Sermon – “The God Who Forgives”

Psalm 99:1-9

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This morning the my message out titled The God who forgives our God is an amazing God in our God is a God that forgives He forgives those who repent and those who call in his name and if I could give my message a subtitle today it would be our God reigns because after I prepared to sell the man I should have titled it our God grants a well does make it a subtitle The God who forgives and our God reigns he does reign on high in the reign supreme Lee So before I begin this morning though I have a volunteer to openness in prayer today and just and we get the mike someone volunteer to prayI volunteer back here just some of you would grab the mike and John will pray for.A.Little technical difficulties.For the others to here.So John if you would just come up front to be closer that Mike and pray and you guys can just get back and that’s Ok we didn’t think to check the batteries in thatto be close to that Mike and I will pick it up.We love you more.People do. More to keep you from giving We want your today but this is not.Just the Lord that we listen attentively and that we trust you were full of.Heads in our hearts that we. Were to live your life Jesus Christ.Like John.And.So resent when I talk to her the week before this past week that we were in she said Do you happen to have. Bulletin information and title and all that for the following week that way she could get the bulletins made up and I could get least get some of the stuff for the on the monitor and I said well let me come up with some real quick so I just search I found the scriptures then I had to make a message work around the scripture write some 99 versus one through 9 and you know I believe that there is a message in every chapter every verse of the Bible there is a message there because it’s God’s love and relationship revealed to man and you know through the word so hear the word of the Lord the Lord reigns let the peoples tremble he dwells between the Cherubim let the earth be moved the Lord is great in Zion and he is high above all the peoples let them praise your great and awesome name he is holy the king strength also loves justice you have established equity you have executed justice and righteousness in Jacob exult the Lord our God and worship at his footstool he is Holy Moses and Aaron were among his priests and Samuel was among those who called upon his name they called upon the Lord and He answered them he spoke to them in the cloud pillar They kept his testimonies and the ordinances he gave them you answered them only or God you were to them God who forgives.So you speaking of the children of Israel but especially to Moses’ Aaron and Samuel he says you were to them the God who forgives though you took vengeance on their deeds exalt the Lord our God and worship out his Holy Hill for the Lord our God is holy so I should make sure that I begin with most important thing that we know that our God is holy he is a holy God He is worthy of praise he is awesome he is worthy that we worship at his footstool because he is a holy God we must make sure that we don’t try to bring God down to our level because he is a holy God to reign means to ascend the throne it means to ascend to a rural position it is one who possesses an exercise a sovereign power and authority you know we were speaking last Sabbath and Sabbath school about King David and how he had your riot put the death when it came gives an order it happens whether it was a good thing or not when the king exercises his authority it is going to happen we as believers true believers believe the God reigns we believe that God is on his throne in glory and I believe that Jesus is add his right hand today even right now as we speak or God reigns on his throne He reigns has sovereign power he has sovern over all of creation and He has all power and authority in the Word tells us he has given that authority to Jesus Christ so we are to surrender to Him we are to become his bond servants out of what that is what we are called to do.Our passage reveals the the special relationship to God has with Israel and you know there were times where that was a fearful thing to be home it was a fearful thing yet they were very blessed to be the nation that God chose to reveal himself to the rest of the worldyou know one of the things that the scripture reveals that there were times were God would actually meet with them he would meet with the children of Israel in one of those meeting places that spoke ofDuring that was the mercy seat you know in the early times in of Israel’s existence when they wandered in the wilderness for 40 years I know that you all have read that you know they wandered in the wilderness they had what they called what we know of as the tabernacle and the best way to describe the tabernacle is it was a portable temple. It was a tent like temple that had poles in curtains and it was made to God’s detailed instructions I think it was a glorious thing to behold I know that you know there will be there will be no temple because God with us and in heaven and the New Jerusalem but I know that the temple was grand and glorious There was a lot of gold there but the tabernacle also was very special and it had different from different rooms a difficult partment one was the most holy place and within that most it would place was the mercy seat so I’m going to turn to Exodus you’re not going to have the extra scripture today Exodus 25 I should have given that to you before hand so you can look it up while I was doing all that talking but within that most holy place already told you there was a mercy seat and I believe that to be the most important piece of furniture in the entire Tabernacle in the entire temple that mercy seat was the most important piece of furniture there and let me read from Exodus for you and you’ll understand whyit says you shall make a mercy seat of pure gold to verse 17 Chapter 25 or 17th or 22 I’m sorry and you shall make a mercy seat of pure gold 2 and a half cubits Selby its length and a cubit and a half its width so it’s rectangular and you shall make 2 chair a bomb of gold of hammered work you shall make them at the 2 ends of the Mercy Seat one chair on the one hand and the other cherub on the other end so each end of Murcia seat has a chair born and you shall make the chair. At the 2 ends of one piece with the Mercy Seat I want to pause there were not when I read at this is all fashioned out of gold the mercy seat the cherub it’s all fashioned out of one piece and I think how amazing they didn’t have the tools that we have today and they fashioned to sing God gave them the wisdom gave them the knowledge to be able to make these That’s amazing thing in a cherub cell stretch out their wings above covering the mercy seat with their wings and they self face one another the paces of the chair chair bombshell be toward the mercy seat so that chair Cherubim were facing each other and their wings was outstretched up over the mercy seat so it’s kind of like making the arch above the mercy seat chair we know is a singular form of chair bomb which is the poor of angels it’s a and is a angelic figure that they were to carve a make not carpet the make out of gold now verse 21 you shall put the mercy seat on top of the York and in New York you shall put the testimony that I will give you and there I will meet with youto catch at it there between a cherub on the mercy seat there I will meet with you and I will speak with you from above the mercy seat from between the 2 Cherubim which are on the arc of the testimony about everything which I will give you in commandment to the children of Israel that’s why it’s the most important piece of furniture because it was there the god would meet with them that he would talk with them speak to them give them instructions. You know there’s something fearful and awesome about all these verses from Psalms 99 where he says he is holy he is high above the people the Lord is great he loves justice it said let the people tremble you remember Have you ever ever read the story or the account were God was or Mount Sinai and the children were at the bottom at the foot of the mountain they were afraid to go near him because of the rumbling in the lightning in this you know the earthquake because of the presence of God on that mountain because he is an awesome God to be in his presence is a fearful thing Moses said that he even trembled but we know that he was in us watches Moses morning is my favorite character right he was brave enough to go up the mountain but it still says he trembled Hebrews Chapter 12 verses 18 through 21so I have to remember to pause this morning so if you’re looking at upfor you have not come to the mountain that may be touched and that burned with fire into the blackness and darkness and Tempus and the sound of the trumpet then the voice of words so that those who heard it begged that these words should not be spoken to them any more for they could not endure what was commanded and if so much as a beast touched a mound that shall be stoned or shot with an arrow and so terrified was a sight that Moses said I am exceedingly afraid and trembling brave Moses even said I am exceedingly afraid and I’m trembling because of the presence of almighty God He is a holy God.Fearful to be honored to be read be reveredthese verses in Hebrew painting a very clear picture of the Old Testament way of approaching God.That even Moses Moses who was brave enough as I said to go up the mountain Moses who was brave enough to approach the burning bushbut he still tremble in the presence of God my friends praise the Lord that the New Testament ushers in a new way of approaching Godthere is a new way that God dwells with men and women today so I’m going to continue in Hebrews Chapter 12 again verses 20 to pick right up where we left off a sort of told to leave that open should not Hebrews 22 through 24 but you have come to Mount Zion into the city of the living God the heavenly Jerusalem to an a numerable company of angels to the general assembly and church of the firstborn who are registered in heaven to God the Judge of all to the spirits of just men made perfect to Jesus the mediator of the New Covenant and to the blood of sprinkling that speaks better than that of Abel So there is a new way to come to God and it is through Jesus Christ the mediator of the New Covenantand one to follow that up with Romans Chapter 3 Romans 321326 but now the righteousness of God apart from the law is revealed being witnessed by the law and the Prophets even the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ. To all and all and all who believe for there is no difference for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus whom God set forth as a perp propitiation had to think about that word as a propitiation by His blood through faith to demonstrate his righteousness because in his forbearance God had passed over the sins that were previously committed to demonstrate at this present time his righteousness that he might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus my friends there is a connection between the passage in Romans about propitiation and with the Greek wordmercy seatthe Greek translation and so I get this straight the Hebrew wordfor mercy seat iskept her it but the Greek word translated is how stereo on and it usually gets translated propitiationin the New Testament you see the connection their mercy seat is actually propitiationappreciation only occurs a few times a New Testament but Christ is the acceptable wrath satisfying sacrifice on our behalf that’s a mouthful but Jesus Christ is the wrath satisfying sacrifice on our behalf he is our propitiation He is our mercy seat there is the connection there is another connection my friends that makes us even greater. Another connection in the New Testament connects Exodus with the New Testament and it’s found in John Chapter 20 verses 11 and 12 but Mary stood outside the tomb weeping we know why she is weeping they crucified her lord right and she wept as she wept she stooped down and looked into the tomband she saw all 2 angels in white sitting one at the head the other at the feet where the body of Jesus had lainso back in Exodus we had 2 Cherubim one at each end of the Mercy Seat in the New Testament we had one at the what feet in one of the head of were Jesus laid our propitiation which is mercy seat you see the connection there it’s very clear isn’t it Jesus Christ is our mercy seat the mercy seat was what we’re god would meet with his people Jesus Christ is our propitiation our mercy see we’re God meets with his peopleGod desires to meet with God desires to dwell with his peoplein the blood of the spotless Lamb is the only means that this is possible todaythe only meansso the mercy seat was a prefigure of Christ the Christ to comeChrist did come he sacrificed his life and he was raised from the dead my friends make no mistake this is a historical reality the tabernacle was real the Ark of the Covenant my friends was real the mercy seat was real. The cross was real the empty tomb was real Mary he stood down and looked in was real the angel sitting where Christ was laying was real Christ as our mercy seat in and through Christ God meets us.Isaiah 5714 through 20 and this is the good news translation I don’t think that I’ve ever used this in my preaching the Lord says Let my people return to made remove every obstacle from their path I thought that is awesome remove every obstacle from their path my friends if if you’re listening today if you’re here today if you’re watching on the Internet remove every obstacle from your path that would deter you from coming to God There is nothing that should keep you from coming the god nothing in this world so important that should keep you from coming to God remove every obstacle and come to God because he wants to meet with you it says build the road and make it ready he says I am the high and holy God who lives forever I live in a high and holy place but I also live with people who humble who are humble and repentant catch that he says but I also live with people who are humble and repentantso that I can resort their confidence and hope.He says I gave my people life and I will not continue to accuse them or be angry with them forever how later that he chose not to be angry with us forever he says I was Agger with them because of their sin and greed and so I punished them in a band of them but they were stubborn and kept on going their own way he says I have seen how they had acted but I will heal them and I will lead them and I will help them and I will comfort those who mourn Praise be to God This is Isaiah Old Testament let my people return that my people return he says I offer peace to all isn’t that good news I offer peace to all both near and far I will heal my people but evil people are like the rest will see whose waves never stop rolling into bringing forth muck there is no safety percenters but friends there is safety for those who humble themselves and repent and that safety is Jesus Christ verse 8 from Psalm said you answer them oh Lord our God you work to them God who forgives though you took vengeance on their deedsIt’s amazing when you read that entire verse it’s saying that even though God took vengeance on their deeds they still viewed him as the God who forgives.So since I chose Moses because he’s my favorite right I know it spoke of Moses there in Samuel But let’s look to Moses there is Moses didn’t get the enter enter the Promised Land I’m going to read that scripture I got extra scripture them pointed out in the small I’m going to turn to NumbersChapter $27.00 through 12.Numbers 27 through 12.Then the Lord spoke to Moses saying take the rod you and your brother ere gather the congregation together speak to the rock before their eyes and it will yield its water thus you shall bring water for them out of the Rock and give drink to the congregation and their animals so Moses took the rod from before the Lord as he commanded him and Moses’ an air gather December together before the rock and he said to them here now you rebelsso I will say that I think Moses struggled at times with a little bit of angerhe did now hear me. Hear me you rebels youmust we know there is another problem Mary says Must we bring water for you out of this rock the most is lifted his hand and struck the rock twice with his rod and water came out abundantly in a congregation and their animals drank then the Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron and said because you did not believe me too how old me in the eyes of the children of Israel therefore you shall not bring this essentially into the land which I have given to them my friends there was another occasion where Moses struck the rock and brought water out of this is a 2nd time the 1st time God said to Moses gather the assembly together so my friends he’s not saying gather the entire nation of Israel together because there was over $2000000.00 of them he saying gather together the leaders gather the elders bring them and do this before them why would he do that as a witness as a witness to the nation God’s mighty power and his authority so the 1st time God said Strike the word strike the rock strike the rock and I will bring water out of the rock. But this time God says speak to the rock god did not tell him to strike the rock he said Speak to it but he struck the rock and some might say that seems like such a harsh punishment I mean he put up with these people in the wilderness for 40 years my goodnesswhy did he have to do this in the 1st place because the children grumbled to Moses I would a should have done a study I wonder how many times the children of Israel said Why have you brought us out into this wilderness that we would die we would have been better off in Egypt I know that they said that numerous times so Moses probably thought I am so tired of dealing with these people they have cried out to me they cried out to me. Fed up with them so he strikes to Rob and I know that seems like a harsh punishment but remember the congregation was there the elders were there it was a witness he had the opportunity to do exactly what God instructed him to do and speak to that rock and bear witness of his great faith before the elders my friends how important is our witness right what we were talking about the small and how important is our witness that we make people better how much better they would have been now I’m going to turn to my 2nd additional scripture in 1st Corinthians Chapter 10 1st Corinthians Chapter 10 verses one through 4. Well Moreover brother and I do not want you to be unaware that all of our fathers were under the cloud and all passed through the sea all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea they ate the spiritual food they all drank that same spiritual drink for they drank of that spiritual rock that followed them and that rock my friends was Christ my friend is speaking of the rockis speaking of the rock the rock if you will receive it that rock and there is a reason why God told him to speak to it the 2nd time the 1st time he told him to strike the rock my friends what did they do with Christ they beat him and they nailed him to the crossonce and for allyou get that receive that Christ died warrants and for all that’s why I told him to speak to the rock the 2nd time because we are to speak to Christ and ask for forgiveness we are to speak and repent we are to speak and receive and believe by faith we are not to crucify him again so you see was not to strike the rock not to crucify the rock the 2nd time but to speak to it isn’t that also.Speak to the rock because he has already died he has already and he brings forth that abundant water right come to that living well and never thirst again AmenThe Hebrew word for forgiveness as used in Psalms is not. In it means to bear. First Peter 224 says who himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree that we having died to sin might live for righteousness by His stripes you are healed and in John 114 and the Word became flesh and daughter among us and we beheld his glory the glory as of the only be gotten of the Father full of grace and truth full of forgiveness our God who forgives it’s full of grace and full of truththis is the great mystery friendsthat our God is willing to forgive so I’ll ask you the question everyone who is hearing this is he to you the God who forgivesis he to you do you look to God as the God who forgives have you humbled yourselfhave you Balbi for the footstool of God have you repented of your sins have you asked for forgiveness of your sins from the one who longs to forgive you and the one who longs to dwell with you if you have not I urge you to do somake him to you the God who forgives as with Moses there is consequences to sins but he is still the God he forgives he is still the God who loves you and cares for you and wants to dwell with you I found an article he was from the Christian leader and Don Ratliff retells a story from Ernest Gordon’s miracle on the river.It says the Scottish soldiers forced by their Japanese captors to labor on a jungle railroad had degenerated to barbarians behavior but one afternoon something happened at one of the checkpoints a shovel was missing.The officer in charge became enraged he demanded that the missing self-will shovel be produced or else when nobody in the squadron budged the officer got out his gun and threatened to kill all of them on the spot and it was obvious the officer meant what he said he would do finally one man stepped forward the officer put away his gun picked up a shovel and beat a man to death when it was over the survivors picked up the bloody corpse and carried it with them to the 2nd to checka strange thing happened this time there was no shovel missing indeed there had been a miscount at the 1st checkpoint the word spread like wildfire through the whole camp that an innocent man had been willing to die to save others the innocent had a profound but the incident had a profound effect the men began to treat each other like brothers and when a victorious allies swept in the survivors by this time human skeletons lined up in front of their captors and instead of attacking their captors insisted no more hatred no more killing now what we need is forgiveness forgiveness friends Jesus sacrificial love has the power to transform all.Who speak to him who speak to him and asked for forgiveness. If Eason’s 31431004 this is the reason I bow money to the Father of Our Lord Jesus Christ from whom the whole family in heaven and on earth his name that he would grant you according to the riches of His glory to be strengthened with Mike to his spear in the inner man that Christ made well in your hearts through faith.That you being rooted and grounded in love maybe able to comprehend with all the saints What is the with the length the depth the height to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge that you may be filled with the fullness of God my friends Christ wants to dwell with us todayand that place that he dwells today is not that mercy seat of all but his rate here it’s right here between is between these ribs if you will in the hearts of men he forgives He forgives he wants and longs to forgive but we have to speak to him as I said I also live with people who are humble and repent that’s to call today to be humble and repent and call out to Jesus and he says he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins if we but speak to him amen.

Sermon – “The God Who Forgives”

Psalm 99:1-9

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