Speaker: Rev. Dadang
Psalms 103:8-10
103:8. The LORD is merciful and gracious, Slow to anger, and abounding in mercy.
103:9. He will not always strive with us, Nor will He keep His anger forever.
103:10. He has not dealt with us according to our sins, Nor punished us according to our iniquities.
God is slow to anger and has mercy to us.
God's longsuffering does not mean that person who has sin is not punished.
What is the meaning of God's longsuffering?
II Peter 3:9
3:9. The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.
The purpose of God's longsuffering is God wants everyone to repent that we are free from punishment and do not perish.
If there is no God's longsuffering, sinners will be punished directly and die.
The proof of God's longsufferingis as follows:
Amos 3:7
3:7. Surely the Lord GOD does nothing, Unless He reveals His secret to His servants the prophets.
God always reveals His secret to His servant the prophets before He punishes sinners.
'the prophets' refers to prophetic word.
Before punishing, God always reveals His secret through the Word opened its secretor the Word which reveals mistake, rebukes and advises us.
So, as long as the Word still reveals sin, rebukes and advises us, God's longsuffering still exists for us.
As long as parents love their son/daughter, they surely rebuke and chasten (Hebrews 12: 5-8).
However, please pay attention that God's longsuffering has limitation.
If the Word has already revealed mistake, rebuked and advised, but we still do not repent, God's longsuffering has finished and what may come is punishment.
In addition, we do not know when the limit of God's longsuffering, when Jesus comes on second time.
The example of NEGATIVE ATTITUDE to God's longsufferingis as follows:
Mark 6:17-20
6:17. For Herod himself had sent and laid hold of John, and bound him in prison for the sake of Herodias, his brother Philip's wife; for he had married her.
6:18. For John had said to Herod, "It is not lawful for you to have your brother's wife."
6:19. Therefore Herodias held it against him and wanted to kill him, but she could not;
6:20. for Herod feared John, knowing that he was a just and holy man, and he protected him. And when he heard him, he did many things, and heard him gladly.
The Hard Word rebukes thesin of Herod.
Actually, Herod liked to hear the Word, but unfortunately, his heart was always undecided, that he could not practice the Word.
Finally, Herod captured, bound and beheaded John the Baptist.
Mark 1:4
1:4. John came baptizing in the wilderness and preaching a baptism of repentance for the remission of sins.
John the baptist preached about repentance and water baptism.
Herod captured, bound, until beheaded John the Baptist= refusing/didnot want to experience repentance and new birth= didnot appreciate God's mercy and God's longsuffering.
Why?
Romans 2:5
2:5. But in accordance with your hardness and your impenitent heart you are treasuring up for yourself wrath in the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God,
Do not say that God is slack!
If sinners haven't been punished yet, it is because the punishment is being hoarded= the punishment 'hasn't come yet'. If the heap is full, the punishment and perdition will surely come.
Physically, Herod was great, but spiritually, he was going to perdition.
The example of POSITIVE ATTITUDE to God's longsufferingis as follows:
Psalms 103:8-10
103:8. The LORD is merciful and gracious, Slow to anger, and abounding in mercy.
103:9. He will not always strive with us, Nor will He keep His anger forever.
103:10. He has not dealt with us according to our sins, Nor punished us according to our iniquities.
God is slow to anger and has mercy to us.
God's longsuffering does not mean that person who has sin is not punished.
What is the meaning of God's longsuffering?
II Peter 3:9
3:9. The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.
The purpose of God's longsuffering is God wants everyone to repent that we are free from punishment and do not perish.
If there is no God's longsuffering, sinners will be punished directly and die.
The proof of God's longsufferingis as follows:
Amos 3:7
3:7. Surely the Lord GOD does nothing, Unless He reveals His secret to His servants the prophets.
God always reveals His secret to His servant the prophets before He punishes sinners.
'the prophets' refers to prophetic word.
Before punishing, God always reveals His secret through the Word opened its secretor the Word which reveals mistake, rebukes and advises us.
So, as long as the Word still reveals sin, rebukes and advises us, God's longsuffering still exists for us.
As long as parents love their son/daughter, they surely rebuke and chasten (Hebrews 12: 5-8).
However, please pay attention that God's longsuffering has limitation.
If the Word has already revealed mistake, rebuked and advised, but we still do not repent, God's longsuffering has finished and what may come is punishment.
In addition, we do not know when the limit of God's longsuffering, when Jesus comes on second time.
The example of NEGATIVE ATTITUDE to God's longsufferingis as follows:
Mark 6:17-20
6:17. For Herod himself had sent and laid hold of John, and bound him in prison for the sake of Herodias, his brother Philip's wife; for he had married her.
6:18. For John had said to Herod, "It is not lawful for you to have your brother's wife."
6:19. Therefore Herodias held it against him and wanted to kill him, but she could not;
6:20. for Herod feared John, knowing that he was a just and holy man, and he protected him. And when he heard him, he did many things, and heard him gladly.
The Hard Word rebukes thesin of Herod.
Actually, Herod liked to hear the Word, but unfortunately, his heart was always undecided, that he could not practice the Word.
Finally, Herod captured, bound and beheaded John the Baptist.
Mark 1:4
1:4. John came baptizing in the wilderness and preaching a baptism of repentance for the remission of sins.
John the baptist preached about repentance and water baptism.
Herod captured, bound, until beheaded John the Baptist= refusing/didnot want to experience repentance and new birth= didnot appreciate God's mercy and God's longsuffering.
Why?
- Because of hardness and self-truth that he did not want to confesshis sin.
- Because Herod kept not lawful marriage.
Herod took Philip's wife, his brother.
Beware!
Now, the practice of not lawful marriageistaking wife from divorced woman.
Matthew 5:31-32
5:31. "Furthermore it has been said, 'Whoever divorces his wife, let him give her a certificate of divorce.'
5:32. "But I say to you that whoever divorces his wife for any reason except sexual immorality causes her to commit adultery; and whoever marries a woman who is divorced commits adultery.
Life as Herod in not lawful marriage equals to life in adultery and fornication.
Therefore, we should be seriousstarting from the beginning of marriage (courtship).
Make no mistake! Do not fall into sin!
If one has already been false in the beginning of marriage, that life has already beenheavy.
If it is being continued, s/he can enter into sin of marrying after divorce and marrying-being given in marriage.
The consequence is just perishing forever.
At Noah's era, God's sons lived in wrong marriage.
Beware!
It is written in Luke that human's sin at Noah's era will happen again at the last days.
- Because of loving wife and children rather than God.
The practice: following/being agree to all desires of wife and children which are clearly against the Word.
Mark 6:21-27
6:21. Then an opportune day came when Herod on his birthday gave a feast for his nobles, the high officers, and the chief men of Galilee.
6:22. And when Herodias' daughter herself came in and danced, and pleased Herod and those who sat with him, the king said to the girl, "Ask me whatever you want, and I will give it to you."
6:23. He also swore to her, "Whatever you ask me, I will give you, up to half of my kingdom."
6:24. So she went out and said to her mother, "What shall I ask?" And she said, "The head of John the Baptist!"
6:25. Immediately she came in with haste to the king and asked, saying, "I want you to give me at once the head of John the Baptist on a platter."
6:26. And the king was exceedingly sorry; yet, because of the oaths and because of those who sat with him, he did not want to refuse her.
6:27. Immediately the king sent an executioner and commanded his head to be brought. And he went and beheaded him in prison,
Beware! Especially husband/father!
We are responsible for every decision.
If the decision fits in with the Word, although it hurts the flesh, it leads the marriage for staying at the right way.
If the decision doesn't fit in with the Word, it equals to plunging the marriage at wrong way and perdition. - Due to maintaining prestige and dignity.
Mark 6:26
6:26. And the king was exceedingly sorry; yet, because of the oaths and because of those who sat with him, he did not want to refuse her.
Example: not confessing sin because of considering his/her own prestige.
Do not make the dignity expensive! Jesus has already redeemed/bought us on the cross.
Romans 2:5
2:5. But in accordance with your hardness and your impenitent heart you are treasuring up for yourself wrath in the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God,
Do not say that God is slack!
If sinners haven't been punished yet, it is because the punishment is being hoarded= the punishment 'hasn't come yet'. If the heap is full, the punishment and perdition will surely come.
Physically, Herod was great, but spiritually, he was going to perdition.
The example of POSITIVE ATTITUDE to God's longsufferingis as follows:
- John 4:16-18
4:16. Jesus said to her, "Go, call your husband, and come here."
4:17. The woman answered and said, "I have no husband." Jesus said to her, "You have well said, 'I have no husband,'
4:18. "for you have had five husbands, and the one whom you now have is not your husband; in that you spoke truly."
The Word of God came hard, and pointed to Samaritan woman who livedin sin and uncleanness.
She had positive attitude by her true speaking/honesty= being brave to confess the sins with all the risks.
It has a risk when confessing sin, especially about adultery.
People who commit adultery should be stoned to death.
On the contrary, if we want to confess, God will forgive us(1 John 1: 9).
Do not sin anymore!
If we do sin again, the forgiveness will be null and void.
The result of confessing sins and being forgiven is as follows:
John 4:41-42
4:41. And many more believed because of His own word.
4:42. Then they said to the woman, "Now we believe, not because of what you said, for we ourselves have heard Him and we know that this is indeed the Christ, the Savior of the world."
We can testify to help people who are still in sin, that they are able to repent and be saved too. - John 8:3-11
8:3. Then the scribes and Pharisees brought to Him a woman caught in adultery. And when they had set her in the midst,
8:4. they said to Him, "Teacher, this woman was caught in adultery, in the very act.
8:5. "Now Moses, in the law, commanded us that such should be stoned. But what do You say?"
8:6. This they said, testing Him, that they might have something of which to accuse Him. But Jesus stooped down and wrote on the ground with His finger, as though He did not hear.
8:7. So when they continued asking Him, He raised Himself up and said to them, "He who is without sin among you, let him throw a stone at her first."
8:8. And again He stooped down and wrote on the ground.
8:9. Then those who heard it, being convicted by their conscience, went out one by one, beginning with the oldest even to the last. And Jesus was left alone, and the woman standing in the midst.
8:10. When Jesus had raised Himself up and saw no one but the woman, He said to her, "Woman, where are those accusers of yours? Has no one condemned you?"
8:11. She said, "No one, Lord." And Jesus said to her, "Neither do I condemn you; go and sin no more."
The attitude to appreciate God's longsuffering: standing in the midst= being willing to receive the Word how hard it is, that through the Word, we are being encouraged to repent and experience purification from sins, especially hidden sin in heart, marriage, ministry, etc.
Jesus stooped down and wrote on the ground twice refers to God's longsuffering.
Jesus remembers that we are just mortar or sinners.
The results areas follows:- Receiving forgiveness from all sins.
- Stayingalone with Jesus(Verse 9b: "And Jesus was left alone, and the woman standing in the midst").
Whatever our lack/wickedness/uncleanness, Jesus does not leave us alone as long as we can receive the Word.
Otherwise, if we keep sin, Jesus is separated from us and He can do nothing.
If Jesus is with us:- Luke 5:3-6
5:3. Then He got into one of the boats, which was Simon's, and asked him to put out a little from the land. And He sat down and taught the multitudes from the boat.
5:4. When He had stopped speaking, He said to Simon, "Launch out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch."
5:5. But Simon answered and said to Him, "Master, we have toiled all night and caught nothing; nevertheless at Your word I will let down the net."
5:6. And when they had done this, they caught a great number of fish, and their net was breaking.
Jesus got into boat and sat down= Jesus is with us in our life/marriage/ministry.
When Jesus hasn't sat in Simon's boat yet, Simon's life was in failure.
Likewise, if Jesus is not with our marriage, our marriage can't reach spiritual marriage.
On the contrary, if Jesus is with us, there is power of creationfrom "there is no fish" to "there are fish".
God keeps and does not leave us alone. - Mark 4:37-39
4:37. And a great windstorm arose, and the waves beat into the boat, so that it was already filling.
4:38. But He was in the stern, asleep on a pillow. And they awoke Him and said to Him, "Teacher, do You not care that we are perishing?"
4:39. Then He arose and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, "Peace, be still!" And the wind ceased and there was a great calm.
In our journey in this world, there is always a wave, obstruction, and hurdle, both big or small but the main thing is Jesus must be with us.
God isable to make all waves become calm and still= there is serenityandpeace, and we are happy with God. - Luke 5:10b
5:10b And Jesus said to Simon, "Do not be afraid. From now on you will catch men."
Simon changed from fisherman to fishers of men means the power of renewalfrom carnal men to spiritual men as glorious as Jesus.
We continue to be changed, to become more glorious, until we are with Jesus forever. We are not separated again, but we are happy in the Kingdom of Heaven.
- Luke 5:3-6
- Receiving forgiveness from all sins.