I HAVE SINNED AND I AM SORRY
PSALM 51:1-19
APRIL 29, 2001
INTRODUCTION: John Killinger tells about the manager of a minor league baseball team who was so disgusted with his center fielder’s performance that he ordered him to the dugout and assumed the position himself. The first ball that came into center field took a bad hop and hit the manager in the mouth. The nest one was a high fly ball, which he lost in the glare of the sun – until it bounced off his forehead. The third was a hard line drive that he charged with outstretched arms; unfortunately, it flew between his hands and smacked his eye. Furious, he ran back to the dugout, grabbed the center fielder by the uniform, and shouted, “You idiot! You’ve got center field so messed up that even I can’t do a thing with it!”
Isn’t that just the way we are? I don’t want the blame for anything bad, but I always want the credit and praise for everything good! I know you are not like me!
TRANSITION THOUGHT: Our text for this day speaks to us about ownership, character, integrity, maturity, and ultimately about wisdom. This all may seem or sound a little strange, but David the Adulterer, is trying to share his repentance that we might learn how to share our repentance. For all the things I just mentioned, ownership, character, integrity, maturity and wisdom come from true repentance.
THESIS SENTENCE: Only true repentance leads to true God given forgiveness!
CONTEXT: WHERE DOES IT ALL BEGIN? THE STORY OF DAVID and Bathseba: Did you note the few words written under the title Psalm 51, even before the first verse? “For the director of music. A psalm of David. When the prophet Nathan came to him after David had committed adultery with Bathsheba.” Now, if you were to have your life laid bare before everyone you knew or everyone who would ever know you, what kind of information would you write about yourself? Realize, David wrote this psalm! King David is remembered for Two Major Events in His Life, This is the Second, What is the first? Don’t you think he would have written about the first and not the second? He never retells the story of his victory over Goliath! He, like Jim Baker, chose to tell of the reality and destruction of Sin.
David had seen Bathseba bathing on her housetop while her husband, Uriah was off at war, with the rest of David’s Army under the leadership of Joab. David noticed the woman was beautiful, inquired of her and found out she was a married women. He then had her brought to him, slept with her, and they together conceived a child. When he found out she was pregnant, he sent for her husband hoping to cover over the sin. It didn’t work, so he sent Uriah back to the battle with orders in his hands to place him in the heart of battle so that he would be killed. After all this took place, he brought Bathseba to the palace and married her. Nathan the prophet of Israel came to David and revealed that God knew all about the sin and foretold that the child conceived would die! This context is found in II Samuel chapters 11 and 12.
How many of the Ten Commandments do you think David broke? I count 5.
You shall not murder. You shall not commit adultery. You shall not steal. You shall not give false testimony about your neighbor. You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife.
Now, that covers the first words and now comes David’s personal response to all that has happened, especially concerning Nathan confrontation of David’s sin! So What does David Teach us in this Psalm of Repentance?
I. THE REALITY OF SIN SHOULD CAUSE A HUNGER FOR FORGIVENESS
A. Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God
1. This is the title of a famous sermon by Jonathan Edwards
2. The story is told that he read his sermons with his nose to the paper. When he read this sermon, people fell out in the isles terrified at the reality of being found a sinner and CONFRONTED BY A HOLY GOD!
B. The reality of sin should terrify us all!
1. Sin separates us from God
2. Sin brings judgment from THE HOLY GOD
C. Realizing his sin, David seeks forgiveness FIRST
1. Seeking forgiveness is the opposite of Rationalizing Sin
2. LOOK at verses 1 and 2 of our text, what are the first words out of David’s mouth? Remember, David wrote this, not someone else!
3. “Have mercy on me, O God…Blot out my transgressions.”
4. Note verse 7, “Cleanse me with hyssop… Wash me…
5. Verse 9, “Hide Your Face from my sins and blot out all my iniquity.”
ILLUSTRATION: Isaiah chapter 6 is one of the most exciting texts in the scripture to me. The Glory of God is revealed. And when God is seen, truly seen/ experienced personally, one thing and one thing only happens, we realize we are not God and as a matter of fact, we are desperately wicked in His Presence. Isaiah experienced God and the first words out of His mouth were “Woe to me.”
6. David realized who he was in the presence of God and he wanted one thing and one thing only, FORGIVENESS.
7. Maybe better stated, from the words of the text, he wanted mercy.
8. Mercy is defined as God not GIVING US what we DO DESERVE!
9. Also realize, David did not ask for Justice. Justice is getting what we do deserve! What do you want, MERCY OR JUSTICE?
II. THE REALITY OF SIN SHOULD CAUSE HEART FELT REPENTANCE
David has asked for forgiveness, but why should God respond?
SIN WILL KEEP YOU FROM THIS BOOK, OR THIS BOOK WILL KEEP YOU FROM SIN!
1. There are always two responses to sin, Own up to it, or deny it.
2. How do you respond to the reality of your own sin?
3. The longer I walk with Jesus, the more my sin bothers me! In days past, I could sin and go days without owning up to it. I was a master at rationalizing my sin away. It was Kim’s fault, or the stress of School, or lack of parental love. You name it, I could excuse it away from ME!
4. Now, I am so sickened when I fail HIM, that not even mere moments can pass. I, like David, beg for mercy and admit that I have sinned!
A. David teaches us the power of Ownership
1. “For I know my Transgressions, and my sin is always before me (verse 3).” “Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight…(verse 4).” “Surely I was sinful… Surely you desire truth in the inner parts; (verses 5 and 6).
2. David lays it out on the table, No rationalizing it away. I am Guilty!!! I sinned!
B. David teaches us the ugly reality of SIN:
Sin is the opposite of Clean (v. 7)
Sin is a feeling of being crushed (v. 8) Has your sin every felt that heavy (bones crushed)?
Sin is an impure heart (v. 10)
Sin is separation from God’s presence (v. 11)
Sin is separation from the Holy Spirit (v. 11)
Sin is joylessness (v. 12)
Sin is an unwilling spirit (v. 12)
Sin is bloodguilt (v. 14) Do you think he had Uriah on his mind?
1. David takes ownership!
2. David teaches the reality of Sin is not first against others, though we cause others to suffer, but against GOD!
3. David teaches us Repentance is dealing with our sin with the one that has the power to do something about it!
III. THE REPENTANCE OF SIN WILL CAUSE RENEWAL
A. Repentance leads to Joy
1. It has to do with the hearing? David says, “Let me hear Joy and Gladness.” Do you think repentance enables us to hear God’s voice? What does it sound like when God speaks to you? What is YOUR prayer times like?!?
2. Joy leads to Salvation? “Restore to me the joy of YOUR salvation.”
3. Repentance causes Joy because joy is the reality of Salvation, which comes from God alone!
B. Repentance leads to Restoration
1. Restoration is being “Clean” before God, the way HE intended us to be! 2. Restoration is being “Pure” before God, Pure in Heart!
3. Didn’t Jesus say, “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God (Matthew 5:8).”
4. Restoration is a broken spirit!
5. Restoration is a broken and contrite heart!
6. Restoration is about being WHO GOD WANTS US TO BE, versus being what SIN CAUSES US TO BE!
C. Repentance leads to ministry
1. “Then I will teach transgressors your ways.” This will cause sinners to turn back to God!
2. “My tongue will sing of your righteousness!”
3. “My mouth will declare your Praise!”
Time for the Test! How do you know if you have ever truly repented? You will be filled with JOY, You will be Restored to the person God wants you to be, and You will be in the ministry. How did David define Ministry? Teaching, Singing, and Praising all with the end result of leading other to God! DO YOU DO THAT?
CONCLUSION: START OVER
DO YOU WANT TO START OVER TODAY? THE ALTAR IS A PLACE OF BEGINNINGS, NOT ENDINGS. WILL YOU COME AS WE SING, “JUST AS I AM.” THIS IS FOUND ON PAGE 342 IN YOUR PINK HYMNAL!
