The Word (Part 4): God’s Instructions Against Us
The Word • Sermon • Submitted • Presented
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· 3 viewsWe live in a world that pushes positive reinforcement in everything that we do. Everyone gets participation trophies. Everyone gets a title of affirmation. No one wants to point out faults, only highlight positives and make sure we are always coddled. But that is not how we are to address sin in our lives nor in the church! It’s okay to be grieved, as long as that grief leads us to repentance! God’s Word is designed to be used by the Holy Spirit to break our hearts so that we may grow and experience the amazing King of Glory! This message explores these profound truths!
Notes
Transcript
INTRODUCTION
INTRODUCTION
16 All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, 17 that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.
The participation trophy generation.
The participation trophy generation.
1 Since we have these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from every defilement of body and spirit, bringing holiness to completion in the fear of God. 2 Make room in your hearts for us. We have wronged no one, we have corrupted no one, we have taken advantage of no one. 3 I do not say this to condemn you, for I said before that you are in our hearts, to die together and to live together. 4 I am acting with great boldness toward you; I have great pride in you; I am filled with comfort. In all our affliction, I am overflowing with joy. 5 For even when we came into Macedonia, our bodies had no rest, but we were afflicted at every turn—fighting without and fear within. 6 But God, who comforts the downcast, comforted us by the coming of Titus, 7 and not only by his coming but also by the comfort with which he was comforted by you, as he told us of your longing, your mourning, your zeal for me, so that I rejoiced still more. 8 For even if I made you grieve with my letter, I do not regret it—though I did regret it, for I see that that letter grieved you, though only for a while. 9 As it is, I rejoice, not because you were grieved, but because you were grieved into repenting. For you felt a godly grief, so that you suffered no loss through us. 10 For godly grief produces a repentance that leads to salvation without regret, whereas worldly grief produces death. 11 For see what earnestness this godly grief has produced in you, but also what eagerness to clear yourselves, what indignation, what fear, what longing, what zeal, what punishment! At every point you have proved yourselves innocent in the matter.
The Holy Spirit Uses God’s Word to…
The Holy Spirit Uses God’s Word to…
1) …Convict Us of Sin! (v.1)
1) …Convict Us of Sin! (v.1)
1 Since we have these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from every defilement of body and spirit, bringing holiness to completion in the fear of God.
What are these promises?
2 Corinthians 6:16-18 > God’s dwells within us, so that we experience a nearness to Him as His living temples and furthermore, He has adopted us as His sons and daughters.
In light of God’s nearness and our adoption as His sons and daughters, we are called out from this world and its practices and called to God and His life!
Therefore, we are to “cleanse ourselves from every defilement of body and spirit, bringing holiness to completion in the fear of God.”
Light exposes darkness
God dwelling in us through His Holy Spirit, uses the Word of God to bless us by informing us of what defilement is and calling us out of it and into purity.
As we draw near to God, He makes the godless things which used to be comfortable to us uncomfortable, and the godly things which used to be uncomfortable to us a joy to take hold of.
This is a process known as sanctification and it begins with the Holy Spirit using the Word of God to convict us.
While the end result of conviction from the Holy Spirit results in joy if we yield to Him, it’s not a pretty journey to get there!
2) …Call Us to Grieve and Repent! (v.8-10)
2) …Call Us to Grieve and Repent! (v.8-10)
8 For even if I made you grieve with my letter, I do not regret it—though I did regret it, for I see that that letter grieved you, though only for a while. 9 As it is, I rejoice, not because you were grieved, but because you were grieved into repenting. For you felt a godly grief, so that you suffered no loss through us. 10 For godly grief produces a repentance that leads to salvation without regret, whereas worldly grief produces death.
When we yield to the Holy Spirit’s conviction over sin in our lives, it produces grief and brokenness!
Praise God we are not left to wallow in our grief, but that the grief is producing within us a breaking away from apathy and drawing us into repentance!
As the Holy Spirit uses God’s Word and God’s People it’s uncomfortable for us and for the ones who speak the truth in love, yet the end result is well worth it!
There are two kinds of grief and sorrow:
Godly grief leads us to repentance, freedom from shame, and spiritual vitality.
“salvation without regret”
How many times have you heard someone say, “I wish I would have waited longer to get on the same page with Jesus?” NEVER!
Worldly grief leads us to callousness, apathy, and spiritual death.
The grief we experience from the Holy Spirit is for our greatest good as long as we yield to Him and answer the call to repent!
3) …Compel Us to Action! (v.11)
3) …Compel Us to Action! (v.11)
11 For see what earnestness this godly grief has produced in you, but also what eagerness to clear yourselves, what indignation, what fear, what longing, what zeal, what punishment! At every point you have proved yourselves innocent in the matter.
We cannot face the conviction of the Holy Spirit working through God’s Word and do nothing about it. (Again, that leads us no where good).
The reason that all scripture is profitable for reproof is because God’s instruction against us calls us to actively change course.
Dane Ortlund breaks down Paul’s list here of what godly grief produces within us. He says:
“Earnestness” describes sitting on the edge of one’s seat in readiness.
“Eagerness to clear yourself” is more than just ditching apathy. It’s a strong impulse to respond passionately to God’s reproof.
“Indignation” is a healthy and holy state of being incensed at wrongdoing.
It’s finally getting on God’s side about the seriousness of sin.
“Fear” is a sincere concern over the impact one’s own shortcomings has had upon our fellowship with God and others.
“Longing” is an inner panting for relational depth and harmony with God and our brothers and sisters.
“Zeal” is a passionate and active response out of holy allegiance to God.
“Punishment” is the word “ekdikēsis” and is active pursuit to make right that which has been wronged.
All of what the Holy Spirit does through God’s Word in our life compels us to action.
Praise God that you cannot properly experience the godly grief of the Holy Spirit’s action and stay where you are!
CLOSING
CLOSING
As Christ followers, we are new creations that are being brought into the richness of God’s new life upon our lives.
As we seek to draw near to God, the darkness of our old self is brought to light and we are to be grieved over such sinfulness that used to define us.
As the Holy Spirit works through the Word of God to convict us, let the conviction bring us into godly grief that leads us to active repentance and results is abounding joy!
As we have a time of worship and response, let us use this time wisely to seek the Lord and let Him have His way in our hearts here and now!