Life without auto-tune - Psalm 51

Psalm 51

Pure Voice vs Auto-Tuned voice

so many today, live with auto-tune covering the reality of their hearts.

we don’t need to live dejected, but we also don’t need to live deceived.

nor do we need to revel in our rebellious ways, treating them as a badge of honor or as an excuse to quit growing.

The shortest distance between us and God is our repentance.

Repentance is getting honest about what has interrupted the relationship.

Sin breaks the fellowship…like a mirror broken in pieces, we are not whole. The broken pieces cause us to not see the image clearly.

When we don’t clearly understand God, We will not accurately reflect Him.

If God won’t reject a contrite heart, how do we cultivate that kind of heart? waht does a repentant heart and life look like?

(1) Recognize

Rebellion is within each of us.

Conviction us..through Scripture, inward impression, others

david was feeling convicted of general sin, but a specific sin.

yes, we all have sinned and our wold is fallen. it’s called Original Sin.

excerpt from William Lane Craig:

Neither do we find the doctrine in Psalm 51:5: “Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, and in sin did my mother conceive me.” Sometimes those overzealous to find proof texts for the doctrine of original sin appeal to this verse. But I think that that is a mistake hermeneutically. The psalms are poetry. They often employ hyperbolic language, here as a way of saying how sinful David feels. The verse is not a theological reflection upon how the sin of Adam was imputed to David. Rather, it is just a poetic and hyperbolic way of affirming his intense sinfulness or feeling of sinfulness before the Lord.

Rather the doctrine of original sin is based upon New Testament evidence, particularly Romans 5:12-21.

Romans 5:12-21

Contrition - This is our first (and most important) response to the conviction of the Holy Spirit. The word'"contrite" means to be crushed and broken and sorrowful for sin.

Charles Simeon said, “One of the most fundamental marks of true repentance is a disposition to see our sins as God sees them.”This verse is not really talking about doctrine of original sin; it’s hyperbolic as David express his own guilt.

Confession -This is where we admit and own and accuse ourselves of transgression and we simultaneously ask for the forgiveness and absolution of Christ. We accuse ourselves of our guilt. Whatever we justify cannot be justified by Jesus (I John 1:9; James 5:16.)

The beginning of repentance is the confession of guilt.‌ -John Calvin

We can confession our rebellion, because God is faithful…

my kids used to think credit cards were limitless and free money..Like a credit card with no limit…it won’t get declined.

(2) Renew

joy and obedience instead of rebellion. we receive the life of spirit working in us.

joy is an indication of the confidence we have in God. no heaviness…

God doesn’t just want to remove sin (one time), He wants to transform your way of living.

love seeing people replace the priorities of their life and putting Jesus at the center of all their life. Change happens here.

illus: lepers healed

Luke 17:15-7….

15 But one of them, seeing that he was healed, returned and, with a loud voice, gave glory to God. 16 He fell facedown at his feet, thanking him. And he was a Samaritan.

17 Then Jesus said, “Were not ten cleansed? Where are the nine? 18 Didn’t any return to give glory to God except this foreigner?” 19 And he told him, “Get up and go on your way. Your faith has saved you.”,

Worship to God demonstrates our loyalty in God as a result of His removal of our sins.

this is really a work of the Spirit to refresh us and restore the joy of salvation (being made whole).

Renewed hearts of joy, delight in obedience and hold nothing back.

the conviction and contrition and confession really lead us to feeling lighter and more joyful…but there is one more part we often forget in the repentant life.

(3) Rebuild

vs 16 - 19

David was not at war as kings normally are…so he was in a place for wrong opportunities

Consecration of relationships and guardrails moving away from sin. Confession of sin must be followed by consecration of self. This is where we RETURN to righteousness and make reparation for any damage our sin has caused to others and take precaution against relapse in the future. Not perfection, but a passion of proper devotion. (Luke 19:8; John 8:11)

…find flourishing of God’s delight

rid ourselves of the opportunity to sin…penitent hearts long to be rid of the sin and be made new…cuz God regenerates our heart through the Holy Spirit.

This past Sunday someone came forward for prayer in our church.

It was a request I have not been able to get out of my head.

The gist of it was this:

“I came to New York with a passion to give into sexual sin and temptation. I did that for a couple of years, but a while back Jesus called me out of my sin to himself. I have consecrated my sexuality to Jesus, but there is this last little 2 percent I want to give to him, it needs to be put to death.”

The last little two percent.

It made me wonder if there were small little sins lingering under my larger surrender.

Was I holding back my own 2 percent?

Abba Anthony (of the Desert Fathers) gave an illustration of the need to hold nothing back in our lives with God.

A brother renounced the world and gave his goods to the poor, but he kept back a little for his personal expenses. He went to see Abba Anthony. When he told him this, the old man said to him,

“If you want to be a monk, go to the village, buy some meat, cover your naked body with it and come here like that.”

The brother did so, and the dogs and birds tore at his flesh. When he came back the old man asked him whether he had followed his advice. He showed him his wounded body, and Saint Anthony said, “Those who renounce the world but want to keep something for themselves are torn this way by the demons who make war on them.”

This is so true. Those un-surrendered parts, those parts we keep back, can be access points of temptation, distraction, and spiritual sabotage.

I am joining my brother at the altar this week and asking God to kill the final 2 percent of sin in me.

Clayton Christensen, the former renowned Harvard Business School professor once said, “It's easier to hold your principles 100 percent of the time than it is to hold them 98 percent of the time.”

There is so much lost energy in the 2 percent.

So much wrestling, so much decision fatigue, so much pressure moment by moment.

But total surrender leads to total peace.

All the energy given to resisting sin can be given to building the life we are called to.

Are there any areas of your life that you need to bring to the altar? Any small sins hiding under your larger commitment? Anything you sense the Lord asking you to lay down?

Why not take a moment and follow the wisdom of King David, the wisdom of the spiritual MRI.

Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting. (Psalms 139:23-24)

Andrew Murray wrote a prayer I have been praying in light of a full and total surrender.

“Father, may the Holy Spirit have full dominion over me: in my home, in my character, in every word of my tongue, in every thought of my heart, in every feeling towards my fellowmen; may the Holy Spirit have entire possession.”

Entirely possessed by holiness and love, now that’s a compelling vision.

Response: Communion.

Merciful God, we confess that we have sinned against you in thought, word, and deed. We have not loved you with our whole heart and mind and strength; we have not loved our neighbors as ourselves. We confess that we have often failed to be an obedient church. We have not done your will, we have broken your law, we have rebelled against your love. Forgive us, we pray, and free us for joyful obedience; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Direct what we shall be, so that we may delight in your will and walk in your ways, to the glory of your holy name. Amen.

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PRACTICING THE WAY

As disciples of Jesus, we know our allegiance to Him as King is expressed in our daily practice. We are not pursuing perfection but want to practice our faith each day. These practices will point you toward spiritual formation as an apprentice (disciple) to Jesus.

(1) Start the Bible Recap reading plan.

(2) Recite this prayer/liturgy daily: “Father, may the Holy Spirit have full dominion over me: in my home, in my character, in every word of my tongue, in every thought of my heart, in every feeling towards my fellowmen; may the Holy Spirit have entire possession.”

(3) Talk it Over (with friends, a spouse, or your Group)

The message was living life with humility and repentance. What is one idea from Sunday’s message that impacted you?

Read Psalm 51. What does this Psalm teach about God?

David talks about having a broken, contrite, and repentant heart. What are some other Biblical examples of people who had a heart like that?

lf God doesn’t reject a broken and repentant heart, then what kind of heart might God reject? Why?

Read Romans 5:12-21. What are some Truths this passage reveals?

We talked about rebuilding “walls” or guardrails that keep us from sinning. What are some guardrails you have in your life? What are some guardrails you need to build?

Pray this prayer aloud as a group: “Father, may the Holy Spirit have full dominion over me: in my home, in my character, in every word of my tongue, in every thought of my heart, in every feeling towards my fellowmen; may the Holy Spirit have entire possession.”