Introduction
I. God’s heart is moved not by our works done in the flesh or attempts to do good.
1. He is moved by a heart that has fallen desperately in love with Him.
A. Once we’ve realized our spot (on the mercy seat with Him) we realize there is a deeper relationship possible with God and that we can even begin to not only long to be in His presence... we feel at home there...comfortable there too.
B. Being comfortable in His presence doesn’t settle well with us, does it?
1. We get nervous because we don’t know what He knows.
2. All the things we wanted to tell Him; hidden problems of our heart, private secret sin - you knew you needed to tell Him but didn’t.
2. He knows all about us (good, bad and hidden).
A. He does know the number of hairs (Matt. 10:30); coming and going (Ps. 121:8).
B. He saw you at the moment of conception (Ps. 139:13).
C. He can not only finish your sentences, He can start them.
1. Ps. 139: 13
2. Before we can offer a word of prayer/praise...He’s already received it.
D. Heb. 4:13: There is absolutely nothing hidden from God.
II. Are we ever at a more vulnerable, humiliating, embarrassing position than when we are naked. (frail, flawed)
1. God has seen me naked, as I am really.
A. I can try to cover myself with religion, self-righteousness, ministry, busyness, signs, miracles, church...none of them cover my nakedness.
B. They are just fig leaves I have tried to use from time to time to be pleasing to God.
2. Gen. 3:10-11: God always knew Adam was naked...it didn’t bother Him.
A. When Adam was naked he had his most intimate times with God and there was nothing in between them!
B. God was alright with Adam’s nakedness...”Who told you that you were naked?” .The problem came when he tried to cover himself.
C. God is not only alright with me being naked before Him, He is demanding me to be so.
1. Is. 1:11-13; Joel 2:13
a. All my “goodness,” “religion,” “works I’ve done in the vile are of flesh” deserve to be destroyed, consumed by fired and laid to waste.
b. I’m forgiven, seated with Him, washed in the blood...but God is not going to ignore the sin I still practice/commit in my life.
2. Acts 17:30
a. The blood of Jesus not only washes me; gives me power over sin, too.
b. The longer we stay in His presence, the more we’ll not only look like Him, we’ll begin SEE like Him.
aa. Not just simply content to have my sins forgiven - we want to live as holy/acceptable/pure as possible.
bb. Only possible through Jesus! Rom. 3:10
3. We can fool men, but we can’t fool Him.
a. Men might admire our fig leaves, but God just wrinkles up His nose.
b. Fig leaves come from here/this side of the veil where Spirit and flesh co-mingle.
D. The Kingdom of God has never been about do’s and don’t’s, ritual, religion.
1. Matt. 15:11,18-20
a. His kingdom has always been a matter of the heart.
aa. Comes from within.
bb. Comes from inside you.
b. We try to be good, nice, godly, do right by the way we act, behave.
aa. Heb.8:10: God has wrote His desire for you on your heart!
bb. When our obedience is born out of our heart’s desire to love God, His kingdom has come to you. (Not to gain favor/blessing/increase/reward — just cause we love Him.)
c. Doing the right things will keep me out of trouble, but they will never, never bring me into the kingdom of God.
2. I’ve got life times worth of obedience I must tend to ahead of me. (Obeying His words He’s wrote on my heart)
A. Heb. 8:10, 11
1. We champion some of the dumbest of things (like which fig leaf is better and allow these things to interfere with God or a brother/sister in Christ (translation, private prayer language, immersion, non-ess doctrine, denominationalism) - Fig leaves
2. I know Christians...who have a private prayer language and those who don’t, etc.
3. Upset? Check your fig leaf.
B. You and I don’t teach a heart to be right. (Is. 54:13a)
C. When you are in a right relationship, intimate fellowship with Him, He’ll lead you into all truth.
3. Some of us have allowed fig leaves to hinder fellowship with others who really have a heart for God too.
A. We’re called to be fishers of men - He cleans them.
B. He’s gotta clean us first!
aa. When a fish is clean: dead, naked, smaller.
bb. This is where the kingdom happens; point of our acceptance.
C. I’m forgiven, set free, chains are gone...
1. I don’t want to sin anymore! Be holy as He is holy.
a. I don’t want to offend Him again!
b. We so easily take up offense without giving a second thought of how we’ve offended God.
aa. We’ll soon begin to SEE others with more patience, acceptance, love, kindness, gentleness.
bb. We’re going to look more like our Daddy; family resemblances.
2. Pray, “Grant that I might live purely all my days.”
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My name is Mike Fogerson, and I pastor a Southern Baptist Church in Chester, Illinois. I have been a long-time user of Sermon Central and truly appreciate its content and contributors. Some of the best sermons I’ve ever preached have been reworked material from this website. As you use the material from my sermon bank, understand that it is work that has been done from not just myself, but from hundreds of other pastors as well. If you see part of your message, or a bunch of your message with my name on it and this upsets you, please email me and I will quickly respond and cite you as the main source. My intent is not to claim someone’s work as my own. I am disclaiming up front that I use the resources from Sermon Central and appreciate the tool. I simply want all those who use my work to know that some of these messages were inspired by the Holy Spirit working through other pastors. Because I do use the messages of other pastors I waive all claims of originality or origin of creativity for the messages posted under my messages. I pray God blesses your preaching ministry for the glory of His Kingdom.
Respectfully,
Mike Fogerson
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