By R. van Leerdam
Brothers and Sisters in our Lord Jesus Christ,
Remember the sermon I called,
‘Sin a miserable business’?
People, so often, just cannot seem to get along. The first son of Adam & Eve, Cain, was jealous of his brother Abel, so jealous that he murdered him.
Today we have we have 8.2 billion people all wanting to do their own thing at the same time. So many have no regard for the ‘Creator God’. So many have no regard for other people. The news is full of the atrocities that are committed by people – murder, pride, arrogance, sexual misconduct, lies, stealing, indeed all of God’s commandments are ignored or wilfully broken Why is the world the way it is?
Why is the human heart the way it is? Did God create people so wicked and perverse? God created them good and in His own image, that
is, in true righteousness and holiness, so that they might truly know God their creator, love him with all their heart, and live with Him in eternal happiness for His praise and glory. What is it that sets mankind apart from all other creatures?
“Then the Lord God formed a man from the dust of the
ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life,
and the man became a living being.” Gen 2:7
We are not only flesh and blood but have been given a soul a spirit – the immortal breath of the living God, he has breathed into our being an immortal soul. Adam and Eve were promised immortality if only they would love and serve the one true God.
But Satan came and deceived them.
They ate of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil and so sin and death entered into the world. Eating the fruit of that tree that would bring death.
For from dust we were created and to dust we return, but the immortal spirit will live – those who have been redeemed by the blood of the Son of God will receive a glorified body and live with God – those who have not repented of their evil ways will endure the eternal punishment of being separated from the God of life and endure the agony of hell. It is clear that we cannot blame God for the mess
this world is in. Adam was questioned by God, ‘did you eat of the tree I commanded you not to eat?’ Listen carefully to his answer, “The woman you put here with me – she gave me some fruit from the tree, and I ate it.” Adam here charges God with wrong-doing. It is Your fault because You put her here. Our own sin and misery is not God’s doing. He is not the author of the sin and misery that is part of the make-up of this world. Often the story that people offer up to try and move their blame from themselves is to blame someone else, anyone else for the mess in their own lives. Many would throw their hands up in despair, the crime rate is through the roof.
The jails are over-flowing.
Is there any hope for anyone?
We see the fights on a global scale which begin where ever there are two selfish people in competition with each other.
Why is the human heart the way it is?
Today we look at what the Bible says.
Does this square up with the evidence?
This is vital in witnessing!
The Christian faith should explain the way the world is accurately.
In the beginning, the Bible says that God made everything good – very good. There is no one who can prove what life was like in the beginning. No-one was there except God. We are faced with faith choices. Will believe this account of history or make up our own? Or accept someone else’s?
The reason for the mess the world is in is because the human heart is wicked to its very core. Every part of the human heart has been corrupted. That does not mean that it is as bad as it could be.
The bible teaches that man was created in God’s own image. That does not mean that we are Spirit and invisible like God. Rather, we were made like God – righteous and holy, knowing God as He really is. Man enjoyed true fellowship with his maker. He was at peace with himself- never frustrated – Work was not boring. Man enjoyed true friendships and fulfilling marriages in the beginning. No marital abuse or communication problems. Everything was perfect. There were not even any weeds in the garden. In nature, all lived in harmony. There was no death, sorrow, poverty, tears or shame. As the parents of the human race, Adam and Eve’s actions had consequences for all their children. It may feel unfair but it is the way life is. For better or worse the actions of parents always has consequences for their children. For example – when parents neglect their children, the children suffer as a result. If the children are abused, this has its consequences later as well. Whether you believe what God has said in the bible or not does not change the fact that this world is a mess. Many believe there is hope for this world. Look at the hopes of communism, at the hope given by Buddha, Mohammad and the many Hindu gods ect. But do they really give hope? All these religions rely on man. Can we really help ourselves? Can man really restore the paradise that he has lost? No way. We have to admit that we cannot help ourselves. Man is ever corrupt and leaning toward evil. Because of the nature and character of God – his graciousness and compassion, He has not left us to help ourselves. We have hope through Jesus Christ. The same Spirit who hovered over the waters before the creation of the world has returned. He is busy restoring paradise through applying the saving work of Jesus. Because his Spirit is busy in this world giving spiritual new birth to all who love him we can see new life entering in. What does Jesus mean when He says, “You must be born again? Jesus explains this
Now there was a man of the Pharisees named
Nicodemus, a member of the Jewish ruling council.
He came to Jesus at night and said, “Rabbi,
we know you are a teacher who has come from
God. For no-one could perform the miraculous
signs you are doing if God were not with him.”
In reply Jesus declared, “I tell you the truth,
no-one can see the kingdom of God unless he is
born again.”
“How can a man be born when he is old?”
Nicodemus asked. “Surely he cannot enter a
second time into his mother’s womb to be born!”
Jesus answered, “I tell you the truth, no-one
can enter the kingdom of God unless he is born of
water and the Spirit.
Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives
birth to spirit.
You should not be surprised at my saying,
`You must be born again.’
The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear
its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from
or where it is going.
So it is with everyone born of the Spirit.” John 3:1-8
The Holy Spirit is working in the hearts of all people men and women, boys and girls, pointing to the saviour. If we want to see man as he was created to be, we need to look at Jesus. He is the perfect man, yet, He is also God. He came into this world, not to condemn it. Man has already been condemned. But He has come to provide hope and life to all who admit that they cannot make it by themselves. He has come to carry the punishment of sin. The Holy Spirit gives spiritual new birth.
The Holy Spirit convicts people of their sin. He turns their hearts to seek Jesus and put their trust in Him for their salvation. This work will continue until all those God has chosen have turned to Jesus. God takes the first step towards our salvation. Praise Him for giving us the sure hope of living again in a world that will be perfect.
Jesus is the bridge who restored the connection with our creator.
It is true that our relationship with God is not yet perfect, but when Jesus comes again, it will be perfect. Already we enjoy a taste of peace within. No longer do we have to be at war with ourselves and think of our uselessness or faults and be totally driven to despair.
Because Jesus has given us hope and assurance that we are forgiven in God’s sight. If God loves us and has forgiven us of our sins then we are not to despair of ourselves. The day is coming when we will be as God created us to be – perfect. Because of this we can enjoy a taste of peace in our relationships. You won’t find perfection anywhere – church, work or in your relationships with others, but because God has loved us we can also love one another. I truly long for the day when God’s work will be completed. The Spirit of God is busy and active applying the work of Jesus to the lives of all who live by faith.
“Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see. This is what the ancients were commended for. By faith we understand that the universe was formed at God’s command, so that what is seen was not made out of what was visible. By faith Abel brought God a better offering than Cain did. By faith he was commended as righteous, when God spoke well of his offerings. And by faith Abel still speaks, even though he is dead. By faith Enoch was taken from this life, so that he did not experience death: “He could not be found, because God had taken him away.” For before he was taken, he was commended as one who pleased God. And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.” Hebrews 11:1-6.
Let us seek the Lord with all our heart.
His reward accompanies him.
We are called to fix our eyes on Jesus, the Lord and Saviour who has born the punishment we deserve on the cross at Calvary. We urge all we meet, repent for the kingdom of God is at hand! Turn to the Saviour while there is still time. Accept the gracious offer of him who said,
“I am the way, the truth and the life.
No one comes to the Father except through me.”
John 14:6
Yet our prayer goes up – come quickly Lord Jesus come quickly for we long to see the day when all things will be made new – no more sin, sorrow, grief, tears, suffering and death.
AMEN.
Mama by the water 
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