God is Bigger Than...My Sin

Introduction

When A.J. Gordon was pastor of a church in Boston, he met a young boy in front of the sanctuary carrying a rusty cage in which several birds fluttered nervously. Gordon inquired, "Son, where did you get those birds?" The boy replied, "I trapped them out in the field." "What are you going to do with them?" "I'm going to play with them, and then I guess I'll just feed them to an old cat we have at home." When Gordon offered to buy them, the lad exclaimed, "Mister, you don't want them, they're just little old wild birds and can't sing very well." Gordon replied, "I'll give you $2 for the cage and the birds." "Okay, it's a deal, but you're making a bad bargain." The exchange was made and the boy went away whistling, happy with his shiny coins. Gordon walked around to the back of the church property, opened the door of the small wire coop, and let the struggling creatures soar into the blue. The next Sunday he took the empty cage into the pulpit and used it to illustrate his sermon about Christ's coming to seek and to save the lost -- paying for them with His own precious blood. "That boy told me the birds were not songsters," said Gordon, "but when I released them and they winged their way heavenward, it seemed to me they were singing, 'Redeemed, redeemed, redeemed!"

You and I have been held captive to sin, but Christ has purchased our pardon and set us at liberty. When a person has this life-changing experience, he will want to sing, "Redeemed, redeemed, redeemed!"

Psalm 51:1–17 ESV

Have mercy on me, O God, according to your steadfast love; according to your abundant mercy blot out my transgressions. Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin! For I know my transgressions, and my sin is ever before me. Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight, so that you may be justified in your words and blameless in your judgment. Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, and in sin did my mother conceive me. Behold, you delight in truth in the inward being, and you teach me wisdom in the secret heart. Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow. Let me hear joy and gladness; let the bones that you have broken rejoice. Hide your face from my sins, and blot out all my iniquities. Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me. Cast me not away from your presence, and take not your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and uphold me with a willing spirit. Then I will teach transgressors your ways, and sinners will return to you. Deliver me from bloodguiltiness, O God, O God of my salvation, and my tongue will sing aloud of your righteousness. O Lord, open my lips, and my mouth will declare your praise. For you will not delight in sacrifice, or I would give it; you will not be pleased with a burnt offering. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.

1) Righteousness is only found in God! (vs. 1-6)

There is a contrast highlighted in this passage: sinfulness (David) vs righteousness and mercy (God).

We need to understand that we can never justify our sin before God.

We must never impose our watered down view of sin on God who is holy.

“I just don’t see how a loving God could...”

2) Restoration is only found in God! (vs. 7-12)

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People are always looking to fix their brokenness, but there is only one way to truly be restored:

Recognize that you are evil at heart and ask God to change you!

Only God can clean us and restore us to be whole again as a person.

Only God can remove a spirit of rebellion and renew a spirit of willing obedience.

3) Redemption is only found in God! (vs. 13-17)

Taking hold once more of the purpose for God has placed on His life.

Our purpose is to declare God’s righteousness and to point other broken people to the only place available for their restoration and redemption.

Closing

NO MATTER WHO YOU ARE, YOU NEED GOD TO FREE YOU FROM SIN.

ONLY HE CAN DO IT. ONLY HE IS BIGGER THAN MY SIN.

ONLY HE CAN RESCUE ME FROM SIN’S DEADLY AND DANGEROUS INFLUENCE.