I know that a lot of you will disagree with this statement,
but I will make it anyway, “When we were
little...sometimes we were bad”.
A. When we were bad, we tried to hide.
1. Most of us weren’t too good at hiding our
naughtiness, however.
ILLUSTRATION: Me smoking cigarettes out in the field.
2. Some things are almost impossible to hide.
a. Sometimes with disastrous
consequences.
1.) Kids playing with matches in the
closet.
B. Some of us were pretty good at getting away with
our deceptions...and we may have become even
better as we grew older.
1. We got away with it...or did we?
a. Bad memories.
b. Guilt.
c. Hurt to ourselves or others.
1.) Maybe not physical hurt, but
plenty of emotional and mental
problems and scars may have been
left behind by things we “got
away with”.
Sin will destroy...whether we “get away with it” or not.
A. We may fool men...we may even fool ourselves...
but whether men know of it or not...we will not
get away with sin.
I. Sin cannot be hidden from God.
A. All that is done, is done before the sight of God
(Psalm 94:8-11).
1. It cannot be dark enough for God not to see.
2. No ocean is deep enough to escape God’s
observation.
3. We cannot run far enough to escape God
(I Peter 3:12).
a. Consult with Jonah to know how hard
it is to get away from God.
B. Man is so nearsighted...he is more concerned with
man knowing his sins and with man seeing him
doing wrong...and yet God sees everything
(Matt. 10:28).
1. Man can be fooled.
2. If man is our judge, he may not condemn
us for our sins.
3. In the long run...in those things that really
count...the eternal things...MAN HAS NO
POWER OVER US!
C. Because we make God...in our minds...the same
as man, we ascribe to him all of the limitations of
man.
1. This done...we proceed to try and fool God.
a. Men build up a false sense of security
because they think that they have hidden
something from the Almighty.
1.) We can take no real comfort in
hiding our sins from God.
II. God’s word reveals, convicts, and draws all to
repentance (Heb. 4:12).
A. The Word of God...spoken from the pulpit...
written in Scripture...or given from a mountain...
can do what no mortal can do.
1. The Word of God can pierce straight through
to the human, spiritual heart.
a. It can speak to each and every one of us
in different, personal, and sometimes...
quite unique ways.
1.) It is this Word that can convict us
of our sins...the sins that we didn’t
think anybody in existence knew
about.
a.) It is this convicting Word that
can bring tears to our eyes and
cause a man to turn his whole
life around.
2. A person may deny their sin before man, but
there is something else involved, now.
a. The Word of God.
b. Our consciences and the knowledge of
our own thoughts and deeds.
B. It is amazing that anyone would try to cover up
his/her sins...who do they think that they are
fooling?
1. The only one fooled...(interesting root word
there)...is themselves.
C. God’s word not only convicts...it condemns.
1. The good news is that if we will repent...
that very same Word will also save us
(I Cor. 11:31-32).
III. Nobody will get away without either being forgiven
for their sins or punished for their disobedience and
deceit (I Tim. 5:25-25).
A. As I speak, there is a record being made of every
person’s heart, thoughts, actions, inactions,
attitude, speech, etc..
ILLUSTRATION: Radio station...master tape.
1. God has given us guidelines and commands,
but it is up to us to follow through with those
directives.
a. God is recording every second of
our lives.
1.) All of this will be played back
at the final day of judgment.
a.) The things that we would
simply “die” if anyone
found out...everyone
will find out.
b.) It will be more than
embarrassing...THOSE
WHO ARE GUILTY...
WILL DIE! (Rev.
20:11-12, 15).
CONCLUSION:
The good news is that God is not writing this script...
WE ARE!
1. We can get a pen out and make some changes...
now...before that day.
a. We can stop trying to hide our sins...we can
stop being dishonest with ourselves and with
others.
1.) We can acknowledge our sins,
repent, and ask God’s forgiveness.
b. We can take a good, long look at our life and
make any necessary changes to that
lifestyle.
c. We can stop trying to hide from man...what
God already knows.
d. We can start obeying, from the heart, the
doctrine that God has given us.
e. Finally...we can resolve to remain steadfast,
and immovable...until the end...
THE BEGINNING!
