WESTSIDE BAPTIST CHURCH
PASTOR: TERRY VAUGHAN
SERMON TITLE: The Confession Recession
“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.” John 3:16-18
TEXT VERSE: Philippians 2:5-11 “Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: Who being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God. But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: and being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. Wherefore God also hath exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things under the earth. And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”
That every knee should bow and every tongue should confess. That’s powerful! I also like Romans 14:11 “For it is written, as I live, saith the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God.”
In Isaiah 1:18 “Come now, and let us reason together, saith the Lord: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.”
I want to preach to you this morning on “The Confession Recession.”
A lot of people when they go through things in their life they seem to go in the wrong direction. Jesus always in his word said come unto me. Seems like when we get things going on in our lives we seem to always go the other way. We’re living in a day and time where people aren’t confessing the Lord like they used to. I believe Matthew 24 says in the last days that the love of many shall wax cold. I believe we’re living in the last days. The word also says that they shall go with their flocks and their herds to seek the Lord but they shall not find them for he hath withdrawn himself from them. If you want to get real close to the Lord this morning, I want you to understand what a good confession will do for you. I want you to just leave everything with Jesus today. If we do that we can go home saying it’s been good in the Lord’s house. I’m not talking about going into a Catholic Church somewhere and sharing your inner most feelings with some Priest. We’re talking about confessing your sins to an Almighty God. When I see people getting close to the Lord, it’s usually those that have confessed to him. The Bible said nothing is hid this morning that shall not be revealed. But whether you confess it or not, God already knows it. It’s always better to be honest with God.
Number one....people aren’t confessing to Christ like they used to. John 1:10-11 “He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not. He came unto his own, and his own received him not.” We’re living in a famine time. There’s nothing any better than my Savior. He can do all things. When you get down and out just get off somewhere by yourself and talk to the Lord. He can make all things right. We’re living in a day and time where people aren’t giving their lives to Christ. Their trusting in uncertain riches. Their trusting in idol worshipping. Their trusting in the pleasures of sin for a season. But thank God today Jesus Christ said you must be born again. People better wake up this morning. They better realize that the Lord is coming back. If you’ve never been saved. If you’ve never confessed Jesus to be your Savior, I want you to know that today is a good day to do it. The Bible said that the angels in Heaven rejoice more over one sinner that repenteth than over the ninety and nine just that need no repentance. People need to turn their hearts and lives over to Christ. They need to confess him as their Savior. Theirs more people out in the world today than their is in the churches. They need the Shepherd. Somebody that can teach them the good and the right way. Theirs lost people dying everyday and going to hell that hasn’t confessed Jesus as their Savior. Romans 10:8-10 “But what saith? The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart: that is, the word of faith, which we preach. That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.”
I wonder do you have Christ in your life. Just because mom and dad took you to church all your life, it does not mean that you are saved. Just because your pastor told you that you were saved, it does not mean that you are. I believe their is a lot of people dying today and on their way to Hell, thinking they have the Salvation that can only come from God. Jesus said you have not chosen me but I have chosen you. That’s when you can get saved....when Jesus comes knocking on your hearts door. He said behold I stand at the door and knock, if any man hear my voice and open the door I will come in and sup with him and he with me. He didn’t say behold your pastor stand at the door. He said I stand at the door and knock. Jesus is the one that does the knocking and you’re the one that has to open the door. If you open the door he’ll come in. He’ll take up his abode with you. That’s what he told Zachias. He told Zachias to come down from the tree and make haste for he must abide in his house today. He didn’t say make haste for I must visit with you for awhile. He didn’t go to be guests with a sinner but to live with a sinner. Is Christ living in you or around you? When you get Christ on the inside the indwelling God will change your life. I’m tired of people saying they have Christ and they haven’t changed their life.
Number two...Their not confessing Christ to others like they used to. 2 Corinthians 4:3 says “But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost.” The Bible says that once we get saved we should let our light so shine before men that they might see your good works and glorify the Father which is in heaven. Because of what they see in us the Father can be glorified and we ought to let our light shine. We ought to live an exampled life and be the Lord’s servant.
Matthew 10:32 “Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men, him will I confess before my Father which is in heaven.” People aren’t confessing Christ to other people enough! It doesn’t matter what church you go to as long as Christ is number one in your life. Theirs a lot of people who use the church as a hiding place. They’ll get in some big church somewhere where the pastor doesn’t know who they are, who doesn’t care about them. He doesn’t know how many times they’ve missed. He doesn’t even know whether or not their praying. He may not know but God does. God knows everything and He knows when we aren’t confessing him to other people. He that winneth souls is a wise man. You might be the very link between God and fifty people on their way to hell.
Number three.....Their not confessing their sins like they used to. 1 John 1:9 “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”
It’s not a pretty picture when we’re living in sin and trying to do God’s work. There’s also too many preachers that don’t pray and study and live however they want and then try to stand up and preach the word of God on Sunday. You have stink written all over you. If you’re going to live for God you better do all you can to live right. Christians will stand up and tell you they’ve sinned in a minute but you never see them in the altar. If we all wanted to get closer to God, everyone of us would be in this altar every Sunday. If we’ve sinned during the week, we ought to be getting rid of it on Sunday morning. Asking God to give us a new start. It’s never too late for a new beginning. His mercies are new every morning. I talked to man the other day at work and they have a new young associate pastor they called to their church. When he came their the church had various outreach programs and one of these groups was a women’s group and they called him and asked him to come and speak before their group. He said he would speak to their group in the congregation with everybody else. Don’t put yourself in a bad position. It can happen. Anytime we start in sin and don’t confess to get out of it, it shames his name.
Matthew 11:28-30 “Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden light.”
Do you need to confess Christ in your life as Savior? Have you noticed a change in your life? Maybe you need to confess it.
Thank you for your attentiveness. I pray that you have done that which God has asked you do. I pray that you have confessed Jesus as your Savior and that you will confess him to others. In Jesus name, Amen.
