On the Brink

Introduction (1m)

O ocean of mercy, oft longing I’ve stood On the brink of thy wonderful, life-giving flood! William Booth (1829-1912) WB speaks of being on the brink of this wonderful, life-giving flood. And here we have Judas. He was on the brink:

Matthew 26:25 NLT

Judas, the one who would betray him, also asked, “Rabbi, am I the one?” And Jesus told him, “You have said it.”

Explanation (2m)

Judas Still There

Matthew’s recollection of Jesus’ last meal strongly suggests that as Jesus spoke about his body and his blood, Judas was still with them. Still standing on the brink.

Still wondering whether he should turn back from what he had decided to do.

Speaking of Redemption

And so Judas hears Jesus speak about the ocean of mercy offered by God.

He speaks of the blood of the covenant, recalling the original way Israel was marked out as the people of God.

The New Covenant

He heard Jesus recall Jeremiah’s prophecy that the restoration of God’s people would include a new covenant, based on knowing God and in the forgiving and forgetting of their sins.

For the Many

Judas hears Jesus tell them that this ocean of mercy would be poured out for the many, not the few.

The Forgiveness of Sins

And Judas hears Jesus say that all this - his coming sacrifice - his death on that cruel cross - was for the forgiveness of sins, just as the angel had said at the beginning of his life mission.

The New Covenant

Here then we have the most comprehensive explanation of that ocean of mercy, that life- giving flood that William Booth wrote about.

Judas, the other disciples and you and I can be in no doubt of the redemptive purpose and achievement of those events of Good Friday.

Sins would now be forgiven.

Men and women would now be able to know the Lord personally. And the indwelling Holy Spirit would ensure that God’s purposes would be written on their hearts.

Available to Judas

And all of this — this great ocean of mercy — was as available to Judas as it is to you and me. Amazing.

Unbelievable.

Application (2m)

Mercy Not Condemnation

No matter what you have ever done, Christ does not condemn you.

God planned to bring you back into his presence long before you born.

Jesus offers that ocean of mercy as he breathes his last on that cross.

And he desires the same from you:

Matthew 9:13 NLT

Then he added, “Now go and learn the meaning of this Scripture: ‘I want you to show mercy, not offer sacrifices.’ For I have come to call not those who think they are righteous, but those who know they are sinners.”

Unjudging Love

God’s people, having been washed in this ocean of mercy, shouldn’t be forcing people to jump through hoops and prove themselves worthy to be part of God’s family.

Instead, we should be prepared to give that same mercy.

So let’s not be caught judging and condemning others, but let’s be caught offering mercy, offering life, offering soul- cleansing.

What does this look like?

The merciful are those who know their share in the wrongness of things. They offer no resistance to this truth: resistance is what happens when we are judging others. When we judge, we stand apart from those we condemn, but this isolates us, too. No wonder we become hardened. The merciful, instead, stand alongside others. They are those who know exactly what life is like and know that change must begin with themselves. Practising mercy is not for faint hearts. What frees us to be generous in giving mercy is the knowledge that we can leave the judging to God. (David Runcorn)

Remember

So today, as we remember the mercy God has shown us, let’s pledge ourselves to remember it not just today, but every day.

Let’s lead lives that does everything in remembrance of the one whose body was broken and whose blood was shed not just for the few, but for the whosoever.

The Blessing of the New Covenant

Let’s live in the blessings of the New Covenant.

Let’s experience that forgiveness of sins that Jesus offers us.

Let’s partake in the transformation into the Christlikeness he longs for us. Let’s be regenerated — cleansed and made whole — through the gift of his Holy Spirit.

Let’s look around and pledge to help each other to stay faithful. Let’s use today to renew our service to each other as brothers and sisters in God’s family.

Looking Outward

And then let us look out on to the mission field.

Our lives, broken and poured out for him will, as Paul put it, “[announce] the Lord’s death until he comes again.” (1 Corinthians 11:26). There are people dying beyond those doors without the message of the good news of that ocean of mercy.

Let’s walk with our Saviour and share his life through ours with a world that longs to hear our personal story of the life and soul-cleansing we have received.