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Sermon Notes: notes.cornerstonesj.org
Purify My Heart
Well, good morning church! Good morning! I want to start off at Psalms 91, verse 1 and 2.
Okay, what a beautiful day today is. He who dwells in the shelter of the
Most High will abide in the shadows of the Almighty. I will say to the
Lord my refuge and my fortress, my God in whom I trust. It is in whom
I trust and trust in everything that we do and say, think, look towards, look for, our hope, our blessing, our faith.
It's a refuge and it's funny because in these two verses they dovetail very well into what
Jacob's gonna speak about later, unbeknownst to me. It does because he speaks very much on this matter, too.
We are very, very blessed to have a church here, have the opportunity to worship, to be able to share the gospel, to do the things that a lot of countries right now are not as fortunate as we are to have that happen.
And we're blessed to have our leadership right now. Jeff is taking a little sabbatical. He'll be back in a few weeks.
John's over in Cooperstown doing his ministry there. Our brother Drew is on his way up to Bar Harbor, Maine.
So they must have lost their minds because they left it to Matt and me at this point, but we are so privileged and blessed to be here with you all to share the word, to have communion, and to be with our brothers and sisters in Christ.
So let me start with some announcements. Monday we have men's breakfast.
John? Men's breakfast, six o 'clock? Okay. And you understand chapter three?
Okay, so chapter three in what's the book again? Retractions, chapter three.
And then we have the men's Bible study here at Cornerstone tomorrow night at seven o 'clock.
We're going through Charles Spurgeon's spiritual leadership. Our brother
Matt is teaching about holiness and there. Women's Bible study is also here at 630 and they're going through the book of Titus.
On Wednesday we have a change in the schedule. Agape, because of a vacation
Bible school, Agape was changed and we're going to have it this Saturday, I mean this
Wednesday at 630. And if no one is familiar what the
Agape support group is about, it's really about the coming together of broken people.
People who are going through various different times in our lives, either through death or through estrangement, divorce, being prodigal.
But it's an opportunity for what the church is meant to be, is to lift each other up and support each other during these times.
On Thursday we have, Thursday night here again is the Bible study.
We're studying in Acts. Phil the evangelist will be teaching, so he'll be back.
He's in Oregon right now. And pray for him and his family, especially his mother right now. She is, she's ill and they do need our prayers.
Friday night, the youth group is back here at 7 o 'clock. And so Tim, if he's here,
I don't know if there's anything else with that, but he'll be here there. And I just want to take a moment just to recognize the people who participated in vacation
Bible school. It was an unbelievable time and turnout.
There was so many people that were here, so many children were here. We have so many volunteers that have been there.
Can you just give me a quick raise of hands of who volunteered here just now? Awesome, awesome.
God bless you for just taking the time and doing that and serving the Lord in this capacity. There was some, when
I came I just saw happy children just having a blast. And then
I got to meet the king, of course, Tim. And up here was the stage was set up as a castle plus a dungeon.
And the whole, when you came in to the church, they drew and Jill converted this with Sarah and among others that really converted this whole church into an experience that was so neat and inviting for children to really enjoy themselves.
So I thank them for that. Last but not least, Matt, do you have a chance to talk about marriage matters? So I think the
Biddles are gonna start a new marriage matters study. So my wife, she's not here, but my wife and I were able to do it earlier last year.
And really it's just a study for couples to get together much closer and put God in the center of everything.
So they have a really good setup to bring you in over a course of a few weeks. You study
God's word, but most importantly it brings you closer together as a couple with God at the center to really grow in your marriage, but grow as God as the center of the marriage.
So I would really encourage you to reach out to the Biddles. I think they're out greeting people as they walk in.
They're not in the sanctuary right now. And just pray about it and give an opportunity to connect with them and do it because it really is gonna bring your marriage closer, you know, and it also will bring you closer to God at the same time.
So something to really consider. And Joyce and I, we participated the last session.
I think they accept up to what, six couples? Yeah, six couples. So if you're planning to do it, sign up on the church app.
And I tell you, not only do we get into the word as Matt was talking about and it brings your marriage closer, but it's a lot of fun.
You have a lot of fun. They do a lot of games and they kind of work on breaking down some of the facades that you may bring up there, which is pretty neat.
And so you can learn a lot there. So let's come go to prayer. Father, we thank you so much for this beautiful, beautiful day.
Thank you, Lord, for this church, for this just wonderful setting that we have here to worship you,
Lord. Thank you, Lord, for the message that's going to be coming today. Thank you, Lord, for dying on the cross for our sins,
Lord, and having you as our salvation, Lord. For this community that's coming about,
Lord, we pray that people will examine their hearts, Lord, as we do this. And with the music that's being sung today,
Lord, have that touch our lives, Lord. We ask all this in your name, in Jesus' name, amen. Amen.
Let's all stand together and worship the Lord together. Open the eyes of my heart,
Lord. Open the eyes of my heart. I want to see you.
Want to see you. Open the eyes of my heart. Open the eyes of my heart,
Lord. Open the eyes of my heart.
I want to see you. I want to see you.
To see you high and lifted up. Shining in the light of your glory.
Pour out your power and love as we sing holy, holy, holy.
Open the eyes of my heart, Lord. Open the eyes of my heart.
I want to see you.
In the eyes of my heart. Open the eyes of my heart,
I want to see you. To see you high and lifted up. To see you high and lifted up.
Shining in the light of your glory. Pour out your power and love as we sing
Holy, holy. High and lifted up. To see you high and lifted up.
Holy, holy. Holy, holy, holy. Holy, holy, holy.
Lord, you are holy, holy, holy. I want to see you.
Holy, holy. Holy, holy. Lord, you are holy, holy, holy.
I want to see you. Open the eyes of my heart.
Father, we do want to see you today, Lord. Father, we ask that you open the eyes of our heart, Lord. Open our hearts, open our minds, open our ears to what you have for each one of us today,
Lord. That we continue to hunger and thirst for you, for your word, Lord, and for your righteousness in our lives,
Lord. I pray that you bless this time, Lord, and give us an attention and a focus,
Lord. Help us not to be thinking about the morning, perhaps, or the week ahead of us,
Lord. But to be focused and intent on learning from you and hearing from you today,
Lord. Father, we love you, and we thank you so much for these opportunities you give us to gather here as your children. In Jesus' name we pray.
Amen. Amen. Jesus Christ, I think upon your sacrifice.
You became nothing, poured out to death. Many times
I've wondered at your gift of life, and I'm in that place once again.
I'm in that place. And I'm in that place once again.
And once again I look upon the cross where you died.
I'm humbled by your mercy, and I'm broken inside.
Once again I thank you. Once again I pour out my life.
Now you are exalted to the highest place,
King of the heavens. For one day I'll bow at your saving grace, and I'm full of praise once again.
I'm full of praise. Yes, I'm full of praise once again.
Once again. And once again
I look upon the cross where you died. Jesus, I am humbled by your mercy, and I'm broken inside.
Thank you for the cross. Thank you for the cross. Thank you for the cross, my friend.
Thank you for the cross. Thank you for the cross. Thank you for the cross.
Thank you for the cross. Thank you for the cross.
Thank you for the cross. Thank you for the cross, my friend.
And once again, I look upon the cross where you died.
Once again, I thank you. Once again, I pour out my life.
And Father, we are so thankful. We ask that you prepare our hearts today for communion, and just give us the right heart, the right mind,
Lord, that we can be determined to serve you, Lord, and to live a life after you, Lord.
I ask that you just remind us of just that word, Lord. We do thank you,
Lord. Thank you for the cross. Thank you for what you did for us. See, on the hill of Calvary, my
Savior bled for me. My Jesus set me free.
Look at the wounds that give me life, grace flowing from his side, no greater sacrifice.
What he's done, what he's done, all the glory and the honor to the
Son. My sins are forgiven. My future is hell.
And I praise God for what he's done.
Sing for the freedom he has won. Even death is dead and done.
His life has overcome. Speak, say the name above all names.
Over every broken place, he has risen from the grave.
Now, on the throne of majesty, a father's will complete.
He reigns in victory. Sing hallelujah to the
King. He is worthy to receive all the worship we can bring.
What he's done, what he's done, glory and the honor to my sins are forgiven.
My future is hell. And I praise God for what he's done.
And I praise God for what he's done. And I praise
God for what he's done. Amen.
You can all be seated. And I've been praying about what the short communion message was going to be today.
August is that strange month where you kind of finished the spring, you went into summer, and then you hit
August. And August is the in -between month where you're kind of slowing down and you're starting to pick up again.
And it's a way of looking back, and at the same time, you're starting to look forward to the fall because the fall, frankly, is going to be pretty busy with school starting, and holidays, and business, and all that stuff.
So it's a time for us to kind of look at our achievements. It's also a time for us to look at losses. It's also a time to look at how
God manifests himself in our lives. And one thing that's easy for us to miss when we're doing all this, being so busy with family work, church, what have you, is forgiveness.
Forgiveness. Forgiveness is one of those things that we struggle with, we have a hard time with.
We like to either put it on a shelf, or in a box somewhere, or some ways we just don't want to address it for whatever reason there.
But before we start, we have a warning from Paul in 1 Corinthians 11, 27 through 29.
It says, whoever therefore eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty concerning the body and the blood of the
Lord. 28 goes on, it says, let a person examine himself.
Then, so eat of the bread and drink of the cup for anyone who eats and drinks without discerning the body eats and drinks judgment on himself.
And it is a warning, and it's also an uplifting order for us.
So what's this whole thing about forgiveness? You know, there's a lot of lies out there about it, some things God can't forgive, some things we can't forgive, and some things we must fight fire with fire, but there's truth behind what forgiveness is.
One truth that we live in is that we have a great accuser out there, and that's
Satan. And Revelations 12, 10 is very clear about who this person is.
We also know there's another sin that really is unforgivable. And in Matthew 12, 12, 30 through 32 says, whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters.
Therefore, I tell you, every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven people, but the blasphemy against the
Spirit will not be forgiven. And whoever speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but whoever speaks against the
Holy Spirit will not be forgiven, either in this age or in the age to come. So with that, we know, so we have an accuser, and we know there's one sin that's unforgiven, which leaves us that everything else should be forgiven, which our
God loves to turn His enemies into friends and family. In 1 Timothy 1, 15 through 16, the sane is trustworthy, this is
Paul speaking, the sane is trustworthy, deserving of full acceptance that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom
I am the foremost. But I receive mercy for this reason, that in me, as the foremost,
Jesus Christ might display His perfect patience as an example to those who were to believe in Him for eternal life.
But it's not just about that. Forgiving others is important. It's not an option, it's a requirement.
The Lord's Prayer in verse 12, and forgive our debts as we forgive our debtors, it's a mandate.
And forgiveness also starts in the mirror. In Colossians 3, 13, it says here, bearing with one another if one has to complain against another, forgiving each other, as the
Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. So you also must forgive.
And forgiveness is not pretending nothing happened. Jeremiah 31, 34 says, and no longer shall each teach his neighbor each his brother, saying, know the
Lord. For they shall all know me, for the least of them to the greatest declares the
Lord. For I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more. And then in 2
Samuel, which parlays, dovetails into what Jacob will speak about, is 2
Samuel 12, 12, 13 says, for you did it secretly, but I will do this thing before you, all
Israel, and before the Son. David said to Nathan, I have sinned against the
Lord. And Nathan said to David, the Lord also has put away your sins, you shall not die.
So we have this contrast of what's going on there, something that we are mandated to give in terms of forgiving others, yet we struggle with doing that, yet it's not a choice.
It is part of who we are as believers in Christ. Now, forgiving our enemies, that goes into another realm, right?
So evil is a bad move, it's not a thing that is recommended. First Peter is very direct.
For to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you as an example, each one of us as an example, so that you might follow in his steps.
He committed no sin, neither was deceit found in his mouth. When he was reviled, he did not revile in return.
When he suffered, he did not threaten, but continued in trusting himself to him who judged justly.
And if you stop, and you see them still attacking you, vengeance is not yours, vengeance is his.
Romans 12, 18 to 21, beloved, neither or never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, vengeance is mine,
I will repay, says the Lord. To the contrary, if your enemy is hungry, feed them.
If he is thirsty, give him something to drink, for by doing so, you will heap burning coals on his head.
Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.
So these are tough things, that to know that we don't have a choice in the matter, that our mandate through scripture, through our
Lord, is to forgive others. And it's food for thought, because the church is full of imperfect people.
You know, God uses imperfect people, and sometimes he uses very, very imperfect people to get his work done.
But it's our job to forgive each other and ensure that the love of God does not grow cold in our own lives.
Remembering both God's incredible provision of forgiveness, that he sent his son to die on the cross for us.
Because in the end of the day, any wrong that is done to each of us is still worth God's forgiveness. And we need to reflect on that.
Understanding that if God was willing to send his son, Jesus, to die on the cross for forgiveness of our sins, what rights do we have to hold back forgiveness to others?
Let us pray. We are imperfect beings created to worship you, our
Lord. And we are to glorify your name. Help us with our imperfections that can be used for you.
We thank you for what you did on the cross. We thank you for our church, and we thank you for this communion.
And we pray that all our decisions, we focus on you first,
Lord. In your name, Jesus' name, amen. God bless you.
Good morning, church. This morning, we're gonna be in Psalm 51, verses one through 10.
So, as I'm off in school for most of the year, I know many of you may not recognize me. Many of you do, but many of you may not.
My name is Jacob Hoak. I am one of the sons of the elders here, Matthew Hoak. And Jeff and the rest of the elders,
Jeff, who is our lead pastor, has allowed me to speak up here today. So I am a student at Bible College studying to be a preacher.
So I want to thank Jeff and the rest of the elders, and of course I want to thank God for allowing me to come up here and preach his holy, holy, holy word.
So in Psalm 51, we're going to get started with a prayer, a prayer or a psalm by David.
David is writing this psalm or prayer in a sorrowful manner. David is writing this time and this prayer in a time of sorrow where he has sinned and done terrible things against God.
Now some of you may not know David. Many of us always talk about it in church, but maybe you don't know the true story of David and what he's done.
See, David was a great king. David was king of Israel. David started off as a small shepherd boy, but through because of the work of God throughout his life, he became king of Israel.
And not only was he just any king, he was a great king. David was one of the good kings of Israel.
There were some good and some bad, but he was one of the good ones. David was an excellent king.
See, David wasn't just a king, but he was a warrior king. David went out on the front lines of battle.
He was the first to take his sword out and go and fight other nations to defend his nation,
Israel, God's nation, Israel. David was a warrior king and he was great at it.
But knowing that, we must also understand the inside mind of David.
See, to the outside, David seems like this great man who did all this work for Israel, all this work for God, and he was such a great man.
I mean, in Acts 13, God calls David a man after God's own heart. But what do you really find when you see
David's thoughts? See, David was a king. Many of us aren't kings today, so we don't really know what that's like.
We can't have a personal experience on it. But when you find out and you research how kings were, kings had to deal with the wars, and then they came home to the politics, and they came home to the people complaining, and they came home to the money problems.
They went out and fought these wars and defeated these great nations and celebrated with a great feast, and then right after, as soon as they walked into their palace, the people started to complain again.
Where have you been, O king? We need you to solve this problem and this problem. Where have you been? We need you to do this and that.
And you can just imagine how David must have felt. He must have felt so overwhelmed with his life.
He must have felt so defeated, even though he was winning these battles, claiming victory over these nations.
His mind was defeated because he had so much to do and not enough time to do it.
The people complained and groaned, even though he was a great king. He wasn't solving all the problems.
He simply didn't have enough time. He had a line out the palace door of people just complaining, David, fix this.
You're the king. You're in charge. God puts you there for a reason. You should do it.
But David's overwhelmed. He's scared, frightened, sad, sweating from his forehead.
I can't take all of this. And so at one point, although David was a great king, he was not a perfect one.
And so at one point in his life, David went out in his palace and he saw this beautiful woman bathing on her rooftop.
You see, David became so overwhelmed with his duties, so overwhelmed of being the man after God's own heart, of being this person which people look up to.
He became so overwhelmed with it that he said, I can't do it anymore. I'm just going to sit.
And David had lust in his heart. Now, it is unclear if David knew
Bathsheba, who was the beautiful woman, was bathing out there. It is unclear if Bathsheba knew David was looking at her.
But either way, what happened happened, no matter their thoughts. And what happened was when
David saw this beautiful woman naked bathing in her tub on the rooftop,
David declared a royal request. You cannot refuse the king that she come up to his bedchamber and sleep with him.
See, David has committed lust and now adultery. David was a great king, but David was not a perfect king.
The only perfect king to ever have walked this earth was
Jesus Christ. See, after David had committed this sin of lust and then adultery, he didn't stop there.
No, what did David do? David went on and said, oh, this woman has a husband and I have a wife.
What happens when the people find out? And why are the people going to find out? Because she got pregnant.
So the people are going to talk. Uriah, who is her husband, is off at war. David slept with Uriah's wife,
Bathsheba. People are going to find out. So what does David do? David says,
I can't have my reputation ruined. I'm a great king. Everybody looks up to me. I can't do this. I cannot have my title of a man after God's own heart stripped from me.
So what does David think to do? David decides to secretly plan
Uriah's death. And so now I'm not going to get in all the details of how that plan was orchestrated and how that worked, but David secretly arranged
Uriah's death on the war line. And so now this man after God's own heart, this great king of Israel, great king that did
God's work, is now a lustful, adultering murderer.
Imagine that. Somebody who we talk about all the time in church, King David, he was so great.
He did so many things for God, is a lustful, adultering murderer.
Think of that. How many of you can put yourself in the shoes of David here?
Now it may not be literal. You may not have committed adultery and murder. Maybe you have.
Maybe you haven't. But who else has sinned just as David did? Who else claims to be a
Christian, claims to be a man or woman after God's own heart, claims that they follow
God and love God with all of their heart, sinned against a holy
God? Who else can relate to David? Who else can relate to Bathsheba, who was put in a situation where she couldn't refuse, but if she didn't, then she's sinning against God.
How many can you relate to Uriah who have been hurt by sin? Somebody has slept with my wife and I feel that pain.
That is exactly what Uriah was feeling. Who else has been hurt from sin, from someone else sinning, or from yourself sinning?
This pain does not go away. See, this pain from sin, sin requires death.
So if you sin, your life is over. You should be struck down where you stand. Know the weight of that, but don't get discouraged because there is the hope, there is the joy, there is the grace and mercy of Jesus Christ who has paid for our sins.
So know the weight, but also know the grace and mercy of Jesus Christ.
So let's get into God's word. Psalm 51 verse 1. Have mercy on me,
O God. According to your steadfast love, according to your abundant mercy, blot out my transgressions.
Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin.
What is David doing here? See, many of you may have skipped over it. In fact, my first time reading this section,
I skipped over it myself. The very important thing that David is doing here is turning to God.
Now that seems self -explanatory. I have sinned against God. I have committed, David has committed adultery and murder, and he has sinned against God, and so why wouldn't he turn to God?
Who else would he turn to? It seems like a simple answer, but in modern times, and today, in our own lives, do we actually do that?
Do we actually ever turn to God, or do we say, I can fix it myself?
Do we say, I have done this thing wrong, now I have to go fix it? Do we say,
I feel guilty for what I've done, so I have to go make it right? In fact,
I've heard before, I feel so gross and guilty that I've done this thing, I need to go take a shower and I'll be clean.
Beloved, that is not the answer. Beloved, you cannot fix it yourself, so do not turn to yourself.
Turn to Jesus Christ. Turn to God Almighty. It seems like a simple answer, but we just don't do it.
We don't do it. David does it. Follow what
David does here. David is saying this psalm, writing down this prayer of repentance.
See, this is what David's psalm is mostly about. It's about repentance, and David goes through the steps of repentance.
This is the first step of repentance, is acknowledging God. See, repentance means not only saying sorry for your sins, but completely turning away from them.
In fact, saying, I am so done with sin that I am running away from it. I never want to see it again.
I never want to think about it again. I want to be so far from it. Lord, if it is not your will, don't even let me think of it.
This is repentance of saying, I am sorry I've sinned. I never want to do that again.
Take that far, far away. David is sitting here acknowledging
God. David is on his knees begging God. God, I see you. God, you're in my life.
See, why wouldn't we turn to God? God is the only reason why we stand here breathing. God is the only reason why we have life in our lungs, in our bones, in everywhere we speak.
God is the only reason why I am up here today, and why you are sitting in those seats. See, if you are not acknowledging
God, why did you walk in those doors today? If you are not here for God, why are you in this building?
If you are not here for God, why are you on this earth at all? Reflect on this.
Reflect on it. Think about why am I even on this earth? Why am I breathing today? If it's not to honor and worship and glorify
God. See, this is the purpose in which God has established in our lives, to worship and honor and glorify the
Lord God Almighty. That is our only purpose in life. We are not to live for ourselves.
We are to live for God. We are not to acknowledge ourselves and speak to ourselves.
We are to acknowledge and speak to God. So it just makes sense why
David turned to God first. Let's continue on in verse three. For I know my transgressions and my sin is ever before me.
Against you, you only have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight, so that you may be justified in your words and blameless in your judgment.
Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity and in sin did my mother conceive me. So what is the second point of repentance?
To acknowledge that we are sinners. The first point of repentance is to acknowledge
God. To talk to God. God, you are the person I'm talking to. Only you can fix it. Only you have
I sinned against. You are the person I need to acknowledge. Second point is to know that you have sinned.
Know that you are a sinner. Here David is lying down saying, God, I am sorry. I have sinned.
I've committed adultery and murder in your sight right in front of you. And I did not even think about it.
God, I'm sorry. I got so overwhelmed. I saw a beautiful woman. I just couldn't help the temptation. He didn't trust in God in that moment.
He didn't rely on God. He didn't follow God in that moment. And God was sitting there right in front of him. David had sinned against God and we sin against God every single day.
We are sinners to the core. David says we were brought forth in iniquity.
We were brought forth in sin. Ever since you were born out of your mother's womb, you were brought forth in sin.
There's not a single second where we don't want to sin. We were born in sin. We want to sin because of what
Adam and Eve did in the garden. During the fall, that's when it all started. And ever since then, we've always had a desire to sin.
As human beings, that's what we want to do, but it's not right to do it.
Beloved, we must know that we sin, but that does not mean to live in it. Acknowledge it, but do not continue doing it.
See, David does not say, God, I have sinned and that's it. I'm going to continue to sin because that's just what
I'm naturally doing. That's the natural core of my body to sin. And so I'm just going to keep on doing it.
I'm sorry, but I'm going to keep on doing it. See, that would be a fake apology, wouldn't it?
To continue on sin. Even Paul says, shall we sin so that grace may abound?
By no means. Shall we sin so that God can keep forgiving us? By no means.
Just because God is doing a work does not cancel out your disobedience towards him.
So just because God is going to forgive you of these sins does not mean that you can just continue doing it.
Paul says, by no means. Run away from these sins.
Acknowledge that you've done them, but never do them again. Beloved, it is not okay to sin and God sees this.
God is sitting right in front of you every single time you sin. See, God is not bound by this earth's principles.
He can be everywhere at once and so he can see everything at once. He knows everything you've committed and he was sitting there as you were doing it.
He knew what David was doing as he was doing it. He knew David saw her and had lust in his heart.
He knew David slept with her and did adultery. He knew that David murdered Uriah on purpose.
Know your sin. Know that you're a sinner, but don't keep living in it.
And know you need a savior because of it. And who is that savior? Jesus Christ, our
Lord. So the first point of repentance is to acknowledge
God. Speak to God directly. Speak to him first. It is important to speak to others.
Say sorry or forgive others, but speak to God first. Say sorry to God first.
Second point of repentance is to know that you are a sinner. You are dead in your sin. Imagine if you had a rope tied around you all the way up.
You can't break that rope. You're stuck. You can't speak a word. Your mouth is shut closed.
You are bound in that sin and the only person who can take you out of it is
Jesus Christ. See, imagine that we are like rags and we have all this sin piled up on us and we get dirty and we get disgusting.
Imagine you spill something that's colorful and you try to wipe it up with a rag, a white rag.
That rag will get discolored and look differently and look ugly. That is how we look on the inside.
That's how God sees our sin. And it is only if Jesus Christ washes us clean with his blood that that dirty, filthy rag becomes as white as snow.
And David comments on this, but moving on in verse six, behold, you delight in the truth and the inward being and you teach me wisdom in the secret heart.
The third part of repentance is to allow the Lord to teach you. Have an open heart.
See, we might think when we say sorry, it's okay. When we just say sorry, it's going to be fine.
But no, we forget the part where we learn from it. We forget the part where we actually have to do something.
You have to be teachable. You have to learn from that sin. This is why we acknowledge it, to learn from it.
We don't just forget about it. It's like, oh, I'm sorry, and now it's washed clean.
No, we must repent of it. And in repentance is being allowed to be teachable.
We must be taught by the Lord, taught what to do. So if we don't allow
God to teach us, then we're just going to keep continuing in sin. We're going to keep doing the same thing over and over.
If David never allowed God to teach him, he would go and sleep with 10 more women. He would go and murder 10 more men.
Because David would never learn. The lust that David felt in that temptation will get over him over and over and keep coming back.
That is exactly what the enemy likes to do. What the devil likes to do is tempt you over and over and get to your worst temptation where he knows he can trick you into doing it.
Do not allow him to do that. Stay with God. Stay with God.
Use the word against the evil principalities. Use this word.
Be teachable by God. Don't have a closed off heart. Don't have a heart of stone.
Open up your mind. Allow your mind to know what God's word is and allow your heart to accept it and do what
God is telling you. Don't just know the word, but go and do the word. So if we just know the word, if you hear this sermon today and know
God's word, but then don't do anything about it, are you really being a Christian?
Can you call yourself a Christian? See, what does Christian mean? It just means follower of Christ.
Are you really following what Christ says if you're not doing the word? If you're not doing what
God says, are you really following Christ or are you just calling yourself a Christian?
See, we need to be more than hearers of the word. We need to be doers of the word. We must do the word.
Do whatever God tells us to do in this book, for he only knows the right way.
He knows the way. Scripture says that Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life. The only way, truth, and life.
There is no other. So if you're following Buddhism or Hinduism or Catholicism or Universalism, that is not the way.
Beloved, Jesus Christ is the only way, truth, and life. All of this other religions and cults or ideas are all made up things by the enemy, trying to trick you, to sway it a little bit so it makes you feel better.
It's not as harsh. It makes us feel better and so you think you can do it. No, we must be told the truth.
We must be told the truth so we can live in the truth and live for God. That is why we're here.
That is why we are on this earth, to live for God. So why not be teachable? Why not allow
God to teach you and do his word? David was teachable.
David sinned, but he repented, and that is why God still considers him a man after his own heart.
Who else here wants to be men and women after God's own heart? Who else here wants to be like David, wants to repent of our sins, wants to forgive others for sins they've caused us pain for?
Possibly you know someone who's done exactly what David's done, slept with another person that is not their wife or husband.
You must ask God for forgiveness of that and forgive others for that. We cannot grow in God unless we have forgiveness and ask for forgiveness.
You cannot be bent up on sin. You cannot stay on sin. If you just constantly think of sin, that is going to cause destruction in your own mind.
We must know that we are forgiven by Christ, and we must forgive others because if we just are built up on sin all the time, then that will cause destruction for ourselves, for our lives, and honestly it will lead you more into sin.
The devil likes when you think about sin, no matter if you feel guilty about it or not, because the more you think about sin, the more you're thinking about doing wrong things, tend to do them more.
And the contrast can be said when the more you read the word, the more you think about the word, the more you do the word.
So do what God is teaching you here. Be teachable. God is begging you to read his word.
He sent these words to you for a reason. Personal letters which you can read on your own and apply to your own lives.
If your earthly father sent you a letter, a heartfelt love letter, would you not read it?
Would you put it on a shelf and never open it? See, your father knows more than you.
Your father is much more wiser than you. Your father in heaven knows what's better for you.
Again, imagine if it's your earthly father and he comes up to you and tells you something that you should do, something that you're doing wrong and he corrects you on it.
You're not going to spit in his face and run away from him saying, I know better. I know better.
Even though you are older and wiser than me, I know better. Somehow I know better.
Do not do that, beloved. Do not spit in your own father's face and run away. If you would not do that to your earthly father, why do you do it to your heavenly one?
Your heavenly one knows much more than your earthly father. There's much more than you.
So listen to him. He is the way, the truth, and the life. So listen to him.
Be teachable. Moving on in verse seven, purge me with hyssop and I shall be clean.
Wash me and I shall be whiter than snow. Let me hear joy and gladness.
Let the bones that you have broken rejoice. Hide your face from my sins and blot out all my iniquities.
Purge me, oh God. What is David asking here? David is asking for all of his sins to be wiped away, for his whole life to be wiped away.
I have lived in a life filled with sin. Cleanse me, completely give me a new slate.
I don't even want to look back at my old life because it is so sinful. If there's even one light, one sin in my old life,
I don't want to even be reminded of it. See, sin is so terrible.
Each and every sin requires death. Now the joy and gladness and grace and mercy that we have is that Jesus Christ paid for that.
Would you willingly murder someone else by sinning?
If you knew that, if you were going to sin, you were going to murder someone, would you willingly do that? Would you become a murderer?
The answer should be no, beloved. You should not want to murder anyone. You shouldn't want to murder our Jesus Christ, our
Lord and Savior. But when Jesus Christ got on that cross, he saw every single sin throughout time, and each and every one of those sins had to be paid for by death.
So Jesus Christ, in that one moment on that cross, had to pay for countless sins, countless deaths in one moment.
So the next time you even think about doing something sinful or wrong, think back to the cross.
Am I going to put Jesus back there on another time? It all happened at once, but God works without time.
So he saw your sins in the future. Is my sin in the future going to affect him in the past?
Is he going to have to pay for it? Did he pay for that sin? Listen to the word.
Do not get distracted with temptations. Do not cause another death.
Jesus has already paid for it 2 ,000 years ago, but do not sin any longer.
It is why Jesus didn't even want to go on the cross. He said, God, if there's any other way, let it happen, because Jesus knew the immense weight of feeling all of those deaths at one point in time.
Jesus was crucified once for countless sins. Do not let any more happen.
Beloved, David is sitting there saying, purge me. The sins
I've created in the past, I do not want to happen anymore. I don't even want to look at them. So give me a clean slate.
So repentance, the first step of repentance is to acknowledge God. Second step of repentance is to know that you are a sinner.
Acknowledge that you sinned and you live in sin. Third part of repentance is to be teachable.
Allow this word to teach you the good things of Christ, to let teach you the good things of God. Do not let this word sit on a shelf.
Do not let this word go by empty ears. Actually take time out of your day and read it. Be teachable.
Allow God to teach you the things which he has said. And fourth part of repentance is to purge all the sin.
Allow God to wipe you clean. Again with the filthy rags, David says in verse 7, and I shall be whiter than snow.
So not just white, but whiter than snow. That filthy rag that has all that discoloration in it with all the sins, now has
Jesus' blood wash over it. It has become white as snow.
Who else wants to be white as snow? We think an earthy shower makes us all shiny and good for today, but look on the spiritual side.
Look underneath your skin on the spiritual side. What does God see? Are you blotted with sins all over your body?
Or have you repented and been washed clean by the blood of Jesus Christ?
Reflect on this. There is nothing that I can say up here that will make you become washed clean.
Just as there is nothing I can say or have you repeat in a prayer that can make you be saved.
Enter into the kingdom of heaven. And so I'm not going to try to say a prayer that you repeat.
All that I ask is that you reflect on these words. For today is the day of salvation.
Today is the day where you shall repent. Today is the day where you get right with God.
God is knocking on your door. Just answer it and repent. He is begging you. God is begging you to come to him.
He's saying, child, come to your father. In verse 10, create in me a clean heart, oh
God, and renew a right spirit within me. Here David is asking to be purged clean, washed completely clean or all sparkly new.
And now David is asking for a clean heart, a brand new clean heart.
So David is saying, take my old heart, my old sinful heart that was tempted and fell into sin.
Take that away and just give me a new one. Got a new heart, which only desires you.
A heart that doesn't love sin like I used to, but a heart that desires you, has a zeal for you, loves you,
God, and you alone. This new heart, it will not lead me into sin.
In fact, it will make me desire you more. It'll make me read your word more. It'll make me a hearer of your word and then a doer of your word.
This new heart, God, give me a new clean heart. Do not let me go back to my old.
Let me flee from my old heart. Let me flee from my old sins.
Do not let me look at it and do not let me even think about it. If it is not in your will,
God, I want nothing to do with it. Lord, we want a new heart.
We need to repent of our sins. We need to become saved.
For Romans 10 9 says, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you shall be saved.
So beloved, I pray and I beg of you that you become saved. You believe that God raised
Jesus from the dead and you confess with your mouth that he is Lord. I pray and beg that you all become saved and you repent of your sins.
You repent of your sins so you are washed clean and so that you can enter the kingdom of heaven. You see, if you even have one sin left in your body, you cannot enter the kingdom of heaven.
In fact, even one sin requires death and you sent to hell. I wish to see all of you in heaven one day rejoicing with God almighty.
But the only way to do that is if you have no sin left in your body. And how can we have no sin left in our body?
By repenting and allowing Jesus Christ's blood to wash us clean.
So repentance, the first step in repentance is to acknowledge God. Acknowledge God, God, it is you who
I'm talking to. I've sinned against you. I need to talk to you. I need to get right with you. Second step of repentance is acknowledging that you are a sinner.
I've done great tragedy against you, Lord. I've caused destruction in my own life and others.
I've sinned a terrible sin against a holy, holy, holy God. Third part of repentance is being teachable after that.
Yes, I have sinned against you, but now I am here to learn from you, God. I am not spitting in your face and disobeying you,
God. In fact, I'm coming with you with open arms. I want to hug you, Lord. I want to be with you for eternity.
I'm not running away from you. I'm running towards you now. Teach me, teach me the right way.
For your son is the way, the truth, and the life. None come to the father except through him.
So teach me, oh God, how to live. The fourth step of repentance is to be purged clean, to have all your sins wiped away.
And the only way to do that is to have Jesus Christ's blood wash over you and take all that sin away.
So purge me, oh God. I ask you, I beg you, God. You were so gracious and merciful.
Purge me of my sins. Take them away, God. I never want to see them again. Never even want to think of them again.
Purge me, God. Wash me clean. And the fifth step of repentance is to gain a new heart.
I am done with my old way of living. I'm done with my old life. If there's even one ounce of sin in it,
I want nothing to do with it, God. Give me a new, pure, clean heart. I need a pure, clean heart to enter into your kingdom,
God. I just want to be with you for eternity. Allow me to have a clean heart. Take my old heart away and give me a new one.
I want nothing to do with sin. If it is not in your will, Lord, make it never happen.
I don't even want to think about it if it is not in your will. So give me a heart which desires you,
God, and you alone. Not a heart that desires worldly things or other religions or cults.
Not a world, not a heart that desires paganism or Catholicism or Hinduism or Universalism or any of the false religions and cults out there.
I want a heart that desires you alone. So allow me to have it,
God. Purge me from my sin. I repent. I repent,
God. Let's go to prayer. Lord God Almighty, we thank you for this time.
We thank you for this time of reading your word. We thank you for your word itself, God, for that is the only way, truth, and life.
Your son is the way, truth, and life. Let us not stray from that. Let us acknowledge that. Let us help us to become saved and help us to repent,
Lord. We wish to be your children. Help us to be your children who follow you, who are true
Christians, and follow your son, Jesus Christ. Please wash us clean with your blood, with the blood of Jesus Christ, and make us clean and able to enter into your kingdom, into heaven,
Lord, with you rejoicing forever and ever, Lord. We pray this all in your son,
Jesus' name. Amen. Let's all stand together.
Longing just to bring something that's of worth that will bless your heart.
I'll bring you more than a song, for a song in itself is not what you have required.
You search much deeper within, through the way things appear.
You're looking into my heart. I'm coming back to the heart of you, and it's all about you.
It's all about you, Jesus. I'm sorry,
Lord, for the thing I've made, when it's all about you.
It's all about you, Jesus. King of endless worth.
King of endless worth. No one could express how much you deserve.
Though I'm weak and poor, all
I have is yours, every single breath. I'll bring you more than a song, for a song in itself is not what you have required.
You're looking into my heart. I'm coming back to the heart of you, and it's all about you,
Jesus. I'm sorry, Lord, for the thing I've made, when it's all about you.
It's all about you,
Jesus. I'm sorry, Lord, for the thing
I've made, when it's all about you.
Jesus. I'm sorry, Lord, for the thing I've made, when the music fades, and all is stripped away, and I simply come.
From Hebrews 13, 20 to 21. Now may the God of peace, who brought again from the dead our
Lord Jesus, the great shepherd of the sheep, by the blood of the eternal covenant, equip you with everything good, that you may do his will, working in us that which is pleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever.