Sermon

A Broken & Contrite Heart (Sermon & Song) - DJ Dickerson - 6/28/26

La Porte Church of Christ Podcast

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  1. All right, good

  2. uh evening everyone. It's good that we

  3. could be here this Lord's Day evening.

  4. Thankful to have our visitors joining us

  5. this evening for our evening service. Uh

  6. you certainly do

  7. We certainly appreciate you coming and

  8. and spending this this hour to be able

  9. to worship our great God in spirit and

  10. in truth together. Tonight is our sermon

  11. and song service. It's last Sunday of

  12. the month, so we we usually do this on a

  13. Sunday evening, the last Sunday evening

  14. of the month. And so I appreciate those

  15. that are are helping out with the with

  16. the service tonight, those that have

  17. been doing scripture readings and and

  18. songs that have been selected for the

  19. theme we're talk that we're doing

  20. tonight. Um

  21. here in just a moment we'll start off

  22. with brother Luke Northam who will lead

  23. us in our opening prayer. And then

  24. following the prayer, we'll have our

  25. opening song by brother Kyle Copeland,

  26. number 68, Lord, we come before thee

  27. now.

  28. And following that song, brother Keith

  29. Wise will lead us in our first scripture

  30. reading of 2 Samuel chapter 12, verses 1

    2 Samuel 12:1–15

  31. through 15. So uh and also serving the

  32. Lord's Supper is brother Keith Wise. And

  33. at the end of service, brother Joseph

  34. Honnoldstein will lead us in our closing

  35. prayer. So at this time, we're going to

  36. go ahead and begin with our opening

  37. prayer. Brother Luke Northam will lead

  38. us in that at this time.

  39. >> Hallowed be your name, Lord.

  40. Thank you for

  41. allowing us to gather here together in

  42. your name, Father. Thank you for all the

  43. spiritual blessings that you impart onto

  44. us, all the wisdom and

  45. everything that we take for granted.

  46. Father, please help us to

  47. keep you

  48. at the forefront of our hearts and minds

  49. during this service. Please help us to

  50. sing out in praise of you

  51. and with a holy remembrance of the

  52. things that you've done for us and

  53. Thank you for everything that we have

  54. that we take for granted, but thank you

  55. most of all for sending Jesus who died

  56. for our sins. In Jesus' holy name I

  57. pray. Amen.

  58. >> Lord we come before [singing]

  59. thee now

  60. >> [singing]

  61. >> at thy feet

  62. we

  63. humbly bow.

  64. Oh

  65. do

  66. not

  67. >> [singing]

  68. >> our suit disdain.

  69. Shall

  70. >> [singing]

  71. >> we

  72. seek

  73. thee

  74. Lord

  75. in vain?

  76. Shall we

  77. >> [singing]

  78. >> seek

  79. thee Lord

  80. in vain?

  81. Lord

  82. on

  83. thee

  84. our souls

  85. >> [singing]

  86. [music]

  87. >> depend.

  88. In

  89. compassion

  90. >> [singing]

  91. >> now

  92. please

  93. send.

  94. >> [music]

  95. >> Fill

  96. >> [singing]

  97. >> our hearts

  98. >> [singing]

  99. [music]

  100. [singing]

  101. [singing and music]

  102. [music]

  103. [singing]

  104. [music]

  105. [singing]

  106. [clears throat]

  107. >> Yeah, that's 2 Samuel 12 verses 1

    2 Samuel 12:1–15

  108. through 15.

  109. And the Lord sent Nathan to David and he

  110. came to him and he said to him,

  111. "There were two men in one city, one

  112. rich and the other poor. The rich man

  113. had exceedingly many flocks and herds,

  114. but the poor man had nothing except one

  115. little ewe lamb which he had bought

  116. and nourished and it grew up together

  117. with him and with his children.

  118. It ate of his own food and drank from

  119. his own cup and lay in his room and it

  120. was like a daughter to him.

  121. And a traveler came to the rich man who

  122. refused to take from his own flock and

  123. from his own herd to prepare one for the

  124. wayfaring man

  125. who had come to him, but he took the

  126. poor man's lamb and prepared it for the

  127. man who had come to him. So, David's

  128. anger was greatly aroused against the

  129. man, and he said to Nathan, "As the Lord

  130. lives, the man who has done this shall

  131. surely die.

  132. And he shall restore fourfold for the

  133. lamb, because he did this thing, and

  134. because he had no pity." Then Nathan

  135. said to David, "You are the man.

  136. Thus said the Lord God of Israel, "I

  137. anointed you king over Israel, and I

  138. delivered you from the hand of Saul.

  139. I gave you your master's house, and your

  140. master's wives into your keeping, and I

  141. gave you the house of Israel and Judah.

  142. And if that had been too little, I also

  143. have given you much more.

  144. Why have you despised the commandment of

  145. the Lord

  146. to do the evil

  147. to do this evil in his sight? You have

  148. killed Uriah the Hittite with the sword.

  149. You have taken his wife to be your wife,

  150. and you have killed him with the sword

  151. of the people of Ammon.

  152. Now, therefore, the sword shall never

  153. depart from your house, because you have

  154. despised me, and have taken the wife of

  155. Uriah the Hittite to be your wife. Thus

  156. says the Lord, "Behold, I will raise up

  157. adversity against you from your own

  158. house, and I will take your wives before

  159. your eyes, and give them to your

  160. neighbor, and he shall lie with your

  161. wives in the sight of his son.

  162. For you did it secretly, but I will do

  163. this thing before all of Israel, before

  164. the sun."

  165. So, David said to Nathan, "I have sinned

  166. against the Lord." And Nathan said to

  167. David, "The Lord has put away your sin,

  168. and you shall not die.

  169. However, because of this deed, you have

  170. given great occasion to the enemies of

  171. the Lord to blaspheme, the child who is

  172. also born to you shall surely die." Then

  173. Nathan departed to his house.

  174. >> This evening,

  175. in our sermon and song, the theme that

  176. I've chosen tonight is entitled a broken

  177. and contrite heart from Psalm 51.

  178. I I thought about Psalms, how they arise

  179. from There's many that that arise from

  180. victories. Uh Some are written when uh

  181. God's people were celebrating

  182. deliverance.

  183. Some lift our hearts with praise while

  184. others

  185. strengthen our confidence during times

  186. of trouble. So, there's several Psalms

  187. that we know of. But Psalm 51, however,

  188. that we're going to focus on this this

  189. evening was born from brokenness.

  190. This particular Psalm, I would say, is

  191. is one of the most personal,

  192. painful, and and even powerful chapters

  193. in all the Bible. It's a prayer of a man

  194. who finally stopped hiding. That's

  195. that's what we find.

  196. And

  197. it's a cry of a heart that was

  198. confronted with sin.

  199. That's what we were just reading,

  200. weren't we?

  201. And it's a plea of someone who knows

  202. that he cannot undo what

  203. he has done, cannot cleanse himself, he

  204. cannot restore what has been lost

  205. without the mercy of God.

  206. And so, as we get into these scriptures

  207. in a moment with the Psalm 51,

  208. this Psalm was was written after one of

  209. the darkest periods in David's life.

  210. David had committed adultery with

  211. Bathsheba. When when she became

  212. pregnant, he attempted to hide his sin.

  213. And eventually, we know he arranged for

  214. her husband Uriah to be killed in

  215. battle.

  216. And and David may have hidden what he

  217. had done from others, but but he could

  218. not hide it from God. And as we were

  219. just reading from 2 Samuel chapter 12,

    2 Samuel 12 chapter mention

  220. that that there you have

  221. Nathan the prophet that came to confront

  222. him.

  223. Then Nathan said to David, "You are the

  224. man."

  225. And David responded, "I have sinned

  226. against the Lord."

  227. And those words marked the beginning of

  228. David's return.

  229. Psalm 51 allows

  230. us to hear what was happening within his

  231. heart when he finally stopped hiding.

  232. When he finally stopped excusing, when

  233. he finally acknowledged his sin before

  234. God.

  235. So, for this evening, our focus is not

  236. merely up on how far David fell, but up

  237. on how he returned.

  238. His prayer shows us the path from guilt

  239. to grace, from sorrow to repentance, and

  240. from brokenness to restoration. And that

  241. journey begins with

  242. surrender.

  243. David's attempts to control his

  244. circumstances had only carried him

  245. deeper into sin, and he now needed to

  246. yield his heart completely to God. So,

  247. as we begin, we're going to

  248. sing this next Let's sing this next

  249. song.

  250. Think about it as as a prayer, even,

  251. that God would shape us according to His

  252. will. Number 146, Have Thine Own Way,

  253. Lord. We'll sing all verses, brother

  254. Mike Burden will lead us in this song,

  255. and then following this song, the next

  256. scripture reading will be Psalm 51,

    Psalms 51:1–4

  257. verses 1 through 4, by brother Bill

  258. Rose.

  259. >> Have Thine Own Way, Lord.

  260. Have Thine Own

  261. Thou art the

  262. potter,

  263. >> [music]

  264. >> I am the

  265. mold me and

  266. >> [singing]

  267. >> after Thy

  268. >> [singing]

  269. >> while I am

  270. You are

  271. >> [music]

  272. [singing]

  273. [music]

  274. [singing]

  275. [music]

  276. [singing]

  277. [music]

  278. [singing]

  279. [music]

  280. [singing]

  281. [music]

  282. >> Have mercy upon me, O God, according to

  283. your loving-kindness,

  284. according to the multitude of your

  285. tender mercies, blot out my

  286. transgressions.

  287. Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity and

  288. cleanse me from my sin.

  289. For I acknowledge my transgressions,

  290. and my sin is always before me.

  291. Against you, you only have I sinned,

  292. and done this evil in your sight,

  293. that you may be found just when you

  294. speak, and blameless when you judge.

  295. >> What we're reading and he was singing

  296. about tonight, the first point that I

  297. will give you in what we find there in

  298. Psalm 51

  299. in the first four verses is basically

  300. genuine repentance begins with honest

  301. confession.

  302. David begins with no excuses.

  303. Uh he does not mention the the pressures

  304. of being king. Uh he does not blame

  305. Bathsheba or Joab or his or his

  306. circumstances.

  307. Uh he does not remind God of uh of look

  308. at all the victories that I've had in

  309. the past or all these other things that

  310. I have done that are good. He simply

  311. pleads what? Have mercy upon me, oh God.

  312. And David understood that his hope was

  313. not in in in the smallness.

  314. You know, some people that's where you

  315. know, think about the sin and try to

  316. do such things. That that's not what

  317. he's doing.

  318. His sin was grievous. He's not trying to

  319. downplay anything. His hope though was

  320. in the greatness of God's mercy. That's

  321. what he starts off with. And I want you

  322. to notice that David uses words like

  323. what? Transgression, iniquity, sin,

  324. evil. That's the kind of words that he

  325. uses here. He does not soften what he

  326. has done. He does not call it a mistake,

  327. a poor decision, or a moment of

  328. weakness. He agrees with God concerning

  329. the seriousness of his actions. And

  330. friends, that's where genuine repentance

  331. begins. We cannot repent of sin

  332. while continuing to defend it. That's

  333. not the way that works.

  334. And we cannot be cleansed of something

  335. we refuse to acknowledge.

  336. We sometimes rename sin so that it

  337. doesn't sound as serious, you know,

  338. that's kind of a the the game that that

  339. we as humans like to try to play in our

  340. society. Um bitterness becomes hurt

  341. feelings. Gossip may become concern.

  342. Pride becomes well, we're going to call

  343. that confidence. Uh materialism, well,

  344. we'll name that ambition. Uh

  345. disobedience, well, that becomes

  346. personal preference. You see those with

  347. words have a little bit lighter sense to

  348. them, don't they? But what David said,

  349. he says, I acknowledge my

  350. transgressions.

  351. What we call that in today's terms, he

  352. owned it. He owned what he had done, and

  353. he also recognized that sin is

  354. ultimately an offense against God. What

  355. he say? Against you, you only have I

  356. sinned.

  357. David had sinned against Bathsheba. He

  358. had sinned against Uriah. He had sinned

  359. against his own family. He had sinned

  360. against the nation. But beneath every

  361. human offense was rebellion against the

  362. God whose law he had violated.

  363. Repentance, as we're talking about

  364. tonight, begins when we stop asking the

  365. question, how can I hide this? And begin

  366. asking, how can I be right with God?

  367. I want us to do some thinking in our uh

  368. this self-examination

  369. this evening. What burdens that

  370. we may be carrying that no one else

  371. knows and friends and brethren, but but

  372. it's not hidden from God.

  373. That truth is sobering, but it's also

  374. very helpful and hopeful.

  375. The God who knows the truth still

  376. invites us to come.

  377. We come without excuses. We come without

  378. pretense.

  379. We come guilty

  380. and needy and dependent upon His mercy.

  381. And we come just as we are.

  382. Not because God intends to leave us as

  383. we are,

  384. but because we cannot cleanse ourselves

  385. before coming to Him.

  386. So, as we sing this next song entitled

  387. Just As I Am, let us remember that

  388. honesty before God is the first step

  389. toward healing. Number 330, Just As I

  390. Am. Brother Kyle Copeland will lead us

  391. in all verses of this song. And

  392. following this song, next scripture

  393. reading will be Psalm 51, verses 7

    Psalms 51:7–10

  394. through 10. Brother Otis Smith will lead

  395. us in that scripture reading.

  396. >> Just as I am,

  397. without

  398. one [singing] plea,

  399. but

  400. that

  401. Thy

  402. >> [singing and chanting]

  403. >> blood

  404. was shed

  405. for me,

  406. and

  407. that

  408. Thou

  409. >> [singing]

  410. >> biddest

  411. >> [music]

  412. >> me come

  413. to

  414. Thee,

  415. >> [singing]

  416. >> O

  417. Lamb

  418. of

  419. >> [singing]

  420. >> God,

  421. I

  422. come.

  423. Just as I

  424. am,

  425. and

  426. on

  427. your

  428. blood

  429. of

  430. >> [singing]

  431. >> one

  432. dark

  433. ground

  434. to

  435. me

  436. whose

  437. love

  438. and

  439. >> [singing]

  440. >> cleansing

  441. blood I come.

  442. >> [singing]

  443. [music]

  444. >> Just as

  445. I am,

  446. though

  447. tossed

  448. about with

  449. >> [singing]

  450. >> many a

  451. conflict,

  452. >> [music]

  453. [singing]

  454. >> with

  455. many a

  456. doubt,

  457. fighting

  458. fears

  459. >> [singing]

  460. >> within,

  461. >> [music]

  462. >> without,

  463. O

  464. >> [singing]

  465. >> Lamb

  466. of God, I

  467. >> [singing]

  468. >> Just as

  469. I am,

  470. Thou

  471. wilt

  472. receive,

  473. wilt

  474. welcome,

  475. pardon,

  476. cleanse,

  477. relieve,

  478. because

  479. Thy promise

  480. >> [singing]

  481. [music]

  482. >> I

  483. >> [singing]

  484. >> believe,

  485. O Lamb

  486. >> [music]

  487. [singing]

  488. >> Our scripture reading is Psalm 51 7

  489. through 10. 51 7 through 10.

  490. Purge me with hyssop and I shall be

  491. clean. Wash me and I shall be whiter

  492. than snow.

  493. Make me hear joy and gladness that the

  494. bones you have broken may rejoice.

  495. Hide your face from my sins and blot out

  496. all my iniquities. Create me in a clean

  497. heart, oh God

  498. and renew a steadfast spirit within me.

  499. >> [snorts]

  500. [clears throat]

  501. >> We speak about genuine repentance.

  502. >> [clears throat]

  503. >> From that very passage, genuine

  504. repentance seeks

  505. cleansing and renewal.

  506. David

  507. did not merely want to

  508. admit his sin, he wanted God to remove

  509. its stain and renew his heart.

  510. Did you see what was read there in

  511. David's request?

  512. Purge me. Wash me.

  513. Blot out my iniquities. Create in me a

  514. clean heart.

  515. David understood that sin is more than

  516. again, mistake written in the record of

  517. life. It's a stain upon the soul.

  518. Time cannot remove it. Good deeds cannot

  519. cancel it. Religious activity cannot

  520. cleanse it. Only God can forgive

  521. sin. And David asked, "Wash me and I

  522. shall be what?

  523. Whiter than snow." Get that imagery in

  524. your mind when he's using. For

  525. Christians, that that plea points

  526. directly to Jesus Christ, doesn't it? 1

  527. John 1 and verse 7. Look at the language

  528. there. It says, "But if we walk in the

  529. light as he is in light, we have

  530. fellowship with one another and the

  531. blood of Jesus Christ his son cleanses

  532. us from all sin."

  533. What David longed for is what Christ

  534. even provides. David wanted more than

  535. forgiveness of the past. He prayed He

  536. prayed, "Create in me a clean heart."

  537. It's not just simply saying, "I want

  538. relief from guilt." He's saying, "I want

  539. inward renewal."

  540. And true repentance does not does not

  541. ask only, "How can I escape the

  542. consequences?" Sometimes that's the

  543. first thing that's on the mind, isn't

  544. it? It asks, "How can my heart be

  545. changed?"

  546. David wanted God to change his desires.

  547. He wanted him to strengthen his spirit.

  548. He wanted him to restore the joy that

  549. sin had taken away.

  550. Cuz again, sin, what did it do? Sin

  551. promised David pleasure, but it left him

  552. broken.

  553. That's always the nature of sin. It

  554. promises freedom, but produces bondage.

  555. It It promises satisfaction and leaves

  556. emptiness.

  557. Yet God is not only the God who exposes

  558. sin,

  559. as we saw in 2 Samuel chapter 12,

    2 Samuel 12 chapter mention

  560. he's the God who heals those who return

  561. to him.

  562. A verse that I think of any time is that

  563. of Malachi 4 and verse 2.

  564. Malachi 4 and verse 2.

  565. "But to you who fear my name, the sun of

  566. righteousness shall arise with healing

  567. in his wings.

  568. And you shall go out and grow fat like

  569. stall-fed calves.

  570. Friends, David could not undo everything

  571. he had done. He could not bring Uriah

  572. back or remove every earthly

  573. consequence. He couldn't do that. But

  574. what he could, even after those horrible

  575. things, we know they were horrible,

  576. right?

  577. But he could be forgiven, he could be

  578. renewed, he could be restored.

  579. And that same hope I want us to be

  580. reminded of through this lesson is

  581. available today through Christ.

  582. There's healing for the wounded

  583. conscience. There's healing for the

  584. broken spirit.

  585. There's healing for the heart burdened

  586. by guilt.

  587. As we sing this next song

  588. based from Malachi chapter 4 and verse

    Malachi 4 chapter mention

  589. 2,

  590. healing

  591. in its wings.

  592. Let us praise the one who does not

  593. merely reveal our wounds, but offers

  594. healing

  595. through his grace. Let's sing this song

  596. together from supplement 115,

  597. healing in its wings.

  598. Sing all verses.

  599. And then following this song, we'll have

  600. our next scripture reading.

  601. Brother Keith Wise with Psalm 51 verses

    Psalms 51:11

  602. 11 and 12.

  603. >> Oh [singing] Father, my good

  604. and my heart

  605. >> [singing and music]

  606. >> greatly with thee.

  607. For

  608. you have

  609. >> [singing]

  610. >> Yet I I turn away from

  611. all your

  612. loving care.

  613. So

  614. >> [music]

  615. >> often through my

  616. fault, yet you

  617. >> [singing]

  618. >> reach

  619. out

  620. to me.

  621. That

  622. is

  623. >> [singing]

  624. >> more than

  625. I can bear.

  626. >> [music]

  627. >> Through

  628. your

  629. >> [singing]

  630. >> beloved Son,

  631. >> [music]

  632. >> there

  633. is grace

  634. for

  635. >> [singing]

  636. >> me.

  637. How

  638. >> [singing]

  639. >> can

  640. I stand against the one

  641. who made

  642. my heart to sing?

  643. Reign

  644. >> [singing]

  645. >> in a heart so clean,

  646. that

  647. my

  648. >> [singing and music]

  649. >> life may

  650. sing.

  651. As

  652. >> [singing]

  653. >> I

  654. am only human,

  655. >> [singing]

  656. >> Christ

  657. >> [music]

  658. >> is up with

  659. me

  660. in his

  661. weakness.

  662. >> [singing]

  663. >> My broken, contrite

  664. heart

  665. is

  666. so

  667. >> [singing and music]

  668. >> worthless in my sight.

  669. Hallelujah. [singing]

  670. >> [singing]

  671. [singing]

  672. [music]

  673. [singing]

  674. >> Do not cast me away from your presence,

  675. and do not take your Holy Spirit from

  676. me.

  677. Restore to me the joy of your salvation,

  678. and uphold me by your generous spirit.

  679. Something else that we notice from the

  680. scriptures there

  681. >> [clears throat]

  682. >> is that genuine

  683. repentance grows from godly sorrow.

  684. David's sin had robbed him of peace

  685. and joy. And David's concern

  686. was not his throne, was not his

  687. reputation, was not his comfort. His

  688. greatest concern that he's making

  689. evidently clear here was his

  690. relationship with God.

  691. He pleaded, "Do not cast me away from

  692. your presence."

  693. Again, we we I believe we understand

  694. that David was sorrowful, but scripture

  695. teaches us that not all sorrow is the

  696. same. Second Corinthians chapter 7 and

    2 Corinthians 7 chapter mention

  697. verses 9 through 11,

  698. Second Corinthians chapter 9,

    2 Corinthians 9 chapter mention

  699. or Second Corinthians chapter 7 verses 9

    2 Corinthians 7:9–11

  700. through 11.

  701. I didn't have that one on the chart here

  702. when I put this together, so I'm going

  703. to read that one right now.

  704. Second Corinthians chapter 9, or Second

    2 Corinthians 9 chapter mention

  705. Second Corinthians chapter 7 verses 9

    2 Corinthians 7:9–11

  706. through 11.

  707. Read with me.

  708. Now rejoice, not that you were made

  709. sorry,

  710. but that your sorrow led to repentance,

  711. for you were made sorry in a godly

  712. manner, that you might suffer loss from

  713. us in nothing.

  714. For godly sorrow produces repentance

  715. leading to salvation, not to be

  716. regretted, but the sorrow of the world

  717. produces death.

  718. For observe this very thing, that you

  719. sorrowed in a godly manner,

  720. what diligence it produced in you,

  721. what clearing of yourselves, what

  722. indignation, what fear, what vehement

  723. desire, what zeal, what vindication. In

  724. all things you proved yourselves to be

  725. clear

  726. in this matter.

  727. Friends, Paul describes

  728. two kinds of sorrow in that passage.

  729. Worldly sorrow is primarily concerned

  730. with self.

  731. It is sorry because sin is discovered.

  732. Sorry because reputation was damaged, or

  733. or sorry because consequences followed.

  734. It regrets what sin has caused, but it

  735. may never truly hate the sin itself. And

  736. so there is definitely a distinction

  737. that the scriptures make. On the other

  738. hand though, godly sorrow is different

  739. even as we see in this passage of St.

  740. Corinthians chapter 7.

  741. Godly sorrow sees sin from God's

  742. perspective. It says, "I have grieved

  743. the one who loves me.

  744. I have violated his will. I must turn

  745. back to him." And Paul said what? Godly

  746. sorrow produces

  747. repentance.

  748. Sorrow itself is not repentance.

  749. A person may cry, a person may feel

  750. ashamed, or they may wish things had

  751. happened differently, and still refuse

  752. to change.

  753. That's why when you look at repentance

  754. in the biblical definition of it,

  755. it's a change of heart that produces a

  756. change of direction, a change of life.

  757. And Paul

  758. saw that change among the Corinthians,

  759. and their sorrow produced what he called

  760. diligence, what he called fear, desire,

  761. zeal.

  762. He says, "Your response, there's fruit

  763. there. That is fruit that that's became

  764. visible."

  765. And that's what we see in Psalm 51, that

  766. David's sorrow did the same. It moved

  767. him toward God, rather than away from

  768. him.

  769. Worldly sorrow, what does worldly sorrow

  770. say? Hide. That's what worldly sorrow

  771. says. Godly sorrow says, "Come home."

  772. Worldly sorrow says, "There's no hope."

  773. But godly sorrow says, "My hope is in

  774. the mercy of God."

  775. Friends, God does not convict us because

  776. he wants us to remain crushed beneath

  777. guilt.

  778. His word exposes sin so that we will

  779. turn, return, and be restored. That's

  780. what he desires.

  781. The Father still calls the wandering

  782. child home.

  783. And the invitation that he gives is so

  784. tender,

  785. but it demands a response.

  786. As we sing this next song that is very

  787. descriptive

  788. of what we're talking about

  789. with that very tender

  790. soft calling

  791. where God intends

  792. where he leads us

  793. to repentance and restoration through

  794. his word softly and tenderly.

  795. Softly and tenderly. The first verse,

  796. second verse, and fourth verse of this

  797. song number 274.

  798. Brother Joseph Von Einsteim will lead us

  799. in this song and

  800. will also lead us in the scripture

  801. reading following Psalm 51 verses

  802. [clears throat] 16 and 17.

  803. >> I remember this song.

  804. >> Softly and tenderly

  805. Jesus [singing]

  806. is calling,

  807. calling

  808. >> [music]

  809. >> for you

  810. and for

  811. me.

  812. >> [singing]

  813. >> See on the portals he's waiting

  814. and watching,

  815. >> [singing]

  816. >> watching for

  817. you and for

  818. >> [singing]

  819. >> me. Come home, come home.

  820. >> [music]

  821. [singing]

  822. >> Ye who are

  823. weary, come home.

  824. Earnestly

  825. >> [music]

  826. [singing]

  827. >> tenderly

  828. Jesus

  829. is calling,

  830. calling

  831. >> [singing]

  832. >> Oh, sinner.

  833. Come home.

  834. >> [singing]

  835. >> Why

  836. should we tarry

  837. >> [singing and music]

  838. >> when Jesus

  839. is pleading?

  840. Pleading

  841. >> [singing]

  842. [music]

  843. >> for you

  844. and for me.

  845. Why

  846. should [singing] we linger

  847. and heed not

  848. >> [music]

  849. >> His mercies?

  850. Mercies

  851. >> [singing]

  852. >> for you

  853. and for me.

  854. Come home.

  855. >> [singing]

  856. >> Ye

  857. who are

  858. weary,

  859. come [singing] home.

  860. Hear

  861. >> [music]

  862. >> sweet, tenderly

  863. >> [singing]

  864. >> Jesus

  865. is calling.

  866. Calling

  867. Oh, sinner.

  868. Come home.

  869. Oh,

  870. for the

  871. wonderful

  872. love He

  873. has promised.

  874. Promised

  875. for you

  876. and for me.

  877. Though

  878. we have

  879. >> [singing]

  880. >> sinned, He

  881. has mercy

  882. and pardon.

  883. Pardon

  884. >> [singing]

  885. >> for you

  886. and [music] for me.

  887. Come home.

  888. >> [singing]

  889. [music]

  890. >> Ye

  891. >> [singing]

  892. >> who are

  893. weary,

  894. >> [music]

  895. [singing]

  896. [music]

  897. [singing]

  898. >> Psalm 51:16-17

    Psalms 51:16–17

  899. For you will not delight in sacrifice,

  900. or I would give it. You will not be

  901. pleased with a burnt offering.

  902. The sacrifices of God are a broken

  903. spirit, a broken and contrite heart.

  904. Oh God, you will not despise.

  905. >> What we just read

  906. from that passage

  907. is that God desires a broken and

  908. contrite heart, as the sermon

  909. and song is entitled tonight.

  910. David understood that there was no

  911. outward ritual that could substitute for

  912. inward repentance.

  913. If God had simply wanted an animal,

  914. David could have supplied one.

  915. He was king.

  916. He possessed wealth. He possessed

  917. resources.

  918. But God wanted something that David

  919. could not purchase or delegate.

  920. God wanted his heart.

  921. It is possible to participate

  922. in religion while withholding the heart

  923. from God.

  924. We can sing while protecting bitterness.

  925. We can pray while refusing to forgive.

  926. We can hear scripture while resisting

  927. its authority.

  928. You see, God does not desire empty

  929. ceremony.

  930. He desires humble surrender.

  931. And friends, a broken heart is not a

  932. hopeless heart. It's a heart whose pride

  933. is has been shattered. It's

  934. And when I think about that word

  935. contrite,

  936. in Psalm 51,

    Psalms 51:17

  937. verse 17,

  938. describes a heart that has been crushed,

  939. humbled, and brought low by the

  940. recognition of sin.

  941. It comes from a Hebrew word

  942. that carries the idea of being broken or

  943. crushed under weight. That's what con-

  944. contrite means.

  945. And spiritually, it pictures a person

  946. whose pride has been shattered, and who

  947. no longer excuses, defends, or minimizes

  948. wrongdoing. A contrite heart says,

  949. "Lord, I was wrong."

  950. A contrite heart says, "Your judgment is

  951. right. I need your mercy. Change me."

  952. David gives us this assurance.

  953. A broken and a contrite heart, these, oh

  954. God, you will not

  955. despise.

  956. God will not reject the person who

  957. genuinely repents.

  958. He will not turn away the prodigal who

  959. comes home. He will not despise the

  960. Christian who humbly confesses sin and

  961. seeks restoration.

  962. A contrite heart

  963. whose pride has been crushed

  964. by conviction,

  965. whose excuses have been silenced by

  966. truth,

  967. and whose only hope rests in the of God.

  968. What I want us to take away as well is

  969. Think about this. Somebody say, "Well,

  970. you know, this is, you know, another

  971. story in the Bible." Friends, this is an

  972. account.

  973. We sometimes say David's story. We use

  974. that kind of terminology. This is not

  975. just a a story of a man who fell.

  976. It is the story of an account of a man

  977. who returned.

  978. It's not simply about guilt.

  979. It's about grace.

  980. It's not merely about brokenness. It's

  981. about what God can do

  982. with a broken and contrite heart.

  983. I would submit to you in this closing

  984. thoughts that perhaps sin has stolen

  985. your joy.

  986. Perhaps you have felt sorrow,

  987. but have not allowed that sorrow to lead

  988. you to

  989. repentance.

  990. Perhaps you've tried to hide what God is

  991. calling you to confess.

  992. David's prayer shows us the way home.

  993. Have mercy upon me.

  994. I acknowledge my transgressions.

  995. Create in me a clean heart. Restore

  996. to me the joy of your salvation.

  997. Friends, for the Christian who has

  998. wandered away, God calls you to repent,

  999. confess, return.

  1000. For the one who has never obeyed the

  1001. gospel message, the cleansing blood of

  1002. Christ is available.

  1003. And he still calls softly and tenderly

  1004. as we sang a moment ago.

  1005. That you believe that Jesus Christ is

  1006. the son of the living God, repent of

  1007. your sins, confess him to be the son of

  1008. the living God, and be baptized, be

  1009. buried with him in baptism to rise and

  1010. walk in newness of life as Romans 6:3-4

    Romans 6:3–4

  1011. says.

  1012. We must never mistake, though,

  1013. God's patience for permission to delay.

  1014. His mercy is available, his healing is

  1015. real, and his invitation is open. God's

  1016. not asking you to come boasting in your

  1017. perfection. He's asking you to come with

  1018. a broken and contrite heart.

  1019. Psalm 32 verses 1 and 2 says, "Blessed

    Psalms 32:1

  1020. is he whose transgression is forgiven,

  1021. whose sin is covered. Blessed is the man

  1022. to whom the Lord does not impute

  1023. iniquity and in whose spirit there is no

  1024. deceit."

  1025. Friends, I I want us to remember the

  1026. seriousness of sin. We've been reminded

  1027. tonight of briefly

  1028. the very necessity of godly sorrow and

  1029. the joy that God gives every single

  1030. broken and contrite heart that returns

  1031. to him.

  1032. The invitation is yours. If you're

  1033. subject to that invitation call

  1034. to do what God has commanded from his

  1035. holy divine word, then friends

  1036. what other song could be chosen than

  1037. bring Christ your broken life

  1038. so marred by sin

  1039. he will create a new

  1040. make whole

  1041. again. If you're subject, whatever

  1042. spiritual need you may have, won't you

  1043. come and we stand and sing the song

  1044. that's been selected for us?

  1045. >> Bring Christ your broken life

  1046. so marred

  1047. by [singing] sin

  1048. >> [music]

  1049. >> he will

  1050. create a new

  1051. make whole

  1052. again.

  1053. Your

  1054. empty

  1055. wasted [singing] years

  1056. >> [music]

  1057. >> he will

  1058. restore

  1059. and your

  1060. >> [singing]

  1061. >> iniquities

  1062. remembered no more.

  1063. Bring him

  1064. >> [singing]

  1065. >> your every

  1066. care and pray

  1067. >> [singing]

  1068. >> or small. [music]

  1069. Whatever

  1070. troubles you,

  1071. oh, bring it

  1072. all. Bring

  1073. >> [music]

  1074. >> him

  1075. >> [singing]

  1076. >> all your

  1077. wanting fears,

  1078. the nameless dread. My heart

  1079. >> [singing]

  1080. >> he will relieve

  1081. and

  1082. lift

  1083. up

  1084. >> [singing]

  1085. >> thy

  1086. head. Blessed

  1087. Savior of the soul,

  1088. >> [singing]

  1089. >> almighty

  1090. >> [music]

  1091. >> Friend,

  1092. his presence

  1093. shall be

  1094. ours

  1095. >> [singing]

  1096. >> unto the end.

  1097. Without

  1098. >> [singing]

  1099. >> him life

  1100. would be

  1101. how dark,

  1102. how

  1103. drear.

  1104. But

  1105. >> [music]

  1106. >> then the morning breaks

  1107. and

  1108. heaven is near.

  1109. >> Let me see.

  1110. Our hearts and minds for the taking of

  1111. the Lord's Supper, number 159.

  1112. When my love for Christ grows weak,

  1113. surely he hath borne our griefs,

  1114. he was wounded for our transgression,

  1115. and with his stripes we are healed.

  1116. >> When my love [singing] for Christ

  1117. >> [singing]

  1118. [singing]

  1119. [music]

  1120. [singing and music]

  1121. [music]

  1122. [singing]

  1123. [music]

  1124. >> We'd like to offer this opportunity for

  1125. those that weren't able to be here this

  1126. morning to protect the Lord's Supper.

  1127. Does anyone need a emblem?

  1128. Anyone have one?

  1129. Do you need a Okay. one?

  1130. This This time please remove the bread.

  1131. We'll give thanks at this time.

  1132. Our heavenly Father, we come to you now

  1133. giving thanks for this bread which

  1134. represents the broken body of Christ on

  1135. the cross of Calvary. We pray that you

  1136. be with those who are partaking that

  1137. they may reflect on that sacrifice that

  1138. was made. So, in his name we pray. Amen.

  1139. Let's give thanks for the cup.

  1140. Likewise, heavenly Father, we come to

  1141. you giving thanks for this fruit of the

  1142. vine which represents the blood that was

  1143. shed on the cross. We ask that we may

  1144. think back

  1145. to the scene of the cross, reflect on

  1146. the suffering, the pain, and the agony

  1147. he endured, and the grace that we

  1148. received. So, in his name we pray. Amen.

  1149. We'll take the next few minutes to

  1150. reflect on that that scene.

  1151. >> This concludes the Lord's Supper at this

  1152. time. Once again, if you'd like to

  1153. contribute to the work here at LaPorte,

  1154. you can do so by putting it in the box

  1155. there in the back wall, the one on the

  1156. side to my left, or the wooden box there

  1157. on the table.

  1158. Uh once again, we're grateful to have

  1159. everyone out for our sermon and song

  1160. night. Grateful for everyone's

  1161. participation in that. Um as far as

  1162. members announcements goes, uh I missed

  1163. one this morning I want to make mention

  1164. of uh sister Sarah Zubia. Um she had

  1165. that the uh heart cath procedure um on

  1166. the on Friday, and all went well. Um

  1167. it's a good report. Um so, she has some

  1168. medication coming and some uh some some

  1169. future uh decisions to be made and

  1170. on on how to correct the issues that

  1171. she's experiencing, so sorry to didn't

  1172. make mention of that this morning. I

  1173. missed that, so uh let's be mindful of

  1174. her and and and thankful for the good

  1175. report.

  1176. Um as far as things going on around

  1177. LaPorte, uh we do have the men's Bible

  1178. class that's going to be on Thursday. Um

  1179. location to be determined. Uh usually

  1180. that's decided on Wednesday, so stick

  1181. around and

  1182. the decision will be made on where that

  1183. will be.

  1184. Um also as far as the the uh men's

  1185. meeting that will happen tonight after

  1186. services if you're able to stick around

  1187. uh to discuss the new roof going on on

  1188. the annex building behind. So,

  1189. uh quick meeting, won't take long. Um

  1190. we'll be discussing that briefly after

  1191. services.

  1192. Uh that's all I have. Um let's try to be

  1193. back Wednesday 7:00 for Wednesday

  1194. evening services.

  1195. Um 7:00 Yeah, 7:00. Um other than that,

  1196. we'll have our closing song and then uh

  1197. closing prayer.

  1198. >> Let's sing closing song and prayer while

  1199. we bow.

  1200. >> Your

  1201. will

  1202. done.

  1203. Help

  1204. me

  1205. >> [singing]

  1206. >> to

  1207. be

  1208. >> [singing]

  1209. >> whole

  1210. my

  1211. life

  1212. wholly

  1213. >> [singing]

  1214. >> to

  1215. thee.

  1216. What

  1217. >> [singing]

  1218. >> shall

  1219. my wayward

  1220. feet

  1221. >> [singing]

  1222. >> guide

  1223. me

  1224. with counsel

  1225. sweet.

  1226. >> [music]

  1227. >> Your

  1228. >> [singing]

  1229. >> will

  1230. done.

  1231. Help

  1232. >> [singing]

  1233. >> me

  1234. to

  1235. be

  1236. Your

  1237. >> [music]

  1238. >> will

  1239. done.

  1240. Help

  1241. >> [singing]

  1242. >> me to be

  1243. easy

  1244. >> [singing]

  1245. >> to

  1246. do my will

  1247. >> [music]

  1248. >> most

  1249. >> [singing]

  1250. [music]

  1251. >> lovingly. [music]

  1252. >> [singing]

  1253. >> See how my

  1254. friend and I

  1255. let

  1256. >> [music]

  1257. >> me

  1258. within

  1259. abide.

  1260. Your

  1261. >> [singing]

  1262. >> word and

  1263. law,

  1264. >> [singing]

  1265. >> help me to

  1266. >> [music]

  1267. >> be

  1268. your

  1269. word and

  1270. law.

  1271. Oh,

  1272. God, help me to

  1273. >> [singing]

  1274. >> be

  1275. that

  1276. >> [music]

  1277. >> I

  1278. might

  1279. >> [singing]

  1280. >> hold

  1281. a

  1282. holy face. One

  1283. day

  1284. may [singing]

  1285. >> [music]

  1286. >> see

  1287. keep me from

  1288. secret

  1289. sin.

  1290. May thou

  1291. my

  1292. soul within your

  1293. word

  1294. >> [music]

  1295. [singing]

  1296. >> and law.

  1297. Oh,

  1298. help me to

  1299. >> [singing]

  1300. >> be

  1301. >> Dear Father,

  1302. thank you for once again another hour to

  1303. spend in worship to you.

  1304. Thank you for those who have chosen, who

  1305. elected to be here.

  1306. We pray that as we stand here amongst

  1307. the elect, we look around and understand

  1308. that the people

  1309. who sing with us and pray with us

  1310. and read the same scriptures at the same

  1311. time, that they are also

  1312. partakers in this life, partakers of

  1313. this cup,

  1314. this

  1315. relationship, this bond with you

  1316. and our covenant with you,

  1317. to be with you, to worship you. We know

  1318. that we all go through similar

  1319. struggles, if not the same. We pray that

  1320. we might keep that in our mind and know

  1321. that no one of us in here is is better

  1322. than the other

  1323. or stronger

  1324. or

  1325. higher esteemed in Christ, but that

  1326. we are all looking for the same goal,

  1327. we're all pushing towards the same

  1328. thing, we're all struggling in similar

  1329. ways, dear Father. We pray that we might

  1330. keep that knowledge in our mind

  1331. and do what we can to lean upon one

  1332. another and reach out to one another

  1333. when it is needed, dear Father. We thank

  1334. you for the different talents that you

  1335. have put amongst us, you have dispersed

  1336. the different gifts and abilities, the

  1337. different backgrounds and mindsets.

  1338. We pray that we might not

  1339. cause these use these things as a point

  1340. of division, but may not use these

  1341. differences as a reason for schism

  1342. or

  1343. for divisiveness, but we might learn and

  1344. understand and grow from each other and

  1345. from our differences

  1346. with wisdom and with discern with

  1347. discernment.

  1348. Dear Father, we thank you

  1349. for those who have

  1350. come forward, come up

  1351. and chosen to volunteer, to lead those

  1352. in worship. We know that not all can and

  1353. not all will.

  1354. We thank you for those who do

  1355. continually into their age, into their

  1356. health as things change.

  1357. Dear Father, we pray that as our lives

  1358. change and as the days move on and and

  1359. things change for us, the one thing that

  1360. we do not change is our relationship

  1361. with you, that we cling firm to you as

  1362. the waves and the winds of our life push

  1363. us around, dear Father.

  1364. We thank you for your son. We thank you

  1365. for his sacrifice, for his word, his

  1366. will, and his love, which he gives to us

  1367. every day. We pray that we might

  1368. reciprocate it as you have asked us to.

  1369. We thank you for him and his death, and

  1370. in his name we pray. Amen.

  1371. >> Amen.