We Believe in the Forgiveness of Sins - Sermon Notes

August 12, 2012 - Sermon Notes

Sermon: “We Believe in the Forgiveness of Sins”

by: Vermon Pierre

Series: What We Believe - Preaching through the Apostle's Creed

The Apostles’ Creed

I believe in God the Father Almighty; Maker of heaven and earth.

And in Jesus Christ his only Son our Lord; who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the virgin Mary; suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, dead and buried; the third day he rose from the dead; he ascended into heaven; and sitteth at the right hand of God the Father Almighty; from thence he shall come to judge the quick and the dead.

I believe in the Holy Spirit; the holy catholic Church; the communion of saints; 

the forgiveness of sins; 

the resurrection of the body; and the life everlasting. Amen.

How we tend to deal with sin:

1. Do lots of good stuff/ do lots of religion
2. Pretend it’s not there/ ignore it

1 John – Sin is lawlessness

Timothy Brindle Song

The standard that God has set is good because God is good and righteous!

Some results of sin:

1.    progressive corruption

·      Selfishness that leads to XXX

2.    bondage

·      a slave to sin (a monstrous desire that hurts self and others)

3.    self-centeredness

4.    delusion

·      rationalize it

·      playing the victim

·      not admitting it for what it is (sin)

·      using but to explain yourself (moving around the real issue)

“We have followed too much the devices and desires of our own hearts...We have left undone those things which we ought to have done, and we have done those things which we out not to have done, and (spiritually) there is no health in us.“ - Anglican Prayer Book

We should expect God to act on sin! The good thing is that we can talk about forgiveness because God has made a way for us to be reconciled to Himself.

Forgiveness is free, but not cheap!

·      Payment in blood for our sins - Ephesians 1:7

For forgiveness to happen, it means that someone has to take it in the chin!

·      2 Corinthians 5:21 - For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.

·      Romans 5:1

·      Galatians 4:4-7

Forgiveness of sins is accomplished by GOD, 

all by his grace, 

all though faith!

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

Being forgiven by God is the basis for you to:

1.    Relate rightly to yourself

·      Freedom from slavery of selfish desires

2.    Relate rightly to God

·      Praise Him

·      Finding pleasure in Him more than anything else

3.    Relate rightly to others

·      Since you have been forgiven, you should be able to forgive others.

·      Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you. (Ephesians 4:32 ESV)

To study more on this topic click here!  

Quoting Charles Spurgeon's Morning and Evening

February 1st | Morning

"They shall sing in the ways of the Lord." --Psalm 138:5

The time when Christians begin to sing in the ways of the Lord is when they first lose their burden at the foot of the Cross. Not even the songs of the angels seem so sweet as the first song of rapture which gushes from the inmost soul of the forgiven child of God. You know how John Bunyan describes it. He says when poor Pilgrim lost his burden at the Cross, he gave three great leaps, and went on his way singing--

"Blest Cross! blest Sepulchre! blest rather be
The Man that there was put to shame for me!"

Believer, do you recollect the day when your fetters fell off? Do you remember the place when Jesus met you, and said, "I have loved thee with an everlasting love; I have blotted out as a cloud thy transgressions, and as a thick cloud thy sins; they shall not be mentioned against thee any more for ever." Oh! what a sweet season is that when Jesus takes away the pain of sin. When the Lord first pardoned my sin, I was so joyous that I could scarce refrain from dancing. I thought on my road home from the house where I had been set at liberty, that I must tell the stones in the street the story of my deliverance. So full was my soul of joy, that I wanted to tell every snow-flake that was falling from heaven of the wondrous love of Jesus, who had blotted out the sins of one of the chief of rebels. But it is not only at the commencement of the Christian life that believers have reason for song; as long as they live they discover cause to sing in the ways of the Lord, and their experience of His constant lovingkindness leads them to say, "I will bless the Lord at all times: His praise shall continually be in my mouth." See to it, brother, that thou magnifiest the Lord this day.

"Long as we tread this desert land,
New mercies shall new songs demand."

November 27th | Evening

"The forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace." --Ephesians 1:7

Could there be a sweeter word in any language than that word "forgiveness," when it sounds in a guilty sinner's ear, like the silver notes of jubilee to the captive Israelite? Blessed, for ever blessed be that dear star of pardon which shines into the condemned cell, and gives the perishing a gleam of hope amid the midnight of despair! Can it be possible that sin, such sin as mine, can be forgiven, forgiven altogether, and for ever? Hell is my portion as a sinner--there is no possibility of my escaping from it while sin remains upon me--can the load of guilt be uplifted, the crimson stain removed? Can the adamantine stones of my prison-house ever be loosed from their mortices, or the doors be lifted from their hinges? Jesus tells me that I may yet be clear. For ever blessed be the revelation of atoning love which not only tells me that pardon is possible, but that it is secured to all who rest in Jesus. I have believed in the appointed propitiation, even Jesus crucified, and therefore my sins are at this moment, and for ever, forgiven by virtue of His substitutionary pains and death. What joy is this! What bliss to be a perfectly pardoned soul! My soul dedicates all her powers to Him who of His own unpurchased love became my surety, and wrought out for me redemption through His blood. What riches of grace does free forgiveness exhibit! To forgive at all, to forgive fully, to forgive freely, to forgive for ever! Here is a constellation of wonders; and when I think of how great my sins were, how dear were the precious drops which cleansed me from them, and how gracious was the method by which pardon was sealed home to me, I am in a maze of wondering worshipping affection. I bow before the throne which absolves me, I clasp the cross which delivers me, I serve henceforth all my days the Incarnate God, through whom I am this night a pardoned soul. 

Charles H. Spurgeon was England's best-known preacher for most of the second half of the 19th century. These quotes are from his classic Morning and Evening daily devotional.

Study Questions for August 12, 2012

Study Questions for August 12, 2012

Sermon: “We Believe in the Forgiveness of Sins”

by: Vermon Pierre

Series: What We Believe - Preaching through the Apostle's Creed

1. What is sin according to the Bible? How does it affect our relationship with God and with each other?
2. Why do we need God’s forgiveness for our sins and how do we attain this forgiveness? (cf Ephesians 1:7, 2 Corinthians 5:21 and Ephesians 2:8-9)
3. Read 1 John 1:9 and Luke 11:4. What important things do these verses teach the Christian about forgiveness of sins?
4. If we are in Christ, God has forgiven us! What does this mean for our relationship with God? (cf Romans 5:1-2 and Galatians 4:4-7). What does it mean for our relationships with each other? (cf Colossians 3:12-13 and Ephesians 4:32)

STUDY
Please read the parable in Matthew 18:21-35. Discuss what Jesus is teaching you here about forgiveness. Discuss at least two practical things in your actual life which must be affected by Jesus’ teaching on forgiveness.

PERSONAL REFLECTION
Is God’s gift of forgiveness by faith yours yet? Or are you like those described in Romans 10:2-4, trying to “earn” God’s acceptance by establishing your own righteousness? Have you yet submitted to God’s way of forgiving and justifying - by faith in Christ only? Either way, how do you know this? (TIP: Philippians 3:4-9 is an excellent passage to think about in regards to this question)

The Apostles’ Creed

I believe in God the Father Almighty; Maker of heaven and earth.

And in Jesus Christ his only Son our Lord; who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the virgin Mary; suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, dead and buried; the third day he rose from the dead; he ascended into heaven; and sitteth at the right hand of God the Father Almighty; from thence he shall come to judge the quick and the dead.

I believe in the Holy Spirit; the holy catholic Church; the communion of saints; the forgiveness of sins; the resurrection of the body; and the life everlasting. Amen.

  Series: What We Believe - Preaching through the Apostle's Creed