On Sin - Sunday September 4th

Yeah, before I start. I just like to thank pretty for all he does, you know? Like when Brian called me the other night and need to step up to the plate, I had to learn how to use the software that Brady uses in. I'm telling you. Got y'all have no idea what he does. Thank you for him. So let's pray and then we'll get started. Father, we thank you so much for the day and we thank you Lord for your word by which we can draw close to you and know you better. Lord, we ask that as we open your word Lord that you would open our hearts to hear from you. We ask you to speak to us and and Ross close to you Lord, as the song said By the way, just looked all these things happen. Jesus name. So few years ago, I heard Jay Vernon McGee, read this poem, I've shared it with y'all before on Sunday night, when I was teaching on the parable of the sower. But I think it's great. It's written by a lady named Phyllis McGinley and so it says the Reverend doctor Harcourt folk agree, nodding their heads and solid satisfaction is just the man for this community tall young or Bane and capable of action. He pleases where he serves a Marshalls out. The younger crowd last race of clerical functions. Cheers the Kiwanis and the eagle scout is popular at every public function and in the Pulpit eloquently speaks on diverse matters with both wit and Clarity art education. God the early Greeks Psychiatry Saint Paul true Christian charity. Vestry repairs that shortly. Must begin all things, but sin, he rarely mentions sin. So, unlike the Reverend doctor tonight, or today, if I might about sin and sin in the context of David, beautiful prayer of repentance in Psalm 51, those of you who've been coming to our Monday night group, when we shared our favorite Old Testament passages. If you remember, Psalm 51 was my favorite son and I pray this prayer almost everyday. So let me start by asking you a question. Does God judge sin?

World Centric. Question God judges, unrepented sin. Thank God that we don't get the Judgment that we deserve.

He forgives our sins if we're truly repentant and that really Makes all the difference whether we're repented or not.

if we are truly repentant, that's really the center of Jesus gospel, he came To take the punishment for our sins, the punishment is dead sin, brought death into the world, into the perfect creation up until that time the perfect creation. John put it this way in 1st. John 1 verse 18 said, if we have no sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful. And just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say we have not send, we make him a liar and his word is not incident in a Cuts me to the heart because of what happened on the on the night. I was saved and I share this with you before, so bear with me. That day Memorial Day. I was driving down from New Jersey, back to Fort Bragg. I was working Fort Bragg in North Carolina, that's about a 10 hour drive and it's not the easiest drive, it goes through Washington DC.

and, So I was really, really tired of you. I had visited my father's grave at Arlington that afternoon, but a nickel on the grass. I don't go into why that why you put a nickel on the grass for a fighter pilot. Anyway, I had dropped on the grass and I've been struggling all day. Spiritually, my dear friend, Julie and witness the gospel to me. The night before again. And I thought, I consider myself a Christian believer. I had for many years, I believed in the resurrection of Jesus Christ in the death of my heart. I believe in it. But I have not made Jesus, the Lord of my life. I share this with you before that's key. He needs to be Lord, needs to be the center of our lives. And so, I was struggling with all these things back and forth and then got down to Fort Bragg and I was praying. And I heard him say, How can you expect me to hear your prayer when you continue in your sin?

I wish I could tell you that that night was the end of my life of sin. It was not of my life of struggling, against my sin by the power of God's spirit.

so that's it, going to This whole idea of said, now we know from Genesis 3 that sin brought death into the world, it brought all manner of evil in the world and because of that, because of the sin of, of Adam and Eve in the garden, we are all born with this sinful nature. We can't help that as that great Theologian, Bob Dylan, it ruin in the blood.

We can't help that but unfortunately all of us are also Sinners by our choice. We choose to spend each and every day. And God knows that. He knows we can't help the sinful nature that was inherited from the curse and he knows that we can help. Our sense of choice. But he knows we're going to fail. So, we made a way that we can be forgiven of our sins.

But he does expect us to struggle against arson. Paul talked about in Romans 7, the struggle between the Flesh and the spirit and God, and not enabled Us by the, by the indwelling of his spirit, in your heart to struggle against, it's only by his power. And that's what David is talking about, in this, in this song that we're all familiar. With the story. If you're not, you can go to 2nd Samuel chapter 11, chapter 12 and you can read about it. But David was in his Palace in the springtime and he saw Bathsheba bathing suit for her, And then he used his power as the king. To have her brought to him in the Bible. Euphemistically says he lay with her, right? And then a few days later or however, long it was later. She sends him a message. Hey, I'm pregnant. So David's trying to figure out what he was going to do it quickly from the battle and tried to make it look like it was that didn't work so he sent Uriah to the battle and then he told the leader of his army to win the the heat of the battle is at its highest to put Uriah right in the middle of it and then withdraw from him and let the enemy kill him. And so when that happened David quickly, Mary Beth, she's going to make it look like. And the cover-up worked perfectly, everybody was. Everybody got? and so God sent Nathan the prophet to David to call him out on this and,

the thing about it is, This, these terrible sins. This adultery in this murder. Had repercussions throughout the nation, it brought eventually, it took several Generations. But it brought catastrophe down on the nation and that's a cautionary tale for us because our sins have consequences that go beyond us. That go beyond our. Our family is in our community. They can have our sins can have impacts that we can't even imagine. So, with that Foundation, let's look at the song. Will read the song together and then we'll go through it in detail. Psalm 51 to the choirmaster, a Psalm of David, when Nathan, the prophet, went to him after he'd gone into Bathsheba,

Have mercy on me. Oh God. According to your steadfast love, according to your abundant Mercy, blot out my transgressions Wash Me, thoroughly for 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 send 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 then send my mother conceived. Me behold, you Delight in truth in the n-word 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've broken. Rejoice, hide your face from my sins and blot out. All my iniquities created me a clean. Heart of 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. 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 blood-guiltiness. Oh God. Oh, God of my salvation. And my tongue will sing a loud of your righteousness. Oh, Lord. Open my lips in my mouth will declare your praise for. You will not Delight in sacrifice or I would give it. You will not be pleased with the burnt offering. Sacrifices of God are a broken Spirit, a broken and contrite heart. Oh God, you will not despise do good design on your good. Pleasure. Build the walls of Jerusalem then you will Delight in right sacrifices in burnt offerings and whole burnt offerings. Then bulls will be offered on your altar. so, Starting a beginning have mercy on me. Oh God. According to your steadfast love, according to abundance. Mercy, blot out my transgressions Wash Me thoroughly for my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin soap. The first thing to know is it David is truly repentant. He recognizes the sins. These despicable says that he's committed and as it says in that passes that we looked at from 1st John, if we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, right? And David knowledge is a sin and that is the first step along the path to forgiveness. Notice also that he says, Wash Me thoroughly for my necklace. David recognizes that God is able To forgive our sins. And not only forgive our sins to wash them away completely. He's not only willing, He's Able. So then in verse 3, says, for I know, by transgressions and my sin is ever before me. This one's really tough for me personally. I've shared with you before my favorite passage and all the Bible is in Philippians 3 in verse 12 and let it says, is not that I've already attained this. That is the Wreck-It resurrection of of out of sand and into life that I've already obtained this or I'm already perfect. But I press on to make it my own because Christ Jesus admit is made me his own Brothers. I do not consider that I have made it my own but one thing I do forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead. I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. Now I suspect that many people like me. I have no problem with this straining forward to what lies ahead. My problem. That I imagine, I surely a few people anyway, is leaving behind, what's what's behind bypass tens, my guilt, it's ever before me. That's what David is talking about here for. I know my transgression, my sin is ever before me now. God doesn't want us to be that way. He doesn't want us to be burdened by our past. I never read the Pilgrims Progress.

Well, at one point the pilgrim, it's a story about this guy that suddenly realizes he's on the way to death in the first running.

And he comes to the cross and he's been carrying this huge baggage on his back. and when he gets to the cross, the bag is the straps, the rolling, the baggage disappear, and he loses his sperm. That's what God wants for us. He wants the burden of the guilt of our past sins. He erased, he says that he will not only forgive our sins, but he'll forget them entirely and Jeremiah 31. He says, and that the end of the verse 34. There he says, for I will forgive their iniquity and I will remember their sin, no more.

but he says he does and we need to leave our past behind to

Not even bringing your past sins to remembrance. We're continuing on in the song. 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. David recognized as we should.

Yes, we harm ourselves with her sin. We harm others by our sin but really our sins. Against God remembers God. We do find what it is. And so, because we've sinned against God, David also recognizes that God's judgement of sin. Is Josh. It's righteous its proper. It would be improper for him to give us a pass. he's righteous and Troop perfectly, holy and so, I like to say that when we get to the great, great white throne, in Revelation, 19, to talk about this, great white throne,

I'm getting there.

They're not going to be not guilty pleas that day. Everybody is going to know.

Yes, I am guilty of this. Now, the good news is that we don't get judged by our actions. Those of us who know the Lord, we get judged by whether our name is written in the Book of Life or not.

And if you don't know what I'm talking about it, everybody here does. But if you don't know what I'm talking about, come talk to me about.

It's only by the blood of Jesus Christ. It's only by confessing him as Lord belief in his resurrection. The only way your name can be put into the book of life. And that's the only way you can escape.

So see in continuing honest behold I was brought forth in iniquity and then send my mother can see me now. This is this in Bourne.

This teaching has as gone by the way, so I don't even think I need to mention it. But at one time before that it was because of sexual relations. That that was the original sin 2 relations not only for procreation but for a blessing for us, he condones it in one context and one context. Only between one man and one woman in the confines of a lifelong marriage. Covenant,

But it's not the original sin, the original sin. The one that gives us our sin nature is because Adam and Eve rebelled against God and disobeyed his command not to eat of the tree of the knowledge of Good and Evil. They disobey that and that is what brought sin or brought death into the world. And all those other evil things that we suffer through today in our struggle with sin. So in verse 6, he says, behold you Delight in truth in the inward being and you teach me wisdom in the secret heart when we go to God In Prayer. We need to do that as our pastor. California said, we need to be real with God, and really is silly to the otherwise. It's senseless and senseless to try to run from him. You all, remember the story of Jonah. Where can I go to get away if I can't, you know, God is with us everywhere all the time and he knows our heart supposed to be anything but perfectly honest with him and that's what David is talking about. You Delight in truth in the n-word being and you teach me wisdom in the secret heart. We need to be honest with him and we need to be honest with ourselves.

And if we are fooling ourselves, we need to ask God to reveal it to us.

I'm asked Jesus said the lady, the Samaritan woman at the at the well of Jacob and John forces but the hour is coming. And is now here when the true worshippers will worship the father in spirit and in truth Honestly, the father is seeking set for people to worship Him.

So continuing on the song, it says prayer, 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've broken. Rejoice, hide your face for my sins, and blot out all my iniquities. Now, god dammit. He's able to do that, and he doesn't merely forgive our sins. Purchase them from our hearts and closes our hearts. And if we allow him to do that. So just as an aside here, this is hyssop. And it's significant in the Bible, in Exodus 12 when the Israelites were about to leave Egypt. They were commanded to kill the Passover Lamb and to take Hazard, dip it in the blood of the lamb, and put it on the doorposts of their doors, and on the lintels of their doors. So that when the destroying angel came to kill the firstborn of Egypt, you would pass over the houses of the Israelites that was hyssop that they did that with and then he is used. If you look in the bed They're all these cleansing ritual. Many of those rituals involve hyssop. and then on the cross, when Jesus said, I thirst They took a hyssop branch dipped it in the sour wine and held that up to his lips. Jesus our our Passover Lamb being offered wine, you can find that by the way, in John 19. so, In verse 10, hear the song says create in me a clean heart o God and renew a right Spirit Within Me.

Forgiveness of our sins. Cleansing us from our sins.

Forgetfulness is not sufficient. As Jesus is Nicodemus, must be born again. But the spirit of God and that's what, what David is talking about in here. Create in me, a clean. Heart o God and renew a right Spirit within me, only one source for the red Spirit, that's got Holy Spirit and he needs to umbrellas in order for us to become New Creations in Christ. He needs to be a lot. We need to allow him to do that and only God can do it.

Sober celebrities has 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, Anybody here like me ever experienced though the season of This Is Us. In your relationship with God, where you're really going to feel close to the down with him. Or am I just the only one?

If I might be so bold. That could be. because of, Unrepented unconfessed, maybe even unknown, send in our lives, separating us from God. Now we have the sense that we've been abandoned by God, this happened in a can in our church, God left our church. It was a terrifying, horrifying.

Remember. Jesus on the cross.

When the burden of our sin was placed upon him, God can't dwell in the presence of Cindy's unable to be in the presence of sin. Jesus on the cross.

God, the father and God the Holy Spirit by our sins. for the first time in, in all Creation in it all eternity separated. He said, why have you forsaken me?

I like to tell people when he said, let there be light the new saying, let there be light would lead him to the Cross, to that moment, when he was separated from his father and from his spirit for the first time ever, And for the next two days, how terrifying that must have been for? But the fact of the matter is, God, did not abandon us. We abandon the God. And so if you're feeling this and that sense of apartments, from God consider that it might be Send in your life, that's doing that, that's what it was for me until that night and for prayer. My sin was separating me from God, ask the Lord to point it out. If you don't know about it, sometimes we pull ourselves

keep promises that if we draw close to him, he'll draw close to us. So then in verse 13, He says, then I will teach transgressors your ways and sinners will return to you deliver me from blood-guiltiness, I love that word. I looked. It is not in the dictionary. What is the Greek word anyway? Blood-guiltiness oh God. Oh God, of my salvation in, my tongue will single out of your righteousness. The Lord open my lips in my mouth will declare your prayers. What more powerful Witness Then what God has done for us in removing death. the threat of death by removing SIM from Arlo What a great witness and that's what David is talking about. I'll keep transgressors, your ways and sinners will return to you.

3000 vs 16 for you will not Delight in sacrifice or I would give it. You'll not be pleased with a burnt offering the sacrifices of God or a broken Spirit, a broken and contrite heart. Oh God will not despise one of the most Blasphemous ideas ever. Been promulgated. That we can do something some sort of penance To free us from condemnation, in our sins. You know, we can repeat some prayer. Someone so many times or we can go to minister to people in Africa, or whatever it happens to be a great testimony of our Salvation, in Christ in the Gospel of Jesus Christ, their wonderful things but they are not, they're powerless to save either ourselves or anybody else. The people that were served their power was only God can save us by the power of a spirit. Only his Spirit can resurrect us from death. Death in our sins. Paul said this for the Ephesians you all were familiar with this passes Ephesians 2 vs. 4 by Grace. You've been saved through faith and this is not your own doing. It's the gift of God, not the result of work so that no one may boast. God is speaking our hearts and then that's what David is reminding us of this broken and contrite heart. You will not despise he wants our hearts and if we come home late In true repentance. He'll honor and bless that.

So at the end of the song that says, do good to Zion and your good pleasure build up the walls of Jerusalem, you will Delight in right sacrifices in burnt offering and whole burnt offering in Bulls will be offered on your altar. So far from being the cause of our Salvation. These good works, are the result of our Salvation. They are our testimony of what God has done for us. Not our something that we're doing so that we can be blessed by God.

And God will honor our service for his kingdom in response to all that he's done for us now. so,

Anyway that's all of the song but it's a great prayer and it's from David's heart and that's why I really love it. So much before we leave. I think everyone here knows but just to remind everyone of the Gospel. There is only one way Peter said. There's only one name given under Heaven by which man men may be saved. Men must be

God's unwillingness, an inability to dwell with sin, cause him to have to come to Earth as a man. Jesus of Nazareth, he was born without that signature, that we inherit because he was conceived of the spirit and he was born virgin. He didn't inherit what we inherited from Adam and Eve. So we didn't have that sin nature and then he lived his life in perfect Holiness without anything anybody ever won.

Yeah, those are all sins. According to God.

He lives like it was perfectly without sin and because of those two things, because he was born without this in nature, and because he lived a perfect life, he was able to become the perfect spotless pot Passover Lamb.

That was needed as a sacrificial offering. For our sins. As Paul said to the Corinthians and 2nd Corinthians, he says, for our sake, he that is God, the Father made him. That is Jesus to be sin who knew no sin. So that in him, we might become the righteousness of God and we won't go into this whole imputed, it righteousness. Counting faith is Right, glad to talk about it, but we will do that later. Isaiah also spoke of Jesus. Substitutionary atonement in Isaiah 53. Maybe the best-known Messianic prophecy in in all of the Bible starting in verse 5, he says, but he was pierced for our transgressions. He was crushed for our iniquities upon him. Was the chastisement that brought us peace. And with his wounds we are healed now. God offers this Redemption freely to everyone redeeming us out of death death, in our sins by his blood on the cross. All we need to do is accept it. And we have to be born again, of God's spirit. As I said, forgiveness, even complete. We need his Spirit into Ella and set us on the path of sanctification of perfection.

So if anybody has never done that, I heard you today is the day, the time is short. Any of us could be preempted by a city bus, any day of the week, a meteor could fall on my head as I speak, right? Today is the day. This very instant if you hear God's spirit speaking to you, please respond now.

And it's simple to accept Christ in Romans 10. It says, if you confess with your mouth, that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart, that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart, One Believes and is Justified, that's what I did 20 years before I was saved. And with the mouth one confesses and is saved. That's what I did today. I was I need to make him our Lord. Now if you're still undecided we have the questions, come talk to me afterwards if you made a decision to follow Christ this morning, tell somebody. We would love to celebrate with you. You're adopted into the family of God, and we would love to help you onto the path of discipleship to become a follower of Jesus to be, not just to hear of God's word, but a door,

Father, thank you so much for this morning, but thank you for your words or thank you for this beautiful prayer. Thank you for the heart of this man whom although he was a man of violence man of blood.

was truly a man who sought after your own Heart, Lord, and thank you for the example that we had from your work, Father, we do want to lift up those that couldn't be here today. Pastor Brian. And all those who are sick, praise pray. Lord that you will speed them on the road to recovery. Thank you once again more for ready to come and serve as we go out today. We ask that you would

Fill us a new with your spirit Lord so that we might serve him and honor and glorify you and all the we do today and everyday. Love You, Lord. We lift all these things up in the mighty name of Jesus I meant You going to do nothing.