Purify My Heart (Psalm 51:1-10 Jacob Hoke)

God as Refuge and Church Announcements

Well, good morning church. Good morning. I want to start up 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 forwards 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 going to 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 at the mat and me at this point, but we are so privileged and blessed to be here with you all to To share the word to have communion and to be with our brothers and sisters in Christ.

So, let me start some announcements.

Okay.

Monday we have men's breakfast. John. John 12 men's breakfast six o 'clock. Okay. And now I 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. Their 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.

Copy.

Because of a vacation Bible school a copy was changed and we're gonna have it this Saturday I mean this Wednesday at 630 and.

And.

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 seven o 'clock and. And so Tim if he's here, I don't know if there's anything else. So 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?

You awesome awesome. God bless you for just taking the time and doing that and serving the Lord in this capacity there was some I when I came I just saw happy children just having a blast and and then I got to meet the king, of course Tim and up here was the stage was set up as a as a castle plus a dungeon and.

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? Yeah.

So I think the Biddle's 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 the you know earlier last year and Really is just a study for couples to get together much closer and put God in the center of everything.

So they have a really good set up to bring you in over a course of a few weeks. You studies got 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 Biddle's. I think they're out Greeting people as they walk in they're not in the sanctuary right now. And just pray about 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 It's I tell you not only do we get into the word as Matt was talking about and it brings it brings Your marriage closer, but it's a lot of fun.

You you have a lot of fun. They do a lot of games and they kind of Work on breaking down some of some of the facades that you may bring up there Which is which is pretty neat and so you can learn a lot there.

Prayer for Worship, Communion, and the Day Ahead

So let's come go to work I mean 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 or thank you Lord for the message.

It's gonna 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 would 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 Jesus name.

Let's all stand again.

Open the eyes of my heart. Open the eyes of my heart. I want to Open the eyes of my heart.

I I.

Lift it up and they're shining in the light of your power. Do you high and lift it up. See I lift it up out your power. Holy holy father. We do want to see you today father.

We ask that you open the eyes of our heart open our hearts open our minds open our ears To what you have for each one of us today. Continue to hunger and thirst for you for your word Lord and for your righteousness in our lives.

But I pray that you bless this time Lord and give us a an attention and a focus. Lord help us to not to be thinking about the 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.

We love you, and we thank you so much for these opportunities. You give us together In Jesus name we pray amen.

Worship Songs: The Cross and What He's Done

Jesus Christ, I think upon your sacrifice you became Bored out to death eight times. I've wondered at your gift of life and I'm in that place I'm in that place in that place once again. And once again I look across where you down humbled by your mercy And I'm broken inside.

Once again, I thank you once again.

Now you are now you are.

Exalted to the highest I'm full of praise is once again once again I look across where you got humbled by your mercy and I'm broken. Once again again, I look across where you Jesus I am humbled by your mercy and I'm broken inside.

Once again, I thank you once again For out my life, thank you for the cross. Thank you for the Thank you for the Thank you for the cross my friend. Thank you for the cross Thank you for the cross Thank you for the 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. 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.

And Father, we are so thankful. We ask that you prepare our hearts today for communion, Lord, 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, Father.

We 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, Lord.

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 better. And I praise God. Even death is dead and done. His life has overcome. Say the name above all names. Over every broken place. He is risen from the grave. What He's done.

What He's done. All the glory and the honor to the Son. My sins are forgiven. My future is better. And I praise God. 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. What He's done. My future is better. What He's done. What He's done. What He's done. All the glory and the honor to the Son. My sins are forgiven. My future is better.

And I praise God. And I praise God.

You can all be seated.

Forgiveness, the Lord's Supper, and the Call to Forgive Others

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. 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 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. 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 -29.

It says,.

28 goes on and says,. 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 .30 -32, it says,. 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 -16,. This is Paul speaking.

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,. 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 then in 2 Samuel,. Which parlays, Ducktails into what Jacob will speak about. 2 Samuel 12 .13 says,. For you did it secretly, but I will do this thing before you, all Israel, and before the sun.

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.

1 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 entrusting himself to him who judged justly. And if you stop, you know, and you see them still attacking you, vengeance is not yours.

Vengeance is his. Romans 12, 18 -21. Beloved, 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. These are tough things. 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 at 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.

David, Bathsheba, and the Call to Repentance in Psalm 51

Thank you, church. This morning we're going to be in Psalm 51, verses 1 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 Hoke. I am one of the sons of the elders here, Matthew Hoke. 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. Now, 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 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 him 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 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 into 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, adulterous 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. God is a lustful, adulterous 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 and have 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. 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, in 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 have sinned.

I never want to do that again. Take that far, far away from me. 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 3. 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 have 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 is 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 6, 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. Say, 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 it'll 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's word. 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.