Exit Of The Holy Spirit Series

Theme: Exit of the Holy Spirit

Text: Psalm 51:10-12

Introduction: The Lord is good and his love endures forever.

Alders gate: 24th May was the history changing day. On the Alders-gate street John Wesley had the strong involvement of the Holy Spirit in his life. He said my heart was “strangely warmed”.

This month we had meditations on the involvement of the Holy Ghost. Today, we will mediate from Psalm 51. It is titled To the Chief Musician. A Psalm of David when Nathan the Prophet went to him, after he had gone in to Bathsheba.

The incident found in 2 Samuel 11-12 is so horrific, tragic, painful and unwelcoming of a beloved of the Lord. So, it is a most eminent penitential psalm, and most expressive of the God’s cares and desires of a repenting sinner. Bible ref: “This confession was David's sins of adultery, deception, and even murder in his relationship with Bathsheba.”

Matthew Henry: “Those whose consciences charge them with any gross sin should, with a believing regard to Jesus Christ, the Mediator, again and again pray over this psalm, singing it, and praying over it, we may very sensibly apply it all to ourselves.”

William Carey, the great pioneer missionary to India, asked that it might be the text of his funeral sermon. “This great song, pulsating with the agony of a sin-stricken soul, helps us to understand the stupendous wonder of the everlasting mercy of our God.” (G. Campbell Morgan).

Today, in the light of this I would like to tell you, how to avoid the exit of the Holy Spirit. Rebellion leads to destruction, Repentance leads to Restoration, and Revival leads to reconciliation of one another and reconstruction of the world .

1. Rebellion leads to rejection

Rebellion leads to arrogance and pride. So, bible teaches us : Quench not the spirit, Tempt not the spirit, Grieve not the spirit.

Those who fight against God are ‘rebels’. People that fight against the norms, rules of the governments are rebels. God is the governor of the whole world, so people who fight against him are also rebels. How do we fight God? When we do not obey him and when we do what we want to do. Rebellion hurts many people in the community. It hurts God first, then your immediate friends, your admirers, your parents, your spiritual leaders, your community, at last you.

The Puritan pastor and writer Thomas Watson documented: “Till sin be bitter, Christ will not be sweeter”.

David’s great sins had undoubtedly "grieved" and vexed the Spirit; and, had been continued tempting the spirit and not repented of, would have caused him to withdraw himself; but they had not "wholly quenched the Spirit" (1 Thessalonians 5:19).

Bible ref: “The right spirit is one of humility and repentance, without making excuses or blaming others. Even so, we can be confident that God will forgive those who sincerely seek that mercy (Hebrews 4:15-16).

Spurgeon: “David is thunderstruck at the discovery of his inbred sin, and proceeds to set it forth. This was not intended to justify himself, but it rather meant to complete the confession of the repeated sins. The fountain of my life is polluted as well as its streams.” Here, David doesn’t mean that his mother was a prostitute or an adulteress woman. But he says of the nature of original sin.

David uses three different words for it in Psalm 51: “Iniquity,” “sin,” and “transgressions” (v 1-3). Each term has been deliberately chosen for its unique meaning in Hebrew. “Transgressions” implies a rebellion against God’s authority and law. “Iniquity” means a distortion of what should be, and “Sin” is a missing of the mark.

David is making it clear that his sin was so deep hurting, rebellious act. So, there is no minimising or excusing it. No one can minimise our sin, rebellious spirit lightly.

The virus of sin lies in its opposition to God: the psalmist's sense of sin towards others rather tended to increase the force of this feeling of sin against God. All his wrong doing centred, culminated, and came to a climax, at the foot of the divine throne. To injure our fellow men is sin, mainly because in so doing we violate the law of God.

David uses three times: “Have mercy,” “according to your steadfast love,” and “according to your abundant mercy.” This is what God had promised in Exodus 34:6-7. “The Lord, the Lord, a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness, keeping steadfast love for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, but who will by no means clear the guilty.”

Rebellion never can be an end. But repentance leads to new life.

What sins are weighing on your heart? What guilt have you been trying to cover with distraction? Are you submerging yourself under the weight of it as a form of penance, rather than taking your sin to the cross, where it’s already been paid for? Take some time now to work through the steps above, and rejoice in the incomparable grace offered to you in Christ!