Can I Do Something So Bad God Won't Forgive Me?

Welcome

Tonight is our final installment of the three part series, “Can I Ask That?” and tonight we are going to be seeking to answer the question:

Can I do something so bad God won't forgive me?

Mark 3:20–30 NIV84

20 Then Jesus entered a house, and again a crowd gathered, so that he and his disciples were not even able to eat. 21 When his family heard about this, they went to take charge of him, for they said, “He is out of his mind.” 22 And the teachers of the law who came down from Jerusalem said, “He is possessed by Beelzebub! By the prince of demons he is driving out demons.” 23 So Jesus called them and spoke to them in parables: “How can Satan drive out Satan? 24 If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand. 25 If a house is divided against itself, that house cannot stand. 26 And if Satan opposes himself and is divided, he cannot stand; his end has come. 27 In fact, no one can enter a strong man’s house and carry off his possessions unless he first ties up the strong man. Then he can rob his house. 28 I tell you the truth, all the sins and blasphemies of men will be forgiven them. 29 But whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will never be forgiven; he is guilty of an eternal sin.” 30 He said this because they were saying, “He has an evil spirit.”

Introduction

So I recently read the story of Jesse Jacobs. If you don’t know who he is don’t, don’t worry, neither did I until I read this story. Jesse Jacobs became popular because made it possible to apologize without actually talking to the person you hurt, without actually talking to the person you may have taken something from, without actually talking to someone that you promised you would bring them a blanket for Vespers and never did.

Cultural Story

Jacobs decided to create an apology hotline.

Each week, 30- 50 calls are logged, as people apologize for things from things like lying, embezzlement and even adultery .

"The hot line offers participants a chance to alleviate their guilt and, to some degree, to own up to their misdeeds," said Jacobs. "I'm just hoping that these people will feel better themselves, just by getting whatever's been bothering them off their chest." One caller to the hot line remarked, "I hope this apology will cleanse me and basically purify my soul...God knows, I need it."

It is amazing how people people deal with the shame and guilt. Even those that don’t believe in God feel a need to make up for the wrongs they’ve done.

Personal Story

Trading basketball cards as a teenager

Chris told me my card was only worth $1.50 but it ended being worth $15.

TRANSITION

I could blame Chris Laughlin but the reality is, I made a bad trade. I did not realize the value of what I had in my possession.

APPLICATION

Some of us right now are about to make a bad trade:

Do you realize the value of what you have

Do not realize the value of growing up in church

Do not realize the value of committing to someone that loves Jesus, yes even more that you, because if they love Jesus they will know how to love you better

Some of you don’t realize the value of being a Seventh-day Adventist and you are going to make a trade

Some of you don’t realize the blessing of being at Southern, and you are about to make a trade

Some of you don’t realize the value YOU are to God, you think who you are is not worth much. But if God himself left heaven to shed his blood on calvary for you - YOU MUST BE VALUABLE.

TYN: DON’T MAKE THAT TRADE - YOU’RE TOO VALUABLE!

So I made a trade with Chris Laughlin that I was not proud of!

Transition

Can you think of a time you did something that you were not proud of? Maybe you felt ashamed about who you were becoming, maybe you were scared about what would happen if someone found out. Maybe you were afraid of what people would think if the found out. And maybe you are thinking, "God can never forgive me for what I have done.”

Teaching

What is the sin that Jesus says will not be forgiven?

Mark 3:28–29 NIV

28 Truly I tell you, people can be forgiven all their sins and every slander they utter, 29 but whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will never be forgiven; they are guilty of an eternal sin.”

Background/Tension

Jesus said that whatever blasphemies, Whatever the sin, if the soul repents and believes, the guilt is washed away in the blood of Christ;

People have often wondered what the sin is that God will not forgive:

Is it adultery? King David committed adultery and was forgiven.

Is it murder? Kind David, same dude again, killed the husband of the women he committed adultery with and was forgiven.

Is it committing the same over and over again? Peter denied Jesus not once, not twice but three times and he was forgiven.

Is it suicide? Well how did Samson died, he moved two of a temple to a pagan God and it not only killed the Philistines but it also killed him. We never know what the last thought of someone is just before they die.

What Jesus is saying sounds a lot like

1 John 1:9 NIV

9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.

So how is it that in the same sentence Jesus can say all sins can be forgiven but then says sinning against the Holy Spirit cannot be forgiven? It almost sounds like a contradiction.

Need to look at the context:

Mark 3:11–12 NIV

11 Whenever the impure spirits saw him, they fell down before him and cried out, “You are the Son of God.” 12 But he gave them strict orders not to tell others about him.

People are witnessing the miracles of Jesus. Jesus must be supernatural.

There is a battle going on around you. The supernatural realm does exist.

Even demons are acknowledging who Jesus, they are confessing that Jesus is the son of God.

Point: The unforgivable sin is not a KIND or CATEGORY of SIN. Rather it is the persistent rejection of the Holy Spirit to the point where we can no longer here the Holy Spirit and there is no more that God can do for that soul.

How does someone get to that point?

A Kingdom Divided Against Itself Cannot Stand

Mark 3:21 NIV

21 When his family heard about this, they went to take charge of him, for they said, “He is out of his mind.”

Mark 3:22 NIV

22 And the teachers of the law who came down from Jerusalem said, “He is possessed by Beelzebul! By the prince of demons he is driving out demons.”

Background

Who had come down from Jerusalem. They went to great lengths to say what they said. Evidence is right in front of them but they go to great lengths to arrive at the conclusions they did.

Beelzebub means the keeper of the house.

The Bible says, “It is what they said.”

Are you careful about the words you choose? Because words are powerful. They can transform a nation.

ILLUS: When I was living near DC, I went to the Lincoln memorial the memorial and at the memorial there are a number of steps leading up to the statue of Abraham Lincolns. It was my first time there but thankfully I had an amazing and attractive tour guide with me, and I saw people just gathering around one spot on the steps taking photos. And Tina says to me, “Do you know why they are all gathering one that one step?” and I said, “I said no, but I was wondering.” She said that step as a medallion and that is the exact spot that Martin Luther King gave his I have a Dream speech. And I was amazed that decades later, people from all over the world come to take a picture at they very spot because words have power.

The power of words. The Bible has power because of its’ words. This word changed my life and for many of you it has changed your life as well. In the beginning was the word and the word was with God and the word was God. It all started with a word.

It all begins with a word. Every decision you make starts with a word. It can be a word said or an internal monologue you have with yourself.

Here is the power of words. And I love the way the Desire of Ages puts this:

Desire of Ages (Chapter 33—Who Are My Brethren?)

Men are influenced by their own words. Often under a momentary impulse, prompted by Satan, they give utterance to jealousy or evil surmising, expressing that which they do not really believe; but the expression reacts on the thoughts. They are deceived by their words, and come to believe that true which was spoken at Satan’s instigation.

You and I are influenced by our own words. If we do not believe what we are saying, the very utterance of the words we choose influences our thoughts. The words that the scribes were using were the very things chaining them and leading them to reject the Holy Spirit.

Our mouths can get us into trouble. Has your mouth ever got you in trouble?

One of the first things we need to learn how to listen. But we live in a world where everyone wants to say something, even if it doesn’t make any sense, even if it means misrepresenting the other person, even if we don’t actually believe it we will say it to fit in, we will say it because we do not want to admit that we are wrong. Can we just go two days without posting everything we think, can we just stop and listen. For the scribes, their own words deceived them.

There are some people, and it pains me to say this, because being a pastor means you always feel that you everyone has a chance. But what Jesus is saying is there comes a point where no matter how many sermons they listen to, no matter how many hymns they sing, no matter how many counseling sessions the go to, no matter how much oil you pour over their head, not matter how many times their mother calls them and pleads with them. They will just not listen. Why?

Because they have been deceived by their own words. And a person deceived does not know they are deceived. that’s why the call it deception, because they believe a lie as being true.

And that influence is so strong that we are deceived by our own words. So can I go a little deeper.

You are dating someone, you don’t really know them. But you start using , “I love you!” You don’t even know if you love them but after two weeks you are saying I love you. Those very words you uttered have power you to make you believe that you are now in love even so that when you see something you know is not right, when you notice something about them you will stay not because it is the right thing to do but because you have already told everyone you love them.

Be careful of using words carelessly.

You get a bad grade and you start saying to yourself, “I am stupid.” Be careful what you say to yourself, because careless words will cause you to believe them.

Desire of Ages Chapter 33—Who Are My Brethren?

The habit of careless and irreverent criticism reacts upon the character, in fostering irreverence and unbelief. Many a man indulging this habit has gone on unconscious of danger, until he was ready to criticize and reject the work of the Holy Spirit

Point: Our words are so powerful that you can be misled by what we say.

It is not God that blinds the eyes of scribes rather the scribes are in danger hardening their hearts because they are repeating these false accusations over and over again.

The great things about words is you can change what you repeat.

A Stronger Man

Luke 11:20–22 NIV

20 But if I drive out demons by the finger of God, then the kingdom of God has come upon you. 21 “When a strong man, fully armed, guards his own house, his possessions are safe. 22 But when someone stronger attacks and overpowers him, he takes away the armor in which the man trusted and divides up his plunder.

Background/Context

The finger of God. God can drive out demons, plural, with just one finger. We serve a powerful God. If God can drive out demons with a finger what can he do with his whole hand.

Exodus 8:19 NIV

19 the magicians said to Pharaoh, “This is the finger of God.” But Pharaoh’s heart was hard and he would not listen, just as the Lord had said.

I'm thankful that God can protect His people with just a finger.

They had been enslaved for 400 years by the strong man. Some of us have been trying to fight the devil in our own strength, but like our first parents who tried to speak to the serpent and though they could handle it they realized they were no match. The strong man has been causing you to make bricks without straw, doing everything that you know to do to be free, but never finding freedom,

But then God comes and God’s finger can do more in a moment that you can do in a life time.

Say that phrase: Someone is stronger is on my side. Someone stronger is on my side.

How many of you are glad that there is someone stronger on your side.

That thing should have killed you but you had someone stronger on your side

You were not ready for what was coming but you had someone stronger on your side

We you were uncertain and anxious but you had someone stronger on your side

Point: God is stronger, but that is not the question. The problem is that our hearts can become so numb to God’s Holy Spirit that we can lose the desire for God’s deliverance. That no matter how strong God is, we can lose the longing for Jesus to save us.

Illustration: Lock and Pad

Invite someone to come up.

Luke 11:21 “21 “When a strong man, fully armed, guards his own house, his possessions are safe.” The at is the devil

The strong man is the devil. What are his possessions? You and me? And the Bible says he guards them.

Bind the student up as a way to represent guarding. Wrap him with chains and give him the key to the lock. (Can you just hold this, tight OK!)

There are different things that bring chains

Regret

Heart break

Shame

Seeking to love and acceptance from others

Un-forgiveness

Luke 11:22 “22 But when someone stronger attacks and overpowers him, he takes away the armor in which the man trusted and divides up his plunder.”

But what do you do when the enemies spoils don’t want to be God’s possession?

Do I have the power to free him? Yes, my hands are not tied. But he has to give me the key.

The Key is your Hands

Conclusion

Desire of Ages Chapter 33—Who Are My Brethren?

Whatever the sin, if the soul repents and believes, the guilt is washed away in the blood of Christ; but he who rejects the work of the Holy Spirit is placing himself where repentance and faith cannot come to him.

Is God trying to set you free – however you’re still the key?

Are you holding the key waiting for you life to be perfect

Waiting for everything to be convenient

Waiting for everyone to cheer you on

Waiting for things to make total sense

Waiting for all of the facts

Waiting until you have more strength – waiting until you have more wisdom – waiting until you have the trophy in your hand?

The Bible is saying you can wait so long that you can lose the desire to be set free. So just pause, be silent… Listen to what God is saying to you.

Could it be that God is saying to you I HAVE THE POWER TO SET YOU FREE, TODAY CAN BE THE DAY THAT YOU LET ME!

THE KEY IS YOUR HANDS.