Preschool
And be ye kind one to another (Ephesians 4:32).
God Pardons and Restores
Memory Verses
Primary
And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another (Ephesians 4:32).
Junior
And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you (Ephesians 4:32).
Background Scripture: Micah 7; Hosea 6, 14
Lesson Scripture: Micah 7:7-9, 18-20; Hosea 6:1-3; 14:4-7
Introduction
All of creation became defiled when sin entered the world. Since then, it has been condemned to ultimate destruction. Man alone, the “apple of his eye” (Deut. 32:10), has been offered redemption and can therefore anticipate eternal life with God. Psalm 103:8 states, “The Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and plenteous in mercy.” In truth, God’s justice could have fairly had it the other way. We could have been condemned to ultimate destruction. Instead, we have a living hope since He counts us as righteous when we rise again through repentance and faith in Jesus. This study can again bring us to a place of deep appreciation for God’s redemption plan.
The children’s lesson for today is “Jesus Visits the Temple.” As we consider Him visiting our own worship service, let us freely offer Him our thanksgiving for his mercy and pardon.
Key Verse
Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new (2 Cor. 5:17).
Lesson Scripture
Micah 7:7 Therefore I will look unto the Lord; I will wait for the God of my salvation: my God will hear me.
8 Rejoice not against me, O mine enemy: when I fall, I shall arise; when I sit in darkness, the Lord shall be a light unto me.
9 I will bear the indignation of the Lord, because I have sinned against him, until he plead my cause, and execute judgment for me: he will bring me forth to the light, and I shall behold his righteousness.
18 Who is a God like unto thee, that pardoneth iniquity, and passeth by the transgression of the remnant of his heritage? he retaineth not his anger for ever, because he delighteth in mercy.
19 He will turn again, he will have compassion upon us; he will subdue our iniquities; and thou wilt cast all their sins into the depths of the sea.
20 Thou wilt perform the truth to Jacob, and the mercy to Abraham, which thou hast sworn unto our fathers from the days of old.
Hosea 6:1 Come, and let us return unto the Lord: for he hath torn, and he will heal us; he hath smitten, and he will bind us up.
2 After two days will he revive us: in the third day he will raise us up, and we shall live in his sight.
3 Then shall we know, if we follow on to know the Lord: his going forth is prepared as the morning; and he shall come unto us as the rain, as the latter and former rain unto the earth.
14:4 I will heal their backsliding, I will love them freely: for mine anger is turned away from him.
5 I will be as the dew unto Israel: he shall grow as the lily, and cast forth his roots as Lebanon.
6 His branches shall spread, and his beauty shall be as the olive tree, and his smell as Lebanon.
7 They that dwell under his shadow shall return; they shall revive as the corn, and grow as the vine: the scent thereof shall be as the wine of Lebanon.
Studying the Lesson
Hosea was a prophet who lived in the eighth century B.C. It appears his message was given to an idolatrous, but still independent, kingdom of Israel. He was commissioned by God to marry and love a woman who was an unfaithful marriage partner. He was to bear with her as a token of how much God forbears with his people. It was also a representation of Israel’s unfaithfulness. Hosea’s primary theme was how God loves Israel just as a man loves his wife. He illustrated that no one is beyond God’s offer of forgiveness and pled that they would forsake their sins and return to Him.
Practical Truths for Today
The clarity of the message given by the prophets Micah and Hosea is astounding. We understand the forgiveness God offered was conditional. God does not extend forgiveness to those who do not value it or accept it.
One of the fundamentals for finding God is desperation. Reaching the point of not being able to help ourselves strips us of our self-justification, entitlement, and blame shifting. Becoming accountable for our own mistakes leaves us with no recourse but to accept the blood of Jesus and the mercy and forgiveness of God. One mark of false religion is the teaching or belief that we are able to earn God’s favor by acts of service or self-discipline. “The wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord” (Rom. 6:23). When our prayers do not seem to avail, it may well be there are reserves remaining in our hearts. They may at first seem unknown, but with closer examination, we will often find a root of unwillingness. An unforgiving or impatient spirit in our heart toward others also hinders God from accepting our plea.
Although the path to heaven is uphill and narrow, God’s love opens his ears to our difficulties and challenges. He yearns for our upward look and waits for a simple plea for his help. He is “longsuffering . . . not willing that any should perish” (2 Pet. 3:9). The repentant thief dying beside our Savior cried out to simply be remembered. When the disciple Peter stepped out of the boat and began to sink, he left an example for us. His cry “Lord, save me” (Matt. 14:30) is a model prayer for us today.
Of all the marvels of God’s work and his creation, none compares with the wonder of his forgiveness. It changes stony hearts into soft hearts and converts Sauls into Pauls. It harnesses the power of love and restores harmony in relationships, families, and congregations. It erases the past hurts and wrongs of others toward us and makes life once again worth living. The work of God’s forgiveness is complete and instant; we become immediately accepted (Eph. 1:6). God does not hold us at arm’s length or place us on probation to see if we will do it again. When we fail again, it is a new sin; an old transgression is never again held against us. Satan is an accuser, and he desires to make us feel like a failure and a hopeless case.
God’s intention for mankind is restoration. Isaiah 61:1-2 is a beautiful prophecy of what Christ would accomplish when He came. This included binding up the brokenhearted, proclaiming liberty to the captives, and comforting all who mourn. To allow Him to do that for us honors Him. Even when we have fallen to the lowest depths, He is there to lift us up, dry our tears, and restore us. A beautiful example is Jesus’s story of the prodigal son. When he finally decided to return home, his father ran to meet him. He commanded a new robe be given him, meaning the past was wiped out and he was clean. A ring was to be put on his finger, signifying that his sonship and honor were restored. Shoes were to be put on his feet, for he was to be ready to work. Jesus said that “joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that repenteth, more than over ninety and nine just persons, which need no repentance” (Luke 15:7).
The consequences and repercussions of sin can impact people’s lives in a very real way. Sometimes the Lord chooses to heal these. At other times, He gives grace to live a happy life in spite of lingering aftereffects, but the situation does not worsen as it would if there had been no repentance, forgiveness, and healing. To grasp that God has forgiven us when others continue to suffer the consequences of our actions or hold a grievance against us may be difficult. However, the statement “I am unable to forgive myself” means we are either too proud or too faithless to accept God’s forgiveness. We may need help from our church brethren in proving and finding direction in these matters.
The effects of sin can bear directly upon the conscience, and it can become seared, especially by repeated offenses. Our conscience, though instilled in us by our Maker, is conditioned by our upbringing, by the values of our parents and peers, by our own will, and by the Holy Spirit. It is either strengthened or broken down by our actions and reactions. When we are forgiven, we are set free from the past, but it takes time and experience to rebuild conscience. We will need to stand guard and be diligent in prayer to close the door that sin has opened for the evil one.
Peace and forgiveness are a gift from God. Guilt is also a gift in a certain way; it is a message that all is not well. When we experience guilt, let us go immediately to the throne of grace for the remedy. If we do nothing and carry guilt for a long time, we internalize it, and it turns into shame. Guilt is about something we did, while shame is about what we are and is a tool of the devil. If we continue to live in shame, we must ask God for deliverance from this debilitating spirit.
Questions
- Can God’s grace cover our sins if we doubt his forgiveness?
- How do we encourage those who feel the price of peace is too high?
- Is God’s forgiveness strained by chronic, besetting sins? How can we reach a higher plane?
Source: COGICM Daily Bible Readings (Daily Bible Readings, PO Box 124, Glenn, CA 95943).