Resting in Forgiveness

Introduction:

· “It’s hard to admit when you’re wrong.”

· How many of you know this firsthand? You do what I do – you argue? Or you deflect?

PSALM 32 SHOWS US THAT EVEN IF IT IS HARD TO ADMIT WHEN YOU’RE WRONG, TRUE HAPPINESS IS FOUND WHEN WE LEARN TO DO JUST THAT.

I) The Flawed Way We Handle Our Biggest Problem

A. The Many-Faceted Problem of Human Sin: 2 words plus an effect (vv. 1-2, 5)

i. Nuancing the problem we’re dealing with: the many faces of sin: (vv. 1-2)

1. Transgression rebels against a boundary: Racism violates God’s image

2. Sin fails to hit a target: Lust falls short of the ideal of love

ii. The Experience of Sin: (vs. 5)

1. Iniquity (or guilt) is carrying the burden of our sin

2. EXAMPLE: a pebble in a backpack à stones, we carry GUILT!

B. How we deal with the Problem – and why it doesn’t work

i. The Elephant in the room: We keep Silent (vv. 3-4)

1. The elephant in the room: SILENT: we pretend that there’s nothing wrong

2. This leaves us wearied under the weight of unspoken sin (vs. 4)

ii. The elephant behind the sugar cane: We COVER (vs. 2)

1. ILLUSTRATION: A guilty elephant hides behind sugar

2. COVER: spouse/supervisor/friend à argue deny, deflectàself-deception!

YOU’RE NOT CONVINCING ANYONE BUT YOURSELF AND YOU LOOK FOOLISH DOING TRYING! PSALM 32 HAS A BETTER ADVICE FOR US.

II) Biblical Wisdom for A Better Solution

A. Wisdom Teaches us to Humble Ourselves Before God

i. A Sage offers us Wise Advice (vv. 6, 8-11)

1. Psalm 32 ISN’T penitential but Wisdom: “teaching”, “counseling” “you”

2. Experience has taught what does & doesn’t work àhe shares that with us

ii. Step One: Let go of your pride! (vv. 8-9)

1. Horses and mules are wild – and without bit/bridle do their own thing

2. Dealing with our guilt requires the humility that lets go of stubborn pride

B. Wisdom Teaches us How to Handle Our sin

i. We must learn to “ACKNOWLEDGE” our sin (vs. 5a)

1. Acknowledging is the opposite of keeping silent

2. Rather than “keeping silent", or covering we make known

ii. We must learn to “CONFESS” our sin (vs. 5b)

1. Confessing & praising are synonyms: Confessing names God’s rightness

2. APPLICATION: do you practice confession to God & to others

WE AVOID THIS BECAUSE WE’RE AFRAID OF THE RESPONSE. HOW DOES GOD RESPOND TO US?

III) God’s Gracious Response To Our Biggest Problem

A. The Lord Forgives Our Sin

i. Forgiveness Means Lifting Up our sin (vs. 5c)

1. God lifts up the sin we can’t carry…and places that burden on the cross

2. God covers over our sin as Jesus’ work “finishes” the payment for sin

ii. God’s forgiveness is a hiding place for (vs. 7)

1. Some of us “know” forgiveness but we haven’t taken shelter in it

2. APPLICATION: Guilt over “what-if’s”? Shame? TAKE SHELTER!

B. The Lord Graciously Gives us the Blessedness of Forgiveness (vv. 1-2, 10-11)

i. There is no greater happiness (vv. 1-2)

1. Are the “blessed” those who don’t admit their wrong?

2. No in fact, blessed/happy people are those who name their sin!

ii. Therefore, a call to rejoice! (vv. 10-11)

1. When your biggest problem has been solved, everything else pales!

2. So: We can rejoice in the Lord!

Transition:

Conclusion

asd