Sermon: Heart Laundry Summary: You cannot worship God acceptably with unresolved sin in your life. In order to be acceptable, you must bare your heart to God with confession and repentance, and then he will cleanse your heart and you will be pure. Then you will be able to know the joy of his presence and learn what it means to worship him Know: We must think and live in righteousness in order to have fellowship with God and worship him acceptably Feel: Hope for a clean heart through surrendering it to God Do: Reflect on your actions and thoughts during the last few weeks and compare then to what you do, think, and say in worship on Sunday. Based on this, evaluate how "pure" our heart is. Pray for integrity in thoughts and actions and commit to purity in heart. Text: Psalm 51 Scripture Reading: Mt 5:8 Intro: 1. One of the things I just do not like is laundry a. First experience was not a pleasant one b. At York, used to collect laundry, take it home on weekends c. Had to stop doing it, because it would stink in my room d. Had to take responsibility. That is what this lesson is about - Psalm 51 2. Unresolved sin comes between you and God a. (Ps 51:4) Against God only did he sin 1. What about what David did to Uriah? 2. People often focus on wrong to another, God is an afterthought 3. Part of human self-centeredness? b. What if terrorists attack Saint Louis? 1. The arch comes down, the city is destroyed 2. Would you say they attacked "them" or "us?" 3. They attacked Americans, they are a part of "us" a. When Pearl Harbor attacked, it was against “us” b. When Towers fell, it was against “us” c. Not a whole lot different when we sin against another person 1. David didn’t just attack Uriah, he attacked his creator 2. When we sin against another, we sin against his creator 3. There is no such thing as sinning against God “indirectly” a. When you mistreat someone, it comes between you and God b. So what is the solution? I. Don't Make Excuses A. We bear consequences for our own sins B. ILL: A man robbed a convenience store. 1. Caught on video tape, an open and shut cose 2. Lawyer will not try to say he is innocent 3. Lawyer will try to get a small sentence as he can 4. Looked for extenuating circumstances a. Lost business? b. That bank about to forclose on house c. Family about to be homeless and starving d. He driven to rob that bank. You could hardly blame him C. This is sort of thing people do with this text (v.5) 1. Some believe this teaches inherited sin a. Sin passed on from Adam down to David b. If this is true, then is David really responsible? 2. Problem - This doesn't fit the context of the Psalm a. David is not giving an exposition of the doctrine of sin b. David speaking out of anguish of his heart in Psalm c. (v.4) God is just. If not David’s fault, then God shouldn’t be angry with David d. David was recognizing the depth of his sinfulness 3. But don’t we all do this? a. We like to find “extenuating” circumstances b. “I was tempted” or “he’s only human” or “you can hardly blame him for what he did” 4. When we do this, it is not asking God to forgive but to excuse a. When we do this, we are making excuses b. God does not excuse sin, he forgives sin D. David never makes an excuse 1. No mention of Bathsheba’s part, bathing or adultery 2. What was the basis of David's forgiveness? a. Not - You could hardly blame him b. David does not appeal to an excuse c. God would not forgive him if he had 3. Basis: Appeal to God’s mercy 4. We need to do the same in our confession a. Don’t try to explain it away b. Confess and appeal to God’s mercy. Next point… II. Bare your heart A. It does not good to try and keep it a secret from God B. Notice how David does this 1. David is up front with God v.2-3 a. He doesn't try to hide it b. He bares it before God v.5 2. 1 Jn 1:9 - If we confess our sins, he is faithful and righteous to forgive our sings and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness a. Only sin that keeps you from God is the unconfessed sin b. Cannot be cleansed if you do not bring it into the light 3. (v.16-17) David could have offered sacrifice and let it go at that a. But David is not satisfied with merely making a sacrifice b. It didn't seem like enough for David c. He knew that God did not delight in sacrifice 4. God wants a broken and contrite heart a. Contrite - Genuine remorse b. Recognition that you have sinned against God - Not sorrow because you messed up - Not sorrow because you hurt yourself - Sorrow because you have dishonored God c. (2 Cor 7:8-11) - True contrition leads to repentance C. ILL: Ever known anyone who tried to buy their way through life? 1. The man with little integrity 2. String of broken promises to wife, children, loved ones 3. Buy flowers and gifts to make it all better 4. In the long run, it didn't work. Why? it wasn't sincere D. It takes more than just saying sorry 1. A lot people think repentance is just asking for forgiveness 2. "RE" - pent, and "RE" - turn to God 3. Brings us to our final point… III. Commit to True Purity A. David understood that mere sacrifice was not enough 1. God does not desire the sacrifice itself 2. v.6 - You desire truth in the innermost being a. Not talking about intellectual belief b. Talking about truthfulness/faithfulness c. It is about honesty and integrity with God d. It means no fake religion B. So David asks for a complete cleansing 1. Not just cleansing from guilt, but deeper than this 2. v.10 - Create in me a clean heart 3. "Heart" is not talking about emotions the way we do a. We think with our heads and feel with our hearts b. However it was different in ancient times - The heart was the seat of thinking - The bowels were the seat of emotions c. People thought with the heart and felt with their stomachs 4. David wants to be pure in thought a. It was dirty thoughts that got him into this mess b. He lusted after Bathsheba c. His deeds were a result of his mind/heart C. ILL: It is like the huge oak tree in the middle of the village 1. No one knew how old it was, weathered many storms 2. One day, mild storm blew it over, broke at the stump 3. Why? Rotten in the core a. Bug infestation ate away at the heart of the tree b. Started with just a couple of bugs 4. There are all kinds of bugs we need to guard against a. They are in your internet connection, your music, movies b. They can be in your friendships, your peers c. They exist in your workplace, your recreation…. d. We need to guard our hearts D. This gives significant insight into the nature of worship 1. Only with a pure heart can we worship God acceptably 2. Consider the songs we sing… a. Here am I send me - 226 b. I want to be a worker for the Lord - 245 c. None of Self and All of Thee - 359 d. Where he leads I'll follow -558 e. I want to know Christ - 731 3. How about some of the newer songs a. Glorify thy name in all the earth (not just the church) (1) b. You are the words on the music, the song that I sing (7) c. Make me a Servant (14) d. In Heavenly Armor we'll enter the land, the battle belongs to the Lord (43) e. Lord make us instruments of your peace (6) 4. Now, consider how your actions on Monday reflect your worship a. Do your actions reflect the integrity of your worship b. Is it all show, or from the heart? c. If it doesn't match, maybe what we need is a change of heart Concl: 1. Notice the results if you do this a. v. 12- Restore the joy of salvation b. v.18 - God will delight in our worship c. Psalm 24:3-5 - Who may ascend into the hill of the Lord and who may stand in his holy place? a. He who has clean hands and a pure heart b. He shall receive a blessing from the Lord d. Matt 5:8 - Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God 2. Do you want to see God or do you want to see Hell? a. Impure heart and unconfessed sin will keep you from God b. Jesus can bring you to God (invitation) 3. The true joy of salvation and worship comes from a pure heart a. Don't make excuses for impure thoughts b. Bare your heart (confess it) and commit to purity =============================== Small Group Questions: Heart Laundry Summary: You cannot worship God acceptably with unresolved sin in your life. In order to be acceptable, you must bare your heart to God with confession and repentance, and then he will cleanse your heart and you will be pure. Then you will be able to know the joy of his presence and learn what it means to worship him Open - What do you dislike cleaning up the most? Explore (Psalm 51) 1. How many sins did David commit? (Background in 2 Sam 11) 2. Describe the way in which David confesses his sin. Why does he not mention extenuating circumstances or anything like that? 3. Why does David not resort to sacrifice in order to purge the sin from his life? What does this say about God? 4. What was David's main concern and desire according to what he says in this Psalm? 5. How did sin affect him and God? Apply 6. What insights have you personally gained concerning worship? 7. Reflect on your actions and thoughts during the last few weeks and compare then to what you do, think, and say in worship on Sunday. What challenges you as you reflect on this? 8. In what way do you need to ask for a more pure heart, integrity in thoughts, and integrity in actions? How would this affect the "joy of your salvation?" 9. What specific changes do you need to make in your thoughts or actions? Prayer