Sunday, July 13, 2008
“God is greater than Sin”
Text: John 1: 29
We move to our second step in our 12 step program to break our addiction to sin by acknowledging that God is greater than sin.
You may recall that we made the subtle distinction between a sin and being a sinner.
A sin is an act where you miss the mark of the high calling which is found in Christ Jesus.
A sinner is a state of being where you are in opposition to God’s purpose and plan for your life.
Where sin is, God is not; where God is, there is no sin.
We sought to highlight the difference between being a sinner and one having an ethical lapse or a moral indiscretion.
Ethical lapses and moral indiscretions are physical; being a sinner is spiritual.
Therefore, addiction to sin is a spiritual bond that must be broken. Unless the spiritual bond is broken, one who is a sinner will continue to sin.
If you look closely at 2 Peter the 2nd chapter, you get a clear picture of what it means to be in a state of being called a sinner where one is perpetually separated from God.
It’s like being a well without water;
It’s like one who promises liberty, but lives in corruption;
It’s like one who escapes pollution, but gets entangled;
It’s like a dog that returns to his own vomit;
It’s like a pig that has been washed that goes right back into the mud.
Being a sinner is so spiritual devastating 2 Peter says:
Your latter end is worse than the beginning.
That’s why one’s spiritual connectedness to sin must be broken.
I don’t care who much self-help you go to. You cannot break the spiritual bonds by yourself.
That why King David when confronted by this progressively sinful state he was in his relationship with Bathsheba by his Pastor Nathan: David cried out to God not to turn his face from him, whatever you do God, please don’t break the relationship. Don’t turn me over to a reprobate mind. Create in me a clean heart, and renew in me a right spirit.
David understood that being a sinner was a spiritual state and that the spiritual bond between oneself and sin had to be broken. He also understood that he could not do it by himself.
Here’s how sin works:
First it tantalizes you,
Then it satisfies you,
Then it pacifies you,
Then it crucifies you,
And finally it mortifies you.
How many of you has ever found yourself like the Whisper’s old school song,
“I only meant just to wet my feet, but you pulled me in where all the waters of love run deep, Oh. This good feeling must have been sent from above, cause you’ve got me walking on the wall to wall love.”
That the problem with being in a sinful state – just because it feels good, doesn’t mean that it is good for you.
And your latter end is worse than the beginning.
However, there is good news!
There is a way to break the spiritual bondage of being a sinner!
Take a look at our text:
John the Baptist had been in the wilderness preaching repentance from sin.
He preached to the people to make straight the way of the Lord.
John baptized people in the Jordan River.
He preached to crowds that there would be one coming whose shoes, he was unworthy to untie.
John the Baptist looks up one day and sees Jesus coming towards him. All throughout his upbringing he was aware of Jesus’ special relationship with God.
John knew that Jesus’ purpose would be revealed in the proper hour.
And on this special day, John sees the manifestation of the power of God that affirms in his spirit that through Jesus Christ God is greater than sin.
He proclaims on the fateful day as Jesus approaches him to be baptized in the River Jordan,
“Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.”
That’s good news! Once you admit you are a sinner; then you must acknowledge that God is greater than sin.
Three things we learn from this story:
1. God is greater than sin - Behold.
2. Jesus is the sacrifice for our sin – the Lamb of God.
3. Jesus saves us from our sin – taketh away the sin.
What can wash away my sin, nothing but the blood of Jesus?
What can make me whole again, nothing by the blood of Jesus?
Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.
