Pardon Me
http://gbcdecatur.org/sermons/PardonMe.html
Hebrews 8:12
For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more.
A man on death row, sweating it out, hoping, praying and waiting for a word of pardon from the governor’s office, would be a fool to turn it down if it actually came.
In 1830, a man named George Wilson was convicted of killing a government employee while robbing the U.S. Mail. He was tried and sentenced to be hanged. Andrew Jackson, then President, issued a pardon for Wilson, but Wilson did a strange thing: he refused to accept the pardon and no one seemed to know what to do.
What must that warden have said when his delivery was rejected? I imagine it was something like, “Pardon me? You don’t want the President to pardon you?”
The matter went all the way to the Supreme Court…to Chief Justice Marshall, perhaps one of the greatest Chief Justices we ever had, and he concluded that Wilson must be executed. “A pardon is a slip of paper,” wrote Marshall, “the value of which is determined by the acceptance of the person to be pardoned. If it is refused, it is no pardon. George Wilson must be hanged.” And he was.
Many have said, "He was crazy!" or "What a fool!" Perhaps they were right, but there are millions of people who continually refuse God’s offer of pardon from eternal death.
A lot of people got saved thru our ministry this week. Here’s the story:
• Midday Tuesday, my wife and I went to the home of a new young couple in the church. They had some questions about the church. As always, we don’t take anyone’s salvation for granted, so I planned on eventually getting around to questioning them on that…but I didn’t have to bring it up, because the husband said, “I’ve been baptized, but as for being saved, I don’t know what that is, but I’d like to.” “Pardon me?!” is what I felt like saying…what a refreshing way of leading someone to the Lord that was…he was asking me to tell him how and help him thru it. Wow!
• Tuesday, early evening, I met w/ the family who lost their 14 year old boy in the tragic accident last weekend. It was a few minutes before the visitation was to begin. I told them about how he got saved in my office 2 years ago, and they asked me to share it at the funeral so others, themselves included, could be saved. “Pardon me?!” again came to mind! But I had planned to do just that.
• Later that evening, I went by the hospital to check on a member who had had surgery. He said the girl who was the driver in that accident was right down the hall, and he is close friends w/ the family. “Pardon me?” I thought, this family must really be hurting, and went down to the room along w/ 2 others to show them some Christian love and pray w/ them. They soaked it up like a sponge and it became apparent that the girl wanted to be saved, too. I shared the gospel and told the others in the room that if they wanted to be saved they could pray the prayer with us…and all 4 of them did. Again, “Pardon me?” came to mind.
• Wed. morning at the funeral, the funeral director came to my prayer room as it got time to start, and said there were easily over 300 people waiting. “Pardon Me?” Well, the spirit was electric. I’ve never before been applauded at a funeral for preaching the truth, but it happened several times. They were so vocal I invited them to come here and join us on a permanent basis! At the end I said they could silently repeat a sinner’s prayer if they wanted to be saved. But many repeated it out loud, dozens at least, and who knows how many in their hearts!
Should we be surprised when God pours out great blessings? Should we say, “Pardon me?” to that? No! Praise God that He pardoned so many this week, turning tragedy into triumph!!
Follow me on this simple progression:
I. GOD’S PENALTY*
There is a vast difference between the prison code and the law of God. The law says that a man is innocent until he is proven guilty. God’s law tells us that ALL are guilty, and somehow need to be found innocent. We read in John 3:18, " . . .he that believeth not is condemned already . . ."
Romans 5:12 tells us, "Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned."
"ALL" takes in both the good and the bad. Paul says, "As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one" (Rom. 3:10).
Ill.—Pardon me? Do you think you are not a sinner? Most adults admit it, but our children sometimes need a little help realizing they are sinners. We are working w/ our young daughter on this right now. We ask her if she is a sinner and she defends herself, “No!” As if she would be admitting to something if she said otherwise. And so we point out each time she sins…and believe me, the sin nature runs heavy on the female side at our house!
1 John 1:8
8 If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.
God says, pardon me? Do you deny you are a sinner?
That’s why we illustrated a couple of weeks ago using the 10 commandments to show people the serious nature of their sin…all are lying, thieving, adulterous, blasphemers at heart, and stand before the judge of the universe Who cannot just overlook their sins…there must be a penalty!
The same Bible that records the law also records the penalty for breaking that law.
The penalty for a broken law is eternal death. In Revelation 20:14 the penalty is called "the second death" or "lake of fire."
Romans 6:23 declares again, "For the wages of sin is death . . ."
No mention is made of degrees of sin. The man who breaks the least is guilty of all. The man who breaks one commandment has broken all ten.
James 2:10
"For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all".
The liar is as guilty as the murderer. The woman who takes God’s name
in vain is just as guilty as the harlot. The man who doesn’t love his neighbor might as well not love God, for he is just as guilty as if it were so.
According to the Bible, everyone is guilty and the penalty is hanging over every head. Millions are sitting on death row. Some have quit drinking, cursing, lying, stealing and all the rest. Others have even joined churches and have been baptized. Then they feel they are going to heaven. Pardon me? All of these are still condemned by the penalty.
Will the pardon come? Will it be accepted?
II. GOD’S PAYMENT*
Barabbas was a murderer. He was waiting on death row. The
execution was to come soon. The jailer came and announced,
"Barabbas, you are free!"
“Pardon me?” he must’ve said.
Barabbas shouted for joy and couldn’t believe his ears. What happened? Who arranged this? All the answers were wrapped up in a short statement, "Jesus is going to die instead of you."
Yes, Jesus took Barabbas’ place and died for him. He was the payment. Romans 5:8 tells us, "But God commendeth his love
toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us."
We also read in I John 2:2, “And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for our sins only, but also for the sins of the whole world.”
In the Old Testament, the sins of the people were placed on lambs and the lambs were slain. Blood was shed to make an atonement for sins. God promised them that if they just believed in His Word they were forgiven and cleansed for one year. In the New Testament, Jesus was the Lamb. His payment was made for all, and He substituted as the Lamb. God has said that His sacrifice was our payment. By faith we believe it and can relax. Then we can refocus our energy into serving Him and taking others to heaven with us!
III. GOD’S PLEA*
One might think that folks would run over the top of one another to accept the payment for sin and pardon for guilt. To the contrary, men are unconcerned. Because of the Devil’s influence, men have ignored God and have forgotten that they are on death row. The Bible says in II Cor. 4:3,4: "But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost: In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them".
But God is concerned. God loves all people and is not willing that
any should perish. Through the efforts of the Holy Spirit, the Lord is speaking, reminding and warning men of their need.
People don’t seem to hear His pleading voice today. It’s not that He’s not still pleading, it’s that we cannot hear Him over all the commotion we have crowded our lives with. Like this week’s accident, it oftentimes takes something major to get our attention before we will hit bottom and look up and listen to the Lord!
We need to say, pardon me, Lord, for not listening…you have my full attention, and now I ask you, please pardon me!
God’s plea is, "Come now, and let us reason together, saith the Lord: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool" (Isa. 1:18). He pleads, "Come; for all things are now ready" (Luke 14:17). Again comes the call, "Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest" (Matt. 11:28). He again urges, "Take my yoke upon you . . ." (Luke 14:18). A note of warning is sounded, with the plea, "Seek ye the Lord while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near" (Isa. 55:6).
IV. GOD’S PROMISE*
Man is condemned. But God has provided payment in full. Now, the Lord is pleading with the hearts of men to believe and receive His gift of salvation. The contract has been drawn up. God has made us many promises. We find recorded, "And this is the promise that he hath promised us, even eternal life" (I John 2:25). Numbers 23:19 tells us, "God is not a man, that he should lie . . ." The Word of God is true and safe. Surely, man can believe what God has said.
God has promised to give the gift of eternal pardon and salvation to all who would receive it. God has promised that, "For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved" (Rom. 10:13). Again He has said, " . . .him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out" (John 6:37). The man who has been saved has believed the promise of God, and the man who is still lost has not, as yet, believed God.
V. GOD’S PARDON*
Now, what is contained in this pardon? Are there any strings attached? I assure you, there is no kidding here.
First, notice that pardon is not penance. Deciding to turn over a new leaf, or saying, "I’ll not do it anymore," will not get the prisoner out of jail. Many are laying aside their evil deeds and striving to live better lives. Some have already sown their wild oats, and now they feel that good, moral living will get them through the gate of Heaven.
Penance is trying to reform, or trying to make up for sin, by doing good. The rich man pays the bills of the church to get God to overlook his sins. The society woman serves on all the committees and labors long to try to repay her evil acts in former days. But, this is the work of the flesh.
"Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be
justified in his sight . . ." (Rom. 3:19). "Not by works of
righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he
saved us . . ." (Titus 3:5).
Secondly, please notice that pardon is not parole. The pardoned man is free, while the paroled man is under conditions. If the man who is on parole gets into any trouble at all, he must go back and serve the original sentence. To be pardoned suggests that all guilt is stricken from the record. A cloak of innocence is given to the pardoned man.
Many today believe that the child of God is on a conditional parole. They accept that we have been made free by our Substitute, but they declare that if we do not hold out, we will be taken back to judgment and end up paying the penalty in Hell. May I remind you that salvation is not you holding out, it’s God holding on!
My friend, God’s pardon is eternal and the man who realizes that lives for God, but only because of his thankfulness. The convict is not just released; he is transformed into a Christian.
Thirdly, notice that pardon is not payment. When a man has served out his sentence and released, there is no pardon involved. If he pays his fine and goes free, there is no need for mercy or pardon. Man does not have enough money to pay the fine. It would take eternity to serve out the sentence! The only hope is a full pardon. The Bible says, "If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed" (John
8:36).
Pardon is available for you, dear sinner, just for the asking. God would be happy to forgive you and save you now.
http://gbcdecatur.org/sermons/PardonMe.html
