June 2
2 Sam 19:11-20:13 | PS 120:1-7 | Prov 16:16-17 | John 21:1-25
Our response to others who have wronged us is often directly proportional to how undeserving we see ourselves before our perfect God. All too often many come to God feeling they somehow deserve honor and glory for all the "good" they have done on this earth. When this is the case, they often respond harshly to those who wrong them, seeing them deserving of vengeance rather than mercy and grace. When we rightly see ourselves as recipients of mercy and grace from God, seeing ourselves the sinners that we are, we are able to open our eyes and respond in the same manner to others. Consider the situation with martyred missionary Jim Eliot. He along with four others were brutally murdered in Ecuador, as they attempted to reach the Auca indians with the gospel message. Jim Eliot was quoted as saying, "He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain that which he cannot lose.". Though Elisabeth Eliot, his wife was left a widow with a 1 year old daughter, she returned to Ecuador within 2 years with her then 3 year old daughter, and was received by these same Auca indians who killed her husband. She lived in rain-swept huts, and lovingly ministered to them leading them into a relationship with Jesus Christ. No vengeance, just mercy and grace.
David was the anointed king of Israel. The nation rallied behind his son, Absalom, and in humiliating fashion forced him out of Jerusalem, fleeing for safety. In today’s reading from 2 Samuel, when the tables turned, and he assumed control once again, you would assume it was time for retaliation. After all David was a good king, and they showed themselves as less than deserving. Even Shimei, that brute of a man who threw rocks at him as he was fleeing, came back and appeared before him. David knew who he was, the sinner that he was, and the undeserving recipient of God's grace and mercy that he was. So, rather than taking vengeance, he lovingly restored each of his people, as undeserving as they were, in the spirit of mercy and grace. Peter deemed himself completely unworthy after his denial of Jesus and his abandonment of Him during Jesus' arrest and mock trial. In John 21, we see him back at his old profession of fishing. Peter denied his Savior three times, and here we see Jesus ask Peter three times in John 21:17, "He said to him the third time, “Simon, son of Jonah, do you love Me?” Peter was grieved because He said to him the third time, “Do you love Me?” And he said to Him, “Lord, You know all things; You know that I love You.” Jesus said to him, “Feed My sheep." Peter, though undeserving, is restored. You will see the beginning of the book of Acts revolves much around Peter. We see him as a bold messenger of the gospel, who, though persecuted for his position, responds with both mercy and grace.
It's hard to fathom unless we see ourselves rightly. As Stephen is brutally murdered by stoning after being falsely accused, we see his response in Acts 7:59-60, "And they stoned Stephen as he was calling on God and saying, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.” Then he knelt down and cried out with a loud voice, “Lord, do not charge them with this sin.” And when he had said this, he fell asleep." Stephen did not scream for vengeance or even justice at that moment. He responds in mercy and grace. We read in Romans 12:17-19, "Repay no one evil for evil. Have regard for good things in the sight of all men. If it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men. Beloved, do not avenge yourselves, but rather give place to wrath; for it is written, “Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,” says the Lord." How is this possible? Only if we see ourselves rightly before our God. We are undeserving recipients of His mercy and grace, who receive much, but in reality have little to offer. As long as we see ourselves standing in our own strength it is hard to see the world rightly. It is when we see things in a humbled state, figuratively from our knees, that we are in the right position to respond to others in our world. One needs only to read the Parable of the Unmerciful Servant in Matthew 18:21-35, to see how undeserving we are and how wrong it is to respond to others in anything other than mercy and grace. As David was, and as our Savior is, we need to be ministers of restoration.
Messages from Pastor Lloyd Pulley: