So I heard a totally awesome sermon today – just wanted to share my notes. It is the fifth part of an eight part series on the Lord’s Prayer – but going to this one made me wish that I had gone to all of the other parts.
Guilt is a great barrier – a person cannon have piece of mind and guilt at the same time. Some people are slaves to guilt.
Guilt is a human emotion – animals can know fear, hunger, happiness and sadness – but because we have a spirit and a conscience we feel remorse for actions that we performed that we know were wrong.
Guilt is universal – all humans feel guilt at one point or another in their lives. It is a warning light to tell us that we have done wrong, but we are supposed to correct it. We are not supposed to just live in guilt.
Guilt can be incredibly destructive – if we allow ourselves to live in guilt, it slowly eats us from the inside.
There are six ways that people commonly deal with guilt:
1. Projection – “It is anyone else’s fault but my own.” As humans we are very good at placing the blame at the feet of someone or something else.
2. Rationalization – “Yes I did that but I had this, this, and this for a reason to do so.” We make excuses to make what we did right.
3. Comparison – “I might have done that but next to so and so I’m a saint.” In this world it is always easy to find someone who has sinned “worse” then you.
4. Repression – We stuff it down and try not to think on it. The preacher gave the great analogy of trying to take ten balls that float to a swimming pool and trying to keep them under water. Most likely no one can do that – and if they can it is an exhausting task. So is repressing guilt.
5. Distraction – Putting forth all of ones energy into something else. People becoming work-a-holics, obsessed in a hobby, or something else.
6. Escapism – Turning to substances (tobacco, alcohol, or drugs) to escape from the guilt. People smoke as a form of stress relief, get drunk to forget, or turn to other drugs for the fleeting moments of “relief” that they bring.
These methods don’t get rid of guilt – but we DON’T have to LIVE with guilt.
The only way to be rid of guilt is to be forgiven of the sins that we’ve committed.
“This is how you should pray…Forgive us our debts…” God is the only one that can forgive anything and everything. When we pray we need to ask for God’s forgiveness.
HOW DOES GOD FORGIVE??
1. God forgives me INSTANTLY
When we ask God to forgive us – it is done. Unlike humans who want us to wallow in our guilt when we ask them to forgive us.
“Let the wicked forsake his way and the evil man his thoughts. Let him turn to the LORD, and he will have mercy on him, and to our God, for he will freely pardon.” – Isaiah 55:7
“If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.” – 1 John 1:9
2. God forgives me REPEATEDLY
God forgives us over and over if we truly repent. “Guilt is like garbage – if you don’t take it out regularly your house starts to stink.” If your life is going to stink – why delay forgiveness? Don’t run from God – run to Him.
“They refused to listen and did not remember the miracles you had done for them. Instead, they rebelled and appointed a leader to take them back to their slavery in
“Therefore he is able to save completely those who come to God through him, because he always lives to intercede for them.” – Hebrews 7:25
3. God forgives me FREELY
Forgiveness is not for sale – it is not something you can buy or barter for. Forgiveness is not something you can afford – the price for your forgiveness is much too high for you to pay. Forgiveness is already yours – Jesus Christ has already paid the price for your forgiveness.
However there are consequences for your sins – your body being beyond repair from years of drug and alcohol abuse, or spending time in jail for breaking the law.
“For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.” Romans 3: 23-24
“For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast.” Ephesians 2:8-9
When we ask God to forgive us all of our sins – they are ALL GONE. He doesn’t leave a trace of them behind. Justification – Full and complete pardon for sin through Christ Jesus.
“When you were dead in your transgressions and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He made you alive together with Him, having forgiven us all our transgressions, having canceled out the certificate of debt consisting of decrees against us, which was hostile to us; and He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross.” – Colossians 2:13-14
“For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.” Colossians 1:13-14
God presented him as a sacrifice of atonement, through faith in his blood. He did this to demonstrate his justice, because in his forbearance he had left the sins committed beforehand unpunished.” – Romans 3:25
Forgiveness is as easy as ABC:
A – admit your sins
B – believe that your sins are forgiven
C – commit your life to Jesus
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