6-11-2017

Good Morning All,

                     Proverbs 25:7;” because it is better to be told, “Come up here,” than to be put down in front of a prince whom your eyes have seen.”

    In the sports world there are some seats that everyone clamors to get.  Most sports fans would love to have seats on the fifty yard line at the Super Bowl.  Most sports fans would love to have ringside seats at Madison Square Garden when the heavyweight boxing title is on the line.  Perhaps you want to be center court for the NCAA final four games, maybe at the center net at Wimbledon.  Those are some of the most coveted seats in sports.  I would imagine that many people try and get to sit there using whatever pretense they can.  I would imagine that the ushers have heard every excuse under the sun but still have to tell the guy, “sorry but you have to leave this is not your seat.”

    There is probably nothing more humiliating to a sports fan than to be escorted away from a seat.  Everyone watches and knows exactly what is going on.  While the “offender” is walked up the aisle, the onlookers all stare for a moment and shake their head.  It is the walk of shame for sports fans everywhere.  The only thing worse than being escorted to a poorer seat is being escorted out of the building; that is really bad.

    In our verse, we hear about being asked to leave.  In our lives we often look at ourselves and think we pretty good and we think we deserve those good seats.  But then we hear God’s Word and realize that we really aren’t good but in fact we are very sinful.  We not only do not deserve the good seats; we actually deserve to be thrown out.  We really don’t deserve to even be in the building.

    But God calls us back.  Through Jesus, God calls us and says come up here to the good seats.  Come up here and listen to my words of forgiveness, my words of consolation and my words of hope.  Come up here and share in this meal that will refresh your soul.  Come up here and sit and tell me about your life, your struggles and dreams.  Come up here and rest in my lap and be secure in all that you face.  We have hope.

    The world will attack and look down on you but God will love you fully and protect you from the devil and his attacks.  God, in his mercy, gives us hope; he gives us the good seat.  We are seated at his table sharing in the rewards of his love and his grace because of Jesus.  Enjoy the seats, they are a gift from your ever loving, heavenly Father.

Father of all grace, your mercies roll over us like a river.  Give us the strength to cling to you.  Give us the certainty of hope in your wonderful grace.  Guide us through the path of this life and give us the love to help those as we meet.  Father, some are feeling like they are being led from the building, from your grace.  Give them the comfort of your forgiveness and shelter them in your arms.  In Jesus precious name we pray, amen.

God’s Peace,

Pastor Bret