WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:06.719 Why do you and I run from the Lord? 00:00:06.719 --> 00:00:14.359 Even in our hardness of heart, you know, we sometimes slip away and get distracted with the cares of this life. 00:00:14.359 --> 00:00:24.039 Easily, even as Christians, we find ourselves not as close to God as we once were. 00:00:24.039 --> 00:00:40.179 We find ourselves a little less tender in our conscience, a little more distracted in our hearts towards the things of this world. 00:00:40.179 --> 00:00:49.640 We find ourselves excusing ourselves, making little of our sins. 00:00:49.640 --> 00:00:55.679 We don't realize just how awful the sins are and how big they are. 00:00:55.679 --> 00:01:00.240 And it leads us away from God. 00:01:00.240 --> 00:01:05.599 You see sin, by its very nature, takes us from God. 00:01:05.599 --> 00:01:13.480 You can't commit the smallest sin without taking a step away from the Lord. 00:01:13.480 --> 00:01:18.239 Every sin doesn't bring you closer to Christ. 00:01:18.239 --> 00:01:21.079 It takes you further away. 00:01:21.079 --> 00:01:26.219 Sin leads to separation from God. 00:01:26.219 --> 00:01:32.519 The more you sin, the more you're able to sin, the further you get from God. 00:01:32.519 --> 00:01:36.200 Some of you are very distant from the Lord. 00:01:36.200 --> 00:01:38.859 You're not close at all. 00:01:38.859 --> 00:01:42.040 Some of us are not as close as we once was. 00:01:42.040 --> 00:01:49.159 We don't realize that because of the deceitfulness of sin and the hardness of the heart. 00:01:49.159 --> 00:01:58.920 Another reason sin takes us away from God is because of guilt, guilt and shame. 00:01:58.920 --> 00:02:04.280 You know what it's like when you've done something and you feel embarrassed about it. 00:02:04.280 --> 00:02:08.520 You don't go and expose it and highlight it and go, look at me. 00:02:08.520 --> 00:02:12.439 I'm proud of this. You try to cover it up. 00:02:12.439 --> 00:02:16.280 Remember Adam and Eve after they sinned, they went and hid in the bushes. 00:02:16.280 --> 00:02:20.120 They hid from the voice of the Lord and they didn't want God to see them. 00:02:20.120 --> 00:02:28.879 And it's the guilt and the shame that we seek to run from the Lord. 00:02:28.879 --> 00:02:31.439 And I believe guilt is the heart of most. 00:02:31.439 --> 00:02:40.479 In fact, I think it's in some sense the heart of most psychological problems in this world. 00:02:40.479 --> 00:02:48.639 I think psychology is essentially trying to remedy the guilt problem without a God. 00:02:48.639 --> 00:02:53.639 Guilt is what destroys people and all people have it. 00:02:53.639 --> 00:02:55.199 A guilty conscience. 00:02:55.199 --> 00:03:04.159 I think man's attempt to be religious is their attempt to cover their guilt or to eliminate their guilt. 00:03:04.159 --> 00:03:14.960 A guilty conscience will eat at your soul and many ways of dealing with guilt is to excuse yourselves. 00:03:14.960 --> 00:03:25.039 Make excuses, justify your sins and rather than being a perpetrator, you're the victim. 00:03:25.039 --> 00:03:33.039 I'm a victim of circumstances and I misbehave or I've done this or I've done that because of the situation that I'm in. 00:03:33.039 --> 00:03:42.479 Surely God understands and who would not have done what I did under such difficult and extreme circumstances. 00:03:42.479 --> 00:03:51.680 So that's a way of making ourselves feel better about things that we're ashamed of and embarrassed about. 00:03:51.680 --> 00:03:55.280 There's much to be ashamed about in our lives. 00:03:55.280 --> 00:03:58.960 And we want to cover that up and hide it before God. 00:03:58.960 --> 00:04:10.479 One of the symptoms or one of the indicators that you have guilt that you're not dealt with, un-delt with guilt, is you're very critical of everybody around you. 00:04:10.479 --> 00:04:15.520 You're critical of this person and you see the specs in other people's eyes. 00:04:15.520 --> 00:04:19.680 Now there is a big beam in your own eye, but that's okay. 00:04:19.680 --> 00:04:26.000 You can see every little flaw and fault and everybody else's eye. 00:04:26.000 --> 00:04:34.240 And that's a way of making yourself feel better because everybody else is such a deep hardened sinner that I'm not like them. 00:04:34.240 --> 00:04:38.720 So you compare yourself with those who have sins in their lives. 00:04:38.720 --> 00:04:43.920 And you put yourself as a judge over others. 00:04:43.920 --> 00:05:02.240 So that critical spirit that is easily offended and easily sees sins in others is likely, likely a sin in your own life where you're covering up your own hardness, your pride, your self-righteousness. 00:05:02.240 --> 00:05:08.639 Remember King David, he did an awful thing. 00:05:08.639 --> 00:05:13.199 He committed adultery. 00:05:13.199 --> 00:05:16.800 He knew it was wrong and he did it. 00:05:16.800 --> 00:05:23.920 And he knew it was wrong because the woman Bathsheba became pregnant because of this sin. 00:05:23.920 --> 00:05:25.759 And he wanted to cover up the sin. 00:05:25.759 --> 00:05:27.199 He wanted to cover up his mistake. 00:05:27.199 --> 00:05:29.439 He didn't want it to be exposed. 00:05:29.439 --> 00:05:47.439 And so he asked the general Joab to bring Uriah, the husband of Bathsheba, back from the battle and wanted him to go and spend time with his wife so that it would look like it was his baby and not, it was Uriah's baby and not his. 00:05:47.439 --> 00:05:50.560 He's trying to cover up his sins. 00:05:50.560 --> 00:06:08.079 And see, that's a technique of guilt, covering up your sins and minimizing it, pushing it back from your conscious, not dealing with it, not exposing it, but hiding it. 00:06:08.079 --> 00:06:12.720 David went as far to commit more sins to cover up his sins. 00:06:12.720 --> 00:06:25.519 When Uriah refused to go in and spend time with his wife, out of honor, he stayed outside of the house because he realized his companions were out at battle. 00:06:25.519 --> 00:06:34.240 And in no way is he going to take comfort in his own home when his men are at war. 00:06:34.240 --> 00:06:38.160 David schemed another thing. 00:06:38.160 --> 00:06:48.560 He had Joab leave Uriah at the front of the battle, then leave him so that he would be killed in battle. 00:06:48.560 --> 00:06:53.680 So he committed murder to cover up his sin of adultery. 00:06:53.680 --> 00:06:56.879 Now this is murder. 00:06:56.879 --> 00:07:16.959 And David, after that, when Nathan came to him and talked about this guy who had all these sheep and wanted to kill a sheep to provide for a feast, he went to his neighbor who only had one little lamb and took that little, one little sheep away from his neighbor and killed it. 00:07:16.959 --> 00:07:21.360 And David got so incensed, got so mad and so angry. 00:07:21.360 --> 00:07:35.360 You see, those who are living in sin and covering up their guilt, it's easy for those who are doing that to find sin in others and to be even angry, angry with other people's sin. 00:07:35.360 --> 00:07:45.360 He wanted to kill this guy at first. 00:07:45.360 --> 00:07:57.759 Now, there's a lot of reasons we want to run from God and maybe you are, in fact, if you're lost, you are running from God. And some of you who are Christians, you're not running to God. And it's because of your sins. 00:07:57.759 --> 00:08:02.079 It's because of your sins that keeps you from God. 00:08:02.079 --> 00:08:08.240 And it seems counterintuitive knowing that God is a just God and he's upset with you. 00:08:08.240 --> 00:08:11.279 It's like, I can't, I can't take my sins to the Lord. 00:08:11.279 --> 00:08:15.759 I don't want to. I'm too embarrassed. I'm too shamed. 00:08:15.759 --> 00:08:22.160 I need the intuitive nature in us to say, I need to clean myself up first. 00:08:22.160 --> 00:08:25.680 I will stop sitting and wait for two or three weeks. 00:08:25.680 --> 00:08:39.039 And after I have a clean record for a good while, after I prove myself to be a better person and God can be pleased with me, then I will go to God and ask for forgiveness for those sins that I've committed. 00:08:39.039 --> 00:08:43.440 I need to do something to make up for what I've done. 00:08:43.440 --> 00:08:53.840 I need to redeem myself. I need to prove that I'm worthy of forgiveness. 00:08:53.840 --> 00:08:59.679 But that'll never work. It'll never work. 00:08:59.679 --> 00:09:02.960 You can never wait until you're worthy to come to God. 00:09:02.960 --> 00:09:08.320 In this psalm, we have David's repentance. 00:09:09.200 --> 00:09:13.759 When Nathan said to him, you are the man, you're the man. 00:09:13.759 --> 00:09:16.480 You are the one I'm talking about. 00:09:16.480 --> 00:09:20.720 It's not this rich man who took this one man's only sheep. 00:09:20.720 --> 00:09:30.799 It's you who have all this wealth and all these other things and these, all the plenty of wives you went and took this one man's wife. 00:09:30.799 --> 00:09:32.559 You're the man. 00:09:36.159 --> 00:09:39.120 Now, I want you today to go. I am the person. 00:09:39.120 --> 00:09:46.000 I don't want you or I don't want you to think I'm thinking of you personally. 00:09:46.000 --> 00:09:52.240 So just thinking about me, you know, I'm not thinking about you, but I want you to think about you. 00:09:52.240 --> 00:10:00.320 I want you to think right now what sins are in my life that I haven't exposed before God. 00:10:02.320 --> 00:10:10.159 I want you to even pray the prayer of the psalmist who said, search me, oh Lord, and see if there's any evil way in my life. 00:10:10.159 --> 00:10:12.480 See if there's something I'm missing. 00:10:12.480 --> 00:10:19.200 I want you to do an examination and ask God to examine your heart and expose your guilt. 00:10:19.200 --> 00:10:28.559 And then once you have a measure of guilt, any guilt or a lot of guilt, I want you to come to God with your guilt. 00:10:29.840 --> 00:10:32.080 Now you don't come to God with your righteousness. 00:10:32.080 --> 00:10:35.519 You don't come to God with your good works. 00:10:35.519 --> 00:10:38.639 You don't come to God with your with. 00:10:38.639 --> 00:10:40.159 Hey, I prayed this morning. 00:10:40.159 --> 00:10:41.200 I read my Bible. 00:10:41.200 --> 00:10:42.480 I'm a good Christian. 00:10:42.480 --> 00:10:48.960 I'm you don't come to God with some sense of I deserve his favor. 00:10:48.960 --> 00:10:50.480 I deserve his goodwill. 00:10:50.480 --> 00:10:52.480 You don't come to God that way. 00:10:52.480 --> 00:10:56.639 You you come to God with your sins in your hands. 00:10:56.639 --> 00:11:06.159 You come to God confessing, admitting your guilt. 00:11:06.159 --> 00:11:09.600 You come to God with your guilt. 00:11:09.600 --> 00:11:19.600 As the song seems reads, nothing in my hands I bring simply to thy cross I clean. 00:11:19.600 --> 00:11:24.399 Neck had come to thee for dress, helpless look to thee for grace. 00:11:25.120 --> 00:11:31.279 Foul I do that fountain fly, worse me saviour or I die. 00:11:31.279 --> 00:11:34.960 I come to you, dear God, as a wicked man. 00:11:34.960 --> 00:11:38.159 I come to you as the followed. 00:11:38.159 --> 00:11:43.200 I come to you as someone who's unholy. 00:11:43.200 --> 00:11:47.679 I come to you, God, as someone who's in pure. 00:11:47.679 --> 00:11:52.720 I've come to you, dear God, knowing I'm a sinner. 00:11:54.240 --> 00:11:55.120 I come to you. 00:11:55.120 --> 00:11:57.360 I don't want to clean myself up. 00:11:57.360 --> 00:12:04.399 I can't clean myself up to you, but I come to you with my sense with all my sense. 00:12:04.399 --> 00:12:11.759 And we have 10 reasons in Psalm 51 why you can run to God with your sense. 00:12:11.759 --> 00:12:14.559 So I don't know if I can do that. 00:12:14.559 --> 00:12:16.799 God's going to kill me. 00:12:16.799 --> 00:12:17.759 He's going to kill me. 00:12:17.759 --> 00:12:18.960 He's going to throw me into hell. 00:12:18.960 --> 00:12:22.000 I need to I need to pretend like I'm not a sinner. 00:12:22.000 --> 00:12:23.360 I need to hide my sin. 00:12:23.360 --> 00:12:24.320 I'm scared of him. 00:12:24.320 --> 00:12:28.799 I need to run from him or I'm afraid of his justice and his righteousness. 00:12:28.799 --> 00:12:31.759 But here are 10 reasons he's willing to forgive you. 00:12:31.759 --> 00:12:44.879 10 reasons why you sinner can come to God. 00:12:44.879 --> 00:12:48.159 Jesus says I didn't come for the righteous ones. 00:12:48.159 --> 00:12:49.279 I come for the sinners. 00:12:52.240 --> 00:12:54.320 And here's 10 reasons you can pray to God. 00:12:54.320 --> 00:12:57.759 And 10 reasons you can be certain he will forgive you. 00:12:57.759 --> 00:13:02.799 Why you can run to God and flee to God and take refuge in God. 00:13:02.799 --> 00:13:07.120 You know, as a sinner, you can come. 00:13:07.120 --> 00:13:16.960 One, we see in verse one because of his love and mercy. 00:13:21.519 --> 00:13:23.600 Remember, God is a God of love. 00:13:23.600 --> 00:13:27.919 Have mercy on me, O God, according to your steadfast love. 00:13:27.919 --> 00:13:28.639 Here's David. 00:13:28.639 --> 00:13:31.519 He says he's come to turn that he is the sinner. 00:13:31.519 --> 00:13:33.600 He's the one who who committed adultery. 00:13:33.600 --> 00:13:35.600 He's the one who's a murderer. 00:13:35.600 --> 00:13:37.519 And what would he come to God? 00:13:37.519 --> 00:13:39.120 Why would God receive him? 00:13:39.120 --> 00:13:40.159 He's a murderer. 00:13:40.159 --> 00:13:43.519 He says, Oh, have mercy. 00:13:43.519 --> 00:13:44.960 Have compassion upon me. 00:13:44.960 --> 00:13:52.720 Forgive me, dear God, according to your great love, according to your steadfast love. 00:13:52.720 --> 00:13:57.120 The fact that your love doesn't come up and come down. 00:13:57.120 --> 00:14:05.759 You can go to the Lord sinner believer, even you who are Christians and sometimes us Christians, you can go, I've done so much as a Christian. 00:14:05.759 --> 00:14:08.320 I'm just ashamed to go back to the well. 00:14:08.320 --> 00:14:12.639 I'm ashamed to go back to God again and again and again and again. 00:14:12.639 --> 00:14:17.519 It's like every day, every day I'm asking for forgiveness and it's going to run out. 00:14:19.039 --> 00:14:24.799 But remember, his love is steadfast. 00:14:24.799 --> 00:14:32.879 Your spouse love comes up and down and it grows stronger and weaker. 00:14:32.879 --> 00:14:36.879 Some days your spouse is more forgiving. 00:14:36.879 --> 00:14:39.679 Other days your spouse doesn't want to talk to you. 00:14:39.679 --> 00:14:48.480 But don't judge God's based upon your spouse's waiting law. 00:14:48.480 --> 00:14:51.840 God's love for you is steadfast. 00:14:51.840 --> 00:14:57.759 Your sins does not remove his love for you. 00:14:57.759 --> 00:15:03.279 Your sins did not take one ounce of love away from you. 00:15:03.279 --> 00:15:07.840 David is a man who was loved by God. 00:15:07.840 --> 00:15:13.600 And he understood that he was still yet loved by God. 00:15:14.080 --> 00:15:20.080 So you can come to God in your sins because he loves you. 00:15:20.080 --> 00:15:23.440 And his love endures forever. 00:15:23.440 --> 00:15:29.440 Not only is a God who loves, but he's a merciful God. 00:15:29.440 --> 00:15:39.919 He says, have mercy of him on me, O God, according to your steadfast love, according to your abundant mercy, blot out my transgression. 00:15:41.120 --> 00:15:49.919 The New King James says, according to your tender mercies, literally your gentle compassion. 00:15:49.919 --> 00:15:53.360 God's heart is not hard. 00:15:53.360 --> 00:15:58.080 You know, you can do a lot of things to a lot of people. 00:15:58.080 --> 00:15:59.759 They become hard hearted towards you. 00:15:59.759 --> 00:16:01.840 They become stiff neck. 00:16:01.840 --> 00:16:02.720 They don't want to see you. 00:16:02.720 --> 00:16:03.759 They don't want to talk to you. 00:16:03.759 --> 00:16:04.639 They're resistant. 00:16:04.639 --> 00:16:07.919 They become bitter towards you. 00:16:07.919 --> 00:16:09.679 They hold a grudge against you. 00:16:10.000 --> 00:16:12.480 But God has tender. 00:16:12.480 --> 00:16:15.120 Mercies. 00:16:15.120 --> 00:16:18.080 His heart is soft towards you. 00:16:18.080 --> 00:16:27.120 He's not like a hardened king who will not hear or have compassion. 00:16:27.120 --> 00:16:34.159 But his mercies are like a mother towards her newborn child. 00:16:34.159 --> 00:16:38.240 He's moved easily to compassion. 00:16:39.120 --> 00:16:47.360 He is tender in his compassion. 00:16:47.360 --> 00:16:50.080 So have mercy upon me. 00:16:50.080 --> 00:16:54.720 You can run to God because he is compassionate. 00:16:54.720 --> 00:17:00.000 And he's like his compassion is so tender and so compassionate. 00:17:00.000 --> 00:17:05.279 It doesn't take much to move him to say you're forgiven. 00:17:05.279 --> 00:17:07.920 I just feel I feel bad for you. 00:17:07.920 --> 00:17:09.039 I feel sorry for you. 00:17:09.039 --> 00:17:18.799 I I I see your brokenness and please please I see how difficult this is for you. 00:17:18.799 --> 00:17:24.240 And he's easily moved to be compassionate towards you. 00:17:24.240 --> 00:17:28.000 The ESV says he's abundant. 00:17:28.000 --> 00:17:32.480 His abundant mercies literally he's has multitude of mercies. 00:17:32.480 --> 00:17:35.119 His mercies do not run out. 00:17:36.720 --> 00:17:41.279 King James verses is according to the multitude of died tender mercies. 00:17:41.279 --> 00:17:42.720 Bought out my transgressions. 00:17:42.720 --> 00:17:45.200 One version says have mercy on me. 00:17:45.200 --> 00:17:50.880 Oh God according to with your merciful love and in your abundant compassion. 00:17:50.880 --> 00:17:53.759 Imagine. 00:17:53.759 --> 00:17:58.079 I mean you're an eyes compassion kind of has a limit. 00:17:58.079 --> 00:18:02.880 You keep hurting me and I'm going to get frustrated eventually. 00:18:02.880 --> 00:18:05.359 Hold you at a distance. 00:18:05.599 --> 00:18:11.039 My God's mercies are new every morning. 00:18:11.039 --> 00:18:16.799 They're new and he he doesn't grow hard. 00:18:16.799 --> 00:18:21.200 After years of rebellion. 00:18:21.200 --> 00:18:26.480 But he's tender and because of this he will forgive you. 00:18:26.480 --> 00:18:32.400 Daniel nine nine the Lord our God is merciful and forgiving. 00:18:33.039 --> 00:18:35.759 He's a man who can run to God for forgiveness. 00:18:35.759 --> 00:18:38.000 He said I don't know what to do. 00:18:38.000 --> 00:18:38.960 God will forgive you. 00:18:38.960 --> 00:18:42.880 The second reason you can run or flee to God. 00:18:42.880 --> 00:18:45.279 With your sins. 00:18:45.279 --> 00:18:50.799 Don't run from God or hide your sins but take your sins to God. 00:18:50.799 --> 00:18:54.640 Flea to God because God can cleanse you. 00:18:54.640 --> 00:18:56.720 Look at verse two through four. 00:18:56.720 --> 00:19:02.160 Or me through thoroughly from my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin. 00:19:03.119 --> 00:19:06.799 For I know my transgression and my sin is ever before me. 00:19:06.799 --> 00:19:12.319 Against you and you only have I sinned and done what is evil in your side. 00:19:12.319 --> 00:19:16.480 You see sin produces great shame and guilt with us. 00:19:16.480 --> 00:19:22.960 This is why David tried to hide his adultery. 00:19:22.960 --> 00:19:27.200 And didn't want people to know that he had a child. 00:19:27.200 --> 00:19:30.160 That would be born out of web lock. 00:19:31.119 --> 00:19:32.960 That would be embarrassing for him. 00:19:32.960 --> 00:19:35.359 That would be a shameful act. 00:19:35.359 --> 00:19:37.279 And your sins. 00:19:37.279 --> 00:19:42.160 Your sins you try to cover you try to put a facade of self-righteousness and you. 00:19:42.160 --> 00:19:45.680 You may be a tomb that's got dead bones in it but you want. 00:19:45.680 --> 00:19:52.160 To put some type of white worship all over it to make yourself look righteous and clean and clean. 00:19:52.160 --> 00:19:57.039 But deep down you know there's something in your heart that's just not right. 00:19:58.160 --> 00:20:00.960 There's thoughts in your mind that are not pleasant. 00:20:00.960 --> 00:20:08.319 That if your thoughts of your inner soul was exposed and put out in front of everybody you would. 00:20:08.319 --> 00:20:09.839 You wouldn't even come to church anymore. 00:20:09.839 --> 00:20:16.240 You'd be so embarrassed if the true nature of your heart was revealed to the world. 00:20:16.240 --> 00:20:28.960 All your may look and have learned how to put on a good facade for others to look at you as a righteous woman or a good mother or a good man. 00:20:28.960 --> 00:20:34.000 But deep down your sins causes you to feel ashamed. 00:20:34.000 --> 00:20:37.279 Sin may be fun. 00:20:37.279 --> 00:20:43.039 But is inherently wrong and shameful and embarrassing. 00:20:43.039 --> 00:20:48.319 I once had a conversation with a man struggling with homosexuality. 00:20:49.039 --> 00:20:51.599 And he told me in a moment. 00:20:51.599 --> 00:20:53.200 A weakness. 00:20:53.200 --> 00:20:56.240 That he knew was wrong. 00:20:56.240 --> 00:20:59.200 You know you can't get him to admit that. 00:20:59.200 --> 00:21:01.680 They're not going to admit that. 00:21:01.680 --> 00:21:07.920 But he said he do he knew deep down that it was embarrassing. 00:21:07.920 --> 00:21:13.440 And he said the only way he was able to deal with it is to continue on in it. 00:21:15.680 --> 00:21:18.559 Just to indulge himself further into it. 00:21:18.559 --> 00:21:23.599 And this round himself with others that would tell him it's okay. 00:21:23.599 --> 00:21:25.599 And that's what he did. 00:21:25.599 --> 00:21:28.319 And I lived a lifestyle. 00:21:28.319 --> 00:21:31.359 Indulging in that sin. 00:21:31.359 --> 00:21:35.920 But he says when I sleep at night when I lay down at night. 00:21:35.920 --> 00:21:38.480 I said I I do feel guilt. 00:21:38.480 --> 00:21:40.720 I am embarrassed about it. 00:21:42.160 --> 00:21:45.680 And that's the nature of such a disgraceful sin. 00:21:45.680 --> 00:21:48.000 Let's be honest about homosexuality. 00:21:48.000 --> 00:21:50.319 If you think about it, it is very unnatural. 00:21:50.319 --> 00:21:52.160 And very gross. 00:21:52.160 --> 00:21:54.000 It's embarrassing. 00:21:54.000 --> 00:21:54.720 It's shameful. 00:21:54.720 --> 00:21:58.880 That community has to parade it. 00:21:58.880 --> 00:22:01.119 They have to say we're proud of it. 00:22:01.119 --> 00:22:04.160 To cover up their guilt. 00:22:04.160 --> 00:22:09.039 And they're not going to be satisfied until every voice says it's okay. 00:22:09.839 --> 00:22:17.519 And the reason they're going to Dean Christians as hateful Christianity as hate speech. 00:22:17.519 --> 00:22:22.240 Because it only takes one lone voice in their conscience to condemn them. 00:22:22.240 --> 00:22:24.720 The whole world can say it's okay. 00:22:24.720 --> 00:22:27.200 But one little girl can say that's wrong. 00:22:27.200 --> 00:22:29.920 And that will verify with their conscience. 00:22:29.920 --> 00:22:36.319 And that alone produces the shame of what they're doing is evil. 00:22:39.599 --> 00:22:42.400 But all sin is like this selfishness. 00:22:42.400 --> 00:22:44.000 We all struggle with selfishness. 00:22:44.000 --> 00:22:46.079 And selfishness. 00:22:46.079 --> 00:22:48.720 If you think about selfishness, no one brags about selfishness. 00:22:48.720 --> 00:22:50.960 Well, some people do. 00:22:50.960 --> 00:23:02.319 And the reason athletes brag about their selfishness and their pride is because of the same reason homosexuals brag about their sin to cover it up. 00:23:06.960 --> 00:23:12.880 But we do have our sins that we have figured out a way to boast in. 00:23:12.880 --> 00:23:18.559 Make ourselves feel better about our sins. 00:23:18.559 --> 00:23:22.559 But you see, David couldn't run from his sins. 00:23:22.559 --> 00:23:27.519 And once he's committed them, he couldn't take it away. 00:23:27.519 --> 00:23:28.559 He couldn't undo it. 00:23:28.559 --> 00:23:31.759 Ever had a sin like that you did. 00:23:31.759 --> 00:23:34.480 And once it come to your mind that you did it, you're like, oh, no. 00:23:35.599 --> 00:23:36.880 There's no reverse button. 00:23:36.880 --> 00:23:39.039 There's no erase button. 00:23:39.039 --> 00:23:42.000 I can't act like I didn't do that. 00:23:42.000 --> 00:23:43.119 I can't undo that. 00:23:43.119 --> 00:23:43.599 I did. 00:23:43.599 --> 00:23:48.160 It's like that's the hardness and the difficulty and the shame of it. 00:23:48.160 --> 00:23:50.480 It's like, I can't I can't pretend like it didn't happen. 00:23:50.480 --> 00:23:50.960 It happened. 00:23:50.960 --> 00:23:52.079 What do I do? 00:23:52.079 --> 00:23:56.240 And you look to the world, you look to your friends, you look inside and there's no remedy. 00:23:56.240 --> 00:23:57.599 There's no way of cleansing it. 00:23:57.599 --> 00:23:59.440 There's no way of undoing it. 00:23:59.440 --> 00:24:01.119 Now you have a dirty conscience. 00:24:01.119 --> 00:24:05.440 Now you have dirt and field, not just on the outside, but you feel dirty on the inside. 00:24:05.440 --> 00:24:06.240 You feel wicked. 00:24:06.240 --> 00:24:07.680 You feel kind of shameful. 00:24:07.680 --> 00:24:09.279 It's like, what do you do with that shame? 00:24:09.279 --> 00:24:10.720 What do you do with it? 00:24:10.720 --> 00:24:12.160 Where's going to cleanse it? 00:24:12.160 --> 00:24:15.119 How are you going to remedy of your sins? 00:24:15.119 --> 00:24:16.720 You're going to take a. 00:24:16.720 --> 00:24:22.079 A pilgrims pilgrimage to drizzle. 00:24:22.079 --> 00:24:23.039 You think that's going to work. 00:24:23.039 --> 00:24:26.960 You're just going to go to church for a while. 00:24:26.960 --> 00:24:28.799 You're going to give some money away. 00:24:28.799 --> 00:24:29.599 You're going to do this. 00:24:29.599 --> 00:24:30.559 You're going to do that. 00:24:30.559 --> 00:24:32.400 You think that's going to undo your guilt. 00:24:32.400 --> 00:24:41.200 You will remain miserable, full of shame and guilt. 00:24:41.200 --> 00:24:43.359 You may suppress that guilt. 00:24:43.359 --> 00:24:44.160 You may cover it up. 00:24:44.160 --> 00:24:47.839 You may entertain yourself to death so you don't have to face the music. 00:24:47.839 --> 00:24:53.839 You distract yourself all you want, but at the end of the day, the guilt lies in the conscience. 00:24:53.839 --> 00:24:56.960 It will eat your soul. 00:24:59.920 --> 00:25:04.160 If you don't find forgiveness, it will be the thing that tortures you for all eternity. 00:25:04.160 --> 00:25:08.240 No therapist will be able to help you. 00:25:08.240 --> 00:25:09.519 Limited it. 00:25:09.519 --> 00:25:27.200 And I'm convinced in my experience working in the mental health field that most therapists go is to blame your mother, your father, to bring your health, bring chemicals, imbalance, to blame something other than yourself to help you deal with your conscience. 00:25:27.200 --> 00:25:37.119 But there's no remedy as long as you're excusing yourselves and blaming everything but yourself. 00:25:37.119 --> 00:25:40.799 Here's one you have to do. 00:25:40.799 --> 00:25:44.480 If you want to be cleansed, you have to admit that you're a sinner. 00:25:44.480 --> 00:25:47.920 For I know my transgressions. 00:25:47.920 --> 00:25:49.519 I know them. 00:25:49.519 --> 00:25:53.200 I can act like I don't, but I do know them. 00:25:54.079 --> 00:25:57.039 And my sins is ever before me. 00:25:57.039 --> 00:25:59.200 Here's David. 00:25:59.200 --> 00:26:02.319 He's he's coming to terms that he is an adulterer. 00:26:02.319 --> 00:26:11.839 Maybe I had something like a tornado come in, you know, like it devastated your home and it just like it changed your life forever. 00:26:11.839 --> 00:26:14.559 And he's like, man, I can't go back. 00:26:14.559 --> 00:26:17.200 I can't preset the life prior to that. 00:26:17.200 --> 00:26:21.200 And now that he's an adulterer, he's an adulterer. 00:26:21.920 --> 00:26:23.759 And then a murderer. 00:26:23.759 --> 00:26:27.599 You're a thief. 00:26:27.599 --> 00:26:28.559 You're a liar. 00:26:28.559 --> 00:26:29.680 You're a cheat. 00:26:29.680 --> 00:26:32.559 You're a dollar. 00:26:32.559 --> 00:26:37.599 Raise your hand if you've been sinless. 00:26:37.599 --> 00:26:40.240 Raise your hand if you have no guilt. 00:26:40.240 --> 00:26:44.000 Raise your hand if you've been sinless since last Sunday. 00:26:44.000 --> 00:26:50.319 Raise your hand if you if you're in a moral position to judge others. 00:26:50.720 --> 00:26:52.720 Of the specs in their eye. 00:26:52.720 --> 00:26:58.720 Without having any specs in your own eye. 00:26:58.720 --> 00:27:07.440 What do you do? 00:27:07.440 --> 00:27:09.200 Well, admit to your sins. 00:27:09.200 --> 00:27:12.559 Confess them, see them. 00:27:12.559 --> 00:27:16.720 And realize that no one can. 00:27:17.759 --> 00:27:22.559 You can't even cleanse you or eliminate those sins other than God. 00:27:22.559 --> 00:27:29.119 Verse four says against you and you only have a sin and done what is evil in your side. 00:27:29.119 --> 00:27:32.559 You can't run to the therapist. 00:27:32.559 --> 00:27:34.960 You can't even run to the person you sinned against. 00:27:34.960 --> 00:27:40.720 There's no one and no person to go in this world. 00:27:40.720 --> 00:27:43.359 To fix your guilt. 00:27:43.359 --> 00:27:45.279 To undo your sins. 00:27:45.279 --> 00:27:47.359 To eliminate your transgressions. 00:27:48.000 --> 00:27:48.720 Only God. 00:27:48.720 --> 00:27:51.920 Only God is the place to run to. 00:27:51.920 --> 00:27:55.200 And you're running from God. 00:27:55.200 --> 00:28:00.000 You're you're running in the opposite direction of the only hope that you have. 00:28:00.000 --> 00:28:04.240 Turn around and face God and run towards him. 00:28:04.240 --> 00:28:07.920 Confess your sins. 00:28:07.920 --> 00:28:11.759 And he will forgive you. 00:28:11.759 --> 00:28:14.400 He will cleanse you. 00:28:15.200 --> 00:28:20.480 He will take the guilt, the shame, the dirtiness, and he will worse that away. 00:28:20.480 --> 00:28:26.240 He'll take your sins and throw them into the sea and forget them as if they never happen. 00:28:26.240 --> 00:28:32.079 You could actually hit the reset button by going to God. 00:28:32.079 --> 00:28:35.920 What do you mean? 00:28:35.920 --> 00:28:49.519 You mean all my sins I've ever committed and the sins I've just committed this morning and the pride of my heart and the the iniquity that I've stored up and all this sin that is ever before me. 00:28:49.519 --> 00:28:51.119 I can get rid of it. 00:28:51.119 --> 00:28:53.440 No, you can't. 00:28:53.440 --> 00:28:54.319 But God can. 00:28:54.319 --> 00:28:56.960 And he does. 00:28:56.960 --> 00:29:02.720 Here's the faithful promise of God. 00:29:02.720 --> 00:29:04.799 This is why you can run to God with your sins. 00:29:04.799 --> 00:29:09.279 If you confess your sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us. 00:29:10.400 --> 00:29:15.839 To forgive you of your sins and to cleanse you from all your unrighteousness. 00:29:15.839 --> 00:29:17.440 Isaiah 43 25. 00:29:17.440 --> 00:29:23.920 I even I am he who blots out your transgressions for my own sake and remembers your sin. 00:29:23.920 --> 00:29:26.160 Know more. 00:29:26.160 --> 00:29:28.240 What good news is this? 00:29:28.240 --> 00:29:37.279 Third reason you should run to God with your sins because of the gospel. 00:29:37.279 --> 00:29:39.279 Look at verse four. 00:29:39.279 --> 00:29:51.759 It says against you and you only have a sin and done what is evil in your sight so that you may be justified in your words and blameless in your judgment. 00:29:51.759 --> 00:29:56.720 This is saying two things that seems to be impossible. 00:29:56.720 --> 00:30:00.799 That God can be both righteous and merciful. 00:30:00.799 --> 00:30:04.160 He can keep his promise that if you come to him, he'll forgive you. 00:30:04.799 --> 00:30:12.880 But he will also remain just and righteous in his declaration and in his judgments. 00:30:12.880 --> 00:30:17.119 How can God be both just and merciful? 00:30:17.119 --> 00:30:19.759 See that God's a just God. 00:30:19.759 --> 00:30:21.440 Why would you take your sins to him? 00:30:21.440 --> 00:30:23.839 Would that not mean that he's surely going to condemn you? 00:30:23.839 --> 00:30:38.799 And if God's going to condemn me, I best run as long as I can and take the rest of my life and flee from the from the presence of God and run from his wrath because he's going to catch up with me one day and visually throw me to hell so I can't face them now. 00:30:38.799 --> 00:30:40.319 I don't want to go to hell now. 00:30:40.319 --> 00:30:45.200 So how can I run to God if he's a just and angry God and he's going to do what's right? 00:30:45.200 --> 00:30:51.599 Well, we know the remedy is Jesus Christ. 00:30:51.599 --> 00:31:05.599 He can be both just in his judgments and uphold his promises and his word to you because Christ can take the judgment on your behalf. 00:31:05.599 --> 00:31:12.160 The death of Christ gives us confidence that we can go to God with our sins. 00:31:12.160 --> 00:31:15.519 We know he will forgive us. 00:31:15.519 --> 00:31:18.400 His word will be uphold. 00:31:18.400 --> 00:31:24.880 He will not turn you aside and push you away and say, no, you're too much of a sinner for me. 00:31:24.880 --> 00:31:25.839 You've done too much. 00:31:26.480 --> 00:31:29.680 He will not say that to you if you come to him. 00:31:29.680 --> 00:31:36.000 He will forgive you if you look for him through him and say, Lord, please have mercy upon me. 00:31:36.000 --> 00:31:36.400 A sinner. 00:31:36.400 --> 00:31:45.279 He will forgive you, but yet remain just in his judgments because Christ took those sins and paid for them on your behalf. 00:31:45.279 --> 00:31:56.480 I tell you, I know this is the gospel that we've heard for years, but it's the sweetest thing I've ever heard. 00:31:56.480 --> 00:32:00.799 It is the most glorious news ever. 00:32:00.799 --> 00:32:07.440 And the more I see my sins, even as a believer, the more I have to have that gospel. 00:32:07.440 --> 00:32:10.319 That's the only thing I have. 00:32:10.319 --> 00:32:17.839 Let me confess to you. 00:32:17.839 --> 00:32:22.160 Pastor Jeff Johnson has nothing but Jesus Christ. 00:32:22.160 --> 00:32:29.920 I'm not going to claim anything on the day of judgment. 00:32:29.920 --> 00:32:35.759 I don't have anything to boast in. 00:32:35.759 --> 00:32:40.400 I don't. 00:32:40.400 --> 00:32:45.680 He said, Jeff, you've done this. 00:32:45.680 --> 00:32:46.079 And I don't. 00:32:46.079 --> 00:32:49.359 I think even my best stuff comes up short. 00:32:49.359 --> 00:32:53.920 But I know a man. 00:32:53.920 --> 00:32:57.759 He's my only hope. 00:32:57.759 --> 00:33:02.000 He's all that I have. 00:33:02.000 --> 00:33:11.279 Pastor Jeff is not a good man. 00:33:11.279 --> 00:33:15.920 I don't have anything to boast in, but Pastor Jeff is forgiven. 00:33:15.920 --> 00:33:19.440 I don't have anything to boast in. 00:33:19.440 --> 00:33:20.480 I don't have anything to boast in. 00:33:20.480 --> 00:33:22.480 I don't have anything to boast in. 00:34:40.480 --> 00:34:47.480 Our disposition is not towards love and holiness. 00:34:47.480 --> 00:34:50.480 Our disposition is towards pride and selfishness. 00:34:50.480 --> 00:34:59.480 Psalm 58, 3, the wicked are exchanged from the womb. 00:34:59.480 --> 00:35:01.480 The lies go straight from birth. 00:35:01.480 --> 00:35:13.480 You run to God, not because you can change your sin nature any more than a leper can change its spots. 00:35:13.480 --> 00:35:18.480 You can't change yourself. 00:35:18.480 --> 00:35:20.480 This is the message here. 00:35:20.480 --> 00:35:22.480 This is good news. 00:35:22.480 --> 00:35:25.480 You don't have to wait to become someone to come to you. 00:35:25.480 --> 00:35:27.480 Don't have to become a Christian before you become a Christian. 00:35:27.480 --> 00:35:30.480 You don't have to cleanse yourself before you can be cleansed. 00:35:30.480 --> 00:35:32.480 You don't have to sanctify yourself before you can be sanctified. 00:35:32.480 --> 00:35:37.480 You don't have to do anything before you can be forgiven. 00:35:37.480 --> 00:35:39.480 You come as you are. 00:35:39.480 --> 00:35:41.480 You come as a sinner. 00:35:41.480 --> 00:35:43.480 This is the free-ness of it. 00:35:43.480 --> 00:35:45.480 This is the good news of it. 00:35:45.480 --> 00:35:47.480 You come in your bad condition. 00:35:47.480 --> 00:35:49.480 You come weak, wounded. 00:35:49.480 --> 00:35:53.480 You come as a broken woman, a broken man. 00:35:53.480 --> 00:35:58.480 You come as a sinner and he will cleanse you and he will teach you his ways. 00:35:58.480 --> 00:36:00.480 This is what he says. 00:36:00.480 --> 00:36:06.480 Verse 6, you delight in truth in the inward being and you teach me wisdom in the secret heart. 00:36:06.480 --> 00:36:11.480 See, God delights in transforming us by his word. 00:36:11.480 --> 00:36:14.480 He teaches us the ways of righteousness. 00:36:14.480 --> 00:36:23.480 He gives us the wisdom which is from above and he and only he can teach your heart these things. 00:36:23.480 --> 00:36:25.480 I can teach your head. 00:36:25.480 --> 00:36:35.480 I can tell you the wisdom that's from above, from an external way, reading the Word of God, expounding the Word of God, but I can't, none of us can, parents cannot. 00:36:35.480 --> 00:36:39.480 We cannot take the Word of God and instill it in the heart. 00:36:39.480 --> 00:36:45.480 We're incapable of changing the heart. 00:36:45.480 --> 00:36:49.480 But come to Christ as a fool. 00:36:49.480 --> 00:36:52.480 Admit your foolishness. 00:36:52.480 --> 00:37:01.480 Come to them in your ignorance and he will teach you. 00:37:01.480 --> 00:37:03.480 He'll give you a new heart. 00:37:03.480 --> 00:37:09.480 He'll take the Word of God and change your heart and transform you. 00:37:09.480 --> 00:37:15.480 You'll be sanctified by the Word and made into a new creation. 00:37:15.480 --> 00:37:27.480 And even as a Christian will be going from one stage of sanctification to the next from grace to grace, from truth to truth, it is foolishness that leads us into sin. 00:37:27.480 --> 00:37:31.480 It is wisdom that leads us into righteousness. 00:37:31.480 --> 00:37:39.480 You see in verse seven, you can run to God with your sins because he transforms you from within by the power of his word. 00:37:39.480 --> 00:37:44.480 Purge me with hiship and I shall be clean. 00:37:44.480 --> 00:37:48.480 Or me and I shall be broader than snow. 00:37:48.480 --> 00:38:01.480 All your guilt, all the stain of your sins can be cleansed from within. 00:38:01.480 --> 00:38:13.480 One time, one time something happened to me when I was in my early twenties. 00:38:13.480 --> 00:38:18.480 And I saw something and I'll just put it this way. 00:38:18.480 --> 00:38:24.480 I went home and took a shower. 00:38:24.480 --> 00:38:27.480 It was intuitively. I wasn't physically dirty. 00:38:27.480 --> 00:38:30.480 I just felt so dirty. 00:38:30.480 --> 00:38:32.480 And I don't know what it was in me. I just went and took a shower. 00:38:32.480 --> 00:38:38.480 And I stayed in that shower with soap and soap and soap and soap and soap. 00:38:38.480 --> 00:38:47.480 And you come out of the out just as dirty as you went in. 00:38:47.480 --> 00:38:53.480 You can't unsee stuff. 00:38:53.480 --> 00:38:59.480 You've done stuff. You've seen stuff. You behaved wickedly. 00:38:59.480 --> 00:39:03.480 And you can't do anything about it. 00:39:03.480 --> 00:39:12.480 You can't get baptized and the outward water of baptism cleans the heart within. 00:39:12.480 --> 00:39:17.480 But God can. God can take that heart. 00:39:17.480 --> 00:39:28.480 And only God can take that heart and worship and make it as white as snow. 00:39:28.480 --> 00:39:39.480 To be newborn, to have new life, that old life, all those sins be no more. 00:39:39.480 --> 00:39:43.480 And you can have a new heart. 00:39:43.480 --> 00:39:48.480 Today you don't have to leave this room with any guilt. 00:39:48.480 --> 00:39:53.480 None. You can leave with your sins forgiven. 00:39:53.480 --> 00:40:00.480 Now I want you to I'm only on four and I got six more. 00:40:00.480 --> 00:40:03.480 You don't have to wait to the other ones. 00:40:03.480 --> 00:40:11.480 We're not going to have an altar call. You can have your heart cleanse right now. 00:40:11.480 --> 00:40:18.480 Five. Run to God with your sins to regain joy. 00:40:18.480 --> 00:40:22.480 Look at verse eight. Let me hear joy and gladness. 00:40:22.480 --> 00:40:25.480 Gladness. Let the bones that you have broken rejoice. 00:40:25.480 --> 00:40:30.480 You see, it's your sins that have drove you in despair. 00:40:30.480 --> 00:40:37.480 Johnny football or Johnny Munzel at one time won the Heisman Trophy as a freshman. 00:40:37.480 --> 00:40:50.480 And he was considered he went from hardly anyone knowing his name and just a few short months of being one of the most well-known athletes in the world. 00:40:50.480 --> 00:40:54.480 And it utterly wrecked him. 00:40:54.480 --> 00:40:57.480 And he went from drugs to more drugs. 00:40:57.480 --> 00:41:02.480 He went from partying to greater levels of partying. 00:41:02.480 --> 00:41:11.480 He even got drafted into the NFL, never practiced, never studied the films and anything of that nature. He just went into sin to sin. 00:41:11.480 --> 00:41:21.480 And he reports of that time that he never felt more empty in his life. 00:41:21.480 --> 00:41:35.480 He is well known as a great athlete and he was wealthy and felt empty to the point that he tried to commit suicide. 00:41:35.480 --> 00:41:39.480 Your sins are not leading you to joy. 00:41:39.480 --> 00:41:43.480 I give you a pleasure for a moment. 00:41:43.480 --> 00:41:53.480 They give you a high. They distract you from your guilt, but they bring you into deeper despair and misery. 00:41:53.480 --> 00:41:57.480 None of you who are living in sin are happy. 00:41:57.480 --> 00:42:00.480 None of you are fulfilled. 00:42:00.480 --> 00:42:07.480 So even as Christians, we find ourselves discontent. 00:42:07.480 --> 00:42:12.480 We're just wanting the next thing. We're on a shopping spree in our mind. 00:42:12.480 --> 00:42:19.480 Even if we don't have money to purchase things, we're constantly wanting something to purchase. 00:42:19.480 --> 00:42:22.480 We're just discontent. 00:42:22.480 --> 00:42:28.480 We don't have the joy. We have lost it. 00:42:28.480 --> 00:42:38.480 You see, not only does our sin make us miserable, but sometimes God, if we belong to God, He breaks our bones. 00:42:38.480 --> 00:42:41.480 Look at this. Let me hear joy and gladness. 00:42:41.480 --> 00:42:45.480 Let the bones that you have broken rejoice. 00:42:45.480 --> 00:42:52.480 Sometimes God has to break us, to chastise us. 00:42:52.480 --> 00:43:00.480 If we're running from God, sometimes the only way to get us to stop, He must break our legs. 00:43:00.480 --> 00:43:07.480 Sometimes God must allow us to come to the end of ourselves and become miserable, to show us our misery. 00:43:07.480 --> 00:43:15.480 Out of love, He may have broken one of our bones. 00:43:15.480 --> 00:43:31.480 But if one of your bones or many of your bones are broken right now, and if you see the depth of your misery and you see that this world has nothing to offer you, your sin has caused you to lose your joy, then come back to God. 00:43:31.480 --> 00:43:37.480 In verse 12, he says, restore to me the joy of your salvation. 00:43:37.480 --> 00:43:42.480 It's been a long time, you may think to yourself, that I've been truly joyful. 00:43:42.480 --> 00:43:52.480 It's been a long time that my heart's leaped and be filled with the fullness of God's salvation and the joy of my salvation. 00:43:52.480 --> 00:43:55.480 I remember the early days. 00:43:55.480 --> 00:44:04.480 For me, at the age of 20, I almost killed myself, and God intervened, and I think for almost 12 months solid, I was the happiest person you'd ever seen. 00:44:04.480 --> 00:44:09.480 I think I was just, I couldn't get over the fact. 00:44:09.480 --> 00:44:17.480 And sometimes we forget what God's done for us, and we're just in the routine of the Christian life. 00:44:17.480 --> 00:44:19.480 It becomes just a duty. 00:44:19.480 --> 00:44:24.480 It's not the joy that's set before us that we do and live and run to God. 00:44:24.480 --> 00:44:30.480 It's just methodically carrying out our responsibilities. 00:44:30.480 --> 00:44:37.480 Well, come back to God, and He'll restore your joy, and He'll heal your broken bones. 00:44:37.480 --> 00:44:41.480 6. Run to God with your sins to regain a right spirit. 00:44:41.480 --> 00:44:43.480 Look at verse 9. 00:44:43.480 --> 00:44:46.480 Hide your face from my sins and blot out my iniquities. 00:44:46.480 --> 00:44:51.480 Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me. 00:44:51.480 --> 00:45:08.480 If your spirit is critical towards others, or if you're easily irritable, frustrated, displeased, if you're always seeing specks in people's eyes, and you're overly critical, or if you're overly frustrated, immiscible, discontent, something's not right with your spirit. 00:45:08.480 --> 00:45:11.480 Your spirit is disgruntled. 00:45:11.480 --> 00:45:16.480 Because the Bible says, where does wars and fighting come from within you? 00:45:16.480 --> 00:45:18.480 Why are you always angry with your spouse? 00:45:18.480 --> 00:45:22.480 Why do you have so much marriage problems? 00:45:22.480 --> 00:45:24.480 James diagnoses it does not come from within you. 00:45:24.480 --> 00:45:29.480 War you don't have because you ask, you don't receive because you're asking a miss. 00:45:29.480 --> 00:45:31.480 You want things to consume on your own passions. 00:45:31.480 --> 00:45:35.480 You're just selfish, James says. 00:45:35.480 --> 00:45:44.480 This is what's caused your spirit to be out of line and disgruntled. 00:45:44.480 --> 00:45:45.480 Where does pride come from? 00:45:45.480 --> 00:45:48.480 Where does self-righteousness come from? 00:45:48.480 --> 00:45:55.480 Self-righteousness comes from unrepentant sin. 00:45:55.480 --> 00:45:58.480 So let us get the beam out of our eyes. 00:45:58.480 --> 00:46:03.480 Let us go to the Lord ourselves. 00:46:03.480 --> 00:46:04.480 Say, Lord, search me. 00:46:04.480 --> 00:46:06.480 See if there's any evil way. 00:46:06.480 --> 00:46:10.480 I don't want any sin in my life, unrepentant sin. 00:46:10.480 --> 00:46:15.480 And God can renew a right spirit of humility and kindness and gentleness and meagness. 00:46:15.480 --> 00:46:28.480 All those fruits of the spirit that we all long to have, oh, God can restore those to our soul and give us a sense of humility when we think better of others than we do ourselves. 00:46:28.480 --> 00:46:30.480 Wouldn't that be wonderful to regain that? 00:46:30.480 --> 00:46:32.480 And there's where the joy is. 00:46:32.480 --> 00:46:38.480 And there's where happiness is. 00:46:38.480 --> 00:46:41.480 Some of us are fighting to keep our reputation. 00:46:41.480 --> 00:46:45.480 Just come down. 00:46:45.480 --> 00:46:48.480 It's too much work. 00:46:48.480 --> 00:46:52.480 It's too miserable to have this facade of their reputation. 00:46:52.480 --> 00:46:56.480 Just come down and confess your sins before God. 00:46:56.480 --> 00:47:01.480 Seven, run to God with your sins so that you may remain in His presence. 00:47:01.480 --> 00:47:06.480 Look at verse 11. 00:47:06.480 --> 00:47:12.480 Cast me not away from your presence and take not your Holy Spirit from me. 00:47:12.480 --> 00:47:20.480 You know, one of the most dreadful words I think it could ever be said to you would be by God when you think that you're going to go to heaven. 00:47:20.480 --> 00:47:25.480 But he says, depart from me, for I never knew you. 00:47:25.480 --> 00:47:26.480 All this time you were a hypocrite. 00:47:26.480 --> 00:47:28.480 All this time you were a false professor. 00:47:28.480 --> 00:47:32.480 All this time you were not a true, genuine believer. 00:47:32.480 --> 00:47:35.480 Now he's going to keep his own. 00:47:35.480 --> 00:47:39.480 He's not going to lose his elect. 00:47:39.480 --> 00:47:51.480 But if we're living in sin, the Bible tells us to work out our salvation with fear and trembling and to examine ourselves, to make sure. 00:47:51.480 --> 00:47:59.480 And there's no better way if you're struggling with assurance, there's no better way than just do what unbelievers need to do. 00:47:59.480 --> 00:48:05.480 You can be certain of your forgiveness. 00:48:05.480 --> 00:48:09.480 You can be certain that Christ will receive you. 00:48:09.480 --> 00:48:12.480 Say to God, please don't cast me from your presence. 00:48:12.480 --> 00:48:17.480 Do not take your spirit of conviction from me. 00:48:17.480 --> 00:48:20.480 Break my bones if you have to. 00:48:20.480 --> 00:48:21.480 Call me to yourself. 00:48:21.480 --> 00:48:23.480 Don't leave me to wander in my own way. 00:48:23.480 --> 00:48:31.480 Don't allow me to be hard-hearted and to continue in this path of sin and hardness and wickedness. 00:48:31.480 --> 00:48:36.480 Oh, Lord, please don't allow me to run from you. 00:48:36.480 --> 00:48:39.480 Come after me. 00:48:39.480 --> 00:48:41.480 I want to say one little word. 00:48:41.480 --> 00:48:43.480 I know that. 00:48:43.480 --> 00:48:44.480 Forgive me. 00:48:44.480 --> 00:48:54.480 I forgive me if I feel like I'm preaching along, but forgive me because I'm so burdened. 00:48:54.480 --> 00:49:08.480 But one of the words I want to say to you, unbelievers, the worst thing that can happen is you don't have conviction anymore. 00:49:08.480 --> 00:49:12.480 For God to leave you to yourself. 00:49:12.480 --> 00:49:19.480 Where you can sin without conviction. 00:49:19.480 --> 00:49:22.480 Oh, Lord, don't leave us. 00:49:22.480 --> 00:49:27.480 Don't leave me, Jeff Johnson, dear God. 00:49:27.480 --> 00:49:30.480 This salvation is too serious. 00:49:30.480 --> 00:49:33.480 My soul is the most valuable thing I have. 00:49:33.480 --> 00:49:43.480 It's too serious. 00:49:43.480 --> 00:49:47.480 Hey, run to God with your sins to regain a willing heart of obedience. 00:49:47.480 --> 00:49:48.480 Look at verse 12. 00:49:48.480 --> 00:49:54.480 Restore to me the joy of your salvation and uphold me with a willing spirit. 00:49:54.480 --> 00:49:56.480 See, God is going to keep us. 00:49:56.480 --> 00:49:59.480 I believe that I believe he's going to keep his own. 00:49:59.480 --> 00:50:04.480 He may have to break our bones, but we don't want our bones to be broken. 00:50:04.480 --> 00:50:10.480 I don't want to have to be always corrected and chastised to stay in the faith. 00:50:10.480 --> 00:50:11.480 I don't need. 00:50:11.480 --> 00:50:12.480 I don't want that. 00:50:12.480 --> 00:50:18.480 I've had my bones broken. 00:50:18.480 --> 00:50:25.480 I have been disciplined by God. 00:50:25.480 --> 00:50:30.480 Sometimes we're so disciplined by God, we look up and say, God, what is it you want me to learn? 00:50:30.480 --> 00:50:32.480 I'm ready to learn it. 00:50:32.480 --> 00:50:33.480 I want to know. 00:50:33.480 --> 00:50:36.480 I want to know what you're teaching me and I want to be humble. 00:50:36.480 --> 00:50:38.480 I want to be obedient. 00:50:38.480 --> 00:50:42.480 I want to be I want to be holy. 00:50:42.480 --> 00:50:45.480 If there's anything in my life, please show it to me. 00:50:45.480 --> 00:50:48.480 My bones hurt. 00:50:51.480 --> 00:50:57.480 And uphold me with a willing spirit. 00:50:57.480 --> 00:51:00.480 I want to be a willing follower. 00:51:00.480 --> 00:51:03.480 I don't want to be the one you have to chase him with a rod. 00:51:03.480 --> 00:51:08.480 I don't want to be an unwilling, resistant disciple. 00:51:08.480 --> 00:51:15.480 I want to be a happy disciple who hears an old baze with a happy heart. 00:51:15.480 --> 00:51:18.480 I want that joy of obedience. 00:51:18.480 --> 00:51:19.480 Yes, sir. 00:51:20.480 --> 00:51:24.480 I'll follow you for the joy that is set before me. 00:51:24.480 --> 00:51:27.480 I'm willing to endure whatever you have for me. 00:51:27.480 --> 00:51:31.480 I don't want to go kicking and screaming. 00:51:31.480 --> 00:51:36.480 Needing constant correction and disciplining. 00:51:36.480 --> 00:51:42.480 Lord uphold us with a willing spirit. 00:51:42.480 --> 00:51:49.480 Let us run to Christ now so we don't have to continue to be corrected by God. 00:51:49.480 --> 00:51:51.480 I mean, come now. 00:51:51.480 --> 00:51:57.480 Some of you Christians need to come right now. 00:51:57.480 --> 00:52:03.480 Right now, before God may have to come after you more severely. 00:52:03.480 --> 00:52:05.480 Out of love you would come after you. 00:52:05.480 --> 00:52:09.480 You want him to come after you. 00:52:09.480 --> 00:52:12.480 Don't take your rod of correction away from me. 00:52:12.480 --> 00:52:17.480 But please, I want you not to have to use that rod of correction. 00:52:17.480 --> 00:52:18.480 Nine. 00:52:18.480 --> 00:52:22.480 We're almost done. 00:52:22.480 --> 00:52:25.480 Run to God with your sins to regain your usefulness. 00:52:25.480 --> 00:52:27.480 Look at verse 13. 00:52:27.480 --> 00:52:32.480 Then I will teach transgressors your ways and sinners will return to you. 00:52:32.480 --> 00:52:36.480 You know, one time sometimes God allows us to sin, maybe commit adultery. 00:52:36.480 --> 00:52:41.480 Even what David he he murdered somewhat. 00:52:41.480 --> 00:52:45.480 God allows that. 00:52:45.480 --> 00:52:48.480 So that when we are. 00:52:48.480 --> 00:52:52.480 Forgiven and brought back to restoration. 00:52:52.480 --> 00:52:55.480 We can be better useful in his hands. 00:52:55.480 --> 00:53:00.480 We can teach other righteous people how to be righteous. 00:53:00.480 --> 00:53:03.480 That we can teach sinners. 00:53:03.480 --> 00:53:07.480 Have committed the sins that we have committed. 00:53:07.480 --> 00:53:11.480 To be restored and know your way. 00:53:11.480 --> 00:53:20.480 Who here doesn't want to be useful tool in the hands of God to lead sinners in the path of righteousness. 00:53:20.480 --> 00:53:29.480 I want to only get 40 years left if I have lucky. 00:53:29.480 --> 00:53:33.480 I want that to be useful. 00:53:33.480 --> 00:53:35.480 Be useful in the hands of God. 00:53:35.480 --> 00:53:38.480 Come to God in your sins so that you can be forgiven. 00:53:38.480 --> 00:53:44.480 And you can lead others to forgiveness in Christ. 00:53:44.480 --> 00:53:45.480 Ten. 00:53:45.480 --> 00:53:49.480 Last reason you should run at least the last reason in this text. 00:53:49.480 --> 00:53:56.480 Run to God with your sins is that you can properly worship him in humility. 00:53:56.480 --> 00:54:00.480 We see this in verses 14 through 19. 00:54:00.480 --> 00:54:05.480 You see verse 14 15 only after we have been forgiven. 00:54:05.480 --> 00:54:08.480 Do we properly understand God's glory and his justice. 00:54:08.480 --> 00:54:10.480 Look at verse 14. 00:54:10.480 --> 00:54:13.480 Deliver me from blood guilt. 00:54:13.480 --> 00:54:15.480 Tenus. 00:54:15.480 --> 00:54:20.480 You know I'm a murderer forgive me the fact that I killed someone. 00:54:20.480 --> 00:54:23.480 Oh God oh God of my salvation. 00:54:23.480 --> 00:54:27.480 And my tongue will sing aloud of your righteousness. 00:54:27.480 --> 00:54:31.480 Oh Lord open my lips and my mouth will declare your praise. 00:54:31.480 --> 00:54:37.480 You see those who are forgiven. 00:54:37.480 --> 00:54:41.480 Can't help but love God's righteousness. 00:54:41.480 --> 00:54:57.480 The very righteousness that scares the unrighteous the very righteousness that makes sinners fearful of God for those who are forgiven can see the righteousness that are fulfilled in Jesus Christ is something worthy of praise and worship. 00:54:57.480 --> 00:55:04.480 We can see him God's righteousness and justice because we understand that we are forgiven at the cross. 00:55:04.480 --> 00:55:10.480 And the more that we have been forgiven the more we can worship. 00:55:10.480 --> 00:55:14.480 The Bible says this the more who is forgiven much loves much. 00:55:14.480 --> 00:55:19.480 In fact we read that in Luke for those of us are reading through the gospel of Luke. 00:55:19.480 --> 00:55:26.480 We saw how Jesus took Mary Magdalene and compared. 00:55:26.480 --> 00:55:38.480 She was she was a very shameful sinner and compared her love with Peter's love who was a fisherman. 00:55:38.480 --> 00:55:49.480 Mary Magdalene wept over the feet of Jesus anointed his feet with her tears and took her hair worshiped him wiping his feet. 00:55:49.480 --> 00:55:54.480 And then Peter's like why are you allowing that to happen. 00:55:54.480 --> 00:56:01.480 Jesus looked at Peter says hey when I come into your house you didn't even give me water to wash my feet. 00:56:01.480 --> 00:56:05.480 You didn't even give me a towel. 00:56:05.480 --> 00:56:09.480 I hear this one who has been forgiven much. 00:56:09.480 --> 00:56:13.480 She has done what you haven't done. 00:56:13.480 --> 00:56:26.480 You've seen we can run to God with our sins because seeing that we are forgiven by God we can worship God properly. 00:56:26.480 --> 00:56:30.480 Now let me say it this way. 00:56:30.480 --> 00:56:35.480 The thing that kills worship is self righteousness. 00:56:35.480 --> 00:56:41.480 That's the thing that kills it. You know any type of look at me in our worship. 00:56:41.480 --> 00:56:51.480 I've heard some praise and worship songs it says like I'm doing this and I've done this and I'm I'm I'm you know like no no that's not helpful. 00:56:51.480 --> 00:56:53.480 That's not helpful. 00:56:53.480 --> 00:56:59.480 Worship is not self centered or I start even trying to get God to look at us. 00:56:59.480 --> 00:57:03.480 We might want to sing about nothing in my hands I bring. 00:57:03.480 --> 00:57:08.480 That's OK to talk about. 00:57:08.480 --> 00:57:12.480 But we don't want to go hey look look at me. 00:57:12.480 --> 00:57:15.480 We're going to worship God. We go look I'm a sinner. 00:57:15.480 --> 00:57:18.480 All I have is sin. 00:57:18.480 --> 00:57:21.480 But look at that man named Jesus Christ. 00:57:21.480 --> 00:57:24.480 Now he's worthy of worship. 00:57:24.480 --> 00:57:29.480 He's who I pray. He's he's the reason I'm joyful. 00:57:29.480 --> 00:57:31.480 He's worthy. 00:57:31.480 --> 00:57:33.480 I'm going to hide behind him. 00:57:33.480 --> 00:57:45.480 Don't look at me. I must decrease that Christ might increase and not just in the church but increase in my own thoughts and my own evaluation to think less of me and more of Christ. 00:57:45.480 --> 00:57:47.480 Now that's worship. 00:57:47.480 --> 00:57:55.480 And only when we go to God with our sins do we properly understand that we're unworthy. 00:57:55.480 --> 00:58:01.480 We need to see our unworthiness to be able to see the worthiness of Jesus Christ. 00:58:01.480 --> 00:58:10.480 Now the proper spotlight and glory is on him and not ourselves. 00:58:10.480 --> 00:58:13.480 We see this in verse 16. 00:58:13.480 --> 00:58:17.480 For you do not delight in sacrifice or would give it. 00:58:17.480 --> 00:58:21.480 You will not be pleased with a burnt offering that David is thinking. 00:58:21.480 --> 00:58:25.480 He's thinking here I just committed murder. I'm a daughter. 00:58:25.480 --> 00:58:34.480 What animals are going to take care of this. He's already known had to sacrifice hundreds of cows and lambs. 00:58:34.480 --> 00:58:37.480 He's a wealthy man. 00:58:37.480 --> 00:58:40.480 He says this is not going to do it. 00:58:40.480 --> 00:58:45.480 I can't just bring more animals to the to the temple and say hey sacrifice these for my sins. 00:58:45.480 --> 00:58:47.480 He knows that's not going to cleanse his heart. 00:58:47.480 --> 00:58:53.480 He says if that's what you want it if you if you want it more sacrifice for me I would bring it but that's not going to work. 00:58:53.480 --> 00:58:58.480 You say well I'll go to church more I'll pray more and I'll sacrifice I'll give more to the offering place. 00:58:58.480 --> 00:59:02.480 That's not going to work. That's not going to work. 00:59:02.480 --> 00:59:17.480 You can't come to God and get forgiveness by what you do or your sacrifices. 00:59:17.480 --> 00:59:21.480 Rather we see in verse 17 what you must do. 00:59:21.480 --> 00:59:26.480 The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit a broken and contrite heart. 00:59:26.480 --> 00:59:29.480 Oh God. 00:59:29.480 --> 00:59:33.480 You will not despise humility. 00:59:33.480 --> 00:59:36.480 Humility is when you say I have nothing. 00:59:36.480 --> 00:59:41.480 I am nothing. I have nothing to present to you. All I have is filthy rags. 00:59:41.480 --> 00:59:45.480 Please Lord beat your chest. 00:59:45.480 --> 00:59:50.480 Not like the Pharisees thought he was something. 00:59:50.480 --> 00:59:52.480 But you're more like that tax collector. 00:59:52.480 --> 00:59:56.480 You're the murderer. You're the adulterer. You're the idolater. 00:59:56.480 --> 01:00:01.480 This be your chest. Oh Lord I have mercy upon me. 01:00:01.480 --> 01:00:04.480 Center. 01:00:04.480 --> 01:00:06.480 I come to you as I am. 01:00:06.480 --> 01:00:09.480 Broke it. 01:00:09.480 --> 01:00:14.480 That he will not despise. 01:00:14.480 --> 01:00:18.480 Humble yourself before the mighty hand of God lower yourself. 01:00:18.480 --> 01:00:20.480 God will. 01:00:20.480 --> 01:00:23.480 Because all you have God will lift you up. 01:00:23.480 --> 01:00:28.480 God will forgive you. And then verse 18 and 19. 01:00:28.480 --> 01:00:33.480 It gives us the proper place for sacrifices and good works and worship. 01:00:33.480 --> 01:00:35.480 Look at verse 18 do good design. 01:00:35.480 --> 01:00:40.480 That is God you do good design and your good pleasure build up the walls of Jerusalem. 01:00:40.480 --> 01:00:45.480 Then will you delight and write sacrifices and burn offerings and hope burnt offerings. 01:00:45.480 --> 01:00:48.480 Then bulls will be offered on your altar. 01:00:48.480 --> 01:00:52.480 Listen there's a place to bring the offerings and the bulls and the sacrifices. 01:00:52.480 --> 01:00:55.480 There's a place for the temple is not going to cleanse you of your sins. 01:00:55.480 --> 01:01:02.480 But once you are cleansed and God does a work in your life then you can bring your good works as a sweet smelling aroma to the Lord. 01:01:02.480 --> 01:01:08.480 Then your prayers are sweet before God after you humbles yourself before the Lord you have nothing. 01:01:08.480 --> 01:01:15.480 Then you're built up by God to be able to worship God and serve God in a way that's pleasing to him. 01:01:15.480 --> 01:01:19.480 But you begin with humility not self righteousness. 01:01:19.480 --> 01:01:27.480 In conclusion God forgave this adulterer murderer. 01:01:27.480 --> 01:01:35.480 Nathan told David God told Nathan to tell David I have put your sins away. 01:01:35.480 --> 01:01:40.480 You will not die. 01:01:40.480 --> 01:01:48.480 Why can you come to God because God is good because of the loving kindness and mercy of the Lord. 01:01:48.480 --> 01:01:59.480 Those who come to God with nothing but their sin nothing but their guilt and their shame will leave God forgiven. 01:01:59.480 --> 01:02:06.480 They will leave forgiven cleansed and full of joy. Amen. 01:02:07.480 --> 01:02:11.480 Thank you.