Thursday, February 23, 2012

Refelection: The Renewing Prayer of Repentance (February 22, 2012)

Ash Wednesday
Psalm 51; Isaiah 43:19-25; Revelation 2:1-7; Matthew 11:20-30


He was the leader of a powerful nation.  Under his governance, this nation had conquered its enemies, expanded its territories, and amassed incredible wealth.  Popular and powerful, he led his nation from a struggling pawn of foreign powers to the peak of its strength and influence -- the standard by which this nation would forever measure itself.  He enjoyed the fruits of his success by living in unparalleled luxury and enjoying whatever he desired.  Despite having hundreds of willing and available women at his disposal, he wanted her.  She was beautiful, but had no standing in society.  She was married.  Her husband was a foreigner who displayed unrivaled loyalty to his adopted home and its leader, even serving him in his armed forces.  There was no comparison between these two men.  To call the contest for her affection and favors a David vs. Goliath battle would be accurate but highly ironic, for he was David.  Her name was Bathsheba.  David summoned her and she came to him.  There were no objections.  She did not protest.   We can only imagine the motives she had for wanting to be wanted by the king.  But it was adultery.  Secret at first, the king's sin grew out of his control.  Bathsheba was pregnant.  Uriah, her husband, was away fighting the king's enemies.  Adultery lead to further deception and then conspiracy and then blossomed into murder. Uriah was dead.  Bathsheba was David's. The king had his way.  But God was not pleased.

Psalm 51 is the Spirit-inspired prayer of King David after his horrible sins had been exposed by God's prophet Nathan.  Confronted by his sinful acts, David could have killed the prophet who stood before him and silenced all of his accusers.  But, by God's grace, David acknowledged his sins and repented of them.  There were consequences, of course, but God's answer to David's prayer of repentance was to remove his sins from him, to fully restore to him the "joy of salvation."  It is the same answer that God had given to the sinful people of Israel who lived long before David when they prayed in repentance.  It's the same answer that those who turn to Him in faith and pray repentantly to the God who delights in "a broken and contrite heart."

God's answer to His people's prayers of repentance is the forgiveness that He purchased for us with the blood of Jesus.  He shed His blood to save us from bloodguilt.  He gave up His spirit so that we could receive His Holy Spirit.  He has washed away all of our iniquities and cleansed us from our sin.  Our sins are no longer before us because the one sacrifice that the Father did delight in has removed them from us forever.  All this and more is ours in renewal that comes through repentance.

Audio file of the sermon based on this reflection

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