The Mercy of Warning

About this sermon

Introduction: One of the great tests of anyone’s spiritual condition is how they respond to warnings. Do you see truthful warnings as a great mercy? Are you thankful for the warning? Do you receive the warning? Do you act on the warning? Or do you scoff at them? Do you get angry at them? Do you stiffen your neck in response to them? Proverbs 29:1 He who is often reproved, yet stiffens his neck, will suddenly be broken beyond healing. This is one reason why many have misunderstood the warnings passages of the New Testament. They do not understand that the same sunshine that hardens the clay causes the grass to grow. Warnings are effective with redeemed people. The sheep hear the voice of the shepherd. We don’t PERFECTLY heed God’s warnings, but redeemed people heed them as a pattern. Not so with the unbeliever. The wicked not only refuse God’s warnings, they rebel at them. They rail against them, or they mock them, or they protest the justice of them. Regardless of how they respond, THEY DO NOT HEED THEM. They do not believe the warnings in a way that loves, and listens, and repents, and obeys. Last time we heard God’s indictment of the people’s dishonor. He specifically zeroed in on the priests. The priests dishonored God, and the people dishonored God by their attitudes and practices in their sacrifices. The priests were especially responsible because they were the leaders. The people were simply reflecting the irreverent leadership of the priests. In our verses, God takes the next step. He warns about what is coming without repentance. Tonight, we will see three aspects of this warning from God and we will examine our own response to God’s warnings. A TARGETED WARNING (vs.1a) It’s a sobering thing to simply hear warnings that are coming from God. But when God puts your name on it, it can’t be more serious than that. God doesn’t use a shot gun on this one, He uses a laser scope. “O priests, this command is for you.” What comes from God carries the force of law. What God warns about is what God has purposes, what God has determined to do, what is absolutely inescapable. The way God addresses them says that they had better listen. A TERRIFYING WARNING (vs.2-4) This is terrifying. But the fact that it begins with something contingent speaks of the mercy of God. “If you will not listen” — But what if they will? “If you will not take it to heart to give honor to my name” – But what if they will? God holds forth the possibility of repentance. The very way that the prophet words this, gives space for repentance. Ray Clendenen – “The expression “place upon the heart” is found a dozen times in the Old Testament. It means to determine a course of action in response to one’s knowledge or awareness of something.” AND YET, the fact that it’s possible, doesn’t mean that it’s probable. NOTICE THAT THEY HAVE ALREADY BEEN CURSED (vs.2b) There’s more than one way that statement can be taken. (1) Either they are already experiencing hardship due to their dishonoring of God. (2) Or, God is saying that it’s as good as on the way, because they have already demonstrated what their attitude toward His warnings will be. And the reason they are cursed is because they have violated God’s covenant with His people. In fact, the way that this is worded is no doubt intended to have the covenant warnings ringing in their ears.

Topics

• Love & Compassion