Those Forgiven Much, Love Much.
Thanks for joining the Need-Hope.com podcast. In this episode, we will hear a story about how someone controlled by sin and filled with hate came to love God so much. You can listen to this podcast episode by clicking: Those Forgiven Much, Love Much
Thanks for joining me at Need Hope.
I’m Chris Gray. And I’m so glad you’re here.
Where do you find hope?
In a moment, we will hear about a violent leader of a notorious New York gang. He had a deep hatred for his mother. She had rejected him, viciously beating him as a young boy. She told him she didn’t love him and wished he was never born. How could someone get past that? Stay tuned.
Intro Music
First, let’s listen to God’s Word. Luke 7:40-43. I pray God speaks to our hearts.
And Jesus answered him, “Simon, I have something to say to you.”
And he replied, “Say it, Teacher.”
“A moneylender had two debtors: one owed five hundred denarii, and the other fifty. When they were unable to repay, he graciously forgave them both. So which of them will love him more?”
Simon answered and said, “I suppose the one whom he forgave more.”
And He said to him, “You have judged correctly.”
Friend, Jesus explains how the person who has been forgiven more will love the one who released him from the debt more. The person who is forgiven little, loves little (verse 47).
To further illustrate this point, Nicky grew up with parents who practiced witchcraft. His father was a witch doctor and his mother a medium.
Since the age of three, Nicky’s mother relentlessly beat him with tremendous violence. She often said she didn’t love him and that he was the son of the devil, not her son.
At the age of nine, after enduring an episode of horrific violence from his mom, Nicky attempted suicide. He hated his mother. He wanted to die.
As a teenager, he ended up on the streets of New York, leading a notoriously violent gang that was feared by all. A psychologist wrote to a judge that Nicky was a hopeless case for rehabilitation.
Yet a young preacher from Pennsylvania took interest as he read about this gang’s unspeakable violence and murder. The Lord put an urge on this young preacher’s heart to drive to New York to minister to this gang, and specifically to the gang leader. When he arrived, Nicky spat on the preacher. Then he beat the preacher up. Nicky did everything he could to run this preacher off. But the preacher persisted. All the preacher wanted to do was share the love and power of the gospel of Jesus Christ with Nicky.
This confused the gang leader. Never in Nicky’s life had he experienced this kind of unstoppable love.
A few weeks later, Nicky encountered Jesus. He received forgiveness for his many sins. Nicky was so overwhelmed by God’s grace and mercy that he couldn’t stop crying. The shame and guilt were gone, replaced with God’s love.
Incredibly, Nicky proved Jesus’s words were true. Nicky had been forgiven much and now loves much. He loves the Lord Jesus and others, especially the lost and hurting. You may recognize this powerful testimony of God’s redeeming love if you’ve ever heard of
Nicky Cruz or Pastor David Wilkerson. There’s even a movie: The Cross and the Switchblade.
You and I can’t earn God’s love. Our good deeds don’t make up for our sins. Yet we too can be forgiven if we repent and trust Jesus as our Lord and Savior. If you want more information on how to have a relationship with Jesus, our website is Need-Hope.com
Jesus not only saved us from hell, but He continues to save us from our sins. This is sanctification. Pastor David Wilkerson understood this. So does Nicky Cruz.
God tells us in 1 John 1:9, “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”
Our part is to be diligent in regularly examining ourselves and confessing our sins to God. Unfortunately, the tendency is to pridefully justify or rationalize our sin. We try to excuse it but let’s not be deceived by our sin. Own it. Confess it. And receive God’s loving grace and mercy. He will free you from the shame and guilt.
Also, let’s be sure to praise the Lord Jesus, who paid the debt of our sin on the cross and rose from the grave. We have His victory to avoid being controlled by habitual sin.
Another daily joy is studying God’s Word and hiding His word in our heart by memorization. This helps us see any offensive behavior hidden in our hearts. Once the sin is revealed, we confess it to God and others we’ve offended. By keeping our hearts clean, we are free to love much by extending to others, the same grace and mercy we have received. Remember this one concept: He who has been forgiven much, loves much. Just ask the former gang leader Nicky Cruz.
Before we close, here’s a few questions to consider:
When is the last time you confessed any sins to God?
Did you include thoughts that were critical or angry, selfish towards another?
What’s keeping you from confessing your sin right now?
Think about it. Pray about it.
Until next time, look to Jesus.
And look to God’s Word for guaranteed hope.
Outro Music
Scripture quotations taken from the New American Standard Bible® (NASB), Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation Used by permission. www.Lockman.org