Sermon

Psalm 51 - Confessions, Part III: The God of Forgiveness

April 15, 2017 Southwood Presbyterian Church - Sermons

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You are listening to a message from Southwood Presbyterian Church in Huntsville, Alabama.
Our passion is to experience and express grace. Join us.
Turn with me this morning to Psalm 51. Psalm 51, page 474 of the Bible in the pew in front of you.
I've got to admit to you that when our elders suggested to me preaching on Easter Sunday from Psalm 51,
David's confession after his adultery with Bathsheba, I thought it was a terrible idea.
And you may still in a few minutes agree that it was a terrible idea.
But, I'm actually really excited about it.
Now, having studied and having God working among us in the last few weeks,
I'm excited about what God is going to show us here together this morning.
It's our final look for this series at this great Psalm,
where God teaches us through King David so much about what true repentance looks like.
Two weeks ago, we learned about the nature of sin,
that it involves both our attitudes and our actions.
God created us to enjoy this wonderful relationship with Him,
but our hearts are bent away from Him naturally.
And by our deeds, we walk away from God and distance ourselves
from that relationship that He's created us for.
We look for our fulfillment somewhere else other than Him.
Last week, we saw that the heart of repentance is one that is sorrowful,
that is broken, heartbroken over the damage we've done to our relationship with God,
and then turns back to Him,
not merely to new behavior or new deeds that we want to do,
but back to that relationship with God that we long to see restored,
that we would find our hearts joyful in Him again.
David models these realities about sin and repentance for us in Psalm 51,
but he actually begins somewhere else.
He starts the psalm with his focus on something that is both really vital
and really helpful and hopeful to us as we consider,
especially on Easter, who our God is,
and that is David begins by considering the God of forgiveness.
Listen to how he begins his confession.
Psalm 51, beginning at verse 1, we'll read the first 10 verses.
Have mercy on me, O God, according to your steadfast love.
According to your abundant mercy, blot out my transgressions.
Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin,
for I know my transgressions and my sin is ever before me.
Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight,
so that you may be justified in your words and blameless in your judgment.
Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity,
and in sin did my mother conceive me.
Behold, you delight in truth in the inward being,
and you teach me wisdom in the secret heart.
Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean.
Wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.
Let me hear joy and gladness.
Let the bones that you have broken rejoice.
Hide your face from my sins and blot out all my iniquities.
Create in me a clean heart, O God,
and renew a right spirit within me.
This is God's holy word.
In a world of people you can't trust or count on,
something absolutely reliable.
In a world of things that come and go,
something eternally permanent.
Let's pray and ask God's blessing on His word in our hearts.
Pray with me.
Father, for Your word, we are so thankful.
We need it.
We need You to speak this morning, Father.
Father, You know how quickly we can create a God in our own image,
of our own making,
who works the way we think He should,
and the way we would like Him to.
Father, by Your word,
by Your Spirit,
in our hearts,
give us a clear and a right picture of You.
Forgive us, Father.
Forgive, first of all,
the one who preaches,
who needs it most today.
Bring Your forgiveness,
not just to me,
but to all of us,
that we might know You
and know You more.
Know the one true and living God,
whom to know is life eternal.
Might we meet You here
and know You more,
we ask in Jesus' name.
Amen.
I still remember how intimidating
my nine-year-old basketball coach was.
He was a very no-nonsense,
stern guy,
didn't put up with anything.
In fact, he even gave homework
to his nine-year-old basketball players.
You know, plays that we were supposed to study
and things we were to memorize
and every practice we had to come
and bring that homework back.
I still remember I always did my homework.
I wanted to be the good kid
and always do what I was supposed to,
plus I was so afraid of him.
And I had seen what happened
to some of the other guys
who forgot their homework
and how he made them run
and run and run
for failing to do their homework.
So the first time I forgot
to do my homework,
I lied to him.
I made up a story
about how I had done it
and where I had left it
and just that I would bring it
at the end
or at the next practice.
I didn't want to be embarrassed
as a failure
in front of the other guys.
And I certainly didn't want to face
the consequences of my mistake.
I had no desire
for extra running that day.
Problem was,
my parents knew better
and I can still feel,
thanks to them,
the dread of having to go back
to the coach
and confess
to not doing my homework
and lying to him about it.
As I got older,
I remember trying to avoid
confessing to high school football coaches.
In football,
if you forget any of your pads,
you're disqualified
from practice for the day.
Absolutely not.
Even one missing knee pad,
you're out.
You can't practice.
However,
what you could do,
at least on my team,
was you could leave
the rest of your pads on
and go out
into the 100 degree heat
and just run
or do up-downs
until you puked.
That's what you could do
for all of practice.
You couldn't be part of the team,
but you sure could do that.
I can remember
trying hard
to hide
the fact
that I was missing a knee pad.
How can I get through practice
without them noticing
that I'm missing something?
I didn't want to
confess
what was really going on.
I didn't want to face
the response
I knew was coming.
So the character
of someone
we've offended,
the response
we know
to anticipate
or expect
from them
has a huge impact
on our willingness
to apologize
or confess
our failure,
doesn't it?
Perhaps you've
been in the spot
where you've offended
or betrayed
or failed
someone
and it's someone
you desperately
want to avoid
confessing to
because you know
how they're going to respond.
You've watched them
and you don't want to
find yourself
in that spot.
I've experienced
the joy
of the
opposite dynamic
in a relationship.
By the time
I started dating
Christy in college
I had begun
to believe
that you could
find relationships
where you could
fail
and still be loved.
Where you could
fall on your face
and be helped
up.
And I watched
her being
patient
with others
and when I
risked sharing
some of my
personal struggles
with her
instead of
continuing to
hide them
as was much
more natural
to me
she was
understanding
and forgiving
even willing
to help.
She didn't
berate me
she didn't
run away
from me
she didn't
even make
me run laps
she actually
was patient.
Her character
knowing I could
expect a
patient and
merciful response
to my failures
encouraged me
to confess
sin to her
more.
It was a huge
part of my
wanting to
marry someone
who would
love me
like that.
Kind
patient
forgiving
perhaps you've
known someone
like that too.
Someone where
you did feel
safe
sharing your
struggles
admitting
your sin
your failure
to them
because you
knew what
they were
like and
how they
received
failures.
My wife
is regularly
merciful
patient
and forgiving
but not
always.
How much
more merciful
patient
and forgiving
is my
heavenly
father?
is our
heavenly
father.
The Bible
tells us
that it's
that kindness
of God
his loving
kindness
that is
meant to
lead us
to repentance.
It's the
thing that
invites people
like us
who fail
and make
mistakes
to come
to him.
It makes
us willing
even eager
to confess
our sins
because we
know what
he's like
we know
what response
to anticipate.
we have
come to
know his
forgiving
character.
When we
consider
confession
and repentance
it is
important to
see our
sin for
what it
is.
It's
important to
understand
what repentance
really is.
But the
most important
reality of the
entire process
the thing
on which it
all hinges
it won't
start
confession
won't begin
without it
is to
understand
and know
the character
of our
God
who is
a God
of
forgiveness.
This is
where David
starts his
confession
isn't it?
Look at
verse 1
Have
mercy
on me
O God
according
to your
steadfast
love
according
to your
abundant
mercy
David's
about to
get to
his sins
they're
coming
he's going
to talk
about them
a lot
but what
makes him
even willing
to start
going there
it's
mercy
steadfast
love
abundant
mercy
the character
of his
God
that he
delights
in forgiveness
now David
of all the
people in the
Bible is
called a
man after
God's
own heart
what does
that mean
that David
never sinned
that David
knowing God's
heart so much
always loved
the things
that God
loves
always did
the things
that God's
heart would
have had
for him
to do
no
obviously
not
this psalm
reminds us
of that
but part of
what it means
is that David
had gotten
to know
God's
heart
and what
is it that
David had
learned
what David
had learned
and knew
about God's
heart
was that even
when David
failed
and failed
big
God's
heart
was one
of mercy
and forgiveness
and so in a
moment of deep
sin
David knew
where to run
didn't he
David needed
a God of
forgiveness
just like I
do
just like
you do
it's not
good enough
apparently to be
one of the
greatest leaders
of God's
people ever
it's not
good enough
to come to
church
occasionally
or even
regularly
one of the
contexts of
this sermon
series on
Psalm 51
that we've
been in the
last three
weeks
is our
session
the elders
chosen to
lead this
particular
church
confessing
our corporate
sin
from several
years ago
during a
difficult season
of church
conflict
here
at
Southwood
we failed
to love
and to
lead as
God has
called us
to
we brought
dishonor
to the
name of
Christ
and we
hurt
many people
whom we
dearly
love
because of
our
sin
if you
want to
hear more
detail about
what God
has taught
us
in this
respect
please
feel free
to go
online
and listen
to sermons
from the
last two
weeks
but my
point this
morning is
to say
to you
the session
needs
forgiveness
the pastor
needs
forgiveness
he got to
pick one
person in
the whole
world to
love as
his wife
and he
fails to
love her
often times
as Christ
has loved
his church
every single
one of us
stands in
desperate need
forgiveness
just like
David
and David
here in his
sin points
us where
we need to
be pointed
to the
God of
forgiveness
he says
steadfast
love
abundant
overflowing
mercy
those are
words that
describe a
heart of
compassion
a caring
character
a tender
nature
God's
steadfast
love
his
loving
kindness
it's
sometimes
translated
is that
faithful
love
in
relationship
with us
that never
quits
it's God's
love in
relationship
with us
that never
fails those
who fail
him in the
relationship
even when
they're failures
yet he does
not
Sally Lloyd
Jones calls
it God's
never
stopping
never
giving
up
unbreaking
always
and forever
love
that's
the love
David runs
to
it's that
love
that pursues
the people
that he made
for relationship
with him
who so often
run the other
way
and God
in that
steadfast
love
runs
faster
after
them
at the
core
of who
the God
of the
Bible
is
that's
what you
find
abundance
mercy
steadfast
love
when he's
introducing
himself
to Moses
and his
people
Israel
in the
Old Testament
all the way
back to
Exodus

Exodus 34 chapter mention
chapter 34
that's where
he starts
listen to
what he says
he comes to
him and
the Lord
passes before
Moses
and proclaims
Yahweh
Yahweh
this is my
name
Yahweh
we translate
the Lord
a God
what
merciful
and gracious
slow
slow to
anger
and abounding
in steadfast
love and
faithfulness
keeping
steadfast
love for
thousands
forgiving
iniquity
and transgression
and sin
that's who
God is
when he
introduces
himself
he leads
with his
mercy
gracious
merciful
this
description
of his
character
from Exodus
34
is repeated
over and
over again
throughout the
Bible
as who
God
is
the Bible
gives other
descriptions
of God
it says
he delights
in showing
mercy
casting our
sins into
the depths
of the sea
Micah 7
that he's
rich in
mercy
Ephesians 2
his grace
grows even
faster than
our sin
Romans 6
so that there
is always
more grace
in God
than there
is sin
in us
no matter
how much
we think
we've
accumulated
his grace
has grown
faster
there's no
one
more forgiving
than our
God
this is the
biblical picture
of God
of who he
is
yet I've
often got a
different picture
in my heart
I often
when I
think of
God
I'm
picturing
this coach
with his
arms crossed
disappointed
shaking his
head
I've forgotten
my homework
again
I've lost
a knee pad
again
and he just
wants me away
from him
go
you can't be
here with the
team today
just go run
go away
till you get
it together
had that
picture of
God in your
mind before
I've pictured
God on a
more positive
side as a
judge who
hands out
awards to
those who
are doing
well
I mean you
know no
one is
perfect but
he loves to
award the
most deserving
of all the
people out
there if I
can do
better than
some of
them God
will meet
me halfway
you know and
he'll want to
give me an
award for that
y'all to this
point I've
lived nearly
half my life
in what
could be
described as
a cosmic
awards day
just hoping
that I'll
outdo the
other kids
enough to
get another
ribbon or
certificate
because God
loves those
who try hard
enough to
outdo just
a little bit
of the
others
I've
pictured God
as someone
who's so
different and
distant from
me that he
couldn't possibly
care about me
especially on
my worst
days and at
my lowest
points
what about
you
what picture
of God is
in your
mind
when you
think about
him this
morning
what's
he like
what
characterizes
him
what picture
comes to
your mind
could you
pick the
true God
out of a
lineup
do you
know what
he's like
see the
Bible says
he's very
different from
those pictures
I've had in
my head at
times
the Bible
gives us a lot
of great
pictures of
God
God is truly
pictured it
says as the
father of the
prodigal son
waiting on the
porch eagerly
anticipating the
return of his
lost son so he
can welcome him
home running to
forgive the least
deserving to throw
a party for the
most miserable
the one who has
offended him
greatest and he
wants to celebrate
with him
God is truly
pictured as the
merciful king in
the parable who
forgives a debt
that could never
be repaid
God is truly
pictured in
Hosea as the
loving husband
who pursues and
buys back his
unfaithful
disgraced wife
time after
time after
time he
forgives and
even pays to
have her back
as his own
when you get to
the heart of
God that's
what you find
grace mercy
forgiveness it
thrills his
heart he
delights to
forgive
you know I
delight in
international
travel
vacations with
my family I
love doing
that but
they're
expensive
you may
delight in
diamond
jewelry
sports cars
space
shuttles
something like
that but
but they're
expensive
aren't they
so you may
not have a
lot of them
even though you
delight in
them they're so
expensive you
can't own a
bunch of them
often you
can't have a
lot of it
y'all forgiveness
is very very
expensive for
those of us who
have rebelled who
have committed
treason against the
creator of the
universe our God
and King the cost
of that treason as
you would expect is
death we have
accumulated an
incalculable debt
against a holy
and just and
righteous God
and David
recognizes in
this psalm the
same thing you
may know about
God
his heart is
merciful
it's also
just
he must
punish
sin
the debt
must
be
paid
it's who he
is it's part
of his
character
according to the
passage in Exodus
that we read
earlier he's not
only forgiving but
he also can't leave
sin unpunished
even if he has to
go to the third or
fourth generation to
get that debt repaid he
will and must do
so
so forgiveness is
very very
expensive
it's not enough to
delight in
forgiveness
forgiveness
for God to love
forgiving he
actually has to
to put some
action
behind it
and we finally
get to Easter
you were wondering
I mean come on I
started in Psalm 51
give me a few minutes
but but we're at
Easter now
what is it that God
has done
God has
purchased
forgiveness
in fact
all the forgiveness
that all of us
will ever need
in the person of
Jesus he endured
the death we
deserved
to pay our debt
for us
Jesus takes what
sin deserves
because God must
punish sin
and on the cross
he dies
bearing our sins
in his body
on the tree
1st Peter 2
Jesus dies for
sins
it's what sin
deserved right
death
but was it
enough
did Jesus
dying
pay that
debt
in full
how do we
know
Easter says
yes
yes it did
Jesus walks
out of the
tomb
on Easter
morning
and Easter
says
the sin
bearer
gets death
no more
the one
who has
sin
placed upon
him
sin
that deserves
death
walks out
of the
tomb
alive
someone with
sin
marking him
receives life
and death
no more
which means
what
sin
no more
needs death
to be
paid for
if Jesus
has paid it
our sin
that he has
paid for
in full
will never
receive that
debt
our debt
that we owe
to a holy
God
hasn't just been
partially paid
but our debt
has been
paid in
full
it is
finished
Jesus
is alive
and so
the sin
that he
carried with
him
no longer
no longer
must face
death
Easter says
God has
dealt with
our sin
and its
rightful
consequence
eternal
death
he has
done that
the sting
of death
is sin
but God
gives us
what
victory
through
Jesus Christ
our Lord
1 Corinthians
15
Easter
says
God
moved
to deal
with our
sin
before we
even
committed
it
that's
how good
at forgiving
God is
that's how
much of it
he has
that he has
paid the price
already
for all our
sins
the ones
you've
committed
the ones
you haven't
gotten to
yet
he's
paid for
them
in full
so no
one
who trusts
in the
payment
made by
Jesus
and the
life
earned
by
Jesus
will
ever
have
to pay
that
debt
amen
ever
ever
pay
your own
debt
that you
deserve
to pay
Jesus
resurrection
shows us
there is
nothing else
to be
paid
there are
no more
laps to
run
there is
no more
judge
for you
to impress
there's a
God
delighting
to forgive
who has
purchased
forgiveness
full
and free
to give
to you
and he's
not
disinterested
he sees
the heartache
of this
life
and the
struggle
and the
mess
that you're
in
and he
comes
running
towards you
this morning
with
forgiveness
to give
to you
and he
delights
in sharing
it with
you
listen to
how capable
he is
of forgiving
you
completely
verse 7
purge me
with hyssop
and I
shall be
clean
wash me
and I
shall be
whiter
than snow
let me
hear joy
and gladness
let the
bones that
you have
broken
rejoice
hide your
face from
my sins
and blot
out all
my
iniquities
create in
me a
clean
heart
oh God
and renew
a right
spirit
within me
completely
clean
clean
enough
to stand
in the
presence
of a
holy
holy
holy
God
as David
puts it
even
whiter
than snow
we read
earlier
about an
angel
coming from
heaven
white
as snow
David
says
whiter
whiter
than snow
is the way
God makes
us
if God
cleanses
you
you'll be
that clean
white
and whiter
than snow
only God
can remove
the stain
of our
sinful
nature
and
our sinful
actions
that stain
that's so
deep
it's hard
to get
out
we scrub
and scrub
but we still
see it
if God
washes you
you will be
fully
and forever
clean
let the bones
you have broken
rejoice
only God
could take
bones that
have been
crushed
ground
to dust
is the image
in the Hebrew
word
and put them
back together
together
so that
they have
energy
and joy
and life
again
and then he
says create
in me
a clean
heart
notice
not give
me a second
chance
God
I'll make
it up
to you
not just
wipe away
the dirty
spots
so I don't
look as
bad as
I did
create
a new
heart
create
the same
word used
in Genesis

Genesis 1 chapter mention
chapter 1
when God
creates
the heavens
and the earth
from nothing
God you're the
only one
who can do
this
David is saying
you're the one
who creates
and I need
to be
wholly new
I need you
to recreate
me
all over
from the
heart
work in me
life
where previously
there was only
death
only God
can forgive
the way
David's talking
about
as fully
and finally
and completely
as David's
describing
do you see
how all
your sin
requires
nothing
short
of God's
forgiveness
even my
little lie
to a coach
at nine
years old
can only
be forgiven
through the
death
and resurrection
of Jesus
none of us
stands clean
on our own
before a just
and holy God
every single
one of us
stands in need
of forgiveness
but do you also
see
how none
of your sin
requires anything
beyond
God's forgiveness
even my
worst failures
to love
my wife
or to love
the church
or the darkest
secrets
the deepest
sins
of your
heart
or my
heart
are completely
forgiven
through the
death
and resurrection
of Jesus
he washes
whiter
than snow
and blots
them out
forever
from our
record
sometimes the
stain
of shame
from our
past
can linger
like a
stain
in clothing
that's hard
to get out
sometimes it
hangs over
us
sometimes we
feel like
that's all
God would
see if he
looks at me
as this
thing that
I've done
the thing
I've thought
the thing
I failed
to do
if that's
you
God says
to you
this morning
that he
wants you
to know
the freedom
and the joy
of his
full
forgiveness
which washes
you
thoroughly
makes you
completely
clean
it's the joy
of being able
to be completely
honest about
yourself
to live in
relationship
with someone
where you can
come at your
lowest point
be totally
transparent
and yet
find yourself
even in your
failure
loved
and accepted
David comes
to God
utterly broken
and dirty
and says
have mercy
on me
oh God
let all
your overflowing
mercy
fall on me
and wash
over me
till I am
completely
clean
you can come
to that same
God
with that
same request
that's the
God of
forgiveness
I hope
every one
of us
will know
in a fresh
way
this Easter
there's at
least one
more biblical
picture of
this God
of forgiveness
that I
didn't mention
earlier
when I
talked about
the pictures
of God
as the
father of
the prodigal
son
as the
forgiving
king
as the
faithful
forgiving
husband
it's the
picture of
Jesus himself
hanging on a
cross
blood dripping
from him
struggling to
breathe in
deep agony
where his
heart has
never felt
this before
and in the
midst of it
he cries out
what
father
forgive them
father
forgive them
do you see
the heart
of God
there
do you see
the God
of forgiveness
the heart
of God
is so
full of
forgiveness
that even
as he is
purchasing
that very
forgiveness
at the cost
of his own
life
even as he
is enduring
the pain
and the
agony
that the
sin he's
forgiving
has caused
him
he cries
out
that forgiveness
be extended
to those
whose debt
he's paying
in the
midst of
it
he cries
out
father
forgive
forgive
can you
imagine
such
selfless
love
what a
merciful
savior
what a
God
of
forgiveness
to
forgive
even
and
especially
then
if you
have
questions
if you
want to
know
more
about
this
forgiving
God
if you
just
want to
come
talk
and
pray
about
something
that you've
been struggling
with for the
first time
maybe
you've
prayed
for
forgiveness
a lot
and you
just
want to
come
pray
again
some
of our
elders
are going
to be
down
front
at the
end
of this
service
we
love
to
talk
with
you
they're
going
to
come
down
front
I'm
going
to be
at
the
back
which
means
front
or
back
you've
got
someone
who
needs
the
forgiveness
of God
as desperately
as you
do
who would
be delighted
to talk
to you
about the
God of
forgiveness
and the
forgiveness
that we
found
in
Jesus
let's
pray
father we
confess that
we bring
nothing that
deserves
your forgiveness
this morning
but we
rejoice
that there
is nothing
needed
because we
have a
savior
whose
blood
paid
it all
our
full
debt
who
walked
triumphantly
out of
the
grave
having
the
pronouncement
of full
forgiveness
and full
payment of
the debt
been
pronounced
upon
him
and in
him we
stand
forgiven
and we
rejoice
father
this
Easter
would
that
joy
be
something
that
drives
us
to
honesty
to
freedom
in
living
to
being
willing
to
confess
to
you
and
to
others
and
to
find
a
forgiveness
that
we
only
hoped
might
be
possible
to
find
someone
who
knows
us
fully
and
who
loves
us
completely
show us
more
of that
forgiveness
that we
might run
to you
for it
in
Jesus
name
amen
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