God the Rescuer

John Belt
John Belt

Jesus said it would be better if a millstone were tied around a person?s neck and have him thrown into the sea than for that person to cause one of the little ones that believed in Him to stumble. (Matt. 18:6)?What a powerful statement this is. Our words and actions impact others causing them to either draw nearer God or drive them away. Again Jesus shows His absolute commitment to the little ones that believe in Him saying that their angels always see the face of the Father in heaven.
After this Jesus paints this parable of the sheep and Shepherd.
Matthew 18:9
?Take heed that you do not despise one of these little ones, for I say to you that in heaven their angels always see the face of My Father who is in heaven. For the Son of Man has come to save that which was lost. What do you think? If a man has a hundred sheep, and one of them goes astray, does he not leave the ninety- nine and go to the mountains to seek the one that is straying? And if he should find it, assuredly, I say to you, he rejoices more over that sheep than over the ninety-nine that did not go astray. Even so it is not the will of your Father who is in heaven that one of these little ones should perish.?
We can so clearly see the heart of God through this.?God is all about rescuing those lost.He is about finding those who have strayed off the path to bring them back. He will leave the majority to go find the minority that has stumbled and have been led off the path to bring them back. In this parable it also goes on to say that He will rejoice ?more? over the one sheep that has been found than the ninety-nine.
This parable is similar to the story of the prodigal son that has spent off all of his inheritance in foolishness while his brother stayed at home living the perfect life. When the prodigal son returns home the Father does not put him to work, make him jump through hoops to be worthy or put him through rigorous legalistic testing. Instead, because of grace and inheritance, He clothes the son in His robe, put the ring on his finger, sandals on his feet and kills the fattened calf for a great feast.?(Luke 15:23-24)?Why? Because he was lost and now he is found. This is the grace gospel that God has called us to.
Those who live by the letter of the law will be like the living dead. (2 Cor. 3:6)?Those who live by the Spirit will be filled with God?s life fulfilling the law of God in their hearts. Imposing laws on others, spiritual performance and legalisms will only cause people to stumble and lose faith. This gospel of God is a gospel of grace, faith and promise ? not of law, works and a struggle to become worthy.
Romans 2:4
?Or do you despise the riches of His goodness, forbearance, and longsuffering, not knowing that the goodness of God leads you to repentance.?
It is the goodness of God that brings men to repentance. The inheritance that is given to us by God is not by our works but by simple faith in Jesus Christ. When we confess Him through our testimony, life and change of heart before men, He will confess us before the Father in heaven. Be fully convinced and filled with the grace of God becoming a conduit of life that will propel others forward into the abundant life that is in Christ.

1 thought on “God the Rescuer”

  1. Thank you, John, for this encouragement! Matthew 18:10 is a verse I have been longing for recently because it is where Jesus tells us that we each have angels who behold God’s face in heaven. (I like to think it is on our behalf.) This was known to the church in ages past but the concept is lost on most believers in these days of unbelief and doubt.
    Before our son Andrew died (age 27) last year we were challenged by the Holy Spirit just to love him not try to fix him. At his funeral and before, as we loved on his friends in all stages of brokenness and hurt, that scripture in Romans 2:4 guided our actions toward them all and set us free to love and not judge. God is so very good!!! We so want to be a conduit that many will choose life in Christ Jesus. Thank you again for these words of life!

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