The Target & Missing the Mark

-Introduction

-This past Wednesday evening, the young-adults class visited one of the most horrifically

 sinful accounts in the scriptures - Judges 19-21.  (similar to Gen. 19)

            -The latter portion of Judges 19 reveals the atrocities carried out by the men of

             Gibeah - men of the tribe of Benjamin.

            -This serves as a powerful example of the nature of sin.  Once a person, community

             or society gives in to it, it quickly spreads, grows and worsens (1 Cor. 5:6).

             Eventually, one can sink far into sin’s depths as the men of Gibeah had done.

-Yet, when we consider the men of Benjamin, we find some irony.

-Sin = Missing the Mark

-As a result of the sinfulness of the men of Gibeah - and the refusal of the rest of the

 tribe of Benjamin to turn them over for punishment - war broke out. 

            -Now, notice the description given in Judges 20:16 - “...every one could sling a stone

             at a hair and not miss.”

-In the Septuagint - the Greek translation of the Old Testament - the word used in Judges

 20:16 for the word “miss” is harmartia.  This is the word that is used over and over in the

 New Testament

            -Therefore, sin carries the idea of “missing the mark.”

            -Since sin is a transgression from God’s law (1 John 3:4), the target must be the Law

             of God - for us, the Gospel of Christ.

-The men of Benjamin could hit the mark militarily; but, spiritually they missed the mark

 miserably.

-Target - God’s Law, God’s Will

-Matt. 7:21, 12:50

            -Jer. 10:23, Isa. 55:8-9

            -1 Cor. 2:9-11

-Heb. 13:20-21, 2 Tim. 3:16-17

-2 Cor. 6:16-18 (Depart from sin.  Be separate.  Be different.)

-2 Cor. 7:1 - “bringing holiness to perfection”

-Don’t Change the Target

-If somebody is partaking in target practice (i.e. gun, bow & arrow, etc.) and is

 consistently missing the target, what might that person consider doing? -

 moving/changing the target?

-We see this all the time in our society.  It misses the target but then faults the target -

 tries to change the target - criticizes the target - and, at times, even denies a target exists.

-We must understand that the target is a constant.

            -Ps. 19:7-9, 1 Pet. 1:25

-Missing the mark is missing the mark.  The target remains.

-Summary and Invitation

-2 Cor. 7:1 - “perfecting holiness”

            -That’s what we are wanting to do.  That’s what we’re aiming for.

            -But, are we going to miss the mark?  Absolutely.

                        -However, we should not de-emphasize this concept of perfecting holiness.  We

                         shouldn’t move the target.  The target needs to remain the same.  Our desire, our

                         focus, our mindset and our efforts should still be focused on that proper target.

-The target remains the Law of God - the will of God - the word of God - perfecting

 holiness.

-Let’s understand the target - let’s keep our aim upon it - and let’s hit the target as best as

 we can.

-The wonderful news is this:  Even though we can’t hit the bull’s-eye on our own, thanks

 to the sacrifice of Jesus, God is willing to look at us as if we did.  Upon obeying the

 Gospel and living faithfully, the blood of Jesus cleanses us from our sins (missing the

 mark) and therefore leaves us in the bull’s-eye.

-So, have you obeyed the Gospel?  If not, won’t you?  Believe in Jesus (John 3:16, 8:24),

 Confess your faith (Matt. 10:32, Rom. 10:9-10), Repent of sin (Luke 13:3,5; Acts 17:30),

 Be baptized into Christ for the forgiveness of sins (Mark 16:16, Acts 2:38).

-If you’ve obeyed the Gospel but haven’t remained faithful, acknowledge your

 shortcomings, repent and seek God’s forgiveness through prayer (1 John 1:7-9).