Freedom From Condemnation

Introduction

Read article from Christianity Today

May 22, 2008

http://www.christianitytoday.com/images/18693.jpg?h=204&w=270

“Maria Sue Chapman, Steven Curtis Chapman's youngest daughter, died Wednesday evening from injuries sustained when a sports utility vehicle hit her in the driveway of the family's home near Franklin, Tennessee. She was 5.

A recent photo of the Chapman family with Steven holding Maria

The girl was struck by a Toyota Land Cruiser driven by one of her teenage brothers around 5:30 p.m., authorities said. The teen's identity was not released.

Laura McPherson, a spokesperson for the Tennessee Highway Patrol, told The Tennessean that the girl was airlifted to Vanderbilt Children's Hospital in Nashville, where she was pronounced dead.

"It appears to be a terrible accident," McPherson said, adding that no charges are expected.

According to the Associated Press, several family members witnessed the accident, but the Tennessean report said only two children saw what happened. McPherson said the entire family was home at the time.”

What would you feel if you had just hit your 5 year old sister with a car?

Many emotions: Guilt, regret, sadness, grief, despair, shock, Condemnation

Today I want to talk about guilt. The reality for every christian is that we still sin, but what happens God’s love for us when we sin?

What i want to present to you today, is that regardless of how far we feel from God, He is always ready to run back to us.

First, let’s take a look at what scripture says about sin in our lives...

Forgiveness, Now and Forever

The reality of sin in the Believer's life

Paul says in Romans:

Christian Standard Bible Chapter 3

23 For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.

Everyone has sinned at some point, but should we expect to keep on sinning?

John was writing to believers when he wrote:

Christian Standard Bible Chapter 1

If we say, “We have no sin,” we are deceiving ourselves, and the truth is not in us.

and also:

Christian Standard Bible Chapter 2

My little children, I am writing you these things so that you may not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father—Jesus Christ the righteous one.

Sometimes we are surprised at the things that come into our heads, things we say, and even some of the things we do with our hands. But God is not.

What God says about that sin

John also wrote about our sin:

Christian Standard Bible Chapter 1

If we confess our sins, he is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

Christian Standard Bible Chapter 2

He himself is the atoning sacrifice,t for our sins, and not only for ours, but also for those of the whole world.

God is aware of every sin you will ever commit before you do it, because Jesus paid for every one of those sins at the cross.

This is the core message of the gospel, Jesus paid for your sins so you didn’t have to.

We can continue to bring him our sins, and He will forgive us since He paid for it already.

So that’s it? It’s that simple?

Yes and no. That’s all it take for an action standpoint, but what do we do about our guilt? our sense of shame? What do you when you just don’t feel like you can face God after what you’ve done?

This is what Paul says when writing to the Romans:

Christian Standard Bible Chapter 8

Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those in Christ Jesus

No condemnation, none, not of any kind. This is the concept that I want us to grasp today.

This does not just speak of God not taking any legal action against you for your sin, this is also God attitude toward you.

Lets take a look at an example of what this looks like...

The Prodigal son

· The Prodigal son

lets read what Jesus said:

Christian Standard Bible Chapter 15

11 He also said: “A man had two sons. 12 The younger of them said to his father, ‘Father, give me the share of the estate I have coming to me.’ So he distributed the assets to them. 13 Not many days later, the younger son gathered together all he had and traveled to a distant country, where he squandered his estate in foolish living. 14 After he had spent everything, a severe famine struck that country, and he had nothing. 15 Then he went to work for one of the citizens of that country, who sent him into his fields to feed pigs. 16 He longed to eat his fill from the pods that the pigs were eating, but no one would give him anything. 17 When he came to his senses, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired workers have more than enough food, and here I am dying of hunger! 18 I’ll get up, go to my father, and say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and in your sight. 19 I’m no longer worthy to be called your son. Make me like one of your hired workers.” ’ 20 So he got up and went to his father. But while the son was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion. He ran, threw his arms around his neck, and kissed him. 21 The son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and in your sight. I’m no longer worthy to be called your son.’

22 “But the father told his servants, ‘Quick! Bring out the best robe and put it on him; put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. 23 Then bring the fattened calf and slaughter it, and let’s celebrate with a feast, 24 because this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found!’ So they began to celebrate.

25 “Now his older son was in the field; as he came near the house, he heard music and dancing. 26 So he summoned one of the servants, questioning what these things meant. 27 ‘Your brother is here,’ he told him, ‘and your father has slaughtered the fattened calf because he has him back safe and sound.’

28 “Then he became angry and didn’t want to go in. So his father came out and pleaded with him. 29 But he replied to his father, ‘Look, I have been slaving many years for you, and I have never disobeyed your orders, yet you never gave me a goat so that I could celebrate with my friends. 30 But when this son of yours came, who has devoured your assets with prostitutes, you slaughtered the fattened calf for him.’

31 “ ‘Son,’ he said to him, ‘you are always with me, and everything I have is yours. 32 But we had to celebrate and rejoice, because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ ”

What the Son felt

Lets grasp what this sin has done to his father:

An inheritance was usually gained when a father dies, and his belongings are divided up among his sons (sometimes daughters, they they had their own special perks).

The younger son asked for his inheritance now, so:

He is saying he would rather his father were dead already,

He is demanding that the father would sell one third of all he owned, and give the money to his son.

After the father gave what the son demanded, he went far away and wasted it on wild “prodigal” living.

What we would conciser a “party life”

The money would go toward thing like, intoxicating substances, prostitutes, wasteful luxury, and sometime gambling.

When they money was gone, a famine came along

Food became very expensive.

He was so desperate, he took work that was detestable to a Jew, the lowest of the low you can get.

Open Question: What do you think the son must have felt after this?

Possible answers: Intense shame, guilt, fear of his father’s reaction, doesn’t want his father to know everything that happened.

What The Father Felt

Open Question: What do you think the father is feeling?

Possible Answers: Hurt, angry, bitter, sad

Lets try to understand the father’s reaction when the son came home:

Saw him a long ways off

The father was looking for his son, wishing for him to come home

Filled with compassion

He saw the needs of his son, wanted to meet them and make him feel loved.

He Ran

Aka, not walking

This is a wealth man who pays people to run errands for him. Men like this don’t run.

In this culture, it would have seemed inappropriate for a man of his stature to running down a road.

The father’s love compels him to not waste any time.

Threw his arms around his neck and kissed him.

Embraced him after longing to be with him again

The kiss was natural way to greet in the culture

The robe, ring, sandals, fattened calf, feast

All this would have been very expensive.

Nothing was more valuable to this father than his son

There was complete forgiveness of the son, as if he had done nothing wrong in the first place.

No anger, bitterness, contempt, no condemnation. Just longing for his son to come home.

What I want you to understand this is how God think of us when we are in sin.

Now that we understand God’s disposition toward us, lets address the original question.

What do you when you just don’t feel like you can face God after what you’ve done?

What to do When we Sin

Like the prodigal son we:

Acknowledge our sin is wrong

Christian Standard Bible Chapter 15

‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and in your sight.

Have a humble attitude

Christian Standard Bible Chapter 15

I’m no longer worthy to be called your son

Repent, be willing to make right what is wrong

Christian Standard Bible Chapter 15

Make me like one of your hired workers

Unlike the prodigal son:

We are not motivated by desperation, expecting to be reprimanded.

Instead, we know that he holds no grudge.

Regardless of how far we feel from God, he is always ready to run to us.

Let’s go back to our illustration at the beginning. The article i read was reported only a few days after the accident. Maria was the name of the little girl who died, her brother who was driving the car name was Will. Let me read to you part of the story of what happened as told by Stephan Curtis Chapman this past April. This is what happens shortly after 911 was and Maria’s parents are driving her to a helicopter to be life-flighted to a hospital.

The Commercial Appeal 2 Apr 2017 CINDY WATTS

“As Chapman and his wife drove the car down the driveway toward the helicopter, they saw Will and older son Caleb on the ground by their pond. After the accident, Will started running. Caleb chased him, tackled him to the ground and held him as he sobbed - reiterating that the family loved him. Caleb ripped Will’s blood soaked Tshirt from his body and threw it in the pond, saying, “we’ve got to get this off of you.”

When Chapman saw his boys on the ground, he rolled down the window and shouted, “Will Franklin, I love you. Your father loves you.””

Know and understand this today: Your father loves you!

Even when there is grief and pain because of sin, it is only temporary. God’s loves is Eternal.

-39

Christian Standard Bible Chapter 8

For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, 39 nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

If you are far from God today, I want to invite you to run back to him, because he is ready to run to you.

Perhaps you have never right with God, you have never repented of your sin and trusted Jesus Christ to save you from condemnation.

If that is you, then i invite you as well today to humble yourself, and be free from condemnation. For as we discussed before:

Christian Standard Bible Chapter 8

there is now no condemnation for those in Christ Jesus

None, nothing of any kind. You will only ever find love and acceptance with God when you come to Him on His terms.

To help us think through these things. I want to end by listening to a song together.

Play When God Ran by Phillips, Craig, and Dean (5:15)

End with Prayer