Shame Vs Guilt ( A look at Betrayal).

Objective:

To ensure that each man here today understands the difference between Guilt and Shame. To help each brother appreciate shame and how to let go of guilt.

Diagnosis: We live in a society that uses both shame and guilt to cripple individuals. In our modern day times most would call it the cancel culture. In which, society will bring anything from your present or past and use it against you. Hoping that whatever it is that they find will tear you down. Modern society will take things that you did when you where immature and hold it against you later. With the hopes that you will feel so guilty and ashamed, that you will bend the knee to embracing sin and all abnormalities. However, Satan’s goal is totally different. He hopes that men who are saved or men who are seeking God would continue to wallow and self-pity and guilt and never comes to grips that there sins have already been forgiven. Jesus death on the cross doesn’t mean a man shouldn’t reflect on their past and not feel shameful, but it does mean that a man understands that he know longer needs to hold on to that guilt.

Sermon: Two Men Same Crime Two Different Responses

Before we open our bibles to the text at hand. I want to first give definition to shame and guilt. Both seem similar, but a closer look shows how drastically different they are. In modern society shame is removed from almost anything. The phrase today, “ is you do you, live a life that makes you happy.” However, guilt is used strongly by society to make one blind and never show or illuminate a road of forgiveness. In other words once guilty always guilty, unless you let go of all your convictions and rethink your morals. Shame biblically speaking is used more as a change agent. When one is shamed biblically he is considered a disgrace to his family, but with the hopes that he or she changes there ways and is then restored. We we pay attention closely guilt is only for those who lose all hope and make a decision to never surrender to God or they don’t believe in the saving power of Jesus.

As we open our bibles today we want to look at two men, Peter and Judas. Both names are known in scripture ; one is known as the ambassador for the gospel to the Jews and the other is known as the Son of Perdition. However both men betrayed our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Before we ran down on Judas one thing must be remember this man was declared an apostle by God, in which he performed miracles and walked with Christ daily.

John 13:18–38 ESV

I am not speaking of all of you; I know whom I have chosen. But the Scripture will be fulfilled, ‘He who ate my bread has lifted his heel against me.’ I am telling you this now, before it takes place, that when it does take place you may believe that I am he. Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever receives the one I send receives me, and whoever receives me receives the one who sent me.” After saying these things, Jesus was troubled in his spirit, and testified, “Truly, truly, I say to you, one of you will betray me.” The disciples looked at one another, uncertain of whom he spoke. One of his disciples, whom Jesus loved, was reclining at table at Jesus’ side, so Simon Peter motioned to him to ask Jesus of whom he was speaking. So that disciple, leaning back against Jesus, said to him, “Lord, who is it?” Jesus answered, “It is he to whom I will give this morsel of bread when I have dipped it.” So when he had dipped the morsel, he gave it to Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot. Then after he had taken the morsel, Satan entered into him. Jesus said to him, “What you are going to do, do quickly.” Now no one at the table knew why he said this to him. Some thought that, because Judas had the moneybag, Jesus was telling him, “Buy what we need for the feast,” or that he should give something to the poor. So, after receiving the morsel of bread, he immediately went out. And it was night. When he had gone out, Jesus said, “Now is the Son of Man glorified, and God is glorified in him. If God is glorified in him, God will also glorify him in himself, and glorify him at once. Little children, yet a little while I am with you. You will seek me, and just as I said to the Jews, so now I also say to you, ‘Where I am going you cannot come.’ A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.” Simon Peter said to him, “Lord, where are you going?” Jesus answered him, “Where I am going you cannot follow me now, but you will follow afterward.” Peter said to him, “Lord, why can I not follow you now? I will lay down my life for you.” Jesus answered, “Will you lay down your life for me? Truly, truly, I say to you, the rooster will not crow till you have denied me three times.

Two men both told by Jesus that the would betray him.

Both men are remorseful. However one man goes and hides in shame, he weeps and leaves the scene. However the other man also remorseful, but he allows his shame to drive guilt. The real question is how does a person remain in guilt and how are they crippled by it. I want to take you back to a scene in which both men where presence. Matthew 22:37-39

Matthew 22:37–39 ESV

And he said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself.

See both men believed in God, but only one Truly love him. Jesus said the first and greatest commandment is to love God. Peter turns on God out of Fear, but Judas does it out of pride and gain. Guilt always causes blindness, and it prevents you from seeking restoration. However, it will send a person in self condemnation in which the person feels more sorry about what did and less sorry about who they hurt. When we sin, we tend to forget the first person we offend is God. Both men sinned put one man focused on the one he denied. The other man focused the fact he betrayed Jesus. Yet both sound similar. One puts more focus on themselves. If a man makes a change, he must change for his desire to draw closer to christ. He must not make his change self directed or man directed it must be God directed. When a person focus on guilty you prevent the Holy Spirit the ability to heal, you never let go of the offense, because you don’t believe that God has the power to heal no matter how big the sin is. However shame in the biblical sense drives a person in most cases to believe that restoration is the only solution Luke 15:11-32

Luke 15:11–32 ESV

And he said, “There was a man who had two sons. And the younger of them said to his father, ‘Father, give me the share of property that is coming to me.’ And he divided his property between them. Not many days later, the younger son gathered all he had and took a journey into a far country, and there he squandered his property in reckless living. And when he had spent everything, a severe famine arose in that country, and he began to be in need. So he went and hired himself out to one of the citizens of that country, who sent him into his fields to feed pigs. And he was longing to be fed with the pods that the pigs ate, and no one gave him anything. “But when he came to himself, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired servants have more than enough bread, but I perish here with hunger! I will arise and go to my father, and I will say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Treat me as one of your hired servants.” ’ And he arose and came to his father. But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and felt compassion, and ran and embraced him and kissed him. And the son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’ But the father said to his servants, ‘Bring quickly the best robe, and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet. And bring the fattened calf and kill it, and let us eat and celebrate. For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found.’ And they began to celebrate. “Now his older son was in the field, and as he came and drew near to the house, he heard music and dancing. And he called one of the servants and asked what these things meant. And he said to him, ‘Your brother has come, and your father has killed the fattened calf, because he has received him back safe and sound.’ But he was angry and refused to go in. His father came out and entreated him, but he answered his father, ‘Look, these many years I have served you, and I never disobeyed your command, yet you never gave me a young goat, that I might celebrate with my friends. But when this son of yours came, who has devoured your property with prostitutes, you killed the fattened calf for him!’ And he said to him, ‘Son, you are always with me, and all that is mine is yours. It was fitting to celebrate and be glad, for this your brother was dead, and is alive; he was lost, and is found.’ ”

John 21:15–17 ESV

When they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these?” He said to him, “Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.” He said to him, “Feed my lambs.” He said to him a second time, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” He said to him, “Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.” He said to him, “Tend my sheep.” He said to him the third time, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” Peter was grieved because he said to him the third time, “Do you love me?” and he said to him, “Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you.” Jesus said to him, “Feed my sheep.

The reason why Christ and his salvation is so important, it is only in that where true restoration is found.