Exposure is a Good Thing

Pledge

Passage: John16:8-9 8 And when he comes, he will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment: 9 concerning sin, because they do not believe in me;

8 And when he comes, he will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment:

9 concerning sin, because they do not believe in me;

Prayer

Prayer

Title: Exposure is a Good Thing

ME:

It was 1982 (My sophomore Year in high school)

It was the 3rd year of existence for our High School and we were playing in the High School Football Championship game for the 3rd year in a row.

We won the first 2: Beat Brook the first year and Beat West Fairmont the second year.

This year we were facing George Washington

We lost this game! (13-9)

It was a hard fought game.

We stayed in a hotel that night in Charleston WV

This is were things went from bad to worse.

Some how we got ahold of some Alcohol.

A bunch of us got Drunk and we got caught!

I couldn’t deny it (One of the coaches caught me in my room drunk as all get out.)

Once this was exposed (out into the new papers) I felt bad!

Your embarrassed - your ashamed

At this moment, all I could do was this ......

Confess/seek Forgiveness/Accept the consequences

Then I was on the journey to restoration.

I will say this, after a few months (6 or so) I felt better about the situation.

I had a close friend of mine who was in the same room with me and he was drinking as well.

But he denied everything!

The following year was his senior year

He didn’t go out for football that year .....

The reason was ..... He had to confess!

If he didn’t admit what part he played in all of it he was not aloud to join the team.

He never admitted to doing anything.

Still to this day I believe he has regrets about doing what he did and not admitting!

I did something I am not proud of but .....

...... I Confessed / Sought Forgiveness / and Accepted the Consequences

I have to say, and I think many of you would agree with me with this statement, “This is lacking in our society today!”

Confessing/Seeking Forgiveness/Accepting Consequences

Transition Statement: I have to believe, many of us here this morning, have done something we are not proud of doing?

WE:

Don’t raise your hand ...... but how many of us have done something wrong, bad, sinful (not a mistake but a sin)?

I am not talking about a “Mistake, shortcomings, infirmities, faults, or failures.”

I am talking about sin!

Explain the difference (Stub your toe and cuss (Shortcoming) ........ Have an extra-marital affair Sin))

Me getting drunk after the Football game (SIN)!

Let me ask the question again ..... how many of us have done something wrong, bad, sinful and we were not proud of it?

- You lied to your parent: (Logan lying about the wash cloth) Share the story!

Extended Grace to Him the next morning

- You are looking at pornography (men or women) and not telling anyone!

- You are fantasizing about someone who is not your spouse!

Wait a minute pastor, I am not acting on it I am just letting my mind wander. Thats not a sin!

I have heard people say this, “Just because I am on a diet doesn’t mean I can’t look at the menu!”

Can I just say this, “If I am on a diet I am not going to restaurants to look at their menu.”

(It would crush me if I new my wife was looking at other men.)

You know what Jesus said about the mind ...... ( “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ But I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lustful intent has already committed adultery with her in his heart.”

“You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’

I have heard people say this, “Just because I am on a diet doesn’t mean I can’t look at the menu!”

But I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lustful intent has already committed adultery with her in his heart.

Can I just say this, “If I am on a diet I am not going to restaurants to look at their menu.”

(It would crush me if I new my wife was looking at other men.)

- You have taken something that is not yours to take!

The Holy BiBut I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lustful intent has already committed adultery with her in his heart.

- You have talked bad about/slander someones name behind their back (Gossiped)

Whatever the case may be ....... You have done something wrong, bad, sinful and your not proud of it!

I believe all of us have been guilty of doing something wrong, bad, or sinful! AMEN?

I have a question for us to ponder on .....

Transition Statement: How did we know we did something wrong, bad, sinful?

The bible tells us “How we know.” The bible reveals to us “Who tells us.”

GOD:

Over the last 3 weeks we have been in this series focusing on the Ministry of the Holy Spirit!

Teaching ()

Reminding (John14:26b)

Testifying ()

What we are going to see about the ministry of the Holy Spirit is that He has also come to “Convict.”

John16:8-9 8 And when he comes, he will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment: 9 concerning sin, because they do not believe in me;

He is the one who tells us when we do something “wrong, bad, sinful”

we see the word “Convict”

When we look at this Greek word (Elenxei) it is defined as “to express facts”.

It actually has this feel and sense of a Courtroom!

Better translated “to EXPOSE!”

The razor-sharp sword of the Word of God will penetrate his soul until it feels as if he has been cross-examined on a witness stand.

Finally, the court will be adjourned, the verdict announced, and he will know on the inside that he is guilty.

Here is what is really interesting, the passage states, “he will convict (expose to) the world concerning sin”

Not to “JUST” believers

Not to “JUST” non-believers

To the World!

Greek word: (Root) Kosmos

When the writers of this period used the word “Kosmos” is most generally ment “humanity, inhabitance of the earth who were opposed to God.”

If we look at this in a courtroom setting this is what we can see .......

The Holy Spirit will begin to deal with the heart of an unbeliever, and by the time He is finished, that lost, sinful soul will feel exposed and convicted.

The razor-sharp sword of the Word of God will penetrate his soul until it feels as if he has been cross-examined on a witness stand.

Finally, the court will be adjourned, the verdict announced, and he will know on the inside that he is guilty.

So what is the Holy Spirit’s ministry:

Teach, remind, testify, and Expose the world’s sins!

The bible tells us that sin hardens the unbelievers hearts, makes them spiritually blind, callous (lost sensitivity), and yearn for more sin.

The bible tells us that sin hardens the unbelievers hearts, makes them spiritually blind, callous (lost sensitivity), and yearn for more sin.

18 They are darkened in their understanding, alienated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them, due to their hardness of heart. 19 They have become callous and have given themselves up to sensuality, greedy to practice every kind of impurity.

18 They are darkened in their understanding, alienated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them, due to their hardness of heart.

But the Holy Spirit, ........ in exposing the sin, .......... doesn’t just leave it there.

19 They have become callous and have given themselves up to sensuality, greedy to practice every kind of impurity.

In this “convicting” he is also calling them to repentance (turning away).

He is not saying ...... “Hey, your a sinner, just wanted you to know that!”

The wonderful thing about the Holy Spirit is He is not condemning the sinner because of sin.

He is revealing (exposing it) and giving you the opportunity to Confess / Seek Forgiveness / and Accepted the Consequences

Confess / Seek Forgiveness / and Accepted the Consequences

Here is what is so awesome about the consequences when it comes to the Holy Spirit ......

By exposing the sin He is offering HOPE/GRACE by giving us the opportunity to repent!

Church, you want to know that the consequence is ......... “GRACE”

Receiving something we do not deserve!

Transition Statement: What if I told you that you could receive something this morning you don’t deserve?

We all agreed, most of us this morning have done something wrong, bad, sinful and we were not proud of it?

- You lied to your parent: (Sin)

What your should receive is to never be trusted again by your parents.

- You look at pornography (men or women) and haven’t telling anyone! (Sin)

What you should receive is a spouse wont trust you.

- You are fantasizing about someone who is not your spouse! (Sin)

What you should receive is a spouse who will leave you.

I have heard people say this, “Just because I am on a diet doesn’t mean I can’t look at the menu!”

Can I just say this, “If I am on a diet I am not going to restaurants to look at their menu.”

(It would crush me if I new my wife was looking at other men.)

You know what Jesus said about the mind ...... ( “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ But I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lustful intent has already committed adultery with her in his heart.”

- You have taken something that is not yours to take! (Sin)

What you should receive is possible jail time.

- You have talked bad about/slander someones name behind their back (Gossiped) (Sin)

What you should receive is a public disdain view of us from our peers.

Whatever we did though ....... By the Holy Spirit exposing this wrong, bad, sinful thing we have been given the opportunity to .........

Confess / Seek Forgiveness / and Accepted the Consequences

But just for me (Getting Drunk at a High School Football game) and Logan (lying to his parents), after we confessed, sought forgiveness from those we offended and accepted the consequences .....

We received what we didn’t deserve (Grace)!

God forgave us!

For me it was a few years later

But for Logan and was that next day!

Transition Statement: Have you Confessed/Asked for Forgiveness/and Accepted the consequences?

WE:

The bible teaches in ..... ( And you were dead in the trespasses and sins )

What do we know about dead people?

They don’t feel anything.

Spiritually dead people especially don’t feel the conviction of sin.

How can you make a dead man see?

How can you cause a dead man to feel?

How can you convince a dead man that he needs to change?

It requires a special, supernatural work of the Holy Spirit to rouse the human consciousness to realize its sinful condition.

Once you are made aware (exposed to) the sin you then need to ....

Confess / Seek Forgiveness / and Accepted the Consequences

And you were dead in the trespasses and sins

Scripture also tells us in 13 And you, who were dead in your trespasses .........., God made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses, 14 by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands.

13 And you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses,

14 by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands.

This is the ministry of the Holy Spirit!

Convict / Expose

Not to leave you dead in your sins but in the exposure of those sins he offers you Grace/life/life everlasting

WE:

I was ashamed/ embarrassed (For getting drunk)

Logan was feeling the guilt of lying

But in both cases, once we Confess / Seek Forgiveness / and Accepted the Consequences

We both received what we didn’t deserve

This is His Job ...... to convict/expose

Have the praise team come back up

You ever felt this way before? (Embarrassed/ashamed/guilty)

Maybe you feel this way this morning!

It is not going to go away until you confess it ..... ask for forgiveness ..... and accept the consequences

Would you like to get ride of it this morning?

The Holy Spirit is here this morning and I believe he is speaking directly to your softened heart today.

I am going to give you an opportunity to come this morning and Confess / Seek Forgiveness / and Accepted the Consequences

WONT YOU COME??????

AFTER PRAYER IS OVER

Do you feel better?

You know what you just received ........ GRACE