MY HOPE IS IN YOU: The Heart Broken by Guilt 5-22-22

MY HOPE IS IN YOU: The Heart Broken by Guilt 5-22-22

INTRODUCTION

Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, writer of the Sherlock Holmes novels, was quite a prankster. One day he played a prank on five of the most prominent men in England. He sent an anonymous note to each man, which simply said, "All is found out. Flee at once." Within 24 hours, all five men had left the country.

Guilt is anger directed at ourselves—at what we did or did not do.

                            Peter McWilliams

Several years ago a new product called "Disposable Guilt Bags" appeared in the supermarkets. It consisted of a set of ten ordinary brown bags on which were printed the following instructions: "Place the bag securely over your mouth, take a deep breath and blow all your guilt out, then dispose of the bag immediately." The amazing thing about this is that the Associated Press reported that 2,500 kits had been quickly sold at $2.50 per kit.

"Guilt upon the conscience, like rust upon iron, both defiles it and consumes it, gnawing and creeping into it, as that does which at last eats out the very heart and substance of the metal."

                            – South

Guilt has the power to teach and the power to destroy as we see in the words of David.  The power of guilt to break a heart can also be the power to heal that once-broken heart.

2 psalms (Psalms 32 and 51) written by David in response to his affair with Bathsheba (see 2 Samuel 11).  We will look at Psalm 32 this morning.

“Blessed is the one whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered. Blessed is the one whose sin the Lord does not count against them and in whose spirit is no deceit. When I kept silent, my bones wasted away through my groaning all day long. For day and night your hand was heavy on me; my strength was sapped as in the heat of summer. Then I acknowledged my sin to you and did not cover up my iniquity. I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the Lord.” And you forgave the guilt of my sin. Therefore let all the faithful pray to you while you may be found; surely the rising of the mighty waters will not reach them. You are my hiding place; you will protect me from trouble and surround me with songs of deliverance. I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you with my loving eye on you. Do not be like the horse or the mule, which have no understanding but must be controlled by bit and bridle or they will not come to you. Many are the woes of the wicked, but the Lord’s unfailing love surrounds the one who trusts in him. Rejoice in the Lord and be glad, you righteous; sing, all you who are upright in heart!”

                            Psalms 32:1-11 NIV

I.  LOOKING FOR HAPPINESS

“Blessed is the one whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered. Blessed is the one whose sin the Lord does not count against them and in whose spirit is no deceit.”

                            Psalms 32:1-2 NIV

A grumpy old man and his wife . . .

While on a road trip, an elderly couple stopped at a roadside restaurant for lunch. After finishing their meal, they left the restaurant, and resumed their trip. When leaving, the elderly woman unknowingly left her glasses on the table, and she didn't miss them until they had been driving for about forty minutes. By then, to add to the aggravation, they had to travel quite a distance before they could find a place to turn around, in order to return to the restaurant to retrieve her glasses.

All the way back, the elderly husband became the classic grumpy old man. He fussed and complained, and scolded his wife relentlessly during the entire return drive. The more he chided her, the more agitated he became. He just wouldn't let up for a single minute.

To her relief, they finally arrived at the restaurant.

As the woman got out of the car, and hurried inside to retrieve her glasses, the old geezer yelled to her, "While you're in there, you might as well get my hat and the credit card."

              A.  Blessed

                            1.  Spiritual stability

“Blessed is the one who does not walk in step with the wicked or stand in the way that sinners take or sit in the company of mockers,”

                            Psalms 1:1 NIV

                            2.  Restoration from spiritual instability

“Whoever conceals their sins does not prosper, but the one who confesses and renounces them finds mercy.”

              Proverbs 28:13 NIV

              B.  Forgiven/covered

                            1.  Forgiven - sin removed

                            2.  Covered - sin concealed from God’s sight

                            3.  New Testament idea of “justification”

“Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ,”

                            Romans 5:1 NIV

              C.  Impute

“David says the same thing when he speaks of the blessedness of the one to whom God credits righteousness apart from works: “Blessed are those whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered. Blessed is the one whose sin the Lord will never count against them.””

                            Romans 4:6-8 NIV

II.  FEELING THE WEIGHT OF GUILT

Pastor Lee Strobel shares this account:

We were doing a baptism service. We told people before they came up to the platform to be baptized to take a piece of paper, write down a few of the sins they’ve committed, and fold the paper. When they come up to the platform, there was a large wooden cross on the stage. Take that piece of paper, take a pin, and pin it to the cross, because the Bible says our sins are nailed to the cross with Jesus Christ, and fully paid for by his death. Then turn and come to the pastor to be baptized.

I want to read you a letter a woman wrote who was baptized in one of those services. She said:

I remember my fear. In fact, it was the most fear I remember in my life. I wrote as tiny as I could on that piece of paper the word abortion. I was so scared someone would open the paper and read it and find out it was me. I wanted to get up and walk out of the auditorium during the service, the guilt and fear were that strong.

When my turn came, I walked toward the cross, and I pinned the paper there. I was directed to a pastor to be baptized. He looked me straight in the eyes, and I thought for sure that he was going to read this terrible secret I kept from everybody for so long. But instead, I felt like God was telling me, I love you. It’s okay. You’ve been forgiven. I felt so much love for me, a terrible sinner. It’s the first time I ever really felt forgiveness and unconditional love. It was unbelievable, indescribable.

                            Lee Strobel, "Meet the Jesus I Know," Preaching Today tape no. 211

Do you have inside of you a secret sin that you wouldn’t even want to write down on a piece of paper out of fear somebody might open it up and find out? Let me tell you something about the Jesus I know. Not only does he want to adopt you as his child, he wants to lift the weight of guilt off your shoulders.

III.  THE EXTENT OF GOD’S CHASTENING

“When I kept silent, my bones wasted away through my groaning all day long. For day and night your hand was heavy on me; my strength was sapped as in the heat of summer.”

                            Psalms 32:3-4 NIV

                            A.  The hand of God upon us

““But if you fail to do this, you will be sinning against the Lord; and you may be sure that your sin will find you out.”

                            Numbers 32:23 NIV

 “Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. Whoever sows to please their flesh, from the flesh will reap destruction; whoever sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life.”

                            Galatians 6:7-8 NIV

                            B.  The effect of the hand of God

“So then, when you come together, it is not the Lord’s Supper you eat, for when you are eating, some of you go ahead with your own private suppers. As a result, one person remains hungry and another gets drunk. Don’t you have homes to eat and drink in? Or do you despise the church of God by humiliating those who have nothing? What shall I say to you? Shall I praise you? Certainly not in this matter! For I received from the Lord what I also passed on to you: The Lord Jesus, on the night he was betrayed, took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and said, “This is my body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of me.” In the same way, after supper he took the cup, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood; do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of me.” For whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes. So then, whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of sinning against the body and blood of the Lord. Everyone ought to examine themselves before they eat of the bread and drink from the cup. For those who eat and drink without discerning the body of Christ eat and drink judgment on themselves. That is why many among you are weak and sick, and a number of you have fallen asleep. But if we were more discerning with regard to ourselves, we would not come under such judgment. Nevertheless, when we are judged in this way by the Lord, we are being disciplined so that we will not be finally condemned with the world. So then, my brothers and sisters, when you gather to eat, you should all eat together. Anyone who is hungry should eat something at home, so that when you meet together it may not result in judgment. And when I come I will give further directions.”

                            1 Corinthians 11:20-34 NIV

“Don’t you have homes to eat and drink in? Or do you despise the church of God by humiliating those who have nothing? What shall I say to you? Shall I praise you? Certainly not in this matter!”

                            1 Corinthians 11:22 NIV

“That is why many among you are weak and sick, and a number of you have fallen asleep.”

                            1 Corinthians 11:30 NIV

IV.  THE EXTENT OF DAVID’S RESPONSE

“Then I acknowledged my sin to you and did not cover up my iniquity. I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the Lord.” And you forgave the guilt of my sin.”

                            Psalms 32:5 NIV

“I will set out and go back to my father and say to him: Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you.”

                            Luke 15:18 NIV

“as far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us.”

                            Psalms 103:12 NIV

“It Is Well” by HG Spafford

My sin, oh the bliss of this glorious thought

My sin, not in part, but the whole

Is nailed to the cross, and I bear it no more

Praise the Lord, praise the Lord, O my soul

V.  EMBRACING GOD’S PROTECTION

“Therefore let all the faithful pray to you while you may be found; surely the rising of the mighty waters will not reach them. You are my hiding place; you will protect me from trouble and surround me with songs of deliverance.”

                            Psalms 32:6-7 NIV

              A.  “A flood of great waters”

              B.  A “hiding place”

“Jesus Lover of My Soul” by Charles Wesley

Jesus, lover of my soul,

let me to thy bosom fly,

while the nearer waters roll,

while the tempest still is high;

hide me, O my Savior, hide,

till the storm of life is past;

safe into the haven guide,

O receive my soul at last!

VI.  GROWING IN GRACE

“But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and forever! Amen.”

                            2 Peter 3:18 NIV

              A.  The principle of instruction

“I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you with my loving eye on you.”

                            Psalms 32:8 NIV

“I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.”

                            John 10:10b NIV

              B.  The principle of submission

““Who are you, Lord?” Saul asked. “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting,” he replied.”

                            Acts 9:5 NIV

“And he said, “Who are You, Lord?” Then the Lord said, “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. It is hard for you to kick against the goads.””

                            Acts 9:5 NKJV

“Do not be like the horse or the mule, which have no understanding but must be controlled by bit and bridle or they will not come to you.”

                            Psalms 32:9 NIV

“And have you completely forgotten this word of encouragement that addresses you as a father addresses his son? It says, “My son, do not make light of the Lord’s discipline, and do not lose heart when he rebukes you, because the Lord disciplines the one he loves, and he chastens everyone he accepts as his son.” Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as his children. For what children are not disciplined by their father?”

                            Hebrews 12:5-7 NIV

              C.  The principle of faith

                            1.  Trust in the midst of the difficulty of life

“Many are the woes of the wicked, but the Lord’s unfailing love surrounds the one who trusts in him.”

                            Psalms 32:10 NIV

“Not that we are competent in ourselves to claim anything for ourselves, but our competence comes from God.”

                            2 Corinthians 3:5 NIV

                            2.  Joy in the midst of the difficulty of life

“Rejoice in the Lord and be glad, you righteous; sing, all you who are upright in heart!”

                            Psalms 32:11 NIV

“I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete.”

                            John 15:11 NIV

CONCLUSION

Looking for happiness, feeling the weight of guilt, the extent of God’s chastening, the extent of David’s response, embracing God’s protection, growing in grace. 

CHALLENGE

What will you do with what you have just heard?  How will you respond to the Holy Spirit working within you?  The Challenge is intended to give us an opportunity to contemplate what God is calling us to do in our lives.  Consider these questions and write down your answers. 

              1.  Today, are you heartbroken by guilt?

              2.  Are you carrying a weight of guilt?

              3.  How has God chastened you?

              4.  Have you found your hiding place in God?

              5.  How have you grown in grace?

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 creceive 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.