CREATURES OF HABIT: Conceal v. Confess 1-26-25
INTRODUCTION
Good morning, Church. This is the final week of our sermon series called Creatures of Habit. We have been talking about how every person’s life is largely made up of the routine choices that we make each day. The habits that we choose will determine the trajectory of our life and who we will become. The question is, are we becoming the person that we want to be?
The first week, we learned that developing a habit of reading and meditating on God’s word can protect us from internalizing negativity. Rather than listening to poison, we can listen to the promises of God. Two weeks ago, we confronted the habit of always wanting more. The healthier habit for our lives is choosing simplicity. This is the way that we discover contentment and fulfillment in God alone. Last week, we were encouraged by scripture to choose a habit of worship rather than a habit of worry. There is so much in the world to be anxious about, but worship turns our attention to Jesus as the source of our hope. This final week, we will wrestle with the habits of concealing and confessing.
As Paula and I have worked diligently to downsize our lives, we have had to find places to put the vast amount of stuff as we prepare to divest of our hoarded belongings. We have put stuff in the basement. We have filled her craft room with boxes. We have filled our garage to overflowing. But, you can come into our home and never know any of that. Our house is open and clean and orderly. Just don’t look behind any of the closed doors. The reason our house is so clean is because we filled up all the spaces you cannot see. What was outwardly apparent was not, in fact, the whole story. It was just a facade.
It is funny to look back on how all of us, when we were young, probably tried a tactic like this in some form or fashion. We tried to conceal, rather than reveal, what was really going on. Many of us have continued this habit of our youth into adulthood, and rather than confess our shortcomings and failures, we simply shove it behind the closet door and hope it is never revealed.
I. HAVE A SOBER SELF ASSESSMENT
Jesus often had conflict with the Pharisees in the Gospels. The Pharisees were the religious elite and oftentimes overlooked their own sins while quickly pointing out the sins of others. Jesus addresses this with them multiple times, but in the book of Luke, He offers a parable, or a story, to help drive His point home.
A. Outward appearances
“To some who were confident of their own righteousness and looked down on everyone else, Jesus told this parable: “Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee stood by himself and prayed: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other people—robbers, evildoers, adulterers—or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week and give a tenth of all I get.’”
Luke 18:9-12 NIV
B. Concealing reality
The story Jesus tells centers on two individuals. One has a habit of concealing his shortcomings, while the other confesses his. The Pharisee in the story put himself up on a pedestal of perfection as he prayed. He looked down on others who were robbers, evildoers, or adulterers. The point that Jesus is trying to make is not that those things aren't harmful and sinful ways of living but that the problem is that this individual is quick to divert any attention away from his faults by shining light on everyone else. He thinks that what God desires from him is the outward appearance of perfection. After all, he tithes a healthy ten percent of all he receives.
When we have a habit of concealing things from ourselves, God, and others, we keep ourselves from having an accurate view of the places God has worked and needs to work in our lives. It stifles our growth and causes us to pridefully elevate ourselves above others.
The book of James compares this honest evaluation to someone who looks into the word of God like they do into a mirror.
“Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like someone who looks at his face in a mirror and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like.”
James 1:22-24 NIV
C. Consequence of reality
It is uncomfortable to have the need for repentance revealed to us. It is easier to simply walk away and forget what we see in our hearts and lives. When this becomes a routine in our lives, we become numb and lose sensitivity to God and His Word.
There is a scene in the movie Shrek when Lord Farquaad uses a magic mirror that is supposed to reveal to him the truth. After all, that is what mirrors do. They cannot be manipulated. They can only reflect honestly. But Farquaad and his pride end up forcing the mirror to lie to him and tell him only what he wants to hear. We too, can suffer from self-deception when we refuse to rightly examine ourselves.
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0126029/
The Pharisee that Jesus was speaking to needed to develop a new habit in his life. He needed to learn humility, and in doing so, how to confess his own mess to become as healthy as possible.
II. CONFESSION REQUIRES HUMILITY
Jesus continues the parable He is telling by juxtaposing the Pharisee in the temple with a tax collector who was also there to pray.
““But the tax collector stood at a distance. He would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast and said, ‘God, have mercy on me, a sinner.’ “I tell you that this man, rather than the other, went home justified before God. For all those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.””
Luke 18:13-14 NIV
A. Humility
Jesus’ audience would have been shocked that the tax collector was the one who exemplified a humble posture before God, rather than the religious Pharisee. This man stood at a distance, he did not even look up to heaven, and rather than bragging about his exploits in his prayer, he humbly asks for God’s mercy because he is fully aware that he is a sinner and in need of God’s grace. It was the man’s humility that prompted him to confess his brokenness before God in the temple.
The moral of the parable, according to Jesus, is that those who exalt themselves will be humbled, perhaps painfully. But those who humble themselves, perhaps painfully, will be exalted. It is no secret that having a habit of confession is an uncomfortable practice. However, it releases God’s grace, mercy, and forgiveness in our lives.
B. Honesty
“Whoever conceals their sins does not prosper, but the one who confesses and renounces them finds mercy.”
Proverbs 28:13 NIV
There is real danger in keeping our sins concealed. Like a wound that is left unattended becomes infected and festers, so a sin left covered up can become gangrenous and affect everything around us. Concealed sin can destroy a marriage. It can ruin a person’s character. It can stymie a person’s progress. It can destroy a person’s confidence.
A few observations about this passage:
1. The tax collector confesses at a distance. His honest truth-telling is not meant for anyone else in the temple. It is between him and God alone. Developing a daily routine of confession before God gives us a clean heart and opportunity to mature spiritually.
2. The Pharisee was others focused. He was only evaluating himself based on everyone else. This leads to a judgmental attitude and a critical spirit. The tax collector, on the other hand, was only focused on himself and his personal relationship with God.
There is a powerful quote from English puritan minister, John Flavel. He once said: "They that know God will be humble, and they that know themselves cannot be proud."
C. Confession
The healthy habit of confession marries these two ideas. We are incredibly aware of who God is and at the same time, who we are before Him. As creatures of habit, the more we exercise our ability to honestly confess to God our sins, the easier it becomes to do so. Conversely, if we continue to make a habit of concealing sins, it will become easier and easier to do so.
III. CONFESSION DRAWS US CLOSE TO GOD AND OTHERS
Where there is honesty, there can be true connection and relationship. Just like the relationship between a parent and a child, without honesty, trust is broken and so is connection.
A dying man said to his wife, "I am about to die but before I die I would like to confess to you that I am not faithful to you as a husband. I have lots of women in my life. Please forgive me."
The crying woman said, "I knew it, and that is the reason why I poisoned you."
Joel Sumagaysay, Sermon Central, March 5, 2013.
“Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.”
James 5:16 NIV
A. Relationships
Sometimes confession must take place between people as well. The Greek word for confess in James 5:16 is the word exomologeo – which means to admit, acknowledge, or fully agree with. When we confess our sins to God it is because we agree with Him that what we have done caused harm. When we confess to one another it is because we agree with God that our words or actions caused harm to that individual and we want to admit fault and seek reconciliation.
B. Reconciliation
An article by Carolyn Hagan in Child includes a first-person account by Pulitzer Prize-winning author Alice Walker: “When I was a little girl, I accidently broke a fruit jar. Several brothers and a sister were nearby who could have done it. But my father turned to me and asked, “Did you break the jar, Alice?” Looking into his large, brown eyes, I knew he wanted me to tell the truth. I also knew he might punish me if I did. But the truth inside of me wanted badly to be expressed. “I broke the jar,” I said. The love in his eyes rewarded and embraced me. Suddenly I felt an inner peace that I still recall with gratitude to this day.” In the same way, we find that confessing our sins to our heavenly Father brings us closer to him.
750 Engaging Illustrations pg. 79.
In order to have confession become a habit or routine, we must be intentional with our truth telling. There are a few practical ways to do so:
1. Keep short accounts. Regularly do a self-assessment to see if there is any way in you that has caused harm to God or others. When you recognize a shortcoming, address it quickly.
2. Consider writing a letter to God or someone else to confess. Even if the letter is never sent, it may help you articulate your heart and avoid that sin in the future.
3. Consider asking God in prayer, or someone you love, if there is any way that you have caused them harm. This may mean inquiring of your spouse, your children, or your friends if there is anything you need to confess and ask forgiveness for.
4. Pay close attention to places of shame or guilt, they may be markers for us to respond to with confession.
We are creatures of habit, the question is, are our habits making us the people that God wants for us to be? I want to invite you to join me in this prayer of confession before God from Psalm 32.
CONCLUSION
We must have a sober self assessment of our lives. An honest life before God requires a healthy dose of humility. Confession draws us close to God and others.
INVITATION
It is our custom to offer an "invitation" following the preaching of the Word. You may want to follow Jesus. You may want to proclaim your faith. You may want to repent (stop doing ungodly things and start doing Godly things). Perhaps you want to be baptized for the forgiveness of your sins and receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. Possibly, if you have already responded to God’s call in these ways, you would like to become a member of Kenwood Church. If you have been moved by the Holy Spirit to make a decision in your life, you can come forward now. If you would like, I would be honored to speak with you following the service about what God is doing in your life.
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