Forgive Endlessly!

I apologize for the the time off.  I had minor surgery on my hand and it made it difficult to type.

KJV - Luke 17:3-4 Take heed to yourselves: If thy brother trespass against thee, rebuke him; and if he repent, forgive him.  (4) And if he trespass against thee seven times in a day, and seven times in a day turn again to thee, saying, I repent; thou shalt forgive him.

NIV - Luke 17:3-4 So watch yourselves. “If your brother sins, rebuke him, and if he repents, forgive him.  (4) If he sins against you seven times in a day, and seven times comes back to you and says, ‘I repent,’ forgive him.”

There is great deal of important information given in these two verses.  One thing this world needs, is more people with a forgiving attitude.  Instead, too many folks are quick to retaliate.  In fact, this is such an important issue, that Jesus connects the forgiveness of our sins to our willingness to forgive others.

KJV - Matthew 6:14 For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you: (15) But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.

NIV - Matthew 6:14 For if you forgive men when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. (15) But if you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.

Let’s break in down in sections.

Take Heed to Yourselves:  I think this statement comes over better as a warning in the King James version.  I think Jesus is trying to warn us because forgiveness is NOT natural.  In fact, forgiveness goes against everything worldly.  I have heard an old saying most of my life:  “I don’t get even, I get ahead!”  I think that statement truly reflects the human condition.  We don’t want to let negative things pass.  We don’t want to get even...WE WANT VENGEANCE.  That is why Jesus warns us to take heed or to watch ourselves.  We must be on the look out for our weakness in this and be willing to fix this short coming so that we might have the forgiving attitude of Jesus.

If Your Brother Sins:  There must be a significant difference between our attitudes and actions towards someone when they have simply offended us or hurt our feelings verses when someone that has SINNED against us.  Jesus is specifically speaking about the latter here.  If someone says to me, “you sure have put on a few extra pounds” I cannot hold them to the same standards as if they have stolen from me.  The criteria for the two are completely different.  We need to always have a forgiving attitude.  That means we need to over look when someone hurts our feelings.  On the other hand, if real sin in involved, we must help them spiritual, because their soul and their relationship with God is at stake.

Rebuke Him:  I think the word “rebuke” gets a bad wrap by many.  In this context, it simply means to correct.  Correction, can either be good or bad depending on several important factor.

1.  What is the motive of the “correction”?  When Jesus is speaking about it here, he intends the correction should be for the sole purpose of getting the person to recognize their sin and to make it right.  Too man times “correction” is done for punishment, or criticism.  There is no room for such attitudes.  We should see a brother like this as being in need.

2.  What is our attitude when we correct?  We sould not approach this person in the wrong in ANY sort of condecending or “holier-than-thou” fashion.  Instead, we should always approach such a person with love and compassion.

Galatians 6:1  Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted. 

If He Repent, Forgive Him:  As mentioned before, we must ALWAYS have a forgiving attitude, because God and Jesus had that attitude towards us.  But a forgiving attitude does not mean that we ignore sin or sweep it under the rug and pretend it never happened.  The whole purpose of the rebuke is to bring about repentance.  That is for that person’s best interest.  Their repentance is essential BEFORE we can forgive.  If we give the impression that all is OK before repentance takes place, then we will be condoning that sin and giving the impression that God does as well.  Doing that is only setting the person up for false hopes.

The important thing about this point is our willingness to forgive.  We must have the attitude, not to make them jump through hoops as it were, but rather to make it as easy as possible for them to repent.  Just look at the father in the Prodigal son.  The father didn’t quiz his son.  He didn’t put him on probation, he ran to his son while he was a good way off, making the last few steps even easier.  We must always ask ourselves, how do we want our father to treat us in forgiveness?  That is how we ought to treat others as well.

Forgive Endlessly:  Regardless of how many times a sin is committed, if the attitude and actions or fruits of repentance are apparent we must continue to forgive.  We can look at our own lives, and if we are honest with ourselves, none of us have reached the point of perfection.  In fact, if we are real honest, we woill have to admit that many of the sins that we commit, we have done them a number of times.  We hope and expect God to forgive us, therefore we need to be willing to forgive others as many times as they desire it.

Reflecting His SON,  

Dennis Hogan

Minister, North Hardin Church of Christ

dennis.hogan@icloud.com

1804 Sam Stewart Dr.

Radcliff, KY  40160

Questions, comments or  further explanation?  Contact me at:  dennis.hogan@icloud.com

If you have friends, family, or acquaintances that you feel could benefit from RTS, please forward 

their e-mail address to me and I will add them to my mail list.

Spiritual Illusionists

KJV - Isaiah 5:20 Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter! 

NIV - Isaiah 5:20  Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who put darkness for light and light for darkness, who put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter. 

Sometimes I wish the written word had the ability to have interactivity like the internet does.  If it did, I would use it today.  All of us know that distinctive sound on the TV when  a tornado warning is broadcast on our television or radios.  If you are any where near where you can hear that sound, you immediately stop what you are doing and pay attention to the weather update.  We have learned that when that warning is sounded, there is a real potential for danger, destruction and even death.  Following that harrowing sound is a brief instructions on how to stay safe.

Cue that warning sound!

“The God of Heaven has issued this warning for all of humanity.  If you are in the effected area of earth, please stay tuned for further details!”

Now that I have your attention, we as a society, as a race of people are headed for serious danger!  We have entered a time that the warning given in this passage has become an every day occurrence.  What’s worse, that this passage is being lived out  by all corners of our society:  entertainment, sports, politics and yes even religion.  I saw a clip of a preacher recently that was condemning other religious folks for “being homophobic” because of their refusal to accept homosexuality as “normal”.

I remember when I was a child.  I hated to watch magic tricks on TV.  Not because I thought they were real, but because I could not figure out how they were done.  Illusionists had figured out how to create distractions and to move their hands so quickly that our eyes perceived that magic was done.  That is the imagery that I think of when I read or hear this passage.  Satan has mastered a way to waive his hand and to cause a distraction so that the world believes something different from reality.

Recently, an NBA basketball player made a very public announcement to tell the world that he is gay.  The national media had a field day with his “news” as they fell all over themselves glorifying him as a “trailblazer”.  They called him a “hero” and brave and they heaped all kinds of praise on him.  They even compared him to both Jackie Robinson and Martin Luther King for his wonderful work in the advancement of “civil rights”.  Our society has decided to make Homosexuality “right”, “wholesome” and “good”.  And if one dares to say ANYTHING to the contrary, they are demonized as hate-filled and homophobic.

In a contrasting way, look at the way that Tim Tebow has been treated in the press.  Is he hearlded for his bravery to stand up for his beleifs?  No way.  He is treated as a crack pot over and over again in the media.

So Satan continues to waive his wand and people ooh and ahhh and now a significant part of the country thinks that its noble to stand up for the rights of sinners and to defaim those who try to teach the truth.

For those that are Christians, we must continue to stand up and have the courage to call sin a sin.  We must...WITH LOVE continue to teach the truth.  We must continue to show people the error of their way.  We must continue to tell others, like Jesus did, to Go and sin no more.  We must not let the winds of Political Correctness dictate the language or words that we use.  We must be respectful.  We must teach with compassion but we MUST not waiver from the word of God.  And we must not compromise to satisfy the world.

Reflecting His SON,  

Dennis Hogan

Minister, North Hardin Church of Christ

dennis.hogan@icloud.com

1804 Sam Stewart Dr.

Radcliff, KY  40160

Questions, comments or  further explanation?  Contact me at:  dennis.hogan@icloud.com

If you have friends, family, or acquaintances that you feel could benefit from RTS, please forward 

their e-mail address to me and I will add them to my mail list.

It Would Be Better!

KJV - Luke 17:1-2 Then said he unto the disciples, It is impossible but that offences will come: but woe unto him, through whom they come!  (2) It were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and he cast into the sea, than that he should offend one of these little ones.

I typically use the old King James version, which is what I used above, however, the NIV version sometimes words things a little easier to understand quickly so I want to use that version today.

NIV - Luke 17:1-2  Jesus said to his disciples: “Things that cause people to sin are bound to come, but woe to that person through whom they come.  (2) It would be better for him to be thrown into the sea with a millstone tied around his neck than for him to cause one of these little ones to sin.

Jesus was a realist.  He understood people.  In fact, he understood people far better than we give him credit, for he had a hand in our creation.  As much as His and God’s desire for all men to be saved, he KNEW that was not real.  He knew that when he left heaven to fulfill his role on earth, he would be rejected by MOST.  He knew that the people that he preached to, healed, helped and cried over would ultimately, in the end, shout “crucify him”.  Jesus is and was a realist.

It is that matter-of-fact realism that is at the heart of our passage today.  Jesus knew that in spite of the fact that his mission on this earth to defeat sin, he would not eliminate sin from this world.  Jesus knew that at times sin would be rampant on this earth.  He may not like it.  He may not approve of it.  But he does accept it as fact.  He tells the crowd that “things that cause people to sin are bound to come”.  Jesus’ role in sin is much like a doctor.  He does not prevent illness, he cures it once it has stricken the body.  Jesus did not come to prevent us from sinning or to lesson the damage that it causes.  He came to offer us a cure to keep that disease of sin from killing us spiritually.

But with that statement, Jesus also gives us a warning.  Jesus says “Woe unto Him”.  So what does that word “woe” mean?  Essentially it means grief" or "overwhelming sadness.  So who is Jesus warning that this grief or overwhelming sadness will come to?  To those that bring, encourage or assist others into sinning!  It is one thing for us to choose sin for ourselves, it is quite another thing to lead others down the path of sin.  I look out in this world and see a world of people that fall into this category.  Look how many TV people, through their actions, are promoting sins (fornication, homosexuality, lying, stealing, drugs, etc.)?  Jesus said that it would be better to drowned than to lead a single person down the life of sin.  I personally fear drowning and yet the punishment for  encouraging others to sin is FAR worse.

We need to continually examine our lives to make sure that we are not, in ANY way, giving others the idea that sin is OK.

Reflecting His SON,  

Dennis Hogan

Minister, North Hardin Church of Christ

dennis.hogan@icloud.com

1804 Sam Stewart Dr.

Radcliff, KY  40160

Questions, comments or  further explanation?  Contact me at:  dennis.hogan@icloud.com

If you have friends, family, or acquaintances that you feel could benefit from RTS, please forward 

their e-mail address to me and I will add them to my mail list.

You Must Choose!

Luke 16:13 No servant can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.

There is an eternal struggle going on in the hearts, minds and lives of many people.  That struggle takes the form of a common misconception.  This fallacy takes place among so many people, both in the world and the church that “they can have the best of both worlds”...the best that this world has to offer and the best that God has to offer.  All too many “want their cake and eat it too”.

If we were to take a poll, most people would certainly not want to be on the side of sin. However, most of those same people too, do not want to do what ever it takes to avoid sin.  Instead, they want to get as close as possible without going over.

Jesus has a completely different take on the matter.  Jesus says that you have to choose.  It is him or the world.  He says that it is impossible to serve two masters.  The problem is, that Jesus implies that if we do not clearly and emphatically choose him, we are, by default, choosing to serve the other master.

1 John 2:15 Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 

James 4:4 Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God. 

You cannot serve both.  You have to choose!  Which do your current actions, lifestyles and behaviors indicate that you are serving.  If it is not obviously for God, you may be serving the other master.

Reflecting His SON,  

Dennis Hogan

Minister, North Hardin Church of Christ

dennis.hogan@icloud.com

1804 Sam Stewart Dr.

Radcliff, KY  40160

Questions, comments or  further explanation?  Contact me at:  dennis.hogan@icloud.com

If you have friends, family, or acquaintances that you feel could benefit from RTS, please forward 

their e-mail address to me and I will add them to my mail list.

Prodigal Son 4 - The Cost of Riotous Living

Luke 15:11-24  And he said, A certain man had two sons: (12) And the younger of them said to his father, Father, give me the portion of goods that falleth to me. And he divided unto them his living. (13) And not many days after the younger son gathered all together, and took his journey into a far country, and there wasted his substance with riotous living. (14) And when he had spent all, there arose a mighty famine in that land; and he began to be in want. (15) And he went and joined himself to a citizen of that country; and he sent him into his fields to feed swine. (16) And he would fain have filled his belly with the husks that the swine did eat: and no man gave unto him. (17) And when he came to himself, he said, How many hired servants of my father’s have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger! (18) I will arise and go to my father, and will say unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and before thee, (19) And am no more worthy to be called thy son: make me as one of thy hired servants.(20) And he arose, and came to his father. But when he was yet a great way off, his father saw him, and had compassion, and ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed him. (21) And the son said unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in thy sight, and am no more worthy to be called thy son. (22) But the father said to his servants, Bring forth the best robe, and put it on him; and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet: (23) And bring hither the fatted calf, and kill it; and let us eat, and be merry: (24) For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found. And they began to be merry.

In our final installment of our study of the Prodigal Son, we want to focus on verse 24.  So many people want to pretend that sin...any sin, all sin, is a “victimless crime”.  As long as I do not hurt anybody else..who cares?  As long as the participants of the sin are consulting adults, who really gets hurt?

The participants.  That’s Jesus’ point! 

In telling this parable, Jesus gives insight to the danger of sin and the cost to those that participate in it.  The prodigal son left his home in pursuit of shaking his father’s restrictions and living the high life with what the Bible calls “riotous living”.  The Bible does not specify the sins that were committed, but I think it is easy to let our imaginations paint that mental picture.  Generally the cost of sin comes in two forms.

1.  Sin Will Cause Suffering in this Life.

As we saw in the first lesson in this series, I am sure, at times, the prodigal son had “fun” from a worldly vantage point.  The question is, why didn’t the story end with him living happily ever after in that far away country?  Because sin ultimately let him down.  The money ran out and the “new friends” that shared those “good times” were as fleeting as the money.  That riotous living led him to a desperate existence. He began to be in want.  Sin will cause everyone to be in want.  Sin CANNOT sustain happiness.

2.  Sin Will Cause Us to be Lost and Dying

In the conclusion of this parable, Jesus summarized the events by describing the son as he was and as he is now.  He was lost when living in sin and then he became found when he repented and came home.  He was dead and was made alive. 

LOST:  We are “lost” because we are separated from God’s love, mercy, forgiveness and grace.

Isaiah 59:1-2  Behold, the LORD’S hand is not shortened, that it cannot save; neither his ear heavy, that it cannot hear: (2) But your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you, that he will not hear. 

Like a child separated from their parents at a large mall, they drift away because they are distracted and their curiosity takes their focus off of their parents.  Before long, they realize that they are separated and now whatever lead them away seems insignificant.  Sin may attract our attention and draw us away from God, but soon we will realize we are just plain lost.

DEAD:  

James 1:14-16 But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed. (15) Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death.  (16) Do not err, my beloved brethren. 

Romans 6:23 For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. 

The only natural outcome for sin is spiritual death.  If the story ended there it would be a real disaster.  But it does not.  Romans 6:23 tells us that there is a way out of spiritual death.  That is the gift of God.  That includes what the prodigal son did.  He came to himself and came back home.

Sin may seem fun for a while, but in the end it will let you down.

Reflecting His SON,  

Dennis Hogan

Minister, North Hardin Church of Christ

dennis.hogan@icloud.com

1804 Sam Stewart Dr.

Radcliff, KY  40160

Questions, comments or  further explanation?  Contact me at:  dennis.hogan@icloud.com

If you have friends, family, or acquaintances that you feel could benefit from RTS, please forward 

their e-mail address to me and I will add them to my mail list.