Heart Construction Series

2. Our tendency is to rationalize or explain or excuse or defend or justify our sin. A contrite heart does not seek to blame circumstances or other people or God for our own failure. You don't see David blaming God or Bathsheba: "Lord, if you hadn't had me king I wouldn't be walking on this palace roof in the first place. And besides, did you see what she wasn't wearing?"

B. With the Sound of Confession

"For I acknowledge my transgressions, and my sin is always before me. Against You, You only, have I sinned, and done this evil in Your sight." (Psalm 51:3-4a).

8 If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. 9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. (1 John 1.8-9)

1. Confession Level #1 To Himself

2. Confession Level #2 To God

3. Confession Level #3 To US/Others

Rolls Royce and Forgiveness

You see, that great British automaker takes great pride in the reliability of their handcrafted automobiles. An obviously wealthy owner of a Rolls Royce took it to Europe on an extended trip. While traveling in France the car had some mechanical problem. He called the Rolls Royce factory and asked that they send out a mechanic immediately to fix the problem. The company responded in royal fashion. They put a mechanic on a private jet with all of the necessary tools and flew him over to France to make the repairs. The owner was so wealthy that he wasn't at all concerned about the cost, and would spare no expense to make sure that his beloved Rolls Royce was properly repaired.

However, after several months he realized that he had not received a bill. He had his secretary contact the Rolls Royce factory to inquire about the bill. He received this reply from the Rolls Royce company: In typical British fashion, it said simply, "We have no recollection or record of any Rolls Royce having ever had a breakdown or being in need of repair anywhere in France."

That reminds me of how God treats us when he forgives us of sin. Sometimes we have a harder time forgiving ourselves than does God. We sometimes feel weighed down with the burden of guilt long after God has removed the burden of sin. We need to follow God's instructions to find forgiveness, then trust that God has kept his promise to forgive.

III. Man Completes the New Creation with Action (8 Spirits of Luke 11.24-26)

A. The Recreated Heart Shares the Teachings of God -- 51.13

B. The Recreated Heart Sings Praises -- 51.14-15

C. The Recreated Heart Sacrifices Properly -- 51.17-19 (Romans 12.1-2)

1. Johnny and the Duck (2)

Johnny continued feeling guilty for his crime of killing his grandmother's duck. After several days of guilt and doing both his chores and Sally's, he couldn't stand it. He confessed to Grandma that he'd killed her duck. "I know, Johnny," she said, giving him a hug. "I was standing at the window and saw the whole thing. Because I love you, I forgave you! I wondered how long you would let Sally make you a slave."

2. In Hinduism there is a sense of paying for one's own sins. The Grand Rapids Press once carried this story about a West German businessman who completed his conversion to the Hindu faith by piercing himself through the cheeks with a 1/4-inch thick, 4-foot-long steel rod, and pulling a chariot for 2 miles with ropes attached to his back and chest by steel hooks.