21/11/2021 [Sunday Service] www.lifechurchmissions.com

What If I Disappoint Father God Again? <Mic7:2-10, 18-20>

1. Can God be disappointed?

* God is omnipotent and omniscient, so nothing will take Him by surprise.

* But at the same time, God is also a Father.

* God is disappointed not because He does not know we will sin, but He is grieved by our sin.

* If God merely thinks it is enough for people to be saved, but He does not care about their sanctification after that, then His redemption becomes superficial and cheap, and God’s glory will be reduced.

* God not only wants to give us a “righteous status”, but also brings us to a “righteous character”.

* God cannot be indifferent to our sins just because we are already “justified by faith”.

2. How to rise up after we let God down?

1）Must first repent.

* <v9>: Because I have sinned against him, I will bear the Lord’s wrath.

* The fall of Jerusalem was not by chance, neither was it because the God of Israel was powerless, but it was due to the sins of Israel.

* The most dangerous enemy of our lives is sin.

* Once we realise we have sinned, do not delay, but immediately repent and seek God’s mercy.

2）True repentance will not run away from the consequences of sin.

* Will not give excuses to defend oneself or trivialise one’s sins. Instead, will admit that God’s judgement is just and the punishment is deserved.

* God’s discipline proves that we are His children.

* Read<Heb 12:7-8, 11>

* <Mic 7:8>: “sit in darkness” à “the Lord will be my light”

3）Be contrite yet bold.

* Contrite because we have time and again fallen into sin and disappointed God. Yet bold because the God we worship is a God full of grace.

* <Mic 7:9> The Lord’s wrath à “He pleads my case and upholds my cause. He will bring me out into the light.”

* God’s wrath and grace intersect, just like on the Cross.

* When we fail God once again because of our sins and weaknesses, remember these two: God’s wrath and God’s grace.

* Whenever we repent, God’s mercy will come quickly upon us.

* Read <Mic7:18-20>

* God’s discipline on His children is only temporary.

* God gives grace to sinners not because we deserve it, but because of His own faithfulness.

4）Have hope!

* Though we have fallen, we will eventually rise again, and triumph over the enemy.

* When we fall, the enemy Satan will surely gloat over us and accuse us.

* But we can fight back.

* Martin Luther: When you (Satan) say I am a sinner, you give me armour and weapons against yourself. For every time you remind me how damned my sins are, you are also at the same time reminding me how great my God’s love and grace is. So when you say I’m a sinner, you do not terrify me, but comfort me immeasurably.

* Read <1 Jn1:9>

* God has the power to guard us from falling, but even if believers do fall, the faithful and loving God also has the power to prevent the fall from destroying us!