There Is Forgiveness!

TITLE: THERE IS FORGIVENESS 2/10/02

TEXT: PSALM 130:1 – 8; *4

INTRO:

I BELIEVE SOME OF THE MOST MISERABLE CHRISTIANS IN AMERICA TODAY ARE THOSE CHRISTIANS WHO GO THROUGH LIFE WITH A CONSCIENCE FILLED WITH GUILT. WELL, HERE IN THE 130TH PSALM, WE READ THE WORDS OF A BROKENHEARTED MAN WHO IS STRUGGLING WITH THE PROBLEM OF GUILT. IN THESE VERSES, WE HEAR THE CRY OF DAVID AS HE DEALS WITH THIS HAUNT-ING SENSE OF GUILT THAT STEMS FROM HIS PAST.

YOU REMEMBER DAVID AND HIS SIN –

1. DAVID HAD COMMITTED ADULTERY WITH ANOTHER MANS WIFE.

2. HE HAS LIED AND EVEN WENT TO THE EXTENT OF MURDERING ANOTHER MAN. 3. BUT THEN CAME THE DAY WHEN NATHAN (GOD’S PREACHER) CAME TO DAVID

AND SAID, “THOU ART THE MAN!”

4. SO DAVID ADMITTED HIS WRONG DOING, CONFESSED HIS SIN AND RESTORED

HIS RELATIONSHIP WITH THE LORD.

AS YOU STUDY THE SCRIPTURES, YOU WILL FIND THAT DAVID WAS –

1. THE KING OVER ALL THE NATION OF ISRAEL

2. A MIGHTY WARRIOR BEFORE THE LORD

3. 3 TIMES HE WAS ANNOINTED FOR GOD’S SERVICE

4. HERE WAS THE SHEPHERD BOY THAT KILLED GOLIATH

5. A MAN AFTER GOD’S OWN HEART

6. THE SWEET PSALMIST OF THE SCRIPTURES

7. YET ALSO A HUMAN BEING – AND A MAN THAT FELL INTO SIN.

AND EVEN THOUGH DAVID HAS REPENTED AND HIS SIN HAD BEEN FORGIVEN BY GOD – THE SCARS AND THE MARKS OF SIN WERE STILL THERE!

NOW I BELIEVE THERE ARE A LOT OF CHRISTIANS ALL OVER THE WORLD LIKE THAT TODAY, STILL CARRYING A LOAD OF GUILT FROM SOMETHING VILE IN THEIR PAST. IT MAY BE THAT YOU –

A. HAD AN IMMORAL RELATIONSHIP

B. LIED TO KEEP OUT OF TROUBLE

C. SAID SOMETHING THAT DEEPLY HURT SOMEONE ELSE

D. MAYBE IT IS SOME WICKED HABIT YOU HAVE AND YOU STRUGGLE TO OVERCOME IT, BUT EVERY NOW AND THEN, YOU GIVE IN.

E. YES, YOU HAVE WENT TO CHRIST AND ASKED FOR FORGIVENESS

BUT THE GUILT AND THE SENSE OF FEELING DIRTY AND SPIRITUALLY UNCLEAN ARE STILL THERE AND GUILT PLAGUES YOUR CONSCIENCE EVERY DAY OF YOUR LIFE.

NOW IF THAT IS WHERE YOU ARE, I HAVE SOME GOOD NEWS FOR YOU AND THAT IS WHAT THE PSALMIST SAID: BUT THERE IS FORGIVENESS WITH THEE, THAT THOU MAYEST BE FEARED.

WHERE IS IT THAT GUILT COMES FROM?

1. OUR ADVERSARY: THE DEVIL

THE BIBLE CALLS HIM THE ACCUSER OF THE BRETHREN. AND SATAN IS A LOT SMARTER THAN WE THINK HE IS, AND HE WILL FIND SOMETHING IN YOUR PAST AND COME ALONG AND CONTINUALLY BEAT YOU OVER THE HEAD WITH IT UNTIL YOU ARE -

A. OUT OF CHURCH

B. OUT OF YOUR BIBLE, THINKING THERE IS NO HOPE.

AND WHAT THE DEVIL WILL DO IS LIE TO YOU.

ILL. HE WILL COME ALONG AND TELL YOU THAT YOU CAN SIN AND GOD WILL FORGIVE YOU. THEN WHEN YOU GIVE IN TO SIN, HE WILL COME ALONG AND TELL YOU GOD WILL NEVER FORGIVE YOU FOR DOING SOEMTHING LIKE THAT!

BUT I AM HERE TO TELL YOU THIS: (IF YOU AS A CHRISTIAN WILL REPENT AND TURN FROM THAT SIN TO JESUS CHRIST, HE WILL FORGIVE YOU – NO MATTER HOW VILE THAT SIN MAY BE!

ROMANS 5:20 – WHERE SIN DID ABOUND, GRACE DOTH MUCH MORE ABOUND!

DON’T LET THE DEVIL HARRASS AND BRING YOUR PAST UP AGAINST YOU.

ILL. WHEN HE REMINDS YOU OF YOUR PAST – YOU REMIND HIM OF HIS FUTURE

THERE IS A SECOND SOURCE OF OUR GUILT AND UNFORTUNATELY IT COMES FROM THE –

2. SAINTS

BELIEVE IT OR NOT, THERE ARE THOSE (CHRISTIANS) IN THE CHURCH THAT ACTUALLY ENJOY POINTING THEIR SELF RIGHTEOUS FINGER EVERY TIME THEY SEE ANOTHER CHRISTIAN WHO FALLS INTO SIN.

AND THE REASON WHY THEY DO THAT IS TO KEEP THE ATTENTION OFF THEMSELVES SO THAT HOPEFULLY NO ONE WILL EVER SEE ANY OF THEIR OWN FAULTS AND FAILURES.

I TELL YOU THIS – GOD SEES THEM! AND ANYTIME YOU OR I STAND IN CONDEMNATION OF ANOTHER CHRISTIAN TO BRING THEM DOWN AND TRY AND MAKE THEM FEEL GUILTY AND UNLOVED – YOU ARE DOING THE WORK OF THE DEVIL HIMSELF! WHERE IS IT THAT THIS GUILT COMES FROM? OFTEN TIMES IT COMES FROM -

3. SELF

YOU DO SOMETHING WRONG IN YOUR YOUTH, THE YEARS PASS BY, 5, 10, 15, MAYBE EVEN 20 YEARS LATER AND THE MEMORIES AND THE GUILT IS STILL ETCHED DEEP INTO YOUR MIND! THEN, THERE IS A FOURTH AND A FINAL SOURCE OF GUILT THAT COMES FROM OUR –

4. SAVIOR

BUT HIS GUILT IS A GUILT THAT COMES RIGHT AFTER A CHRISTIAN SINS. ONCE A CHRISTIAN HAS SINNED – GOD WILL ALLOW HIM OR HER TO FEEL GUILTY, MISERABLE AND DIRTY. AND GOD USES THE FEELING OF A GUILTY CONSCIENCE TO DRAW A SINNING CHRISTIAN BACK TO THE PLACE WHERE HE BELONGS.