2024-05-05 Sermon 2
💡Big Idea
Takeaways and Next Steps
📖Bible Passage
Psalm 103:12
Points
- God has removed our sins from us.
- Oh how great is our sin. What a heavy burden or Him to remove, yet for Him it is nothing.
- What could be further than East from West?
- Isaiah 41:12: You shall seek them[1] and not find them.
- This evening we look at the glory of our forgiving God.
- Thomas Watson: It is God's mercy that makes all His other attributes sweet to us.
- When God forgives He forgives on a divine scale.
- His justice is divine.
- When God forgives He forgives in a divine way.
- In verse 12 God reveals a problem, our transgressions. Our sins, which separate us from God.
- These sins cling to our souls like tar.
- Psalm 51:3-4 These sins belong to me. They are mine and really mine.
- Transgressions are an act of aggression and rebellion against God.
- What is the problem of our transgressions?
- they are not a theory, they are a painful and present reality.
- Our transgressions separate us from God.
- And there is nothing that we can do to remove our transgressions from us.
- If our transgressions remain then they will sink us to the depths of Hell.
- Hell is also not a theory, but a painful and present reality.
- If our transgressions remain then they will sink us to the depths of Hell.
- Second, in this text God reveals a solution, God.
- It is God who intervenes, separating us from our transgressions.
- God intervenes because no one else can accomplish what He can through Christ.
- Some people seek to remove their sins by visiting a human priest.
- But can a human priest free you of your sin?
- Some people want a program to save themselves. Some want an assurance of pardon spoken by a human, or find hope in philosophy, or government.
- But none of these face the real problem. They do not remove or even deal with sin and transgressions.
- Only God can forgive sins.
- Some people seek to remove their sins by visiting a human priest.
- Third, there is also a wonder here. Who is this?
- This is the holy one, the law maker and giver, the one who is offended by sin.
- Psalm 103:6: This might terrify you of His justice, but He protects and cares for the oppressed.
- When God comes to us, not with justice and wrath but mercy, it astounds us.
- Isaiah 43:25 : I, even I, am he who blots out your transgressions for my own sake; and I will not remember your sins.
- How will we be freed from our transgressions? God steps in and says I will do it.
- Transgressions are against the LORD, but mercies flow from Him.
- This is not only about pardon, but renewal.
- It's not only God saying I have removed your sins, but now you are free, liberated to live as my people.
- Your transgressions are real, personal and legal.
- But your transgressions are now really, personally, and legally separated from you, because of Christ.
- Hebrews 8:8-12: I will remember there sins no more.
- Psalm 32 : Blessed is he whose disobedience is forgiven, whose sin is covered.
- 1 Peter 2:24
- Leviticus 16:
- There are 2 goats:
- One goat is killed to pay for sins.
- the other goat receives all the guilt, shame and sin, and is sent away to be torn apart by the wild animals.
- Christ Himself, has born all our guilt and shame and He has taken them far away from us.
- There are 2 goats:
- Who is it that enjoys these great mercies?
- It is those who fear Him. Psalm 103:11
- The fear of the LORD is a way that the bible talks about those who follow God.
- If you do not fear God, seeking to obey His commandments, trusting in Him alone, then you will not enjoy His forgiveness.
- You cannot keep the practice and pleasure of your sin and yet be cleansed from the stain of your sin.
- This is the problem when we humans attempt to remove sin.
- The priest proclaims to the confessor that your sins are absolved. Wrongly.
- The psychologist tells us that you are not really a sinner.
- The magistrate and politician desperately tries to hone in citizens through new structures to force morality (even though they deny that morality objectively exists).
Application
- Take comfort in knowing that God has truly removed your transgressions forever.
- His work is effective and complete.
- From the east to the west, from sunrise to sunset.
- This distance is incomparable, incomprehensible, and immeasurable.
- Your guilt is gone, removed, and can never return.
- Romans 8:1: There is therefore no condemnation, for those who are in Christ Jesus.
- David, the murderer and adulterer repented of his sin.
- Nathan, the prophet said: You shall not die. The LORD has put away your sin.
- This is the incredible grace of God.
- When troubles come over us, when we are tempted, when Satan the accuser spits lies at us, take comfort in the mercy of God.
- I am a transgressor, but I am a cleansed sinner.
- My sin, not in part but the whole, is nailed to the cross and I bear it no more.
- Therefore rejoice greatly!
- If Heaven rejoices over even one repentant sinner, how much more should we rejoice!
- I am a transgressor, but I am a cleansed sinner.
Further Study
💬Discussion Questions
Footnotes
All those who are incensed against you. ↩︎
2024-05-05 Sermon 2
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💡Big Idea
Takeaways and Next Steps
📖Bible Passage
Points
Application
Further Study
💬Discussion Questions
Footnotes