When You're Weary with Sin #2

Is it too late.

No it's not to for you to come to Christ because Christ receives even those who have very little time to live and have absolutely nothing to offer to him in return. This is the truth pulpit with Don green founding pastor of truth Community Church in Cincinnati, Ohio hello, I'm Bill Wright today.

Don brings us the second half of a message called when you query with sin showing us how to look at our present shortcomings through the biblical lands of race, rather than through the lens of self-condemnation.

Go ahead and text a friend and invite them to listen along with your is going green to continue teaching God's people. God's word on the truth pulpit look a parable that Jesus taught in Luke 18 Luke 18 verse nine.

He also told this parable to some people who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and viewed others with contempt. Jesus said two men went up into the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector.

The Pharisee stood and was praying this to himself, God, I thank you that I am not like other people, swindlers, unjust, adulterers, or even this tax collector.

I fast twice a week I pay tithes of all that I get boasting in his righteousness, boasting in his works and and doing a particularly wicked thing in comparing his righteousness to that of others and congratulating himself and commending himself to God. Based on a comparative human righteousness that he thought that he had and you can see Howie.

He separates himself and classes himself swindlers, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. He viewed them with contempt, thinking that that God was receiving him boasting in himself is that which would command him to God and thanking God for what a great person. He himself was. He spoke in this parable Jesus sets it up in's and EE.

This Pharisee is contrasting himself with a tax collector.

Now you got understand and remember the tax collectors and that society were absolutely hated they were reviled they were. They were cheats they they they profited on their arrangement with Rome to collect taxes in Rome gave them. That said, you need to collect this much in taxes and then they had the freedom and authority to go beyond that, whatever they wanted to do in order to plunder the people in order to enrich themselves and the people hated tax collectors.

They would they would just spit at the thought of a tax collector. Tax collectors were thugs they were thieves they were the they were a degraded class in society not only degraded and detested, but they were enriched at our expense was the view. And so if ever there was a class of people that religiously oriented people would say they were outside the grace of God, they would not be forgiven.

It would be a tax collector.

What was Jesus's point here. What did Jesus teach about even a hated tax collector, verse 13 but the tax collector, standing some distance away, was even unwilling to lift up his eyes to heaven, but he was beating his breast, saying God be merciful to me, the center notice he says the center.

He sees himself as the worst. He identifies himself. He's not comparing himself to anyone else. He acknowledges his guilt. He owns his sin in the presence of God and with such humility that he doesn't even want to look up to heaven, he just looks down and humbly says God be merciful to me, one who is unworthy of your kindness. In contrast with the Pharisee. He was not righteous in himself. He did not compare himself to others.

His hope of being received by God was in divine mercy alone. Look at it again.

Verse 13 God be merciful to me, the center God, you're a God of mercy, God, I'm a sinner in need of mercy. I appeal to your mercy alone. I realize God. I realize that there's nothing in me that would commit myself to you. There is nothing righteous about me, that would cause you based on my own merits to receive me with favor hi-fi. I know that Lord there's nothing in me. There's no good in me whatsoever. None God.

But there's mercy in you and and I appeal to you, I appeal to your mercy is the grounds on which you would receive me. What did Jesus say about that kind of repentance. Look at verse 14. This just turns traditional thinking about religion and righteousness and acceptance with God utterly on its head. Verse 14 Jesus said, I tell you, this man what man the tax collector, the humble, repentant, outcast, that repentant outcast went to his house justified rather than the other for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but he who humbles himself will be exalted Jesus as he went away justified. In other words, God considered that tax collector righteous because he turned to him in faith and it was based on that repentant faith. It was through that repentant faith that God received him not. Because that tax collector had any good works of any kind to offer to what can we say about this as it pertains to you, your sins are bad, they are, let's not pretend otherwise you see the Bible the gospel. All this is so very important for you to understand the gospel approach to dealing with your sin is not to mitigate it or to minimize it or to say it's really not so bad.

It's not so severe that is not the scriptural testimony at all.

It's not that okay I God gives you little wink at that Khmer in Yunnan takes you says then I guess it really wasn't so bad after all, that's not and if you want to be saved here today you have to own your guilt without condition. You have to humble yourself before God and say there is no reason for you to accept me, I have sinned against you.

I send in your sight.

I am not worthy to be in your presence. Would you have mercy on me through the Lord Jesus Christ. Would you would you receive me as I look to the cross as my sole basis for acceptance see that is the grounds of acceptance with God is the one that appeals to him alone for mercy alone through faith alone in Christ alone. Based on the cross alone say I need to be saved.

I need mercy I come not as one asking for that which is due to me not as you as a worker coming for wages that he is earned. I come for a gift that I don't deserve but I come based on your promise and of your offer of mercy in Christ to come on that basis alone. Oh God and ask you to receive me Christian, you realize that the first basis on which you came to God and in the gospel is the basis on which you come to them today as well that you still come to him, not because you've earned anything because you grown some spiritually since your conversion. That's not it. Are our approach our appeal. Our answer to our debt of sin is always in Christ alone is represented in this communion elements that will be taking so beloved.

Don't try to mitigate your sin on the fact that your sin is bad own the fact that there is evil in you, the one that wishes to do good as the apostle Paul said in Romans seven and say despite that I look past that and I look to the cross alone. God have mercy on me, your airing child and receive me when we approach God in that way. Notice what Jesus said look back it looks 18 verse 14. Look what look at what Jesus says and notice that it is an absolute statement. Everyone who exalts himself will be humbled. In other words, will not be received, but he who humbles himself will be exalted. If you humble yourself at the foot of the cross of Christ. You can know that Christ will receive you and own you and even today in light of your bad week. Christ says come to my table and confess your sins, and I will gladly restore you.

What a merciful Savior.

The apostle Paul said in first Timothy chapter 1. This is God's word. You know, we just take God at his word on these things we don't trust in our feelings about whether we feel worthy or not, whether we feel like it or not we we we set all of that stuff aside.

We realize that the emotions of our heart are unreliable.

But God's word can be trusted. We can take him at his word and it brings clarity to our thought in our hearts and our minds. What did Paul say he said it is a trustworthy statement deserving full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, among whom I am for most of all yet. For this reason, I found mercy. Paul says, so that in me is the foremost Jesus Christ might demonstrate his perfect patients. As an example for those who would believe in him for eternal life." And so what Paul is saying there is is that I am the foremost of sinners. I persecuted the church of God and God had in yet God had mercy on me in Christ. Christ came to save sinners like me.

I'm the chief and if he saved the chief. Here's what were supposed to draw from this. If he saved the chief will save all the Indians like you and me will save the lesser centers like you and me.

If he went all the way to St. Paul will save you to if he showed mercy and for gave Paul saved saved and had mercy on the tax collector. Beloved, he'll have mercy on you to come to him humbly forsaking confessing your sins that have clung to you say Lord have mercy on me again resting Christ. Beloved, as you come to the table today knowing that he came for sinners just like you just like you and just like me, as a final question that should be asked and answered we said are your sins too many know they're not.

Jesus said or sends her many. I forgive her your sins.

Too bad. Look at the tax collector and Jesus said everyone. He who humbles himself will exalt one who comes to me. I'll never cast out do you get the sense beloved D get the census Christ makes himself known through his word today.

You get the sense of the grandeur of his greatness of his grace. The grandeur of the greatness of his grace that he would receive sinners who come to him he would receive a sinner just like you and not scold you not castigate you not banish you to the corner but to to offer himself as the free and full complete access to God told forgiveness a.

A complete and perfect righteousness credited to your account through faith in him, so that you could know that you are fully reconciled to the God of the universe and he gladly owns you as his child in Christ gladly names you as a brother is great that kind of grace is great should be magnified should be lauded should be trusted should be submitted to so your sins are not too many to keep you from coming to Christ. They're not too bad to keep you from coming to Christ. There's a final question that I think should be asked and answered. Is it too late.

Is it too late for you to come to Christ. Perhaps you're like I used to be. Perhaps you rejected Christ many times. Perhaps you have mock him with blasphemy and you your central spiritual question is, have I committed the unpardonable sin you hated the people of God. You've despised being in a room like this where his word was preached and there's just this pattern of rejection and resentment and opposition and hostility to the Lord Jesus Christ and you ask yourself the question, is it too late for me.

Perhaps you're near the end of life and there's not much time left for you, and someone like you still come with answer to that question is yes, you can still come or to stated in answer the question that I asked actually asked is it too late.

No, no, it's not too late for you to come to Christ because Christ receives even those men who have very little time to live and have absolutely nothing to offer to him in return.

Remember, beloved, the thief on the cross. Luke 23 Luke 23. If ever there was a man whom Christ should have rejected arguably it was the thief on the cross. If salvation had anything to do with human merits or human righteousness or doing something for Christ in order to earn it. We won't look at the parallel passage, but in other Gospels.

It says that that there were two thieves crucified with Christ.

As you know, one on either side Christ in the center and and early on in that in that day of the crucifixion. They were both mocking Christ. They were insulting him and rejecting him but one of those thieves had a torn apart, worked in him by the spirit of God. Look at Luke 23 versus 39 and following actually look at verse 38 there was an inscription above Christ saying this is the king of the Jews and so he had a written, verbal testimony, the thief did of who Christ was right there in front of him and in verse 39 as the scene has progressed. One of the criminals who were hanged there was hurling abuse at Christ, saying, are you not the Christ, save yourself and us.

But the other answered him. Remember, remember, this is a guy that is attached to a cross. He is fixed to a state he soon will die.

There is no turning back from death to him. He had nothing to offer to Christ all he had were parched lips, speaking what we are about to see here. Verse 40 the other answered and rebuking him, rebuking the other criminal said do you not even fear God, since you are under the same sentence of condemnation, and we indeed are suffering justly, for we are receiving what we deserve for our deeds. But this man has done nothing wrong and he was saying Jesus, remember me when you come in your kingdom. Incredible. He asked for mercy. A short time earlier he had been joining in the abuse. But something about seeing the gracious nature of Christ, even on across something about this is the king of the Jews before him. Something about the work of the spirit in his heart and he doesn't he doesn't turn he changes his perspective on Christ and he looks and he asks for mercy dislike the woman did just like the tax collector in the temple did different words same spirit of heart, have mercy on me, Lord, remember me. Was Jesus say had your chance. Bob is time for me to go and I don't have room. I don't have time for you to remember what you said just a few hours ago. Don't you remember what you said and you have a call to speak to me and asked me to remember you when I come into my kingdom that will Christ did. That's a horrible thought, isn't can you imagine the the brokenhearted thief on the cross getting a response like that will even in his own hour of extremity how to Christ respond verse 43 he said to him, truly I say to you today you shall be with me in paradise. It's it's sometimes hard to press ourselves back into the historical occurrence to know what certain things must've been like. But here the thief is in his own excruciating physical agony crying out for mercy. Nothing to offer Christ and he gets his word that today. In just a little bit longer you're going to be with me in paradise. Can you imagine the flood of joy over his soul. Can you imagine this is temporary. The suffering is temporary.

I'm going to be with him in paradise and I don't even deserve it just said that his head is and were getting what we deserve, were condemned justly what he do, he appealed to Christ for mercy and Christ said yes. I'm glad to grant you mercy. I'm glad to forgive you. In fact, I promise you the before this day is over will be together in paradise.

Even in impending death, even conscious of his unworthiness. It was not too late for that thief know what that means. It's not too late for you either.

If you're not a Christian you can come today, knowing the Christ is is willing to receive you today as he was the thief 2000 years ago as he was the apostle Paul, as he was, that that sinful prostitute who wept over his feet. You know why we know that it's because it's who Christ is, it's because he's gracious it's because he's merciful is because he came to seek and to save the loss just like you that if you're feeling the weight of your sin today in this hour, in this moment you can know the Christ will receive you if you come to him. Praise be to his name.

I noticed something about all three of these people.

The prostitute, the tax collector. The thief on the cross know something about him every one of them.

They didn't try to excuse their sin are mitigated. They simply gave themselves to Christ in humble, repentant faith, and on that simple basis. Christ received them. For gave them, cleansed them, justified them, sanctified them glorified is that you today have you turn from sin like that you come to the table today. Send Lord I'm mindful of all of the all of this of how bad I've been. Lord I forsake it all and I just come and ask you to receive me fresh again. You know what this table is for you.

This is designed to remind you of the great graciousness of Christ, the grandeur of his grace in a way that would refresh you and settle your conscience and give you peace and make you love him all the more. That's why we do this if you're not a Christian, you can receive and now now why would you wait it's not too late. Also not too early, come to Christ. The Christian let's sum it up, Christ blood paid the price of justice for you, he paid the penalty your sin deserved with his blood, his righteousness is his perfect life of obedience to the father is now credited to your account so that no one, not even Satan himself can accuse you before the throne of God Christ righteousness Christ blood is the answer to it all on your behalf. Christian. One day maybe soon you will be with Christ in paradise. And so as we come to the table you're mindful of your sins of the past week. Listen, you don't have to sit in the corner. You don't have to do acts of penance count silly beads on a necklace as if repetition like that would somehow impress Christ with your sincerity. The truth none of it know you can rest in Christ. You can rejoice in Christ because he paid it all. It's worth remembering is that's worth rejoicing in his price invite you to come to his table that's done green wrapping up our study today on the truth pulpit will friend if you'd like to share this message or this entire series with a friend.

Simply go to the truth. Pulpit.com that's the truth. Pulpit.com and on what would you say to the person listening who just can't seem to scrape off that last barnacle of self-condemnation in their life will bill it is just so important for us to go back to the cross of Christ again and again to review what Christ has done for us. The issue is not our self-condemnation but that Jesus Christ bore our sin at the cross of Calvary.

You know, in Isaiah 53 six that great passage of Scripture it says all of us like sheep have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way, but the Lord has caused the iniquity of us all to fall on him my friend.

God punished Christ for the sins of those who would believe in him. Therefore, your sins are nailed to the cross and you bear them no more. Praise the Lord. Praise the Lord, O my soul, as we sing in that great hymn of the faith.

So, my friend, you have to look to Christ and not to yourself and in Christ you find forgiveness that will give you the peace of conscience for which you long.

Thanks, Don, and friends.

That's our time for today.

I'm Bill Wright, inviting you to join us again next time as done. Green continues teaching God's people. God's word here on the truth