do we like to hear them just to make ourselves feel better about our self? The Bible does not say, if a brother fall share it with the whole world and ostracize him, it says to restore such a one. Don’t spread others peoples sins, pray for them and stop the never ending rumor mill. What you heard is probably not true anyway. If as a child you ever played the game telephone you know how it goes. One person whispers to the next, who then repeats it to the next person. By the time it gets to the end, its a whole new story. That bit of juicy gossip you have, don’t add your little bit of seasoning and pass it to the next person in line, rather let it die with you.

Now maybe its true. What then?

Matthew 18:23–35 KJV 1900

Therefore is the kingdom of heaven likened unto a certain king, which would take account of his servants. And when he had begun to reckon, one was brought unto him, which owed him ten thousand talents. But forasmuch as he had not to pay, his lord commanded him to be sold, and his wife, and children, and all that he had, and payment to be made. The servant therefore fell down, and worshipped him, saying, Lord, have patience with me, and I will pay thee all. Then the lord of that servant was moved with compassion, and loosed him, and forgave him the debt. But the same servant went out, and found one of his fellowservants, which owed him an hundred pence: and he laid hands on him, and took him by the throat, saying, Pay me that thou owest. And his fellowservant fell down at his feet, and besought him, saying, Have patience with me, and I will pay thee all. And he would not: but went and cast him into prison, till he should pay the debt. So when his fellowservants saw what was done, they were very sorry, and came and told unto their lord all that was done. Then his lord, after that he had called him, said unto him, O thou wicked servant, I forgave thee all that debt, because thou desiredst me: Shouldest not thou also have had compassion on thy fellowservant, even as I had pity on thee? And his lord was wroth, and delivered him to the tormentors, till he should pay all that was due unto him. So likewise shall my heavenly Father do also unto you, if ye from your hearts forgive not every one his brother their trespasses.

FORGIVEN

So if its true, that someone has done some wrong, Don’t forget who you were. Don’t forget what God forgave you. You see their is only on just Just judge of the universe and its not any of us. It is God alone who can justly cast judgement on the sinner and what did God do? In the story we read in John Jesus looked at this guilty woman before who deserved to die. He looked at her as a perfect judge, able to justly pass judgement upon her. None could ever accuse him of hypocrisy, a double standard and any injustice if he then picked up a stone and stoned her. The law demanded it! He is the lawgiver. Instead he laid down His life for her. Instead of stoning her, He walked like a lamb to His own Crucifixion. He said to her neither do I condemn thee: go and sin no more! Do you remember when he said that to you? When you were laid bare before Him, knowing He could see into every nook and cranny of your sinful heart, and knowing that the just judge, the great lawgiver was looking over all the ways you disobeyed against Him. And He looked you in the eye and said I forgive you! And you know what that cost Him! His own son came to die in your place. You have been forgiven much.

Part of God’s Plan

Now lets circle back to the beginning and revisit those people I talked about right off the bat. Abraham, Jacob, Rahab, David. Did God forgive these people? Of course, but He did more. You may have noticed where I read these names from. I read from the genealogy of Jesus. God has control of all things. In His heritage He chose to have an unfaithful person, a liar and a cheat, a harlot, an adulterer and murderer. In their worst moments these were awful people, deserving of punishment. Instead God chose them for His ancestors. He chose to redeem their wickedness. Abraham learned lesson of faith and trust the hard way but Abraham became a great man of Faith. Jacob, he got a new name and new character, he changed from a deceiver to a prince with God. Rahab got a new nation and while we don’t know anything about her after Jericho I have no doubt that a brand new woman raised Boaz to be the man of character that he was. And David? Psalm 51 records his repentance and God called David a man after God’s own heart. Jesus looked at Peter, knowing who he really was, and said Upon this Rock I will build my church and He did. Peter lead the early church. Thomas? His doubt was turned to determination as he was the first missionary to India. Saul? He became Paul, He met Jesus on the road to Damascus, He was taught his theology by God himself in the Arabian wilderness for 3 years and He became the co-author with God of much of the New Testament as well as being a great missionary who took the Gospel to the very household of Caesar. Paul, that persecutor of all that was truly right and good became the man who wrote, “But by the grace of God, I am what I am.”

God is in the business of redeeming people. God forgives and redeems. He doesn’t leave people as forgiven wretches but he turns sinner into saints, he turns the weak into the strong, the doubtful to the determined and the persecutor into the Evangelist.