The Struggling Christian Week 11

Am I Worthy

Introduction

As we continue in talking through the struggles that Christians face we run into something that we might into as a struggle or are even currently doing which is asking ourselves the question how can I ever be worthy of God’s love and Salvation.

In Truth the bible is very clear about this.

Romans 3:23 ESV

23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,

In clear speaking terms non of us are worth to receive the love of God however God chose us any way and when we look at it in truth there in nothing in your life that you have done that would negate you from receiving God’s grace and salvation compare to those that are in the bible.

In the book of Hebrews 11 there is something in it called the hall of faith it is exactly to the way we see the hall of fame but for bible believing people so we have our version of the greats in the bible.

so they list off a couple of people I want to spend time really talking about this faith people.

Noah - Got Drunk and naked front of his children

Abraham - Had an Illegitimate child with a servant

Jacob - Stole his brothers birthright and blessing

Moses - Killed a man

Samson- broke his vow many times, committed suicide

David - Killed his best friend and had a child with his wife

So long story short your past is not something that disqualifies you.

If we are not able to achieve the status of being worthy for God’s love then why is it that we get to salvation and grace from him then?

Ephesians 1:4–7 ESV

4 even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love 5 he predestined us for adoption to himself as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, 6 to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved. 7 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace,

So when we're running into a time in our life where we're feeling down because we're not worthy of God's love or we’re feeling like I can’t repent because I am unable to receive God’s love This passage here gives us three encouragements that we should go through in order to understand whether we’re worthy or not is not what God brings up but instead God has decided to do something different and so let’s get into these three encouragements that we need to tell ourselves and each other in order to understand that worthiness does not stop what God wants .

God Chose us ( We are not pursuing a God that to get his attention to hopefully get to heaven we are Pursuing a God that actively chose us Not predestination but a plan of our salvation/ By giving us a choice to pursue him or not.

Ex: Imagine if God abandoned his plan while Christ was on the cross and he’s being beaten and mocked and ridiculed and all of a sudden instead of saying Father forgive them for they don’t know what they do Jesus says that’s it I've had enough I’ve done nothing but serve these people have done nothing but love on these people I've done nothing but show compassion and they still persecute me It doesn’t matter how many times in the Old Testament I’ve given him a chance nor how many times I give him a chance now I am finished and pulls himself off the cross and says let these people die I don’t care anymore . I think some of us can resonate with that because the fact is how many of us have ever been in that spot where we have somebody that we’re connecting with we have somebody that we pour all into whether it’s a career whether it’s a family but we pour all into and they don’t deserve it and sometimes we want to throw our hands up and say that’s enough they don’t deserve it . I think all of us can connect to that but the unique thing about that was that is not what he did Instead he says I choose you This is the price for the death this is the price for the sin this is the price for the punishment and regardless of what happens I choose you and I’m willing to pay for every bit of it Imagine the relief that we should feel . To put it in another perspective imagine you’re walking down the street you got your umbrella because it’s raining and you’re it’s finished raining so you close it out but you’re just carrying your umbrella and you’re swinging it around And as you’re swinging around you hit a light pole that you’re walking past unbeknownst Lee but your mind is it’s a metal pole who cares But what happens is is the second you hit it it falls over and hits 7 luxury cars Does over $40 million worth of damage And the worst part about all of it is there was a cop sitting right there and watched you willingly hit the pole and do the damage . The owner comes out and instead of charging you they they give you an optimum I can press charges or you can write me a check right now to cover the cost and we’ll forget it ever happened So now you’re left with the debt pay $40 million or go to jail . And what happens is some stranger comes out from the building nearest to you runs up and says they didn’t know that would fall and writes a check for $40 million and gives it to the person that you owe and you are no longer in debt for that issue and that stranger tells and tells you I don’t want you to pay it back I know you’re trying your hardest I know who you are but all I want you to do is come and spend 5 minutes a day over a cup of coffee with me I don’t want anything else . That is God choosing you we make a sin that we never could pay back but Jesus chooses you and says that person is enough I want that person to spend time with me therefore let me step in and make the price for it . )

God Adopted us (Now this one is unique I really enjoy this God has adopted you he has adopted me he has adopted us and what does that mean per se well let’s look at adoption as a whole adoption as a whole is taking someone from one family and saying you are now part of our family and I’m going to treat you as my family and you are my We will forever be in unity together because you are now my family member and no longer belong to that family member . In most cases we see and today it is taking a child from a family that either can’t take care of it that are just not ready that are abusive XY and Z you can fill in the blank there but it’s taking a child and saying I will now take care of you I will now be your mother I will now be your father and I will pour every essence I have into you because you are now my family my relative and that is what adoption is and the thing that’s unique here is what God is saying here is that we are adopted because of Jesus sacrifice in other words we live in the family of the world When you live in the family of the world there’s a couple things that happened you forever are separated from God you forever will have to feel that yearning in your chest is something’s missing you’ll be a part of something but you won’t genuinely feel the love from it You won’t genuinely be provided from it instead you are part of something that is a hardship that is hard to get through . But what Jesus says here and what Paul is writing in this Texas because of Jesus sacrifice on the cross if you acknowledge it you become part of my family I have adopted you you are mine in other words what does that mean every benefit that my family has you receive In other words you’re going to receive never ending love you’re going to receive never ending forgiveness you’re going to receive someone that’s going to have your back when you come into a family and you really embrace them in you are not just coming in as a stranger but you are coming in to receive every benefit they have and what is unique about joining this family and I really love to think about this is this family forgives each other . If I were to go into somebody’s house and walk over and knock their TV over intentionally break their $500 TV and say whoops and walk out that person is going to be beyond angry with me and almost guarantee will sever our relationship and then on top of that they might charge me and try me and take me to court for that TV . But now if I walked into my sister’s house and did the same thing she might be angry with me at the time that I did it she also might be grateful for me for doing it because then her kids aren’t watching the TV But eventually she’s going to forgive me Eventually she’s going to interact with me Our relationship doesn’t get severed over a TV It might have a strain on it just as if you would take a rope and you would pull and put tension on it but it doesn’t rip the rope it doesn’t strain and sever the relationship because family forgives each other what Christ is here if we are adopted into God’s family we are adopted into Christ Family forgives each other God Forgives us when we’re not with Christ and we are with the world we are strangers It’s not easy to forgive strangers as it is to forgive family . )

God redeemed us (The final encouragement that I can give you on if you struggle with being worthy of God’s love the thing to remember the encouragement you need to receive is this and this alone because of Jesus because of God sending his Son to die on the cross you’re not only forgiven you’re not only brought into his family your keys not only chose you but because of it you’ve been redeemed God calls you a new creation when you interact in a relationship with Jesus we don’t want you to be in a religion here if we are here for a religion then you are in the wrong place in other words let me summarize it here so we understand and I will say this in a way that we can truly understand I am probably one of the most Southern Baptist people you will ever meet I live by it I take a time to read the Baptist faith a message at least three times a year I am Southern Baptist through and through and let’s be honest I like food so I hit all the boxes of being Southern Baptist but what I will tell you is this whether you’re Baptist or not if the mindset on your mind is well this church doesn’t do this or that church doesn’t do that or I can’t believe our church doesn’t do this and you talk about what our church does then your focus is in the wrong place and therefore you are not where you need to be with God Because what we’re not here to do is say 0 because you are not Baptist we don’t accept you that is not what we’re here to do what we’re here to do is say can you have a relationship with Jesus and if you want a relationship with Jesus can we please walk alongside you and help nurture and grow that relationship so you can go out and help share the gospel to those people . And how does that work it starts simply right here God sent his Son for you He doesn’t care if you’re past he doesn’t care if you’re wrong doing He doesn’t even care if you brushed your teeth this morning None of those things mattered to him all he wants is for you to acknowledge him except the fact he sent his son there commit to him to be your Lord and Savior and start walking with him and when you do that if you do it today you are known as a new creation You’ve been redeemed . You’ve been repurposed you’ve been recycled you can fit the blanket whenever you’ve been there but you have been redeemed in other words God doesn’t hold you accountable for the sins you’ve committed God doesn’t hold you accountable for the things that happen he says if you ask for forgiveness and you repent you are forgiven and the differences between us and Him is when you are forgiven God doesn’t bring it up anymore when we forgive you I might forgive but I don’t forget That is a wrong mindset and God doesn’t do those things what God does is say you are my child and I love you and so because of that you are forgiven when you repent you are we have been redeemed and the question that I have in closing today is

Do you need this encouragement in your life do you need a reminder of hey God chose you God adopted you and God has redeemed you Do you need it today . Or are you brand new and you’ve never heard this ever and you want to be interested in pursuing a relationship with Christ today won’t you bow your heads and pray with me close your eyes and I want you to do one thing if that is you and you need to be encouraged today raise your hand If that is you and you need to form a relationship with Christ today raise your hand And let us pray with you Let us be someone to connect with you and you don’t have to be worthy to receive God’s love because you already are perceiving it all you have to do is accept it . If I sent a check in the mail to your house every day now the same check a different check every day It’s always there it’s always going to come in the amount will never change the only thing that matters about that check is do you sign the back of it and take it to the bank every day That’s the only thing that matters or do you rip it up and throw it away God’s love is the same way He’s sending it every day to you he’s trying to catch you every single day the only thing that matters is are you willing to cash the check are you willing to ask him for it So as we pray if that is you and you need that relationship or you need that encouragement raise your hand and let us pray over you . If you feel ever so bold you can come meet Pastor Craig or I in the front corner here during this last song we will gladly pray for you and anoint you give you all the discipleship you need to hear the gospel today