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SCRIPTURE READINGS

ISAIAH 1:10-18
2 THESSALONIANS 1:1-4, 11-12
LUKE 19:1-10

SUNDAY REFLECTION

The theme for our Sunday reflection is “Mercy as the way to salvation” Mercy as the way of salvation means that God, out of compassion and love, withholds the just punishment for sin and offers forgiveness and redemption.The Scripture reading leads us to two important facts about the Lord seeking and saving the lost. These facts are

1. God hates sin but is merciful to repentant sinners therefore He seeks and saves the lost.
2. A sinner who responds to the call of the Lord and repents will receive mercy and be saved.

Firstly, we must understand that God hates and will judge unrepentant sinners but He is merciful to repentant sinners. Isaiah warned the Israelites who were perpetuating injustice and taking advantage of the vulnerable in society yet thought they could please God with sacrifices and religious rituals but God will have none of that. God’s desire for them is to repent and escape His judgment and be saved. It is for this reason the Lord throws an invitation of repentance to them “Come now, let us reason together, says the LORD: though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall become like wool. If you are willing and obedient, you shall eat the good of the land; but if you refuse and rebel, you shall be eaten by the sword; for the mouth of the LORD has spoken.” (Isaiah 1:18-20) Beloved in the Lord, the Lord show mercy to the repentant for Ezekiel assured us that “As I live, declares the Lord GOD, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but that the wicked turn from his way and live; turn back, turn back from your evil ways, for why will you die, O house of Israel?” (Ezekiel 33:11). Truly, Jesus demonstrated that God’s mercy is the way to salvation when He said, “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.” (John 3:16-17). God is indeed a loving and merciful God, regardless of all our transgressions He still seeks and saves us from eternal destruction.

Secondly, if we have a God who show mercy as the way to salvation, then we must be ready to repent and respond to His call of Salvation. Zacchaeus proved that he had an earnest desire and hunger for salvation in him therefore he did not hesitate to respond to the call to salvation when Jesus said to Him “Zacchaeus, hurry and come down, for I must stay at your house today.” So he hurried and came down and received him joyfully.” (Luke 19:5-6). To further prove his willingness to repent and be saved Zacchaeus, He “stood and said to the Lord, “Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor. And if I have defrauded anyone of anything, I restore it fourfold.” And Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has come to this house since he also is a son of Abraham. For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.” (Luke 19:8-10). Beloved in the Lord to prove that you are willing to repent and receive the salvation of Jesus, you must say what you mean and mean what you say. This is God’s assurance to the repentant sinner “… though I say to the wicked, You shall surely die,’ yet if he turns from his sin and does what is just and right if the wicked restores the pledge, gives back what he has taken by robbery, and walks in the statutes of life, not doing injustice, he shall surely live; he shall not die. None of the sins that he has committed shall be remembered against him. He has done what is just and right; he shall surely live.” (Ezekiel 33:14-16). Dear friend in Christ, there is hope and salvation in Christ, let us respond to His calling. When we respond to His calling we shall receive the blessings Paul prayed for the Christians in Thessalonica when he prayed, “To this end, we always pray for you, that our God may make you worthy of his calling and may fulfil every resolve for good and every work of faith by his power, so that the name of our Lord Jesus may be glorified in you, and you in him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ. 2 Thessalonians 1:11-12). In other words, the will of God will be done in the lives of those who are saved according to their calling and faith in Christ to live a glorified life.

In summary beloved in the Lord, the theme for our reflection is “Mercy as the way to Salvation” We identified two important facts in our reflection and these are: God hates sin but is merciful to repentant sinners therefore He seeks and saves the lost. Again, a sinner who responds to the call of the Lord and repents will receive mercy and be saved. May the Holy Spirit help us to seek and save the lost through the preaching of the Gospel and may those who hear the call of the Lord respond, repent and be saved. Amen.