When God Removes His Hand Of Grace

Apart from Christ we can find no rest and there will be no satisfaction for our sin.   ~~~   In this chapter alone we have ample evidence and example that should motivate us to seek God. Saul had his heart and soul and will set against God, and against God’s anointed One, which sent him into a calloused and murderous state of being. He could not enjoy the blessings that the Lord was pouring out on the Lord’s people and kingdom. He was so focused on seeing threats all around him that it sent him into madness. Thus is the path of sin. It destroys you. And this is the case of all of you who are apart from God at this moment. You have nothing to cling to but your own sin and pride and you have nothing to look forward to but your own destruction, brought about by your sin against a holy, righteous, God. But God has sent a message of mercy and grace to us. Even though God had removed His presence, his grace, from Saul’s life, that may not be the case with you this morning. If you find yourself set against God, rebelled against him, trying to accomplish satisfy your own will and agenda, there is mercy and grace offered to you in the person and work of Jesus Christ. Just like David faced the hostility of Saul, so too did Jesus face hostility and anger and murderous manipulation because of the undeniable presence of the Spirit on his life. At every turn, Jesus was met with resistance and jealousy because of His growing popularity among the people, so much so that it led to His innocent death. But there was something more to His death than that. His death is the very reason he came to earth. In His death he proclaimed that He was taking upon Himself all the sin of all those who would hate Him but then turn and trust in Him. He was taking on their punishment they deserved. And all of that sounds crazy and ludicrous and impossible, and in no way feasible or reasonable. But there was one more crazy, ludicrous, impossible event to take place that would turn everything on its head, and that is when Jesus came back to life three days after having been laid in a borrowed tomb. His resurrection signaled to everyone that His words were true, which meant that He really did carry the sins of those who would believe in Him. And now the question is, “Do you believe? Will you believe? Will you drop your sin, turn from your sin; do you hate your sin that has been against this Holy God?” If there is something churning in you this morning, a conviction, a fear, a worry, a holy unpleasantness, that very well could be the Holy Spirit massaging your heart this morning, performing the beginning of a miracle in your life. Would you turn to Jesus today? Would claim his death and resurrection as your own? Would you receive Him as the risen Lord over your Life, the payment of your sin, and the giver of eternal life? Because apart from Christ, there is no rest, no satisfaction for your sin. You stand condemned, next to Saul, guilty, and there is no telling when God will remove His hand of grace from you, offering you no other opportunity of repentance. So turn to him now.