“Confession Doesn’t Mean Much”
Various Passages
Now I hope that some of you today came in and saw the sermon title and thought... “What, is this a typo? Is the pastor really preaching a sermon that says confession is no big deal? I thought that was a pretty big deal here.”
You know...in one sense you would be right. Confession is a pretty big deal around here, when it is not alone. But confession itself is not that big a deal!
Let me give you some examples; There is a list a mile long of murderers, thieves, abusers, rapists, and liars who admit and confess to what they have done.
But they don’t care. They show no remorse, and if given the chance will do the same again.
Now, some of you right now are beginning to differentiate between confessing to police and confessing to God. Well, hold on. You might think confessing to people and confessing to God is different.
When you confess to people your just admitting you’ve done something, but confessing to God is totally different...but is it? Lets look in the Bible at a few certain cases....
1) We often speak of Moses and the Exodus. And we have often times talkedabout the plagues God sent on the Egyptians, right? Well, long about the time God sent the plague of hail something dawned on the Pharaoh, and he called Moses in. He looks at Moses and confesses, he said, “ This time I have sinned, the Lord is in the right...”.
Great, right? No, all he did was confess, and when Moses prayed and things got better, he went back to what he was doing before. He continued his oppression of the Israelites until God set them free.
The Pharaoh confessed under the pressure of a crisis. Many of you do the same. God, I’m wrong your right, just get me out of this. But that’s all it is a confession.
2) I Samuel chapter 15 tells a story of King Saul. Now Saul was sent to destroy the Amelikites completely. Destroy everything, God had planned it this way years and years before when the Amelikites attacked the Israelites and Moses. And now, Samuel tells Saul to carry it out, destroy everything...keep nothing.
Saul keep the king as a hostage, and all the good cattle and sheep. Samuel approaches him, and Saul after being told he will no longer be king...confesses, “I have sinned, I violated God’s command, I was afraid of the people and I gave in, please forgive me and go back with me.”
This is just a confession. Why? Because even though he says, “forgive me, he follows it with, and go back with me.”
It is a confession with hopes that he can smooth it all over. It’s the ‘ol non-sincere “O I’m sorry now lets just call it all square and forget this ever happened.”
Saul was asking Samuel to go back to worship at the site of where he was sacrificing what God told him not to keep. He just didn’t get it. It was a confession only to get out of trouble, it was insincere and did not work!!!
3) In Joshua 7:20, there is the story of Achan, the man I told you of recently who kept the gold and silver when God said destroy all of Jericho.
He too when confronted, said this, “It is true, I have sinned against the Lord.....” But this happened when, after he was caught, and he thought it would benefit Him.
Do we think we are going to wait until God has us before the judgement seat and right before he speaks, interrupt and say, “Wait, ok, ok , I did sin some. I was wrong....” 2 little 2 late!!!
4) In the NT everyone knows the story of Judas. The disciple that betrayed Christ. He turned Jesus in on that fateful night. If you read Matthew 27:3 &4, Judas runs in to the chief priests and says, “I have sinned, I have betrayed innocent blood.”
But then we find that Judas goes from there and takes his life. He knew he needed to confess, but after that he thought all was lost.
These stories show me and you that confessions don’t mean much. We often confess when;
• crisis hits
• we get caught
• situations become overwhelming
• guilt overwhelms us
• the Holy Spirit weighs us down with conviction
But let me assure you of this. Confession doesn’t mean much. In fact, watch this, and I didn’t ask anyone if I could do this, I just will......I want a yes or no answer....
Gary have you ever sinned–
Joe McKitrick have you ever sinned–
Jake have you ever sinned–
Jean have you ever sinned–
LaVonna have you ever sinned–
Bill have you ever sinned–
That right there was confession. Not only confession but public confession. But you know what...that means nothing...so they have sinned.
Romans 3:23 says, “All have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God....”
Wouldn’t every one of you admit that you have sinned!!! I have sinned!! We have all done some things we know we shouldn’t have, some time or another. We have all gone against God at some point, all have sinned.
In fact, raise your hand if you have ever sinned!
Okay, that was confession....but so what, Romans 14:11 says that “Every knee will bow and every tongue confess that Jesus is Lord.”
So one day we all have to confess. But confessing is not what makes the difference.
In Luke chapter 15 there is the parable of the Lost Son. The son who squandered all his father gave him and ended up eating with the pigs. And eventually it says that the son rose up and said to himself, I will go back and tell my father I have sinned against Him and ask him to allow me to come back but only as a hired hand.”
This is our example. A confession that is sincere, heartfelt, and followed with repentance or change.
Jesus himself in Matthew 4:17, “Repent for the kingdom of heaven is near.”
Now the word repent has a built in confession.
To feel or express great regret. Which means you recognize your sin, and are truly sorry enough about it to change.
So lets be very straight today. Confession means noting if you are not sorry and plan to continue to live your sinful lifestyle. Confession is great when followed by a belief in God and a changed life.
Romans 10:9 & 10 says;
That if you confess with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved.
You see the outward confession must be matched by a change on the inside.
So here it is folks. We have all sinned. I know it. You know it. I feel great today, because I have confessed and changed, and when I stumble nowadays, God brings it to my attention and I again confess to the Lord that I am sorry, and God and I begin construction on that portion of my life.
We can all confess to sin today. But is anyone ready to follow it up with a change.
