Secret Sins

WESTSIDE BAPTIST CHURCH

PASTOR: TERRY VAUGHAN

SERMON TITLE: SECRET SINS

“FOR GOD SO LOVED THE WORLD, THAT HE GAVE HIS ONLY BEGOTTEN SON, THAT WHOSOEVER BELIEVETH IN HIM SHOULD NOT PERISH BUT HAVE EVERLASTING LIFE. FOR GOD SENT NOT HIS SON INTO THE WORLD TO CONDEMN THE WORLD; BUT THAT THE WORLD THROUGH HIM MIGHT BE SAVED. HE THAT BELIEVETH ON HIM IS NOT CONDEMNED: BUT HE THAT BELIEVETH NOT IS CONDEMNED ALREADY, BECAUSE HE HATH NOT BELIEVED IN THE NAME OF THE ONLY BEGOTTEN SON OF GOD.” JOHN 3:16-18

PSALMS 19:12 -14 “WHO CAN UNDERSTAND HIS ERRORS? CLEANSE THOU ME FROM SECRET FAULTS. KEEP BACK THY SERVANT ALSO FROM PRESUMPTUOUS SINS; LET THEM NOT HAVE DOMINION OVER ME: THEN SHALL I BE UPRIGHT, AND I SHALL BE INNOCENT FROM THE GREAT TRANSGRESSION. LET THE WORDS OF MY MOUTH, AND THE MEDITATION OF MY HEART, BE ACCEPTABLE IN THY SIGHT, O LORD, MY STRENGTH, AND MY REDEEMER.”

I WANT TO TALK TO YOU A FEW MINUTES ON THAT VERSE TWELVE. I LOOKED UP THAT WORD ERRORS AND IT MEANS AN ACT OR AN ASSERTION OR THE BELIEF THAT DEVIATES FROM WHAT IS CORRECT OR RIGHT OR TRUE. OFTEN TIMES WE FIND OURSELVES DEVIATING FROM GODS WORD. GETTING OUT OF LINE WITH GODS HOLY COMMANDMENTS AND GODS HOLY WORD. IT SEEMS VERY POPULAR WITH CHRISTIANS TO PICK OUT YOUR FAULTS BUT THEY HAVE A HARD TIME PICKING OUT THEIR OWN FAULTS. IT’S VERY EASY FOR US TO SEE WHAT’S WRONG IN OTHERS LIVES BUT I WONDER TONIGHT CAN YOU UNDERSTAND WHAT’S WRONG WITH YOUR OWN LIFE. JESUS SAID IN HIS WORD THAT WE SHOULD NOT BEHOLD THE MOAT IN OUR BROTHERS EYE WHEN WE DON’T EVEN CONSIDER THE BEAM IN OUR OWN EYE. OFTEN TIMES WE WANT TO JUDGE PEOPLE AND CONDEMN PEOPLE AND PULL PEOPLE DOWN BECAUSE OF THEIR FAULTS AND THEIR ERRORS WHEN WE’VE GOT OUR OWN ERRORS AND SIN. HOW WE’VE TURNED FROM GOD AND GOTTEN OUT OF THE WAY. SO MANY TIMES IT SEEMS WE DON’T UNDERSTAND OR SEE WHEN WE’RE DOING WRONG. THEIRS ONLY RIGHT WAY AND THAT’S THE WAY OF JESUS. HIS WAY IS ALWAYS THE RIGHT WAY AND OUR WAY IS ALWAYS THE WRONG WAY. WE NEED TO BE LED BY THE SPIRIT OF GOD IN EVERYTHING THAT WE GO TO DO. BUT OFTEN TIMES WE FIND OURSELVES LOOKING AT OTHERS MISTAKES AND WE BEGIN TO THROW THE BLAME AND CALL OUT THEIR NAME INSTEAD OF GETTING DOWN ON OUR KNEES AND PRAYING FOR THEM. RATHER THAN UNDERSTAND THAT WE’VE ALL SINNED AND COME SHORT OF THE GLORY OF GOD. IF I CAN’T UNDERSTAND MY ERRORS, THEIRS NO WAY I CAN UNDERSTAND YOURS. SO MANY PEOPLE SEEM TO WANT TO LIVE THAT GOOD AND PERFECT LIFE FOR JESUS. BUT WE NEED TO REMEMBER THAT EVEN THOUGH WE’RE SAVED BY THE GRACE OF GOD WE’RE NEVER BEYOND THE POWER OF SATAN AND HOW HE COMES AT US. THE BIBLE SAYS SATAN IS LIKE A ROARING LION SEEKING WHOM HE CAN DEVOUR. WHETHER YOU KNOW IT OR NOT, THE DEVIL IS AFTER YOU. AS A CHILD OF GOD HE WANTS TO STRIP YOU OF YOUR BLESSINGS AND STRIP YOU OF YOUR PEACE, AND YOUR HOPE.

WE NEED TO UNDERSTAND OUR OWN ERRORS AND QUIT PICKING OUT EVERYBODY ELSE’S. IF YOU CAN’T SAY SOMETHING GOOD ABOUT SOMEBODY, DON’T SAY ANYTHING AT ALL. JUST PRAY. THERE’S ONLY ONE WAY WE CAN DEFEAT SATAN TONIGHT AND THAT’S TO PUT JESUS CHRIST FIRST IN OUR LIVES. THE BIBLE SAYS TO RESIST THE DEVIL AND FLEE FROM YOU. DRAW NIGH TO GOD AND HE’LL DRAW NIGH TO YOU.

JAMES 4:17 “THEREFORE IF A MAN KNOWETH TO DO GOOD, AND DOETH IT NOT, TO HIM IT IS SIN.”

PROVERBS 14:12-13 “THERE IS A WAY THAT SEEMETH RIGHT UNTO A MAN, BUT THE END THEREOF ARE THE WAYS OF DEATH. EVEN IN LAUGHTER THE HEART IS SORROWFUL; AND THE END OF THAT MIRTH IS HEAVINESS.”

THERE’S A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT’S LAUGHING AND HAVING A GOOD TIME ON THE OUTSIDE BUT I WONDER HOW YOU FEEL ON THE INSIDE. IT’S NOT WHAT WE HAVE ON THE OUTSIDE BUT WHAT WE HAVE ON THE INSIDE WHERE JESUS SAVED US BY HIS GRACE. THE MORE YOU GET IT ON THE INSIDE, THE MORE IT WILL SHOW ON THE OUTSIDE.

I WANT TO SHARE TWO VERSES ABOUT OUR WALK AND OUR DAILY LIFE WITH JESUS.

GALATIANS 3:3 “ARE YOU SO FOOLISH HAVING BEGUN IN THE SPIRIT. ARE YOU NOW MADE PERFECT BY THE FLESH” . WE START OUT SO PERFECT FOR GOD. SO MOTIVATED AND READY TO WORK AND SERVE GOD BUT WE DRIFT SO FAR. WE GO FROM THE SPIRITUAL TO THE MATERIAL AND DOING THINGS IN THE FLESH INSTEAD OF THE SPIRIT. WE DO THINGS IN OUR CARNAL MIND INSTEAD OF BEING LED BY THE SPIRIT.