Home » Jesus Doesn’t Kick Us Off The Team When We Mess Up    

Comments

Jesus Doesn’t Kick Us Off The Team When We Mess Up — 19 Comments

  1. Excellent application! Most encouraging news. Praise him!

    "Now go and tell his disciples, including Peter, that Jesus is going ahead of you to Galilee. You will see him there…." Mark 16:7 NLT

    (20)
    • William, isn't interesting that Peter was giving all of his very best to Jesus Christ: A promise of loyalty to the death, actually carried out in real life action by drawing the only sword on one side of the conflict, against a demonic frenzied, well armed, military on a mission or murder. That is serious commitment.
      Our best fails.
      God's mission is fulfilled in His suffering, the suffering of Jesus Christ; and our mission will likewise take us through the fire and through the flood, but will also be fulfilled by Him working in and through us.

      (3)
  2. I thank you several times over this article. What better way to start my day than to realize that I can still be part of Gods team even after I have denied him several times over, maybe not like Peter did but, by my thoughts and actions daily. I am so thankful for the awesomeness of my God.

    (27)
  3. William,

    Another timely, inspirational post.

    I am thankful for forgiveness and healing in relationships, and that there still are some nice, loving people out there who will support us even when we fail.
    Indeed, God sends us many messages that no matter how much we mess up, we are still a part of the team.

    (8)
  4. Cheif of sinner I soon find myself and was depressed almost giving up, finding myself helpless agianst addiction as I struggle with sin. Knowing now that Jesus does not kick me out of the team but offers me pardon, am not hopeless afterall...Am so Glad, my hope is restore and alive again!

    (7)
  5. It seems like your message was just what some people needed, William. And this message is beautifully corroborated by Ellen White:

    There are those who have known the pardoning love of Christ and who really desire to be children of God, yet they realize that their character is imperfect, their life faulty, and they are ready to doubt whether their hearts have been renewed by the Holy Spirit. To such I would say, Do not draw back in despair. We shall often have to bow down and weep at the feet of Jesus because of our shortcomings and mistakes, but we are not to be discouraged. Even if we are overcome by the enemy, we are not cast off, not forsaken and rejected of God. No; Christ is at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us. ... And if you will but yield yourself to Him, He that hath begun a good work in you will carry it forward to the day of Jesus Christ. Pray more fervently; believe more fully. As we come to distrust our own power, let us trust the power of our Redeemer, and we shall praise Him who is the health of our countenance." (Steps to Christ, p. 64)

    (11)
    • Oh wow, Inge, this is one of my favorite quotes from the pen of EGW. Amen, amen, and amen for repeating it here. The notion that Christ kicks us out of the game, in essence we lose our justification when we mess up, has been a cause for many to despair and just plain give up when they feel they just aren't going to make it. I know it once happened to me.
      In times of failure and disappointment I believe this is when Satan pounces on us with his greatest accusaations. What an irony, he first sets us up for a fall, capitalizes on our weaknesses, entices us to go ahead and step over the line, exhaults if we do, accuses us for unfaithfulness, adds ruthless amounts of guilt and despair, stomps on our weakened grip in a desparate attempt to steal us from the only source of true forgiveness and restoration. Jesus doesn't take too kindly to such ruthless treatment of one of His chosen ones. He is there to forgive, dust you off and cheer you on to stay in the game.

      Since an analogy of a football game is used here we should keep this in mind . Oftentimes the one running with the ball will sometimes run in the wrong direction momentarily, looking for an opening to then go through, reverse course and with renewed vigor press on toward a touchdown. This is something onlookers need to keep in mind, the next time they think someone is going the wrong way.

      (6)
    • Grace is one, if not the most precious of gifts that God gives us. EGW says it best in Steps to Christ by the quote on P.64. What a great GOD we serve!
      I find that the subject material for this quarter is somewhat discouraging in places and any reference to something that instills hope like this quote is a welcome addition.

      (0)
    • Inge, great quote so extremely apt and profoundly expressed.
      To pick up William's theme: God's team is handpicked, based on what He knows about the desires of the heart, and that team is chosen for the long haul, through the thickets or marshes of hardship and darkness, but always unto the Light of His perfect love and live. Peter's completion of his journey is our assurance of God completing His work in all His chosen children. By His grace!

      (0)
  6. First I thanked Jesus for this lesson and the way the Holy Spirit en powered you William to explain this message today. Please continue to send more. Praise God!!!!!

    (1)
  7. I am lost for words when I realize the enormity of God's grace and longsuffering. Thank you brethren for this light.

    (0)
  8. This is one of those remarkable moments in the bible that forever convinces me of the genuineness of the love of God...in so much manner brothers let us do so one to another quick to forgive and slow to anger...for Christ died for us WHILE WE WERE YET SINNERS when we were yet unreconciled unto the father...
    in like manner let us do one to another then, heaven will come down and glory will fill our souls

    (1)
  9. This is the first time I am going online to read the sabbath school notes. I have my pamphlet in my bag and am packed to travel. This has been soo inspirational that I am excited that Jesus does not kick us off the team. The game is still on and by his grace we will all make it IJN. Thank u all for ur comments it has been a big encouragement to me.

    (0)
    • I believe encouragement is our greatest need in this race for life and the kingdom of God. This is why Satan works so feverishly to discourage us and drive us to despondency. He wants us to look at ourselves and give up in despair. DON'T LET HIM DO IT. Keep ours eyes fixed on Jesus the author and finisher of our faith. God triumphs over Satan at the end, so there is no way we can lose if we hang in their with Jesus. This is one ballgame where we are told who wins in advance.

      (2)
  10. Thank you William.
    Scene I: "Your name is Simon; from now on you will be called Cephas".
    Scene II: "Have I not chosen you twelve, and one of you is a demon"?
    Scene III: "Satan wants to sift you as wheat, but I prayed for you that your strength fail not".
    Scene IV: "Father,I kept them in thy name: those that thou gavest me I have kept , and none of them is lost , but the son of perdition; that the scripture might be fulfilled. Thine they are...Keep them in thy name".
    Peter, selected and elected before the foundation of the world, chosen by the Father and assigned to Jesus Christ as Disciple, Friend and Apostle; expected to be foremost in ministry of preaching, leadership and influence in the development of the Early Church of Jesus Christ.

    Our Father in Heaven has chosen us, knowing our hearts are striving to become like and loyal to Him. He is not thrown off by our occasional good deeds or misdeeds, but works with us in our failures, empowering us to rise again into a stronger and deeper relationship, as He perfects us unto the coming of Jesus Christ. Sometimes when we fail it is difficult to grasp the fact that we are chosen, elected. Peter, like David, needed to discover their deepest ugliness and unworthiness in order to discover the abundance of His goodness.

    This is our journey: We will hit the wall hard sometimes, like David (sin in the flesh our worst nightmare), and like Peter (torn between heart's desire to be loyal to Him, and our dread of human rejection making us slaves as men pleasers). But either way, His grace, grace greater than, has chosen us from the foundation of the world, and He will lift us up, unto perfection at the Coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.

    May the Holy Spirit truly bless us into knowing His election.

    (1)
    • Hurford
      I'm curious as to what you characterize as perfection at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. I believe perfection is a completeness and maturity in Christ, unlike sinless perfection which is perfectionism in my book.
      Acts of the Apostles page 551 "the completeness of chrisitian character is attained when the impulse to help and bless other springs constabtly from within>"

      (0)
  11. I've been touched by the message. Being one who often think everytime I fall, it'll be like in the case of Adam: life being spared but not allowed back in the team. But this and Inge's quote was a great epiphany

    (0)
  12. God is an awesome God,I thank him for giving me a second chance inlife and i believe im forgiven .thank you for posting good people continue sharing and God bless you more.

    (0)

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

HTML tags allowed in your comment: <a href="" title=""> <abbr title=""> <acronym title=""> <b> <blockquote cite=""> <cite> <code> <del datetime=""> <em> <i> <q cite=""> <s> <strike> <strong>