Guilt cannot overpower us
Acts 23:1-11; 1 Tim 1:12-16
Introduction
We are called to have a common purpose in what we do
-- The purpose is to worship, to love, and to celebrate Christ and share Him always
-- That is our challenge, mission, and it is STILL where we find ourselves today
Paul understood that Grace was the key to life; for it had been shown to him
-- Jesus is not to be ‘used’ or consulted only when we need something
-- APP: It’s not right to want the blessings without the relationship/commitment
LAST WEEK: We drew a conclusion and saw three important things we MUST respond to: Seeing, Hearing, and Doing what Jesus Christ shows, says, and commands of us.
Today I want us to see how the life of Paul can show us that change is possible
-- Paul was a man who understand persecution, trials, difficulties, and even guilt
-- He knew that God loved Him, and in the end this is what he clung too; testimony
-- His life is what we've been looking at, and how he shares it with us is vital
-- Today, we will see how Paul responded out of anger and what he learned from it
How many of you have done something stupid in your past?
-- Something you regret? We all have – it’s something we all deal with, daily.
Guilt is not always a bad thing, especially when we have sinned
-- Let’s be transparent here: If you are living in sin, if you are living your life in such a way that you know God doesn't approve of the way you’re living, you are going to feel guilt. And as harsh as this may sound, you should. Guilt is God’s way of telling you that you’re made for something better than what you’re doing.
IMP: One of Satan’s most effective methods of wrecking the lives of Christians is the use of guilt to paralyze them from accepting God’s grace
But today, what I want you to leave here knowing in your heart, no matter where you are in life, is that God is concerned with who you are vs. who you’ve been!!
We’re continuing our journey through the book of Acts this morning in Acts 23 We’re going to take a look into a time in Paul’s life when he absolutely blew it
-- We will contrast this lesson he has learned about making the wrong decision
-- In his letter, we see how guilt and grace comes full circle in his life
Read Acts 23:1-11
Point 1 - God loves you in spite of your past
We’ve all done things that can make us feel guilty
-- How does guilt make you feel? A screw-up? Undeserving? Worthless?
Illustration (Pastor Steve May): “Several years ago a woman came to our church and told him God could never love her; she had committed the worst possible sin. In a fit of rage, she said, because her baby wouldn’t stop crying, she shook him so hard that his brain was permanently damaged. Every day she is reminded of the fact that her own child is forced to live with the consequences of her sin. The guilt was too much for her. She said she had no right to be a mother, she had no right to be a Christian, in fact, she had no right to live. "God couldn’t possibly love me after what I did," she said.”
APP: His response to her was the same thing I’m saying to you today: God loves you in spite of your past. If He didn’t, then Jesus died for NOTHING
Imagine what it must have been like for Paul in Acts 23
-- As he sat in jail he knew his temper had gotten the best of him
-- Instead of sharing Christ; he decided to throw a fit and lash out
-- Imagine all the memories and guilt that must have flooded his mind
-- It wasn’t the first time he had blown it, was it? Paul had a very checkered past
-- In 1 Timothy Paul acknowledges that he had a past to live down
1 Tim. 1:12-13, “I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has given me strength, that he considered me faithful, appointing me to his service. Even though I was once a blasphemer and a persecutor and a violent man, I was shown mercy because I acted in ignorance and unbelief.”
Some of you may be thinking, Paul can’t be the worst … I am!
-- The fact is, God loves you in spite of whatever sins you have committed
-- There is nothing you can do to keep God from loving you
-- It doesn’t matter who you used to be; this is what Paul is about to learn
We see this throughout Scripture, especially in the Gospels …
-- Not once do you see Jesus judging an individual based on their past.
-- People found love and acceptance in Jesus in spite of what their past contained
Regardless of what you have done, there are three things to remember:
1) Nothing you can do that will cause God’s love for you to change (Jer 29:11)
2) We don’t get an excuse then to sin and live like garbage
3) God doesn’t consider you a “has been”; His love is consistent (John 3:16)
Point 2 - God will change you in spite of your past
Have you ever felt like there’s something in your life that just can’t be changed? Maybe a sin that’s taken root so deep that you’ve learned just to put up with it?
Paul didn’t believe we just “live with it”: 1 Tim. 1:14-15, “The grace of our Lord was poured out on me abundantly, along with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus.” He goes on to remind us of this basic Biblical truth: “Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners.”
IMP: Not only does God love you, God will still change you in spite of your past
-- First of all, he will forgive you completely and wipe the slate clean
-- Secondly, he will change you into the type of person he wants you to be
Too often we use the past as an excuse: "I’ve always been this way...I’ve always had a problem with my temper...Everyone in my family is overweight...I just don’t have any self-control...I come from a long line of alcoholics..." and on and on.
IMP: God can change you. He can part the Red Sea, he can make the earth stand still, he can hold back the rain for years at a time, he can heal the sick, and he can raise the dead. And yes (pause) He can change you into a better person!!!!!!
-- This is what Paul meant in Romans 8:11, “He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit, who lives in you.”
TRANS: Even with a bad past, God can (and will) use you for His glory!
Point 3 - God can use you in spite of your past
Q: Ever known someone who didn’t think they could do something for God?
Deeper: Can God use someone with a terrible history to help others?
Illustration:
Consider Charles Colson, the aide to Richard Nixon who was sent to jail for Watergate. As a result of his experience as a convicted felon, Colson founded Prison Fellowship, now the world’s largest Christian outreach to prisoners and their families. Prison Fellowship has more than 50,000 volunteers working in hundreds of prisons in 88 countries around the world. A ministry that has blessed millions of people got started twenty-five plus years ago because Charles Colson committed a crime. God’s eternal purposes for that man included even the sin that sent him to prison. It was a part of God’s plan from the very beginning.
But the story that matters most to you isn’t Peter’s, or Paul’s, or even Charles Colson’s. It’s yours. And what I want to say to you this morning is that the story of your life has not been ruined, not by your sin or anyone else’s. God’s good plan for your life is not buried under the mistakes of the past. God has a plan for your life, a good plan, a wise plan, a loving plan, a sovereign plan, and that plan is still in effect. You haven’t missed it. He is working out that plan in your life right now, today. Will you believe that? And will you renew your commitment this morning to seeking God, and following Him, and serving Him with your whole heart; free of the past, no longer weighed down by regret?
Look at what God told Paul after he blew it before the high council and was locked up in prison: Acts 23:11, “The following night the Lord stood near Paul and said, "Take courage! As you have testified about me in Jerusalem, so you must also testify in Rome.”
Look at what Paul wrote to Timothy about how God used him in spite of his past:
-- 1 Tim. 1:16, “But for that very reason I was shown mercy so that in me, the worst of sinners, Christ Jesus might display his unlimited patience as an example for those who would believe on him and receive eternal life.”
Look at some examples from Scripture.
-- Moses, was a great man of God; God used him after he committed murder.
-- David, Israel’s greatest ruler; God used him after he committed murder/adultery
-- Paul, God used him after he committed murder.
-- Peter, primary leader of the early church; God used him after he denied Christ.
-- John-Mark was Paul’s traveling companion; God used him even after he quit and abandoned the ministry (Gospel of Mark)
APP: As long as you have breath...as long as you have a life that you can surrender to God, He can use you. It doesn’t matter who you used to be.
Big Ideas:
1. You can forget the past, because God has forgotten the past.
-- He is concerned with who you’re becoming, rather than who you’ve been.
-- If there are mistakes you made years ago, or months ago—or even days ago—I want you to know that God is willing to put it behind you and give you a chance to start over.
2. You may have to live with the consequences of your mistakes, but you don’t have to live with the guilt or the shame.
-- God will set you free from all of it, and he will give you a chance to start again
-- It doesn’t matter who you used to be. In spite of your past, God loves you, he will change you, and he will use you—if you open your heart to him.
Pray
