Consequences

Consequences

((( Words to a Shaggy song---Why me Lord)))

“Just the other day when I was rolling with my crew I made a little flex around Flatbush avenue, I was calling to some girls and sipping on a brew that’s when I saw the boys in blue. They pulled me to the side why I don’t even have a clue and looking for a reason and they finally found a few, a case of ammunition and a loaded 32 I can’t believe what I am going through.

Why me Lord

Why me Lord

Why me Lord, why me, why me, why me”

All of us at one time or another have found ourselves in some kind of trouble, haven’t we? Weather it was with our mom and dad, when we were young, who for some of us is today and for others it was a long time ago. Weather it was with a teacher at school, a boss at work or maybe even the police, maybe you got a ticket or something, but regardless of what it was or who it was with, the fact is we have all found ourselves facing some kind of consequences for what we either did or didn’t do. And when that happened, did you find yourself feeling like you were being unjustly punished because what you did really wasn’t all that bad? Have you ever felt the punishment was a bit excessive, like the punishment just didn’t really fit the crime, If you have, you probably didn’t forget about it very quickly and you probably voiced your opinion about the situation to more than a few people and made sure everyone new how unfair it all was. But, sometimes we get exactly what we deserve, and when that happens no one hears nearly as much about it, do they?  How about the times we did something wrong and actually got less than what we deserved? We don’t hear much about those times, even though that probably happens so much more often than the others. If we are completely honest about it very few people really believe they got into trouble and got less than they deserved. That’s because we seem to think that when we suffer the consequences of our actions; it is never less than what we deserved and when we get away with something all together, we tend to believe that it is okay as well, again because we never actually think anything we get is truly less than what we should get. It is the way we as people tend to think. We are a selfish people, we think of ourselves first and we believe that we are inherently good at heart and because of that we feel we deserve another chance. After all, there is always a reason behind why I made the mistake I made. I know myself well enough to know that I am not really a bad person. I mean well, I just can’t seem to do well. However, on the other hand, we are perfectly willing and ready to point out what someone else has done wrong and weather or not they received their just reward. So when I make a mistake, it’s just that, a mistake, nothing more but when you make a mistake, well it’s sin.       That’s how we see it isn’t it, Consequences, being good or bad, according to how we want to interpret it. And we interpret right and wrong according to so many things, like the way we were raised or what we believe but mostly our own selfishness, how it affects us.

       But the truth is, in this world we live in, we are going to find ourselves facing unfair situations that we don’t like. We will also find ourselves in situations where we literally get away with things we shouldn’t, but in reality it doesn’t work that way. In reality, everything we do, say or think is witnessed by God and so we are never really getting away with anything and what’s more, nothing is ever being overlooked either.

       Now after having said all that, you would think this sermon would be all about what? Consequences of our every day actions right ? Well, it is and then again it’s not. Because in a way, consequences of our actions makes us think that consequences only exist when we do something. Until something is done, thought or said, the slate is clean. It is only after we enter the equation that consequences appear on the scene and that’s not quite true is it.

Now having said all that lets take a look at the truth, at what the Bible has to say about one of the consequences of our actions or lack there of. As we do this I hope we will see that the truth reaches further than how we tend to look at things.

       (Romans 5:12) “Wherefore, as by one man sin entered the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned:”

       (Romans 3:23) “For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God”

       (Romans 6:23) “For the wages of sin is death but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord”

       (John 3:16)       “For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting life.”

(Romans 5:12) “Wherefore, as by one man sin entered the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned:”

Some time ago, not long after the world was created, some say about 6000 years ago. Adam and eve made a decision that would change the course of the world in a way they never imagined. God created the two of them and placed them in a garden and gave them complete control over everything. They had a beautiful home, food, water and everything they needed was provided for, God walked among them and told them that they could have anything from the garden they wanted, everything they wanted was there for them to eat, drink and enjoy. Adam and Eve had the perfect life; all they had to do was one simple thing. God told them they could have anything they wanted except one very important thing. They were not to eat of the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. One simple command, one simple rule, one thing that God did not want them to do was all he asked of them. But did they listen? No, they ended up disobeying God and eating the fruit of the tree anyway. It wasn’t just about eating the fruit itself as it was about turning their backs on God himself. Later Christ told the disciples “if you love me you will keep my commandments” so therefore by willfully and purposely not keeping the commandments of God is not love but SIN. And that’s what it means in Romans 5:12 when it says by one man (Adam) sin entered the world. Now lets stop a second and realize that this wasn’t just about a couple of people simply making a mistake nor was it just about falling to the temptation of a piece of fruit that just looked soooo good but it was about sinning against God. It was about turning their back on the very God who not only created them but loved, protected, provided and walked with them. And instead of loving Him back and trusting and being loyal to Him they willingly turned their back on Him and chose to follow satin himself. They choose to go after the very same temptation satin did and tried to become as God himself.  Now we could talk about some of the consequences of that sin such as loosing the garden, having to work the land and pain in giving birth. But the most serious consequence was bringing sin into the world. “By one man (Adam) sin entered the world so death passed to all men” When Adam and Eve sinned there was a death that entered the world that we now live in. This death is not only a physical death but a spiritual one. Death in this sense is a separation, it is a falling away from the perfect fellowship with God, it is a broken relationship. It is, on a small scale, like the difference between when we first fell in love with a boyfriend or girlfriend when everything is perfect and wonderful, like it should be and after we have experienced a huge fight with them some years down the road. One moment all is right and the other we are only existing in the presence of each other. We may still love them but the relationship is broken. That was the difference then and it is the same difference sin creates in our lives today.

       (Romans 3:23) “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God”  Not only does Romans 3:23 say all have sinned but so does the end of Romans 5:12, it says  “so death passed to all men, for that all have sinned”

I heard a preacher proclaim from the pulpit that young children were innocent. That you couldn’t look at a child and believe God would condemn them as sinners ect. ect. However, I don’t know of any place in the Bible where it gives a magic age in which we suddenly become a sinner. Is it 5, 10 or 12 I don’t know, but what I do know is that the Bible says we all have sinned all, doesn’t that mean everyone? Now I understand the passages in Matthew 18:3 and Matthew 19:14 where it says Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter the kingdom of heaven” and ”Suffer little children, and forbid them not, to come unto me: for such is the kingdom of heaven” but the word of God still says all have sinned. I am a sinner just like everyone else, I am a sinner because the Bible says all have sinned and that includes me. However though I am a sinner, since I have given my life to Christ, I am just a sinner saved by the grace of God. It is the same with a child, though God may not hold them to a degree of accountability until they develop enough to understand his will or the meaning of right and wrong doesn’t mean they are not included in the statement “all have sinned”.

       While we are running around trying to justify the things we do and why we deserve so much and why we don’t deserve anything bad: the truth is we deserve nothing. If we actually got what we deserved we would all find ourselves looking at an eternity in hell. Why would God send me to hell? I am a good person, I try to live right I don’t steal I don’t curse I try and help people. What have I done to deserve something as harsh as hell? It isn’t about what you have done, it isn’t even about what you haven’t done, it’s about the choice you make. It’s not like the teacher that comes to their class and tells them, everyone here has an A it’s yours to loose. God doesn’t say everyone has salvation, its yours to loose. God has allowed us to be in a situation where we have to choose, we can’t just try to keep what we already have but we have to make a real choice as to weather we are going to follow Him. God has given us the opportunity to make the choice and He wants us to choose Him. The Bible says “The lord is not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.” We may not fully understand the whole idea of sin entering the world through one man but that doesn’t change the fact that it did and that God wants us to choose Him of our own free will so that our broken relationship can be restored.

(Romans 6:23) “For the wages of sin is death but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord”

From the beginning of our life you and I have been facing the consequences of sins and that consequence is death and Hell. That means eternal separation from God himself. That is the real consequence we deserve. But for those who answer the call of Christ and allow Him to come into their heart, for those who put God first and let him be Lord of their life, they receive the gift of God which is eternal life. We like to think we deserve it or that we have somehow earned it but the truth is it is a Gift from God. What does that mean? A gift is something given to us for free, something given without earning it. If it were earned it would be considered a payment of sorts and not a gift at all. What is it that made this gift possible for you and I?

(John3:16) says “ For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting life.”

We like to think of what is fair and what we deserve but nothing works like that. God not only created you and I but he created the sun, moon and stars. God created this entire world and he did it for his pleasure. When God created mankind he did it so that he could fellowship with us and we could worship him. He created us to be pleasing to Him, to choose Him over everything including our own desires and He created us so that He could love and adore us. God not only loves you and I but God is love. How else can anyone explain why He would put up with us every day and still give his only Son to die for us? Why would He come here and give himself over to a sinful people like us. The pain of loosing a child is so great that I don’t think I could ever choose their death in order to save someone else no matter how much I loved them. But to give them over to save a group of people who have turned their back on me and treated my child badly is humanly impossible for me. But that’s what God did; He gave His Son to die for us even though we didn’t deserve it so we could restore our relationship with Him for eternity. The most important consequence in our life may not be because of what we have done but what we haven’t done. Have you chose Christ?