I
acknowledged my sin
acknowledged my sin
Praying the Psalms, 5
30-31
Mar 2019, Christ Mountain Top
Mar 2019, Christ Mountain Top
Responsive
reading, 2 Corinthians 5.16-21
reading, 2 Corinthians 5.16-21
Children,
Luke 15.11-32
Luke 15.11-32
Message,
Psalm 32
Psalm 32
Mission
Moment, UMCOR Sunday video 4
Moment, UMCOR Sunday video 4
“As
you speak, a hundred billion failures disappear”
you speak, a hundred billion failures disappear”
Song, “So Will I”
Robin
making the chicken rice soup when we were courting
making the chicken rice soup when we were courting
Me absorbed in my work
Unintentional sin (Numbers 15.25,
Leviticus 5.15)
Leviticus 5.15)
Robin forgave me … though the soup was
cold
cold
Psalm
32:1-2 Happy are those whose
transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered. 2 Happy are those to whom the LORD
imputes no iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no deceit.
32:1-2 Happy are those whose
transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered. 2 Happy are those to whom the LORD
imputes no iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no deceit.
Ways
we experience sin, metaphorical language from Scripture:
we experience sin, metaphorical language from Scripture:
Stain we cannot quite remove
Weight we cannot carry and cannot release
Missing the mark
Debt we cannot afford to pay
Sometimes,
we refuse to admit it
we refuse to admit it
Only rotting away from the inside out
Psalm
32:3-4 While I kept silence,
my body wasted away through my groaning all day long. 4 For day and night your hand was
heavy upon me; my strength was dried up as by the heat of summer.
32:3-4 While I kept silence,
my body wasted away through my groaning all day long. 4 For day and night your hand was
heavy upon me; my strength was dried up as by the heat of summer.
Those
who admit
who admit
Small or large…
Sometimes
we do not believe God will forgive.
we do not believe God will forgive.
“As you speak, a hundred billion failures
disappear”
disappear”
What does Jesus say upon the cross?
Father, forgive them.
Father, forgive them.
“Mercy triumphs over judgment” (James
2.13)
2.13)
God’s throne is a “mercy seat” rather than
“judgment seat”
“judgment seat”
(Psalm 80.1, Numbers 7.89)
Yet
we have a persistent view of God as Judge, and not a compassionate judge or
even an impartial judge. We view God as a Judge who is just waiting to zap us
whenever we step out of line.
we have a persistent view of God as Judge, and not a compassionate judge or
even an impartial judge. We view God as a Judge who is just waiting to zap us
whenever we step out of line.
A.W.
Tozer, a pastor and spiritual leader in the C&MA tradition:
Tozer, a pastor and spiritual leader in the C&MA tradition:
What
comes into our minds when we think about God is the most important thing about
us….
comes into our minds when we think about God is the most important thing about
us….
We
tend by a secret law of the soul to move toward our mental image of God. This
is true not only of the individual Christian, but of the company of Christians
that composes the Church. Always the most revealing thing about the Church is
her idea of God.
tend by a secret law of the soul to move toward our mental image of God. This
is true not only of the individual Christian, but of the company of Christians
that composes the Church. Always the most revealing thing about the Church is
her idea of God.
America’s
Four Gods, Baylor University sociologists developed a typology of our
concepts of God – note that this is a typology of our perceptions not of
biblical faith – on the axes of engagement (high or low) and judgment (high or
low). Those who believe that God is highly judgmental and highly engaged in
life view God as often angry. Note as well that this does not mean that they do
not also see God’s compassion. This priority on God’s judgment correlates with
greater mental health risk of anxiety issues and with being a more angry
person. It verifies the insight of pastor Tozer: “We tend by a secret law of
the soul to move toward our mental image of God.” And it validates the prayer
Jesus modeled, “Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass
against us.”
Four Gods, Baylor University sociologists developed a typology of our
concepts of God – note that this is a typology of our perceptions not of
biblical faith – on the axes of engagement (high or low) and judgment (high or
low). Those who believe that God is highly judgmental and highly engaged in
life view God as often angry. Note as well that this does not mean that they do
not also see God’s compassion. This priority on God’s judgment correlates with
greater mental health risk of anxiety issues and with being a more angry
person. It verifies the insight of pastor Tozer: “We tend by a secret law of
the soul to move toward our mental image of God.” And it validates the prayer
Jesus modeled, “Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass
against us.”
As a pastor, I get to hear a lot about how
people view God. I pray for those who view God primarily in these terms, that
they will hear the broader biblical witness of grace, that they will find
themselves forgiven, that they will find a way to forgive others.
people view God. I pray for those who view God primarily in these terms, that
they will hear the broader biblical witness of grace, that they will find
themselves forgiven, that they will find a way to forgive others.
Sometimes
we would rather stay in the closet with our sin. We think it is safer to keep
our story secret, and we miss out on the powerful release of confession and
forgiveness.
we would rather stay in the closet with our sin. We think it is safer to keep
our story secret, and we miss out on the powerful release of confession and
forgiveness.
Psalm
32:5-7 Then I acknowledged
my sin to you, and I did not hide my iniquity; I said, “I will confess my
transgressions to the LORD,” and you forgave the guilt of my sin. 7
You are a hiding place for me; you preserve me from trouble; you surround me
with glad cries of deliverance.
32:5-7 Then I acknowledged
my sin to you, and I did not hide my iniquity; I said, “I will confess my
transgressions to the LORD,” and you forgave the guilt of my sin. 7
You are a hiding place for me; you preserve me from trouble; you surround me
with glad cries of deliverance.
Only
after making confession does the psalm writer discover
after making confession does the psalm writer discover
· that
God is a better hiding place than the closet,
God is a better hiding place than the closet,
· that
God is a better refuge than our secrets,
God is a better refuge than our secrets,
· that
God is a better security than our silence.
God is a better security than our silence.
Diving
into work as a family trait. Waiting for Robin’s kiss.
into work as a family trait. Waiting for Robin’s kiss.
Why do I do that? Because she forgives me.
When she speaks, all my failures (at least those toward her) disappear. Because
she forgives me, she is my hiding place, my refuge, my security. And, “happy
are those whose transgression is forgiven.”
When she speaks, all my failures (at least those toward her) disappear. Because
she forgives me, she is my hiding place, my refuge, my security. And, “happy
are those whose transgression is forgiven.”
Prayer:
conclude with “Hear the good news …”
conclude with “Hear the good news …”
Resources:
Baylor
University sociologists, America’s Four
Gods
University sociologists, America’s Four
Gods
Jonathan
Merritt lecture at BioLogos 2019, personal notes
Merritt lecture at BioLogos 2019, personal notes
Song,
“So Will I”
“So Will I”
Joel
Houston | Benjamin Hastings | Michael Fatkin
Houston | Benjamin Hastings | Michael Fatkin
