DO YOU BLEED BLUE?
(Note: I preached this sermon in Kentucky, wearing a Kentucky blue jacket, and a UK tie)
· Raise your hand if you bleed blue.
· What does this have to do with Easter? Come back to it later.
Text: Romans 3:10 – 12, 23
Introduction:
· This scripture teaches the doctrine of the depravity of mankind.
· World Book Dictionary : depravity – Complete deterioration of morals; corruption; perversion.
· We all know people who we would certainly classify as depraved – Adolph Hitler, Ted Bundy, Jeffrey Dahmer
· Want to look at three men in the Bible who were depraved.
A. Three Examples of Depravity
1. Noah
· Genesis 6:5 – 9
· Told to make ark, take family and animals
· Genesis 6:22 Noah did all that God commanded him
· 2 Peter 2:5 Preacher of righteousness
· Hebrews 11:7 Honored as an example of great faith
· Rained 40 days and 40 nights; water on earth for 150 days; inside ark for a whole year
· Built an altar and offered burnt offerings
· Genesis 9:1 God blessed Noah and sons
· Genesis 9:8 God establishes covenant with Noah
· Sound depraved?
· Genesis 9:20, 21
· Drunkenness, sexual perversion so bad that sons not only shamed by it, but cursed because of it
· Stunned? How can this be? The answer – he was depraved
· Not only did the most righteous man on earth have capability of sin in his heart, he acted upon it and sinned before God
2. Moses
· Exodus 1, 2 Pharaoh commands that all male Hebrew babies killed
· Moses’ parents hid in bulrushes, found by Pharaoh’s daughter
· Educated in ways of Egyptians, probably raised as an heir to the throne in Egypt
· Hebrews 11: 23 – 29 Chose to suffer affliction with God’s people than to enjoy the sinful ways of the Egyptians; honored for his great faith
· Numbers 12:3 Meekest, most humble man on earth
· Sound depraved?
· Exodus 2 Killed an Egyptian and buried him in the sand
· Numbers 20 Loses temper again, told to speak to rock, says “Shall we bring forth water for you out of this rock?”, hits rock twice
· Water came forth abundantly, would you have given water if you were God?
· Result – Moses not allowed to enter promised land
· How can man that was hand picked by God to lead his people commit murder and disobey God so seriously? He was depraved.
3. David
· 1 Samuel 13:14 Man after God’s own heart
· Hand picked by God to be king of Israel
· Great athlete, musician, composer, poet, military leader, Israel’s greatest king
· Displays great faith in facing and defeating Goliath
· Displays great restraint in showing mercy to Saul
· Desired to build a temple for God
· Showed mercy to one of Saul’s relatives after he became king
· Hebrews 11 Honored as an example of great faith
· Jesus Himself called the son of David
· Sound depraved?
· 2 Samuel 11 David commits adultery with Bathsheba, pregnant, David tries to cover it up by making husband drunk in hopes he will lay with his wife, refuses to cooperate, David has him killed
· How can man after God’s own heart do this? He was depraved
B. We are All Depraved
· Sin is an attitude of the heart
· What we see when a person commits murder or adultery or dishonesty are the results of acting upon those attitudes
· Matthew 15:18 – 20a
· Jeremiah 17:9, 10
· Galatians 5:19 – 21
· Depravity is why there are husbands that beat their wives, child molesters, rapists, homosexuals, men and women who cheat on their spouses, murderers and serial killers
· Depravity is why we have people like the Nazis, KKK, terrorists, and those that commit murder in our schools like at Columbine, Carter county, and Portsmouth
· Not me
· Romans 3:10, 23
· Isaiah 64:6
· Remember that it’s the attitude that leads to the action that is the sin
· Murder – I wish she were dead; If he does that to me, I’ll kill him
· Adultery – If I had the opportunity to be with her, I’d do it in a minute
· Dishonesty – I’d cheat on my taxes if I thought I could get away with it
· Only difference between you and Hitler, Bundy, and Dahmer is that they acted upon those sinful impulses and you have tried to resist them
· Do you bleed blue?
· Chuck Swindoll, Salvation – “If depravity were blue, we’d be blue all over. Cut us anywhere and we’ll bleed blue. Cut into our minds and you’ll find blue thoughts. Cut into our vision and there are blue images full of greed and lust. Cut into our hearts and there are blue emotions of hatred, revenge, and blame. Cut into our wills and you’ll find deep blue decisions and responses.”
C. What Does it All Mean?
· It means that we are all guilty, and deserve to be punished
· The punishment is death
· Ezekiel 18:4 The soul that sinneth, it shall die
· Revelation 21:8
· Romans 6:23 The wages of sin is death
· We’re all guilty and deserve physical and spiritual death
· Most depressing Easter message ever
D. The Good News
· There was one man in the history of the world that never sinned – Jesus
· John 8:46 Which of you convinceth me of sin?
· 1 Peter 2:21, 22
· Hebrews 4:15 but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.
· 1 John 3:5 In him is no sin.
· So what?
· Since Jesus never sinned, He never had to die
· Since He was not guilty, He didn’t have to be punished
· Instead of going about His business and watching everyone else living in depravity and dying in their sins, He chose to take their punishment for them
· A trade – I’ll take your punishment, you live my life
· All you have to do is trust me and ask for it
· Romans 5:1, 2, 6 – 11, 17 – 21
· How do we know that Christ can make this promise?
· Do you know of any promise that He has ever not kept?
· Christ told disciples that He would die and rise again after 3 days
· His resurrection is proof that He is willing and able to do all that He promises
Conclusion:
· How about you?
· Do you bleed blue? The answer is yes.
· If you are human, you are guilty of sin and deserve to be cast into the lake of fire and brimstone.
· But Jesus took your punishment for you; all you have to do is trust Him and ask for His forgiveness
· Romans 10:9, 10, 13
· Why wouldn’t you take advantage of an offer like this?
· Isaiah 1:18 (Paraphrase) Come now, and let us reason together, saith the Lord: though your sins be DEEP BLUE, they shall be as white as snow; though they be BLUE LIKE THE OCEAN, they shall be as wool.
