Untitled Sermon

Genesis 3: 7-24 (Forgiveness for our Failures)

Communication structure:

1. The Problem/Agitate the Problem:

a. Human beings have an incredible ability to focus on the good instead of the bad. Every person alive on this earth is capable of doing great things and seeing the good from even the worst of situations. They call this, a positive outlook, or being optimistic. Being optimistic is all in the mind. While some can do this better than others, we all have this ability. We also have the ability to not only just think of things in a good light, but we also have the ability to do good things. When we see someone in need, we can help them. We can sacrifice our own needs in order to help someone in need. Amazing! But with this special ability, which we all have, a problem can occur. We become so focused on the good that we do, that we lose sight of the bad we have done. You and I can think that our situation in life is better than it actually is and belief that we are a better person then we actually are (“sure, I may have cursed out my parents last night, but I go to church every week”, or “Yeah, I may been mean to people sometimes, but I am now where near as mean as this other person.”). While we do good, we also do bad. Even in our best efforts to avoid doing the things God has commanded us not to do, we fall short. And not just in little way too. You and I fail in big ways. You and I can do good things, but no amount of our good can ever erase our failures. And, No amount of positive thinking can ever change our situation before God.

i. This is a serious thing, because our failures have consequences

2. Controlling idea:

a. We have ALL failed God big time and we, ourselves, are failures.

3. Define the Stakes:

a. This is a serious thing, because our failures have consequences.

1. If you are rough with a sibling, they are going to be rough back.

a. We have been trying to tell our son Quinn about this because he will always get a little to rough with his younger brother, but they August will be rough back and someone always gets hurt.

2. If you fail a class, you do not get to move onto the next grade.

3. If you speed past a cop, you will get a ticket.

a. And if you were speeding a lot, you will go to jail.

4. In a much greater way, when we sin it has major effects on our lives, the people closest to us, and where we will spend eternity after we die.

4. Ask the Story Question:

a. If you had the power to erase all the bad things that you have ever done from record, would you do it?

i. Ferris Bueller hacks into school computer to change his grade. Changes it from an F (fail) to a A.

1. If you could, would you change your record? Would you hack into heaven and change your “grade” from an F (a failure) to a passing grade?

a. Of course you would! We all would if we could. The problem is that we can’t. We don’t have the power to do that. You can’t forgive your own failures, but God can.

b. God has the power to forgive your biggest failures.

5. Introduce yourself as the guide:

a. I have felt this frustration. When I’m faced with life’s challenges my tendency is to become entrenched in my emotions and forget all that God has done throughout my life.

6. Give the audience a plan:

a. Confess your failures to God

b. Turn away from your failing habits (may require asking for God to help you with this)

i. Jealousy, anger, harsh words towards others, lying, lust, pornography, laziness, thinking that you are better than everyone, or considering other people or things as more important than God.

c. Don’t Trust Yourself, Trust Jesus.

7. The Call to Action:

a. 1 - fear of loosing somethings (college ministry)

b. 2 – fear of miscarriage

c. 3

8. Foreshadow the Climactic Scene:

a. Imagine this scenario; You die. How and when you die isn’t necessarily important. All you need to know is that you are dead. But immediately you take your last breath you find yourself in an unfamiliar place. You are now standing before God, and he wants you to account for your whole life. In an instant you are overwhelmed with the reality that not only is God real, but the fear of what He might do. You immediately begin by telling Him all of the great things you have done. You go down the list, from your earliest memories of doing the right things, of helping others. You try to show God through these examples that you are worthy of spending eternity with Him in heaven, instead of the horrible, everlasting alternative. But right in the middle of your desperate speech, he takes the sheet from your hand and rips it down the middle. He tells you that he isn’t interested in the good things you did. He then hands you a large stack of paper and on it are all the sins you have ever committed. A list of all the times you failed to live up to God’s standards and on the top of the first page it says your name. You begin to thumb through and are overwhelmed with shame. You know that there is no way to explain away this pile of sins. You fall to your knees and sab. But then a hand reaches down and pulls you back up and wraps His arms around you. He then draws your attention back to the list of failures, but opens it up to the last page. Written in large letters you read “Because of your faith is Jesus Christ as you Lord and Savior, all your failures are FORGIVEN”.

1. This scenario is a reality for all of us moments after our death. But what words will be on the last page of your record of sins? That is entirely up to you.

9. Repeat the controlling idea.

a. We have ALL failed God big time and we, ourselves, are failures.

b. God has the power to forgive your biggest failures.

10. Repeat the call to action.

a. Confess your failures to God

b. Turn away from your failing habits (may require asking for God to help you with this)

c. Don’t Trust Yourself, Trust Jesus.