Finding Freedom From
SIN and MISTAKES
SO – did you have a Merry, Merry Christmas?
Was your heart light and your troubles out of sight.
Was your yule-tide bright?
NOW – we are in this series… an extremely important series, ONE THAT - we have been in since the first of November.
‘Finding Freedom, in a world that seeks to bind you.’
UNDERSTAND – (and listen, I know… that you ‘do’ understand) that there are many things in this world that seek…
TO - enslave and bind you
TO – the master boss of…
YOUR - emotions, your joy, your peace, your hope,
your confidence, your destiny, your life…
AND SO – in this series we have looked at truths,
TRUTHS - found in God word,
TRUTHS - that can and will set you free if you ‘hold on to them’ FROM – being enslaved and held captive by things like…
Fear, worry, anger, circumstances, hurt, stuff, comparison
Yourself (making life all about you and all for you)
TRUTHS – that will allow you to, look those things right in the eye and with a ‘god-empowered confidence’ declare.
You are not my master!
You are not the boss of me!
not any more!
NOW – today December 27th the last Sunday in the year 2020 LIKE - who is ready to put this year in the rear view mirror?
BTW – next week we are going to talk about finding freedom from the past.
IT – is going to be a MSG about…
OKAY… but this morning, 12/27/2020
We are going to unpack a conversation I am calling, ‘Finding Freedom Sin/Mistakes.
Sin/Mistakes – got any?
YOU KNOW – this week as I was thinking how much our world just loves to celebrate Christmas, after…
It's the most wonderful time of the year
With the kids jingle belling
And everyone telling you be of good cheer
It's the most wonderful time of the year
YEAH LIKE – celebrating Christmas is a really huge deal and so many people really love going at it hard.
AND LISTEN – there is nothing wrong with that at all…
HOWEVER…
A THOUGHT – hit me this week, now, thoughts have a way of doing that to me all the time, especially in regards to messages that I am working for Sunday morning.
Here is the thought that hit me.
If we did not sin and make mistakes or if God was not a God of grace, there would be no Christmas.
QUESTION – can you imagine a world without Christmas?
A December without…
Decorated homes, lights shining on everyone’s lawns, giving and receiving gifts, candy canes, Christmas trees, your favorite Christmas songs or movies
BETTER YET – can you imagine a world without Jesus, without Christ.
YOU KNOW – a sobering, depressing, sad thought kept poking at me this Christmas season…
ABOUT – how tragic it is for countless people to celebrate Christmas… to put up a tree, hang lights on their home, to wrap presents…etc
To celebrate Christmas, but to celebrate it without any thought, regard, worship or appreciation for Christ (Jesus).
UNDERSTAND – though I have nothing against…
Santa, Reindeer, Frosty the snowman, Rudolph, Elves (even the ones on shelves), the Grinch…
OR – Christmas… trees, lights, stockings, presents, parties, or cookies.
God the son putting on flesh 2000 years to save mankind from their sins…
IS - ‘the’ reason for Christmas,
IS – ‘the’ reason for this season, for the celebration
IN FACT – the word ‘mas’ means – a celebration
AND - the word Christ means anointed one or Messiah.
IT’S - a title for the promised one who would come to bring salvation to God’s people.
SO MAYBE – instead of saying ‘Happy Holidays’ or even ‘Merry Christmas, we should say
“Have a merry time celebrating the Christ!”
YES – 2000 years ago Jesus (God the son) put on flesh and was born in manager… for one primary reason….
To bring Salvation.
AND THEREFORE – it should not surprise us that when we look at what was said when Jesus was born… that the message of Salvation was front and center stage.
We read in Matthew chapter 1…
An angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.”
- Matthew 20,21
NOW - the name Jesus, is the Greek form of the Hebrew name Joshua and it means, ‘God is salvation’ – or ‘God saves.’
SO WHAT - the angel is really saying…
Joseph you are to name Him ‘God saves…’
BECAUSE – He ‘will’ save…. He will save His people from their sins and their mistakes…
AND – when the angels lite up the night sky for a bunch of shepherds who were keeping watching over their flocks at night, there message was one of salvation.
Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people.
Literally good news that will create MEGA JOY for all people.
QUESTION…
Could you use some MEGA JOY in your life, in 2020.
YEAH – it has been a rough year.
AND LISTEN – at the time of Jesus’ birth it had been a rough 9 centuries for God’s people.
YEAH – they needed some MEGA JOY too.
SO – what is this good news that should bring you MEGA JOY to all people no matter what they find themselves going through?
Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Christ, the Lord. – Luke 2:10,11
AND LISTEN – this message of salvation was not only proclaimed by angels…
INSTEAD – we see the message of Salvation all over the Christmas story.
LIKE – in Luke chapter one, where we see Zechariah (John the Baptist dad) being filled with the Holy Spirit (and after 9 months of being unable to talk) proclaiming a powerful message from God….
A message (you guessed it) about salvation and rescue.
I MEAN - he even uses the word salvation 3 times… along with the words… mercy, rescue and redemption
AND HE - wraps up his message with these words.
And you, my child, will be called a prophet of the Most High; for you will go on before the Lord to prepare the way for him to give his people the knowledge of salvation through the forgiveness of their sins,
because of the tender mercy of our God, by which the rising sun will come to us from heaven to shine on those living in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the path of peace. – Luke 1:76-79
AND LISTEN – we also see the salvation message again when Joseph and Mary take baby Jesus to the temple when he was just 40 days old… and they encounter an elderly man named Simeon…
AND WHEN - Simeon saw baby Jesus, he took Him in his arms and praised God saying…
Sovereign Lord, as you have promised, you may now dismiss your servant in peace. For my eyes have seen your salvation, which you have prepared in the sight of all nations: a light for revelation to the Gentiles and the glory of your people Israel. - Luke 2:29-32
YES – salvation, “Finding Freedom From Our Sin/Mistakes”
IS - the reason Christmas!
OKAY – here is how I want to attack our conversation this morning...
An extremely important one, is by unpacking two statements.
1. We’ve all sinned and made mistakes
2. We are all saved by grace through faith
UNDERSTAND MGCC – without these two truths there never would have been a Christmas celebration to begin with.
I. We’ve All Sinned And Made Mistakes
AGAIN – sin and mistakes, got any?
AND HEY – don’t bother answering because I know you do. UNDERSTAND - because mankind has been making sinning and mistakes ever since the garden, when Adam and Eve sunk their teeth into the forbidden fruit.
AND HOW – did God respond to their sin, to their mistakes to their rebellion… with His Grace.
PROMISING - them that one day, born of a woman, the Messiah come, and crush the head of the serpent, the evil one.
AND LISTEN – from that point on. From Genesis 3:15 to Revelation we see a God who is just crazy about pouring our His grace on a very messed up people. AMEN?!
NOW - Hebrews chapter is sometimes referred to as God’s Hall of Faith… YOU KNOW – like the Canton Ohio and Cooperstown NY of the bible.
BUT LISTEN - if you looked closely at the lives of everyone listed, you will quickly see that they were a mistake-full.
They were what?
WHICH IS WHY – if we are ever going to understand ‘salvation’ and the concept of ‘grace’ we must first understand our need for it. Our need for grace. Our need for a Savior.
OKAY – here’s the deal…
WE CAN’T - talk about grace without talking about sin.
Now some people try to do that.
I don’t know how you do that.
I don’t know how you appreciate salvation or really embrace grace without understanding sin.
I don’t know how you can do that.
I don’t know how you can talk about Jesus as the Savior and have that mean anything unless we first talk about what He saved us from—unless we talk about sin.
I really like what Max Lucado writes in his awesome called, ‘Grace, More Than We Deserve, Greater Than We Imagine)…
“All ships that land at the shore of grace weigh anchor from the port of sin. We must start where God starts. We won’t appreciate what grace does until we understand who we are. We are rebels… we deserve to die. We are incarcerated by our past, our low-road choices and our high-minded pride. We have been found guilty….”
UNDERSTAND – the bible, God’s Word, our authority on all things (on Christ, His church and on His grace) almost always talks about grace within or against the backdrop of sin…
Have you every gone to a jewelry store to look at a diamond?
What kind of backdrop did they use? Why?
AGAIN – to understand stand your need for salvation and the beauty of Grace you need to look at it against the backdrop of your sin.
But now God has shown us a way to be made right with him without keeping the requirements of the law, as was promised in the writings of Moses and the prophets long ago.
We are made right with God by placing our faith in Jesus Christ. And this is true for everyone who believes, no matter who we are.
For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard. Yet God freely and graciously declares that we are righteous. He did this through Christ Jesus when he freed us from the penalty for our sins. – Romans 3:21-24
For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard…. – Romans 3:23
QUESTION – so just who, is in need of grace?
AND WHO – has fallen short of His glorious standard?
Everyone, all of us.
Turn to the person next to – ‘Hey, God’s talking about you…”
NOW – let me tell you what we tend to do when we think of sin or we read a verse like that…we’re like, “Well, sure, I mean, I’ve sinned…but I haven’t sin sinned.” Right?
WE - compare ourselves to other people, and we think,
“Well, I’ve sinned, but, I mean, have you watched any of those reality shows or been on Instagram lately?
YEAH - I think I’m doing all right. In fact, I think I’m doing pretty good.”
AND SO – just we kind of dismiss (or minimize our sin)
BY - comparing ourselves to others. Ever do that, think that way?
BUT LISTEN - do you know what we’re doing when we compare ourselves to other people and feel better than them?
Yeah,… you’re sinning. That’s pride. That’s self-righteousness.
IN FACT – our pride is probably uglier than the very sins that we feel superior to.
SO - everyone has sinned. “Everyone has fallen short of God’s glorious standard.”
AND LISTEN – when the Bible discusses sin. It talks about sin kind of like it’s a sickness or it’s a virus that we have.
That is why God said through Isaiah, in Isaiah chapter 53
He was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on him,
and by his wounds we are healed.
From this sickness, this virus…
We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to our own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all. – Isaiah 53:5,6
YES – sin is a sickness (that we all like sheep are infected with) and grace is the cure… grace is the antidote…
BUT LISTEN – here’s the problem, grace and salvation means nothing to people who don’t recognize their own sickness.
QUESTION - do you ever have trouble admitting that you are sick?
No, I am fine… years ago, 6:30 am on a Sunday morning
Kidney stone
SO - the Bible says that all of us have sinned.
That’s our diagnosis,
AND THEN - it gives us the prognosis in Romans 6:23.
Prognosis – the likely course or outcome of a disease or ailment.
AGAIN - we’ve all got this infection called sin, and here’s what it leads to, here is it’s ultimate outcome… death.
The wages of sin is death. – Romans 6:23
Death = separation… And spiritual death is separation from God and all that is good forever, in a place called hell.
MGCC - that’s how the Bible discusses sin.
IT - talks about sin as a type of virus that spread through the whole world.
AND IT EVEN - talks about how it originated— like, it even identifies the host carrier. Patient Zero if you will.
Romans 5:12 explains it. It says,
When Adam sinned, sin entered the world. Adam’s sin brought death, so death spread to everyone, for everyone sinned.”
AGAIN - it all started with Adam.
SO - everyone has this infection. Everyone has death coming. YEAH - we’ve all been diagnosed, and prognosed.
AND THEN - we’re introduced to the word grace.
YOU SEE - we’re told that there is an antidote for this infection, this virus that all of us carry.
AND that’s extremely good news, right?
Romans 5:15 says,
For the sin of one man, Adam, brought death to many. But even greater is God's wonderful grace and his gift of forgiveness to many through this other man, Jesus Christ.
SO PAUL - says, “Look, sin is great, but God’s grace is greater. It’s greater than sin. It’s greater than our mistakes. It’s greater than our falls and failures!
QUESTION – what do feel is your greatest sin?
OKAY - on a count of 3, shout it out… just kidding
NOW - it may have happened last week or years and years ago.
It may be some dark, ugly secret sin that no one else knows about. OR – it may be obvious to other who enjoy pointing it out to you…
UNDERSTAND – whatever that sin is…
God want you to tell you today (just 2 days after Christmas 2020) that His grace is greater than…
Grace is > your sin
UNDERSTAND – regardless of what you put on the other side of that equation, grace is greater than. LISTEN…
WHATEVER - sin comes into your head,
WHATEVER - mistakes that you’ve made,
WHATEVER - whatever you most regret,
WHATEVER - season of life you would like to pretend never happened…
WHATEVER – sin you are still struggling with grace is greater than. AMEN?
AND LISTEN… when we really begin to understand the greatness of grace,
• IT - makes all the difference.
• IT - gives us freedom
• IT – breaks chains and throws open prison doors
• IT - gives us enduring hope, because His grace is greater than anything of our sins, failures and mistakes!
MGCC - no matter what you’ve done, no matter how severe the infection or how debilitating the pain of your sin, grace is greater than. Grace is greater than.
Paul continues in verse Romans 5:16, and he says,
And the result of God’s gracious gift is very different from the result of that one man’s sin. For Adam’s sin led to condemnation, but God’s free gift leads to our being made right with God, even though we are guilty of many sins.
For the sin of this one man, Adam, caused death to rule over many. But even greater is God’s wonderful grace and his gift of righteousness, for all who receive it will live in triumph over sin and death through this one man, Jesus Christ.
Yes, Adam’s one sin brings condemnation for everyone, but Christ’s one act of righteousness brings a right relationship with God and new life for everyone. – Romans 5:16-18
QUESTION – what does grace do for us?
Here’s what grace does for us.
It brings a right relationship with God and new life for everyone.
MGCC - don’t miss that. Don’t miss that. You can miss a lot, but don’t miss that: Don’t miss that God’s grace is greater than your sin.
AND THAT IT - (His grace) is what makes you right with God, and it gives you a new life. It gives you a second chance.
AND B/S - that’s true…for everyone.
For me. For you. For the person to you R/L.
For the worst and must far from God vile person that you could ever image.
YES - everyone has sinned, but through Jesus everyone can be made right with God and find new life.
THIS IS - God’s amazing grace. THIS IS – the meaning of Christmas. God’s grace being unleashed to set us free from our sins, failures and mistakes!
She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.” - Matthew 20,21
“Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. – Luke 2:10,11
We’ve all sinned and made mistakes, and
II. We Are All Saved By Grace Through Faith
A) By Grace
UNDERSTAND – t he Bible teaches that this gift (salvation and eternal life in Jesus) cannot be earned or deserved…
SALVATION - is not something you achieve or strive for.
IT IS – unmerited, unearned, undeserved…
IT IS – a gift, it is by grace.
Paul in Ephesians 2 after reminding the believers in the church in Ephesus, that before the surrendered to Christ for salvation.
• They were dead in their sin
• They were objects of God’s wrath (backdrop of sin)
Says…
But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved. – Ephesians 2:4,5
For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast. – Eph 2:8,9
We are saved by GRACE,
B) Through Faith
UNDERSTAND MGCC – the Bible teaches that this gift of grace and salvation can only be received through faith…
AND LISTEN – throughout the pages of the New Testament we find the details of the FAITH that saves.
QUESTION - Do details matter? Are details important?
LIKE IF…
• You place the wrong key in your car, will the engine start? The answer, of course, is no. The right key is an essential detail.
• If you type in the wrong password to your laptop or phone will your phone open up. No, the correct password is essential.
• If you leave out or put the wrong amount of an ingredient in something that you are cooking, will it turn out the same? No…
UNDERSTAND – details matter, details are important…
IN – cooking, starting your car and typing in a password.
IN LIKE MANNER - we see in the bible that details are very important to God…
• When God gave details to Noah as to how to save himself and his family from the flood to come, he followed every single detail in building and supplying the ark. Consequently, God saved Noah and his family
• When the Israelites crossed the Jordan in order to take the land God had promised to them, there were very specific details they had to follow in order to take the fortified city of Jericho. He and the Israelites obeyed to the very last detail, and the walls of Jericho collapsed. They took the city as God promised.
HOWEVER – when God’s people tried to take the next city they were soundly defeated. Why? Because they did not follow the details outline by God.
• When Naaman (the Assyrian General) was afflicted with leprosy, God instructed him through Elisha the prophet to dip in the Jordan river seven times. He wasn’t cleansed of the leprosy on the first, second, or third dip. Dipping seven times was a vital detail. After he dipped the seventh time in the Jordan, Naaman was immediately cleansed of the leprosy.
UNDERSTAND - in His Word, in the Bible, God has given us all of the details that we need in order to receive the awesome gift of salvation… AND – those details matter to God…
WE ARE – saved by grace through FAITH… SO – let’s unpack this FAITH that saves! AND – I think God is pretty pumped up that we are talking about this since salvation is the meaning of Christmas)
1) Saving Faith Responds….By Believing (John 3:16-18)
IT – believes what God’s Word says about:
• His love, His plan, His mercy, His grace, His person
• Our sin and it’s consequences.
• Jesus: Who He is & What He did (paid all of our debt).
NOW - believing that stuff is great, but biblical, saving faith doesn’t stop there.
2) Saving Faith Also Responds….In Repentance
Repent, then, and turn to God so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord. - Acts 3:19
WHAT – is repentance?
REPENTANCE - means so much more than simply being sorry for our sins…
REPENTANCE – is making a u turn, it’s hanging a 180.
REPENTANCE - is laying down your agenda for life and embracing God’s.
“God, I have been the lord of my life for long enough… I now make you the Lord and boss of my life!
I want to take off my old ways (attitudes, actions and agendas) and put on your new and better ways of living…”
3) Saving Faith Responds….in Confession
Everyone therefore who shall confess Me before men, I will also confess him before my father who is in heaven. - Mt 10:32
UNDERSTAND – faith unashamedly… at all times and in all places. No matter who we are with – no matter what it costs, says; “Jesus is God, Jesus is Lord, He is the truth, the life and the way… I love him and I follow Him…”
Confession is the willingness to both go and stay public with our faith
GET IT?
4) Saving Faith Responds….By being Baptized
The word baptism is used over 80 times in the New Testament and every one of those times it is the Greek word ‘baptizo’ which means to dip, plunge or immerse…
That’s why @ Maple Grove when we baptize – we baptize by immersion – because that is what the word mean and because that is what we see people doing in the New Testament.
SO LET’S - spend some time looking at what the Bible teaches about Baptism.
A Few Key Things To Keep In Mind
• Baptism is not a tradition of the church it’s a command and promise of God
• Baptism is not about joining a church it’s about being united with Christ.
• Baptism is not a parental decision – it’s a personal decision
• You don’t have to worthy to be baptized
• No verse can mean less than what it says, but it can mean more in light of other scriptures
An example…
Repent, then, and turn to God so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord. - Acts 3:19
(says nothing about belief, confession or baptism)
Okay, let’s walk through the Word of God ‘our authority’ on all things including our salvation.
NOW – I am pretty much just going to read God’s Word and let it do it living, active, and penetrating thing,
All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit and teaching them to obey everything I commanded you. And surely I am with you to the very end of the age.
– Matthew 28:19,20
Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned. – Mark 16:16
NOW – a few verses from the book of Acts.
AND UNDERSTAND – the book of Acts is the only place in the Bible where we see lost men and women responding to the Gospel.
YOU SEE – every other NT book written to either churches or individual Christians.
Therefore let all Israel be assured of this: God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ.” When the people heard this, they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and the other apostles, “Brothers, what shall we do?”
Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.
The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off—for all whom the Lord our God will call.” With many other words he warned them; and he pleaded with them, “Save yourselves from this corrupt generation.” Those who accepted his message were baptized, and about three thousand were added to their number that day. – Acts 2:36-42
In Acts 8 Phillip is in Samaria performing miracles and preaching the Gospel…
But when they believed Philip as he preached the good news of the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women. Simon himself believed and was baptized… – Acts 8:12,13
Just a few verses down in Acts 8 we read…
The eunuch asked Philip, “Tell me, please, who is the prophet talking about, himself or someone else?” Then Philip began with that very passage of Scripture and told him the good news about Jesus.
As they traveled along the road, they came to some water and the eunuch said, “Look, here is water. Why shouldn’t I be baptized?”
And Philip said, “If you believe with all your heart you may.” And he replied, “I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.”And he gave orders to stop the chariot. Then both Philip and the eunuch went down into the water and Philip baptized him. – Acts 8:34-38
In Acts 16 Paul goes out to a river in Philippi where people had gathered for prayer and worship, and Paul shared the Gospel…
One of those listening was a woman named Lydia, a dealer in purple cloth from the city of Thyatira, who was a worshiper of God. The Lord opened her heart to respond to Paul’s message. When she and the members of her household were baptized, she invited us to her home. – Acts 16:14,15
Later in Acts 16…
The jailer called for lights, rushed in and fell trembling before Paul and Silas. He then brought them out and asked, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?”
They replied, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved—you and your household.”
Then they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all the others in his house. At that hour of the night the jailer took them and washed their wounds; then immediately he and all his family were baptized. – Acts 16:29-33
In Acts 18 Paul is in Corinth preaching the Gospel…
Then Paul left the synagogue and went next door to the house of Titius Justus, a worshiper of God. Crispus, the synagogue ruler, and his entire household believed in the Lord; and many of the Corinthians who heard him believed and were baptized. – Acts 18:7-8
And now what are you waiting for? Get up, be baptized and wash your sins away, calling on his name.' - Acts 22:16
AND – here are a just a few of the many verses about baptism in the NT letters…
All of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life. – Romans 6:3,4
And this water symbolizes baptism that now saves you also—not the removal of dirt from the body but the pledge of a good conscience toward God. It saves you by the resurrection of Jesus Christ… - 1 Peter 3:21
MGCC – Finding Freedom from our sins and mistakes really is the reason for Christmas.
If we did not sin and make mistakes or if God was not a God of grace, there would be no Christmas.
YES – salvation is the reason for Christmas.
AND LISTEN… we all need salvation
BECAUSE – we all sin and make mistakes,
AND – we are all saved by grace through faith
NOW – I contend that God finds the most joy if our Christmas celebrating, when we are either…
• Celebrating the salvation we have because we have received His grace through faith,
• Or when we decided that this is the Christmas season when we will finally receive this gift is grace.
If you have not yet surrendered your life to His grace, what are you waiting for?
