And this is the record
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that God hath
given to us eternal life
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and this life is in His Son.
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Welcome to 3ABN
Australia Homecoming.
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Hello, and
welcome to this series
00:00:30.83\00:00:34.96
3ABN Australia Homecoming, 2020,
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I'm Rosemary
Malkiewycz from 3ABN Australia,
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and welcome to those of you
who are here as our audience,
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really, really
appreciates you being here.
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And today we are
going to be hearing
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from Pastor David McKibben.
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He's the senior pastor
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at Wahroonga Seventh-day
Adventist Church in Sydney.
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And he's going to be speaking
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on Chapter 4 of Steps to Christ.
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It's the chapter on confession.
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But first of all,
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I'm going to recap
on our previous program
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by Pastor Danny Milenkov,
Chapter 3 on repentance,
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and the main
summary for his sermon was.
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Number one,
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repentance is a gift from God.
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Two, repentance and the gift
of the Holy Spirit go together.
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Three, repentance,
humility, and the Holy Spirit
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prepare people for
the soon return of Jesus.
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Four, look to Jesus by
faith with an honest heart.
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Five, God will
complete the good work
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He has begun in your life.
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But before we hear
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from Pastor
McKibben on Chapter 4,
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we're going to
have Marty Thompson.,
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the pastor from Kempsey Church
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sings for us,
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"When I see Jesus."
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Like a dead man trying to stand
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I can't obey The King's command
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Born completely depraved
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Oh, how can I be saved
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Though I'm spiritually empty
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His grace works on inside of me
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My heart so bound in sin
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Is being drawn to Him
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When I see Jesus
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My savior divine
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He gives me With
His righteousness
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And takes that sin of mine
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No guilt, no fear, no shame
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All glory to His name
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I trust His
grace I know His face
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When I see Jesus
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Like a blind man trying to see
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Can my broken will choose thee
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But the light
That lightens every man
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And His love proves that I can
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While a sinner I may pray
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Lord, take my heart today
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I can't give it off myself
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I need you, Lord
There is no one else
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When I see Jesus
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My savior divine
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He gives me With
His righteousness
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And takes that sin of mine
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No guilt, no fear, no shame
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All glory to His name
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I trust His
grace I know His face
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When I see Jesus
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Like a child trying to walk
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I often stumble
Though I'm not distraught
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Though the judgments in session
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I need not ask no question
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My soul's in Christ I know
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My works They don't take me home
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His love casts out all fear
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The truth becomes so clearly
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When I see Jesus
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My savior divine
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He gives me With
His righteousness
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And takes that sin of mine
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No guilt, no fear, no shame
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All glory to His name
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I trust His
grace I know His face
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When I see Jesus
00:06:18.77\00:06:23.24
When I see Jesus
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My savior divine
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He gives me With
His righteousness
00:06:35.69\00:06:39.73
And takes that sin of mine
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No guilt, no fear, no shame
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All glory to His name
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I trust His
grace I know His face
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When I see Jesus
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I trust His
grace I know His face
00:07:06.39\00:07:11.96
When I see Jesus
00:07:11.99\00:07:17.60
Well, thank you, Marty,
for that beautiful song.
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Wonderful words, no
guilt, no fear, no shame.
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All glory to His name.
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And that actually fits
in so well with the subject
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that we want to look out today,
the subject of confession.
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It's my, my privilege to
be involved in this series.
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As we work through the,
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you know, the different chapters
00:08:00.94\00:08:02.44
in the book, Steps to Christ.
00:08:02.48\00:08:04.41
And today we're looking
at the concept of confession.
00:08:04.45\00:08:09.05
But before we
look at that together,
00:08:09.08\00:08:11.69
based on God's Word.
00:08:11.72\00:08:13.05
I just invite
you to bow your heads
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in a brief moment of prayer.
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Let's pray.
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Loving Father, thank You so much
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for this time together.
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We pray that Your
Word would be our guide,
00:08:24.63\00:08:28.17
that the Holy
Spirit would be our teacher
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and may Your
supreme glory and honor
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be our overriding concern.
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And we ask all this
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giving you thanks
00:08:38.25\00:08:39.58
in Jesus' name.
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Amen.
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Confession is good for the soul.
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Apparently that
that saying is derived
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from an old Scottish proverb
00:08:50.36\00:08:52.53
dating from the 17th century.
00:08:52.56\00:08:55.30
However, the saying
actually has one word missing
00:08:55.33\00:08:58.30
from the original proverb.
00:08:58.33\00:09:00.10
Apparently the
original proverb is,
00:09:00.14\00:09:02.47
"Open confession
is good for the soul."
00:09:02.50\00:09:06.71
In other words, it's good
to get things out in the open
00:09:06.74\00:09:10.58
that alleviates
personal stress and guilt.
00:09:10.61\00:09:13.65
It helps to break down
barriers between people.
00:09:13.68\00:09:17.45
Confession is good for the soul,
00:09:17.49\00:09:20.69
and certainly that's borne out
by the findings of psychology.
00:09:20.72\00:09:24.13
You know, various
papers, various studies
00:09:24.16\00:09:26.70
have shown that confession
00:09:26.73\00:09:29.13
is both
liberating and strengthening
00:09:29.16\00:09:31.87
in terms of human experience.
00:09:31.90\00:09:35.94
Confession, for example,
00:09:35.97\00:09:37.34
is a feature of meetings
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organized by the
support ministry,
00:09:39.41\00:09:41.84
Alcoholics Anonymous,
00:09:41.88\00:09:43.78
and variably
participants in those meetings
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confess their condition.
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And they also
admit their need for help
00:09:49.35\00:09:52.19
in dealing with that
condition and overcoming it.
00:09:52.22\00:09:56.73
Confession is good for the soul.
00:09:56.76\00:10:00.26
That's a principle
that's found in Scripture,
00:10:00.30\00:10:03.33
but not in the
exact or similar wording.
00:10:03.37\00:10:07.50
However, when confession
is talked about in the Bible,
00:10:07.54\00:10:11.71
it clearly involves
an admission of guilt,
00:10:11.74\00:10:15.14
a need and the
expression of sorrow.
00:10:15.18\00:10:20.92
But it's important to understand
00:10:20.95\00:10:23.05
what sorrow means
00:10:23.08\00:10:25.89
because the Bible highlights
00:10:25.92\00:10:27.26
that there are two
distinct types of sorrow.
00:10:27.29\00:10:32.06
2 Corinthians 7:10,
00:10:32.09\00:10:37.87
and there we find these
words from the Apostle Paul.
00:10:37.90\00:10:42.04
"Godly sorrow brings repentance
that leads to salvation
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and leaves no regret,
00:10:47.88\00:10:50.85
but worldly
sorrow brings death."
00:10:50.88\00:10:55.45
Two types of sorrow,
00:10:55.48\00:10:56.82
godly sorrow and worldly sorrow.
00:10:56.85\00:11:01.66
What is worldly sorrow?
00:11:01.69\00:11:04.46
Well, worldly
sorrow is expressed
00:11:04.49\00:11:06.93
in a number of different ways.
00:11:06.96\00:11:09.60
For example, it's demonstrated
in a flippant casual attitude.
00:11:09.63\00:11:15.64
When a person
confesses in that way,
00:11:15.67\00:11:19.07
there's no realization of
the hurt that's been caused.
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There's no sense of wrongdoing
00:11:22.94\00:11:25.58
on the part of the person
00:11:25.61\00:11:27.02
who comes with
that sort of attitude.
00:11:27.05\00:11:30.42
Worldly sorrow
attempts to shift the blame.
00:11:30.45\00:11:34.26
It usually begins
something like this.
00:11:34.29\00:11:36.32
If I have offended
someone well, I'm sorry.
00:11:36.36\00:11:40.20
But in actual fact,
00:11:40.23\00:11:41.56
a person who
expresses sorrow in that way
00:11:41.60\00:11:44.73
isn't really owning the sin,
00:11:44.77\00:11:47.40
isn't really
owning the wrongdoing,
00:11:47.44\00:11:49.37
the hurt that's been caused.
00:11:49.40\00:11:53.31
Worldly sorrow is
sorrow with been found out.
00:11:53.34\00:11:57.45
Sorrow had being discovered.
00:11:57.48\00:12:00.62
We have an example of
that in the Book of Joshua.
00:12:00.65\00:12:04.29
After the magnificent victory
in taking the city of Jericho,
00:12:04.32\00:12:09.26
the children of Israel
suffered a shock defeat
00:12:09.29\00:12:12.46
when they tried to take
the much smaller city of Ai.
00:12:12.49\00:12:16.67
And Joshua went
to God and asked,
00:12:16.70\00:12:18.80
"What happened?
00:12:18.83\00:12:20.40
Why have we
suffered this defeat?"
00:12:20.44\00:12:24.04
And God told him that
there was sin in the camp,
00:12:24.07\00:12:27.28
that someone had disobeyed.
00:12:27.31\00:12:30.11
And God instructed
Joshua what to do about it.
00:12:30.15\00:12:34.95
And so the people,
the children of Israel
00:12:34.98\00:12:37.45
were called out first by tribes,
00:12:37.49\00:12:40.66
then by clans, then by families,
00:12:40.69\00:12:45.56
and then Achan was
identified as the culprit.
00:12:45.59\00:12:50.13
He had covered it
various things in Jericho.
00:12:50.17\00:12:54.07
He confessed that
he had done wrong,
00:12:54.10\00:12:57.37
but he only confessed
after he had been found out.
00:12:57.41\00:13:01.51
After he had been
discovered, worldly sorrow.
00:13:01.54\00:13:06.88
Then worldly sorrow
00:13:06.92\00:13:08.25
is also sorrow
for the consequences.
00:13:08.28\00:13:11.72
We're sorry to
experience the shame,
00:13:11.75\00:13:14.69
the pain,
00:13:14.72\00:13:16.32
the punishment that
accompanies wrongdoing.
00:13:16.36\00:13:20.76
Sometimes worldly sorrow
00:13:20.80\00:13:22.23
can be a form of damage control.
00:13:22.26\00:13:25.23
People say sorry,
00:13:25.27\00:13:26.60
because if they don't say sorry,
00:13:26.63\00:13:28.17
the outcome will be
even worse for them.
00:13:28.20\00:13:31.84
All forms of worldly sorrow.
00:13:31.87\00:13:36.78
One of the saddest
examples of worldly sorrow
00:13:36.81\00:13:40.42
is Judas Iscariot,
00:13:40.45\00:13:42.55
the disciple who betrayed Jesus.
00:13:42.58\00:13:46.09
Now he confessed
that he had done wrong.
00:13:46.12\00:13:49.59
He cried out,
00:13:49.62\00:13:50.96
"I have sinned
00:13:50.99\00:13:52.33
and now I have
betrayed the innocent blood."
00:13:52.36\00:13:55.80
And he returned
the 30 pieces of silver
00:13:55.83\00:13:59.03
that he had been
given to betray Jesus.
00:13:59.07\00:14:03.30
So yes, he confessed
that he had done wrong.
00:14:03.34\00:14:06.61
He realized
00:14:06.64\00:14:08.14
that he had
committed a terrible deed,
00:14:08.18\00:14:13.21
but he went out
and hanged himself.
00:14:13.25\00:14:17.39
Yes, he was sorry,
00:14:17.42\00:14:19.35
but he was sorry
00:14:19.39\00:14:20.72
that his plans
had not worked out.
00:14:20.76\00:14:24.03
You see, Judas tried
to force Jesus' hand.
00:14:24.06\00:14:27.46
He hoped that
00:14:27.50\00:14:28.83
Jesus would
demonstrate His power,
00:14:28.86\00:14:32.23
but His plans didn't work out
00:14:32.27\00:14:35.50
because what Judas
had in mind for Jesus
00:14:35.54\00:14:38.84
was not the way of the savior.
00:14:38.87\00:14:40.34
Jesus could not save
Himself and save mankind.
00:14:40.38\00:14:45.15
And so, yes,
Judas was remorseful.
00:14:45.18\00:14:47.28
He was sorry, but
he wasn't truly sorry.
00:14:47.32\00:14:51.39
He wasn't truly repentant.
00:14:51.42\00:14:54.46
And he
demonstrates the distinction,
00:14:54.49\00:14:57.03
the difference between
remorse and repentance,
00:14:57.06\00:15:01.70
between genuine
and false confession.
00:15:01.73\00:15:06.40
And sadly in his
particular instance,
00:15:06.43\00:15:08.54
the sorrow of the world
led to his literal death.
00:15:08.57\00:15:13.91
The sorrow of the world,
worldly sorrow leads to death.
00:15:13.94\00:15:20.18
But godly sorrow
00:15:20.22\00:15:22.08
is on an
altogether different level
00:15:22.12\00:15:25.09
when it comes to
character and expression.
00:15:25.12\00:15:28.92
2 Corinthians 7:11,
00:15:28.96\00:15:33.46
"See what this godly
sorrow has produced in you.
00:15:33.50\00:15:38.87
What earnestness,
00:15:38.90\00:15:41.00
what eagerness
to clear yourselves,
00:15:41.04\00:15:43.97
what indignation, what alarm,
00:15:44.01\00:15:47.48
what longing, what concern,
00:15:47.51\00:15:50.81
what readiness
to see justice done.
00:15:50.85\00:15:54.38
At every point,
00:15:54.42\00:15:55.75
you have proved yourselves
to be innocent in this matter."
00:15:55.78\00:16:01.16
And there are many
examples of godly sorrow
00:16:01.19\00:16:03.83
to be found in the scriptures.
00:16:03.86\00:16:06.83
We have the example
of the repentant faith
00:16:06.86\00:16:11.50
who hung alongside
Jesus on the cross,
00:16:11.53\00:16:14.80
just for those six
hours on that Friday.
00:16:14.84\00:16:21.64
In Luke 23:40-41,
00:16:21.68\00:16:26.88
we have some of the
words that the robber spoke
00:16:26.92\00:16:32.35
whilst he was
hanging there on the cross.
00:16:32.39\00:16:35.26
Speaking to the
other criminal, he said,
00:16:35.29\00:16:36.96
"Don't you fear God,
00:16:36.99\00:16:38.89
since you are
under the same sentence.
00:16:38.93\00:16:42.00
We are punished justly,
00:16:42.03\00:16:44.00
for we are getting
what our deeds deserve,
00:16:44.03\00:16:47.10
but this man has
done nothing wrong."
00:16:47.14\00:16:51.07
And in essence,
00:16:51.11\00:16:53.17
that thief said
some of the hardest words
00:16:53.21\00:16:56.04
to say in any language.
00:16:56.08\00:16:58.85
Basically the thief said,
00:16:58.88\00:17:01.38
"I'm sorry.
00:17:01.42\00:17:03.92
it's my fault.
00:17:03.95\00:17:06.82
I'm in the wrong."
00:17:06.86\00:17:09.82
Now those are
quite simple words,
00:17:09.86\00:17:11.73
but they're actually very,
very difficult words to say.
00:17:11.76\00:17:16.36
Sinful human nature
finds it very difficult to say,
00:17:16.40\00:17:20.34
I'm sorry, it's my fault.
00:17:20.37\00:17:24.77
But this thief did so.
00:17:24.81\00:17:27.28
He recognized
that he had done wrong.
00:17:27.31\00:17:30.55
And he also recognized
00:17:30.58\00:17:31.91
that he deserved
all that he was getting.
00:17:31.95\00:17:35.48
An admission of wrong,
00:17:35.52\00:17:36.85
a recognition of the
justice of the penalty,
00:17:36.89\00:17:39.45
those are two attributes
of genuine confession.
00:17:39.49\00:17:45.03
Then we have the
story of the tax collector
00:17:45.06\00:17:48.46
and the Pharisee
00:17:48.50\00:17:49.83
who went up to
the temple to pray.
00:17:49.86\00:17:53.54
The tax collector
stood at a distance
00:17:53.57\00:17:56.40
from all the other worshipers.
00:17:56.44\00:17:57.87
He didn't feel worthy
00:17:57.91\00:17:59.37
to be associating
with other people.
00:17:59.41\00:18:02.21
And in actual
fact, he felt so unworthy
00:18:02.24\00:18:04.25
that he couldn't even
lift up his head toward heaven.
00:18:04.28\00:18:08.68
He felt so unworthy.
00:18:08.72\00:18:11.19
And his prayer
was a very simple one.
00:18:11.22\00:18:13.62
"God, be
merciful to me a sinner."
00:18:13.66\00:18:18.59
Now, even that translation
00:18:18.63\00:18:19.96
actually doesn't do
justice to what he said,
00:18:20.00\00:18:22.36
because if you go back
to the original language,
00:18:22.40\00:18:24.70
he actually said,
00:18:24.73\00:18:26.07
"God, be merciful
to me, the sinner."
00:18:26.10\00:18:30.31
As far as he was concerned,
00:18:30.34\00:18:31.67
he was the worst sinner
on the face of the earth.
00:18:31.71\00:18:36.31
He made no pretense,
no pretense, no excuses.
00:18:36.34\00:18:41.88
He had a tremendous
sense of his sinfulness
00:18:41.92\00:18:45.15
and his desperate need.
00:18:45.19\00:18:49.02
And Jesus says, it
was him who went justify,
00:18:49.06\00:18:51.59
went home justified before God.
00:18:51.63\00:18:53.53
And then we have
David, King David,
00:18:56.83\00:18:59.57
the greatest king in
the history of Israel.
00:18:59.60\00:19:04.84
Psalm 51 is a powerful
example of true confession.
00:19:04.87\00:19:10.55
It was written in the aftermath
of his adultery with Bathsheba
00:19:10.58\00:19:15.08
and the exposure of his
sin by the Prophet Nathan.
00:19:15.12\00:19:19.95
Psalm 51:1,
00:19:19.99\00:19:22.22
"Have mercy on me, O God,
00:19:22.26\00:19:24.59
according to
Your unfailing love.
00:19:24.63\00:19:27.73
According to
Your great compassion,
00:19:27.76\00:19:30.37
blot out my transgressions."
00:19:30.40\00:19:33.03
Verse 3,
00:19:33.07\00:19:34.40
"For I know my transgressions
00:19:34.44\00:19:35.84
and my sin is always
before me against you.
00:19:35.87\00:19:39.21
You only have I sinned
00:19:39.24\00:19:41.14
and done what is
evil in your sight."
00:19:41.18\00:19:44.55
Verse 14,
00:19:44.58\00:19:45.91
"Deliver me from the
guilt of bloodshed, O God,
00:19:45.95\00:19:48.98
You who are my God, my savior."
00:19:49.02\00:19:53.25
And in this Psalm,
00:19:53.29\00:19:54.62
we find David admitting blame,
00:19:54.66\00:19:58.23
recognizing the consequences,
00:19:58.26\00:20:00.93
realizing that he
had hurt so many people,
00:20:00.96\00:20:03.77
but above all, he
had sinned against God.
00:20:03.80\00:20:08.17
This psalm is an expression
of deep heartfelt sorrow.
00:20:08.20\00:20:14.98
Some examples of godly sorrow.
00:20:15.01\00:20:20.55
And genuine
confession is always specific,
00:20:20.58\00:20:25.92
it's always
sorrowful, it's always sincere.
00:20:25.95\00:20:32.39
And godly sorrow
leads to salvation.
00:20:32.43\00:20:37.50
So two types of sorrow,
00:20:37.53\00:20:40.27
worldly, sorrow
that leads to death,
00:20:40.30\00:20:43.54
godly sorrow that
leads to salvation.
00:20:43.57\00:20:48.38
Genuine confession
is always characterized
00:20:48.41\00:20:52.65
by a true heartfelt sorrow.
00:20:52.68\00:20:57.32
Let's move on to the
blessings of confession.
00:20:57.35\00:21:03.26
And the first blessing
00:21:03.29\00:21:05.23
that I would
wish to share with you
00:21:05.26\00:21:07.23
is the blessing of peace.
00:21:07.26\00:21:10.07
One of the blessings
of confession is peace.
00:21:10.10\00:21:14.20
Peace with God,
peace with others,
00:21:14.24\00:21:18.57
peace with oneself in
terms of a clear conscience.
00:21:18.61\00:21:22.44
Have you ever
kept any dark secrets?
00:21:26.61\00:21:32.25
Have you ever
tried to hide any vices,
00:21:32.29\00:21:36.16
any aspects of your behavior?
00:21:36.19\00:21:40.33
Have you ever
tried to hide something
00:21:40.36\00:21:43.37
that you have done
00:21:43.40\00:21:45.23
that you don't want
anyone else to know about?
00:21:45.27\00:21:50.91
It's not easy living
with something to hide.
00:21:50.94\00:21:55.81
In fact, there are consequences
00:21:55.84\00:21:57.81
when one tries to live
with something to hide.
00:21:57.85\00:22:02.52
Living with something
to hide is a life of dread.
00:22:02.55\00:22:07.19
We become a prisoner of fear
00:22:07.22\00:22:09.99
because there's
always the constant dread
00:22:10.03\00:22:11.96
of being found
out, of being exposed.
00:22:11.99\00:22:16.80
Living a life
with something to hide
00:22:16.83\00:22:20.60
invariably leads
to a life of dullness,
00:22:20.64\00:22:23.30
of indifference, of inactivity.
00:22:23.34\00:22:26.61
It stifles action
00:22:26.64\00:22:28.58
because deep down
00:22:28.61\00:22:30.28
we know that we're living a lie
00:22:30.31\00:22:31.88
that we're hypocrites,
00:22:31.91\00:22:34.22
that we're not the
people that we profess to be.
00:22:34.25\00:22:37.05
And living a life
with something to hide
00:22:40.46\00:22:44.03
also makes us a
candidate for despair.
00:22:44.06\00:22:48.33
A person who's living
with something to hide
00:22:48.36\00:22:50.70
is very prone
to low self-esteem.
00:22:50.73\00:22:54.54
Such an individual wonders
00:22:54.57\00:22:56.47
if God can ever save
them, can ever use them.
00:22:56.50\00:23:00.38
Wonders if anyone
else could ever love them,
00:23:00.41\00:23:02.24
but if they knew what
sort of person they were.
00:23:02.28\00:23:08.18
I'd like to look at
a case study of someone
00:23:08.22\00:23:12.72
who tried to hide.
00:23:12.75\00:23:15.52
To hide what they had done
00:23:15.56\00:23:17.96
and to look at God's
response to that person.
00:23:17.99\00:23:22.43
And again, it's a story,
00:23:22.46\00:23:24.57
an episode from
the life of King David.
00:23:24.60\00:23:29.17
One evening King David was
enjoying a leisurely stroll
00:23:29.20\00:23:33.51
along the roof of his palace
00:23:33.54\00:23:36.78
when he saw a
beautiful woman bathing.
00:23:36.81\00:23:40.98
Bathsheba, the wife of Uriah,
she was a beautiful woman.
00:23:41.02\00:23:45.95
And David did
00:23:45.99\00:23:47.32
what any other
man would have done
00:23:47.36\00:23:48.69
in that situation.
00:23:48.72\00:23:50.06
He looked,
00:23:50.09\00:23:51.76
and in that initial look,
there wasn't anything wrong.
00:23:51.79\00:23:55.10
God made us sexual beings,
00:23:55.13\00:23:58.90
but that look
didn't stopped there,
00:23:58.93\00:24:02.70
that look developed into lust
00:24:02.74\00:24:06.07
and David, he
lusted after this woman,
00:24:06.11\00:24:08.74
he wanted this woman
00:24:08.78\00:24:10.45
and he made arrangements for her
00:24:10.48\00:24:12.11
to be brought to
the royal palace,
00:24:12.15\00:24:14.12
and he spent the night with her.
00:24:14.15\00:24:17.45
And David probably thought
00:24:17.49\00:24:18.82
that he would have his
night of passion and pleasure
00:24:18.85\00:24:22.12
and that would
be the finish of it.
00:24:22.16\00:24:24.33
No questions asked,
no further obligations.
00:24:24.36\00:24:29.16
But if that's how David reckoned
00:24:29.20\00:24:31.70
things would happen,
00:24:31.73\00:24:34.60
he miscalculated badly,
00:24:34.64\00:24:38.81
very badly
00:24:38.84\00:24:41.78
because a few weeks later,
00:24:41.81\00:24:43.14
Bathsheba sent a
message to the king and said,
00:24:43.18\00:24:47.48
"I'm pregnant.
00:24:47.52\00:24:49.88
I'm bearing your child."
00:24:49.92\00:24:53.52
And right at that moment,
David was faced with a crisis.
00:24:53.56\00:24:59.16
Uriah, the husband of Bathsheba,
00:24:59.19\00:25:03.50
because he was
the wronged person,
00:25:03.53\00:25:05.43
had the right to
challenge David's authority.
00:25:05.47\00:25:10.14
David's authority
as king was at stake.
00:25:10.17\00:25:13.81
The future of the
monarchy hung in the balance.
00:25:13.84\00:25:17.65
And so at that particular point,
00:25:17.68\00:25:19.81
David was faced
with two options,
00:25:19.85\00:25:23.25
confession or cover-up.
00:25:23.28\00:25:28.86
And he chose the latter.
00:25:28.89\00:25:31.96
He tried to hide, he
tried to cover it up.
00:25:31.99\00:25:36.97
He tried to cover his tracks
00:25:37.00\00:25:40.10
and the more he tried
to cover up his tracks,
00:25:40.14\00:25:42.44
the worst the mess he got into.
00:25:42.47\00:25:46.81
By trying to cover things up
00:25:46.84\00:25:48.18
that led him on a
trail of intrigue,
00:25:48.21\00:25:51.11
of duplicity, of deception.
00:25:51.15\00:25:53.62
And finally,
00:25:56.85\00:25:58.19
David came to the realization
00:25:58.22\00:25:59.75
that he was not
going to be successful
00:25:59.79\00:26:02.42
in getting Uriah to
spend time with Bathsheba.
00:26:02.46\00:26:08.73
And so David decided
that Uriah had to die.
00:26:08.76\00:26:14.70
And so he gave instructions,
00:26:14.74\00:26:16.84
written instructions
to his army commander Joab
00:26:16.87\00:26:21.38
that Uriah was to be placed
in the front line of battle
00:26:21.41\00:26:24.88
where it was almost
certain he would be killed.
00:26:24.91\00:26:29.42
And he had those instructions
sealed and given to your Uriah
00:26:29.45\00:26:33.96
to take to Joab.
00:26:33.99\00:26:36.46
In other words,
00:26:36.49\00:26:37.83
Uriah was carrying
his own death warrant
00:26:37.86\00:26:40.00
and he didn't know it.
00:26:40.03\00:26:42.93
And so Joab did
what the King asked,
00:26:42.96\00:26:46.74
the battle ensued
and Uriah was killed.
00:26:46.77\00:26:50.74
And it seemed
00:26:53.74\00:26:55.24
that David had
gotten away with it.
00:26:55.28\00:26:58.68
A short time later,
00:26:58.71\00:27:00.08
he married Bathsheba
00:27:00.12\00:27:01.45
and to all intents and purposes,
00:27:01.48\00:27:03.55
he had got away with it.
00:27:03.59\00:27:07.79
But he hadn't.
00:27:07.82\00:27:10.73
Psalm 32 is another
psalm of confession.
00:27:10.76\00:27:16.90
And here David
reviews his experience
00:27:16.93\00:27:20.94
and the aftermath of
his sin, of his cover-up.
00:27:20.97\00:27:25.21
Psalm 32:3,
00:27:25.24\00:27:29.08
"When I kept silent,
00:27:29.11\00:27:31.05
my bones wasted away
00:27:31.08\00:27:33.55
through my
groaning all day long.
00:27:33.58\00:27:36.82
For day and night
your hand was heavy on me,
00:27:36.85\00:27:41.62
my strength was sapped
as in the heat of summer."
00:27:41.66\00:27:48.03
Here is David,
00:27:48.06\00:27:49.40
the most powerful man
in the region at that time,
00:27:49.43\00:27:53.77
and yet he was
burdened with guilt.
00:27:53.80\00:27:56.74
He was
experiencing mental torment.
00:27:56.77\00:27:59.37
He felt worthless
00:27:59.41\00:28:01.84
because he was living
with something to hide,
00:28:01.88\00:28:05.01
and he only experienced
relief from the burden.
00:28:08.02\00:28:11.72
He only
experienced freedom from guilt
00:28:11.75\00:28:14.89
when he openly
confessed his sin,
00:28:14.92\00:28:18.96
when he recognized
that he had done wrong.
00:28:18.99\00:28:21.73
It was only then
00:28:21.76\00:28:23.10
that he
experienced peace of mind
00:28:23.13\00:28:25.03
and a conscience set free.
00:28:25.07\00:28:26.94
And that experience brings
home many important lessons.
00:28:29.94\00:28:34.28
First of all,
00:28:34.31\00:28:35.64
the importance of
keeping short accounts with God.
00:28:35.68\00:28:38.51
David should have
confessed to sin of lust
00:28:41.88\00:28:44.89
when he was on the palace
roof, looking at Bathsheba,
00:28:44.92\00:28:49.39
that's when he
should have confessed,
00:28:49.42\00:28:52.39
but instead he allowed his sins,
00:28:52.43\00:28:55.40
his shortcomings to pile up
00:28:55.43\00:28:57.57
until eventually
00:28:57.60\00:28:58.93
he had to be called out publicly
00:28:58.97\00:29:01.10
and exposed as a
hypocrite by the Prophet Nathan.
00:29:01.14\00:29:06.78
How important that we
keep short accounts with God.
00:29:06.81\00:29:09.41
And secondly,
00:29:12.41\00:29:14.68
the experience of
David brings out very clearly
00:29:14.72\00:29:18.19
the truth that's expressed
00:29:18.22\00:29:20.29
in Proverbs 28:13.
00:29:20.32\00:29:25.49
Proverbs 28:13,
00:29:25.53\00:29:28.20
"Whoever conceals
their sins does not prosper,
00:29:28.23\00:29:33.44
but the one who
confesses and renounces them
00:29:33.47\00:29:37.94
finds mercy."
00:29:37.97\00:29:40.78
And how true that was
in the experience of David.
00:29:40.81\00:29:46.92
Anyone who tries
to conceal their sins
00:29:46.95\00:29:49.48
is doomed to feel,
00:29:49.52\00:29:51.62
that was true for David.
00:29:51.65\00:29:52.99
And also brings about a
denial of blessing as well.
00:29:56.09\00:30:00.70
Whereas God's desire for us
00:30:00.73\00:30:03.20
is that we should
be people of integrity.
00:30:03.23\00:30:06.70
People with a
conscience set free,
00:30:06.74\00:30:09.64
people with peace of mind.
00:30:09.67\00:30:12.77
That's what God desires for us.
00:30:12.81\00:30:15.31
He desires that
00:30:15.34\00:30:16.68
we would be likely Apostle Paul,
00:30:16.71\00:30:19.61
who during his trial
before Felix could say this.
00:30:19.65\00:30:22.88
Acts 24:16,
00:30:22.92\00:30:25.75
"So I strive always to
keep my conscience clear
00:30:25.79\00:30:29.96
before God and man."
00:30:29.99\00:30:34.56
So one of the blessings
of confession is peace,
00:30:34.60\00:30:39.27
peace with others,
00:30:39.30\00:30:41.14
peace with ourselves.
00:30:41.17\00:30:43.77
And most of all, peace with God.
00:30:43.81\00:30:46.78
Confession also brings
other blessings in its realm.
00:30:50.48\00:30:54.92
It's the doorway
to other blessings,
00:30:54.95\00:30:56.75
such as pardon.
00:30:56.79\00:30:59.12
God's
forgiveness, the assurance,
00:30:59.15\00:31:02.69
the knowledge that
we are accepted by God.
00:31:02.72\00:31:07.00
The blessing of pardon.
00:31:07.03\00:31:10.33
You see, our confession,
00:31:10.37\00:31:13.84
the confession of our sins
does not make God forgive us.
00:31:13.87\00:31:20.38
That would make
confession a work.
00:31:20.41\00:31:23.61
Our confession
doesn't make God forgive us.
00:31:23.65\00:31:26.41
God doesn't need to
hear us confess our sins,
00:31:26.45\00:31:30.55
but we need to hear ourselves.
00:31:30.59\00:31:35.52
Confession involves
an awareness of need.
00:31:35.56\00:31:40.16
You know, they...
00:31:40.20\00:31:41.53
Paul said that the
gospel is the power of God
00:31:41.56\00:31:44.10
unto salvation,
00:31:44.13\00:31:46.03
but it's only the
power of God unto salvation
00:31:46.07\00:31:48.30
to those who
have a sense of need.
00:31:48.34\00:31:52.67
The Christian author, CS Lewis
00:31:52.71\00:31:54.31
put it this way in one occasion.
00:31:54.34\00:31:57.35
St. Augustine says,
00:31:57.38\00:31:58.71
God gives where
He finds empty hands.
00:31:58.75\00:32:03.42
A person whose
hands are full of parcels
00:32:03.45\00:32:05.85
can't receive a gift.
00:32:05.89\00:32:09.46
To condone an evil
is simply to ignore it,
00:32:09.49\00:32:12.89
to treat it as if it were good,
00:32:12.93\00:32:14.86
but forgiveness
needs to be accepted
00:32:14.90\00:32:17.57
as well as offered,
00:32:17.60\00:32:20.24
if it is to be complete.
00:32:20.27\00:32:22.57
And a man, a
person who admits no guilt
00:32:22.60\00:32:26.44
can accept no forgiveness.
00:32:26.47\00:32:30.05
Notice that.
00:32:30.08\00:32:31.98
A person who admits no guilt
00:32:32.01\00:32:35.92
can accept no forgiveness.
00:32:35.95\00:32:39.52
Hence the
importance of confession.
00:32:39.55\00:32:44.59
During the
presidency of Andrew Jackson,
00:32:44.63\00:32:49.16
a postal clerk
called George Wilson
00:32:49.20\00:32:52.53
robbed a federal
payroll from a train
00:32:52.57\00:32:56.71
and in the
process he killed a guard.
00:32:56.74\00:33:00.41
He was arrested, convicted
00:33:00.44\00:33:02.18
and sentenced to
hang for his crime.
00:33:02.21\00:33:07.58
However, at the time
00:33:07.62\00:33:09.12
the public mood was very
much against capital punishment,
00:33:09.15\00:33:13.46
and a campaign was lodged
00:33:13.49\00:33:15.59
to secure a presidential
pardon for George Wilson.
00:33:15.62\00:33:21.20
That campaign was successful.
00:33:21.23\00:33:23.83
And President Andrew
Jackson issued a pardon.
00:33:23.87\00:33:29.67
But amazingly
00:33:29.70\00:33:31.21
George Wilson
refused to accept the part.
00:33:31.24\00:33:36.28
This was an
unprecedented situation
00:33:36.31\00:33:39.88
and the Supreme
Court of the United States
00:33:39.91\00:33:42.32
met to decide what to do.
00:33:42.35\00:33:44.49
Was it possible for a
person to refuse a pardon?
00:33:44.52\00:33:50.13
And the chief
justice at the time
00:33:50.16\00:33:52.53
a man called John Marshall
00:33:52.56\00:33:54.73
handed down this decision.
00:33:54.76\00:33:58.43
He said this,
00:33:58.47\00:34:00.74
"A pardon is a parchment
00:34:00.77\00:34:03.24
whose only value
must be determined
00:34:03.27\00:34:05.44
by the receiver of the pardon.
00:34:05.47\00:34:09.08
It has no value apart from that
which the receiver gives to it.
00:34:09.11\00:34:14.12
George Wilson has
refused to accept the pardon,
00:34:14.15\00:34:18.85
we cannot conceive
why he would do so,
00:34:18.89\00:34:21.76
but he has,
00:34:21.79\00:34:24.19
therefore George
Wilson must die."
00:34:24.23\00:34:28.76
And he was subsequently
hanged for his crime.
00:34:28.80\00:34:33.57
And so the Supreme Court
of the United States said
00:34:33.60\00:34:36.71
that pardon must
not only be granted,
00:34:36.74\00:34:40.44
it must also be
accepted to be effective,
00:34:40.48\00:34:46.15
and that is true
00:34:46.18\00:34:47.52
also of the
Supreme Court of heaven.
00:34:47.55\00:34:51.05
Our pardon has
already been secured.
00:34:51.09\00:34:55.06
When Jesus died on the cross,
00:34:55.09\00:34:58.19
He procured
forgiveness for every person
00:34:58.23\00:35:01.36
who has ever lived
00:35:01.40\00:35:02.73
and for every sin
that they have committed.
00:35:02.76\00:35:07.04
But that pardon,
00:35:07.07\00:35:08.90
that forgiveness
needs to be accepted.
00:35:08.94\00:35:13.41
There needs to be a recognition
that we need forgiveness.
00:35:13.44\00:35:19.81
And the vehicle through
which we receive forgiveness
00:35:19.85\00:35:23.15
is confession.
00:35:23.18\00:35:25.45
The confession of our need,
the confession of our guilt,
00:35:25.49\00:35:29.72
the necessity of confession.
00:35:29.76\00:35:33.86
As I say again, our
confession is not a work,
00:35:33.90\00:35:37.30
but rather it is up to observe
00:35:37.33\00:35:41.74
the divine conditions.
00:35:41.77\00:35:45.31
Just a quotation from
the chapter on confession
00:35:45.34\00:35:48.91
in Steps to Christ.
00:35:48.94\00:35:51.28
Ellen white wrote this,
00:35:51.31\00:35:53.58
"The conditions of
obtaining mercy of God
00:35:53.62\00:35:56.18
are simple and
just, and reasonable.
00:35:56.22\00:36:00.06
The Lord does not require
us to do some grievous thing
00:36:00.09\00:36:02.96
in order that we may
have the forgiveness of sin.
00:36:02.99\00:36:06.73
We need not make long
and wearisome pilgrimages,
00:36:06.76\00:36:09.93
or perform painful penances,
00:36:09.96\00:36:12.43
to commend our
souls to the God of heaven
00:36:12.47\00:36:15.44
or to expiate
our transgressions,
00:36:15.47\00:36:18.57
but he that
confesseth and forsaketh his sin
00:36:18.61\00:36:22.08
shall have mercy."
00:36:22.11\00:36:24.68
You notice that?
00:36:24.71\00:36:26.31
We don't go...
00:36:26.35\00:36:27.68
We don't need to
go on pilgrimages.
00:36:27.72\00:36:30.65
We don't need to
perform acts of penance
00:36:30.69\00:36:34.42
in order that we might
receive God's forgiveness.
00:36:34.46\00:36:38.03
But someone who
did try to do that,
00:36:41.16\00:36:44.30
it was Martin Luther.
00:36:44.33\00:36:47.84
When Martin Luther
feared for his life
00:36:47.87\00:36:51.11
during a violent thunderstorm.
00:36:51.14\00:36:54.28
And so he made a
pledge in his terror
00:36:54.31\00:36:57.61
that if God spared his life,
00:36:57.65\00:36:59.98
he would become a monk.
00:37:00.02\00:37:03.18
And so his life was spared
00:37:03.22\00:37:04.69
and the few days later
00:37:04.72\00:37:07.66
Martin Luther entered
00:37:07.69\00:37:09.02
the Augustinian
Monastery at Erfurt.
00:37:09.06\00:37:12.59
And there, he
really threw himself
00:37:12.63\00:37:15.10
into his duties and
his obligations as a monk.
00:37:15.13\00:37:21.24
He really was serious.
00:37:21.27\00:37:23.04
He was really earnest
00:37:23.07\00:37:24.57
about trying to
find favor with God,
00:37:24.61\00:37:27.64
but he didn't
have any peace of mind.
00:37:27.68\00:37:32.01
He tried and he tried,
and this is his testimony.
00:37:32.05\00:37:37.39
Although I lived a
blameless life as a monk,
00:37:37.42\00:37:40.99
I felt that I was a sinner
00:37:41.02\00:37:42.46
with an uneasy
conscience before God.
00:37:42.49\00:37:46.49
I also could not believe that
00:37:46.53\00:37:48.10
I had pleased him with my works
00:37:48.13\00:37:51.30
far from loving
the righteous God
00:37:51.33\00:37:53.80
who punished
sinners, I lost him.
00:37:53.84\00:37:56.91
I was a good monk
00:37:56.94\00:37:58.51
and kept my order so strictly
00:37:58.54\00:38:00.48
that if ever a
monk could get to heaven
00:38:00.51\00:38:02.81
by monastic discipline,
00:38:02.84\00:38:04.45
I was that monk.
00:38:04.48\00:38:07.28
All my companions
in the monastery could,
00:38:07.32\00:38:09.92
would confirm this.
00:38:09.95\00:38:12.09
And yet my conscience
would not give me certainty,
00:38:12.12\00:38:15.22
but I always doted and
said, you didn't do that right,
00:38:15.26\00:38:18.49
you weren't contrite enough.
00:38:18.53\00:38:20.03
You're left out
of your confession.
00:38:20.06\00:38:24.73
No peace of mind,
00:38:24.77\00:38:27.94
and so he went on
a pilgrimage to Rome,
00:38:27.97\00:38:30.37
the eternal city.
00:38:30.41\00:38:33.68
And during his time there,
he actually went up there.
00:38:33.71\00:38:36.95
He actually
climbed up on his knees
00:38:36.98\00:38:39.78
on what's known
as the Scala Sancta,
00:38:39.81\00:38:41.78
the Holy Steps.
00:38:41.82\00:38:44.69
Now, according to tradition,
00:38:44.72\00:38:46.45
these were the steps
00:38:46.49\00:38:47.92
that Jesus ascended to
the judgment hall of Pilate.
00:38:47.96\00:38:52.26
It's claimed that Helena,
00:38:52.29\00:38:54.26
the mother of the
great emperor Constantine
00:38:54.30\00:38:58.00
arranged for these steps
00:38:58.03\00:38:59.37
to be transported
from Jerusalem to Rome.
00:38:59.40\00:39:04.11
And so the Medieval Church said
00:39:04.14\00:39:06.57
that if people went up
these steps on their knees,
00:39:06.61\00:39:09.28
confessing their sins,
00:39:09.31\00:39:11.51
offering prayers
that that would buy time
00:39:11.55\00:39:14.02
out of purgatory for
them and for loved ones.
00:39:14.05\00:39:16.75
And as Martin Luther
ascended those steps,
00:39:19.92\00:39:24.23
it is claimed that
he heard the words,
00:39:24.26\00:39:27.33
"The just shall live by faith.
00:39:27.36\00:39:30.37
The just shall live by faith."
00:39:33.50\00:39:37.61
Martin Luther
didn't understand it then,
00:39:37.64\00:39:40.61
but he came to realize
the beauty of that truth,
00:39:40.64\00:39:43.28
that the just
shall live by faith.
00:39:43.31\00:39:47.52
And he did place his
trust in God's provision.
00:39:47.55\00:39:51.09
He did accept the forgiveness
00:39:51.12\00:39:52.75
that was made
possible by the death of Jesus.
00:39:52.79\00:39:55.79
His empty hands
received the gift of forgiveness
00:39:55.82\00:40:01.46
of God's acceptance.
00:40:01.50\00:40:05.57
And that was also the experience
00:40:05.60\00:40:07.20
of the repentant tax
collector in Jesus' story.
00:40:07.24\00:40:12.57
He went home
justified accepted before God.
00:40:12.61\00:40:17.98
The blessings of confession,
it leads to forgiveness,
00:40:18.01\00:40:23.85
to pardon,
00:40:23.89\00:40:25.75
to the knowledge
of God's acceptance
00:40:25.79\00:40:28.59
to the assurance that
we are right with God.
00:40:28.62\00:40:31.53
So confession brings
the blessing of pace,
00:40:34.56\00:40:36.87
of pardon.
00:40:36.90\00:40:38.93
And confession
also is the doorway
00:40:38.97\00:40:41.20
to receiving
the promises of God.
00:40:41.24\00:40:46.04
God draws close
to those in need.
00:40:46.07\00:40:51.25
Here we have one
of the beautiful,
00:40:51.28\00:40:53.58
beautiful promise
of God's closeness.
00:40:53.62\00:40:57.25
Psalm 34:18,
00:40:57.29\00:41:01.36
"The Lord is close
to the brokenhearted
00:41:01.39\00:41:05.19
and saves those who
are crushed in spirit."
00:41:05.23\00:41:10.13
The same thought is
expressed by the Prophet Isaiah.
00:41:10.17\00:41:14.97
Isaiah 57:15,
00:41:15.00\00:41:19.87
"For this is what the
high and exalted One says,
00:41:19.91\00:41:22.74
he who lives
forever, whose name is holy:
00:41:22.78\00:41:27.15
'I live in a
high and holy place,
00:41:27.18\00:41:29.78
but also with the
one who is contrite
00:41:29.82\00:41:32.35
and lowly in spirit,
00:41:32.39\00:41:34.82
to revive the
spirit of the lowly
00:41:34.86\00:41:36.89
and to revive the
heart of the contrite.'"
00:41:36.93\00:41:41.53
Depending on your translation,
in the King James Version,
00:41:41.56\00:41:45.13
that's the only verse
that has the word eternity.
00:41:45.17\00:41:49.17
And there God describes
Himself as the eternal One,
00:41:49.20\00:41:52.64
the One who is
above and before time.
00:41:52.67\00:41:56.14
He is great, He is
mighty, He is powerful.
00:41:56.18\00:41:58.71
And yet He says,
00:41:58.75\00:42:00.08
He draws close to the person
00:42:00.12\00:42:03.45
who recognizes His or her need.
00:42:03.49\00:42:08.89
God promises His closeness
to the one who confesses.
00:42:08.92\00:42:13.96
You see if there's one thing
00:42:14.00\00:42:15.33
that shuts a
person off from God,
00:42:15.36\00:42:16.73
it is a spirit
of self-sufficiency.
00:42:16.77\00:42:20.60
It's interesting that
00:42:20.64\00:42:22.27
one of the most popular songs
00:42:22.30\00:42:24.44
at secular funerals
00:42:24.47\00:42:25.91
is the song made
popular by Frank Sinatra.
00:42:25.94\00:42:28.94
I did it my way.
00:42:28.98\00:42:32.08
And if a person
wants to do it their way,
00:42:32.11\00:42:35.28
they can do it themselves.
00:42:35.32\00:42:36.79
God cannot help that person.
00:42:36.82\00:42:41.36
Whereas God is drawn to a person
00:42:41.39\00:42:43.59
who recognizes his or her need,
00:42:43.63\00:42:45.99
He loves that individual,
00:42:46.03\00:42:47.96
and a spirit of confession
opens us up to God's help,
00:42:48.00\00:42:52.77
the promise of God's closeness.
00:42:52.80\00:42:57.51
When we confess our sins,
00:42:57.54\00:43:00.31
we also encounter
a God of compassion.
00:43:00.34\00:43:04.91
We have this
beautiful promise in 1 John 1:9,
00:43:04.95\00:43:11.72
"If we claim to be without sin."
00:43:11.75\00:43:14.69
Or sorry, verse 9,
00:43:14.72\00:43:16.29
"if we confess our
sins, He is faithful and just,
00:43:16.32\00:43:20.16
and will forgive us our sins
00:43:20.20\00:43:22.66
and purify us from
all unrighteousness."
00:43:22.70\00:43:28.77
What a tremendous promise?
00:43:28.80\00:43:32.07
God is faithful.
00:43:32.11\00:43:34.98
He is true to His word.
00:43:35.01\00:43:36.44
He's faithful to His
promise, and He is just.
00:43:36.48\00:43:41.18
He forgives us in
His righteousness.
00:43:41.22\00:43:45.25
He is able to forgive
00:43:45.29\00:43:47.12
because of the
sacrifice of Jesus on the cross.
00:43:47.16\00:43:51.43
And variably you
find in Scripture
00:43:51.46\00:43:53.40
that forgiveness is
linked to the shedding of blood.
00:43:53.43\00:43:57.70
Without the shedding of
blood, there is no forgiveness.
00:43:57.73\00:44:01.97
And so God is faithful.
00:44:02.00\00:44:03.71
He is just, He's
a God of compassion.
00:44:03.74\00:44:09.44
And that's a
recurrent theme in Scripture.
00:44:09.48\00:44:13.78
We have this
beautiful revelation
00:44:13.82\00:44:17.62
of God's character
00:44:17.65\00:44:18.99
found in Exodus 34
and beginning in verse 6,
00:44:19.02\00:44:25.49
"And He, that is God,
passed in front of Moses,
00:44:25.53\00:44:28.06
proclaiming the Lord,
00:44:28.10\00:44:29.83
the Lord, the
compassionate and gracious God,
00:44:29.86\00:44:32.97
slow to anger,
00:44:33.00\00:44:34.34
abounding in love
and faithfulness."
00:44:34.37\00:44:38.27
And this verse
has been described
00:44:38.31\00:44:39.94
of the Old Testament.
00:44:39.97\00:44:42.51
You find it over and over
again in the Old Testament.
00:44:42.54\00:44:48.35
And a wonderful
example of God's compassion
00:44:48.38\00:44:52.05
is how He treated David.
00:44:52.09\00:44:55.62
When David was
exposed by Nathan,
00:44:55.66\00:44:59.39
his reaction was,
00:44:59.43\00:45:00.76
"I have sinned
against the Lord,"
00:45:00.80\00:45:04.47
just six words.
00:45:04.50\00:45:07.57
And Nathan told him
that God had forgiven him.
00:45:07.60\00:45:12.17
David didn't get a lecture.
00:45:12.21\00:45:14.51
He wasn't sent on a guilt trip.
00:45:14.54\00:45:16.61
He was told right there
and then that he was forgiven.
00:45:16.64\00:45:19.81
Now he did have to
live with the consequences
00:45:19.85\00:45:21.65
of what he had done,
00:45:21.68\00:45:23.02
but he was forgiven.
00:45:23.05\00:45:24.79
And it almost
seems that all that time,
00:45:24.82\00:45:27.76
the mercy of God
was hovering over David,
00:45:27.79\00:45:30.93
like a cloud,
00:45:30.96\00:45:32.29
just waiting to drop
its mercy, its blessing,
00:45:32.33\00:45:37.50
but all it
required was for David
00:45:37.53\00:45:39.73
to recognize his need,
00:45:39.77\00:45:42.50
and to realize
that he had done wrong.
00:45:42.54\00:45:45.34
Confession opens us up
00:45:48.61\00:45:49.94
to the promise
of God's compassion.
00:45:49.98\00:45:53.52
And 1 John 1:9,
00:45:53.55\00:45:55.22
also tells us
00:45:55.25\00:45:57.15
that God will cleanse us
from all unrighteousness.
00:45:57.19\00:46:02.42
Confession is the
doorway to change.
00:46:02.46\00:46:05.79
And that's a work of God.
00:46:05.83\00:46:10.43
Again, we have
sadly many examples
00:46:10.47\00:46:12.63
of false confession.
00:46:12.67\00:46:14.14
King Saul, he confessed,
00:46:14.17\00:46:16.81
"I've played the
fool, I've been a fool."
00:46:16.84\00:46:20.34
But it didn't stop
him from continuing
00:46:20.38\00:46:22.41
on the road to rebellion.
00:46:22.44\00:46:25.28
There was Judas,
00:46:25.31\00:46:26.65
"I have sinned
00:46:26.68\00:46:28.02
and I've betrayed
the innocent blood."
00:46:28.05\00:46:29.85
But he went and hanged himself.
00:46:29.88\00:46:33.25
We have the children of Israel
00:46:33.29\00:46:34.76
who recognized
that they were sinning
00:46:34.79\00:46:37.39
and being like the other nations
00:46:37.43\00:46:38.99
and having a king
to rule over them,
00:46:39.03\00:46:40.96
but they
continued on that way of,
00:46:41.00\00:46:43.63
on that course of action.
00:46:43.67\00:46:47.07
But true confession
00:46:47.10\00:46:49.14
always brings
about change, always.
00:46:49.17\00:46:54.74
And so the
confession opens us up
00:46:54.78\00:46:57.85
to the promises of God,
00:46:57.88\00:46:59.95
His closeness, His
compassion, His cleansing,
00:46:59.98\00:47:05.49
the blessings of confession.
00:47:05.52\00:47:10.59
And so, in conclusion,
00:47:10.63\00:47:14.43
confession is good for the soul.
00:47:14.46\00:47:18.53
Yes, but much,
much more than that.
00:47:18.57\00:47:24.67
Confession is the doorway
to receiving God's forgiveness
00:47:24.71\00:47:29.91
and grace.
00:47:29.94\00:47:32.08
Confession opens
us up to repentance
00:47:32.11\00:47:35.45
and change in our lives.
00:47:35.48\00:47:38.55
Confession leads us
00:47:38.59\00:47:39.92
to the knowledge
of God's acceptance
00:47:39.95\00:47:42.39
and the assurance
that we're right with Him.
00:47:42.42\00:47:46.86
Yes, indeed,
00:47:46.90\00:47:48.43
confession is good for the soul,
00:47:48.46\00:47:50.17
but more than that,
00:47:50.20\00:47:52.20
it is vital in our
relationship with God.
00:47:52.23\00:47:55.07
It is a blessing for
time and for eternity.
00:47:55.10\00:47:58.37
After a gospel meeting,
00:48:03.04\00:48:06.78
an elderly lady
asked the evangelist
00:48:06.82\00:48:10.75
if she could speak to him alone.
00:48:10.79\00:48:14.62
And so he ushered
her to an adjacent room.
00:48:14.66\00:48:17.09
They sat down at
the table in that room.
00:48:17.13\00:48:20.96
And as she began to talk,
her eyes welled up with tears.
00:48:21.00\00:48:26.70
She began to tell her story.
00:48:26.74\00:48:30.34
She told the evangelist
of how as a young wife,
00:48:30.37\00:48:34.54
she was so thrilled
00:48:34.58\00:48:36.21
on the day that she
discovered that she was pregnant
00:48:36.24\00:48:40.72
and she looked forward so much
to sharing this wonderful news
00:48:40.75\00:48:45.02
with her husband.
00:48:45.05\00:48:47.86
And so she eagerly
anticipated sharing that news.
00:48:47.89\00:48:51.33
That night he
came home from work.
00:48:51.36\00:48:52.93
She prepared a beautiful meal.
00:48:52.96\00:48:55.06
They enjoyed the meal together.
00:48:55.10\00:48:56.87
And then she told him the news,
00:48:56.90\00:49:01.07
but she was
absolutely devastated
00:49:01.10\00:49:04.01
by his response.
00:49:04.04\00:49:06.34
Get rid of it.
00:49:06.37\00:49:07.84
I don't want any kids.
00:49:07.88\00:49:10.71
And she thought that
maybe he had a bad day of work.
00:49:10.75\00:49:13.82
She let it rest.
00:49:13.85\00:49:16.45
She told the
evangelist the following day,
00:49:16.48\00:49:18.55
she raised the subject again,
00:49:18.59\00:49:21.79
and again he
exploded in a violent temper
00:49:21.82\00:49:26.33
and he actually
issued an ultimatum,
00:49:26.36\00:49:29.30
it's either the child or me.
00:49:29.33\00:49:31.83
If you don't get
rid of the child,
00:49:31.87\00:49:34.24
then I'm walking out on you.
00:49:34.27\00:49:37.97
And now she
explained to the evangelist,
00:49:38.01\00:49:39.71
she was absolutely distraught.
00:49:39.74\00:49:41.54
She didn't know what to do.
00:49:41.58\00:49:43.38
She didn't want to lose him.
00:49:43.41\00:49:47.78
And she ended up
having an abortion.
00:49:47.82\00:49:53.49
And she said to the evangelist,
00:49:53.52\00:49:56.02
"I cannot get over the
fact that I killed my child.
00:49:56.06\00:50:01.26
I have prayed and I've
prayed for forgiveness,
00:50:01.30\00:50:04.63
but I'm tormented by guilt.
00:50:04.67\00:50:08.64
Can God help me?"
00:50:08.67\00:50:12.97
And the evangelist
listened intently to the story
00:50:13.01\00:50:18.05
and then he opened his Bible,
00:50:18.08\00:50:20.85
and he read 1 John 1:9,
00:50:20.88\00:50:25.62
"If we confess our
sins, He is faithful and just,
00:50:25.65\00:50:30.76
and will forgive us our sins,
00:50:30.79\00:50:34.03
and purify us from
all unrighteousness."
00:50:34.06\00:50:39.87
And the woman said,
00:50:39.90\00:50:41.24
"That's too good to be true.
00:50:41.27\00:50:43.81
How can a few words wipe out
00:50:43.84\00:50:46.47
the terrible
nature of what I've done?"
00:50:46.51\00:50:51.31
And the evangelists said,
00:50:51.35\00:50:52.85
"Look, these
aren't just any words.
00:50:52.88\00:50:57.29
These are God's words.
00:50:57.32\00:51:01.09
And He is faithful, He is true.
00:51:01.12\00:51:04.16
He keeps His word. He's
faithful to His promise.
00:51:04.19\00:51:09.26
And these words are
backed up by the fact that
00:51:09.30\00:51:11.90
His Son Jesus died on
the cross to forgive you,
00:51:11.93\00:51:16.27
to forgive your sin.
00:51:16.30\00:51:17.64
Again, she doubted
and the evangelist said,
00:51:21.41\00:51:25.85
"The choice is
yours to live with torment
00:51:25.88\00:51:31.29
or to accept the promise."
00:51:31.32\00:51:32.85
And right there and
then, both of those,
00:51:35.99\00:51:39.63
the evangelist,
that woman knelt down,
00:51:39.66\00:51:43.70
she confessed her sin.
00:51:43.73\00:51:46.80
She accepted the
promise with gratitude,
00:51:46.84\00:51:51.04
and she went away
with a conscience set free,
00:51:51.07\00:51:55.34
knowing that she
had been forgiven.
00:51:55.38\00:51:58.21
Perhaps you have been
carrying a burden on your heart.
00:52:03.28\00:52:08.92
Maybe there are times that
00:52:08.96\00:52:10.29
maybe something
that you've done,
00:52:10.33\00:52:11.83
some sin that you've committed
00:52:11.86\00:52:13.23
that seems to
block the way to God.
00:52:13.26\00:52:19.50
Do you even pray?
00:52:19.53\00:52:21.87
Perhaps you think, I
don't even feel like praying.
00:52:21.90\00:52:25.57
I'm too great a sinner.
00:52:25.61\00:52:27.08
God won't hear me,
00:52:27.11\00:52:31.11
but it's not about how we feel.
00:52:31.15\00:52:34.88
It's about what
God has promised.
00:52:34.92\00:52:38.35
And there He has
clearly demonstrated
00:52:38.39\00:52:40.36
in this verse.
00:52:40.39\00:52:42.12
"If we confess our
sins, He is faithful and just,
00:52:42.16\00:52:46.49
and will forgive us our sins
00:52:46.53\00:52:48.53
and purify us from
all unrighteousness."
00:52:48.56\00:52:54.40
I urge you to
take God at His word,
00:52:54.44\00:52:59.97
to experience His
peace in your heart
00:53:00.01\00:53:04.01
and to know and experience
the joy of forgiveness,
00:53:04.05\00:53:08.25
the knowledge of
acceptance with God.
00:53:08.28\00:53:12.75
Will you make that choice?
00:53:12.79\00:53:14.36
Will you make that decision?
00:53:14.39\00:53:16.76
I pray that you will.
00:53:16.79\00:53:19.29
I invite you to bow
your heads in prayer.
00:53:19.33\00:53:24.03
Father in heaven,
00:53:24.07\00:53:25.77
thank You that You
have made the way so clear,
00:53:25.80\00:53:28.74
so simple.
00:53:28.77\00:53:30.51
You haven't asked
us to go on pilgrimages
00:53:30.54\00:53:32.47
or do works of penance
or great or mighty deeds.
00:53:32.51\00:53:36.11
You ask us simply
to confess our need
00:53:36.14\00:53:38.88
and to throw ourselves
upon Your mercy and grace,
00:53:38.91\00:53:41.38
and to accept Your
Son and our savior Jesus,
00:53:41.42\00:53:45.12
for who He is,
for what He's done.
00:53:45.15\00:53:48.09
And, Lord, that's our desire
00:53:48.12\00:53:50.23
that we receive Your
grace and forgiveness
00:53:50.26\00:53:53.50
that the blood of
Jesus would cover our sins,
00:53:53.53\00:53:55.90
wipe away our
faults and failings,
00:53:55.93\00:53:58.63
and that we would have
that knowledge and assurance
00:53:58.67\00:54:00.94
that we're right with
you and accepted with you.
00:54:00.97\00:54:04.07
May that be our experience,
00:54:04.11\00:54:06.21
may that be our joy and delight
is our prayer in Jesus' name.
00:54:06.24\00:54:10.55
Amen.
00:54:10.58\00:54:11.91