A Clean Slate

HOWEVER, this year, the Carolina Tarheels are less than stellar. Sure, the football team is winning, but don’t forget about our NCAA violations. And yes, the bball team is ranked (was) but don’t forget about PJ Hairston’s marijuana and speeding issues!

Bet Williams/Fedora wish they could have a “do over,” don’t you?

What you are saying is, I need “a clean slate.”

Need:

Most of us wish we could have a do-over!!! Marriage / Job / Parenting / Finances / School

We need a great big bottle of WHITE OUT.

But we probably would all agree we ALSO need a DO OVER spiritually.

Question: “What do you do when you need a do over?”

TURN TO

Background Information

David & Bathsheba incident ()

Nathan’s confrontation of David ( – “You are the man!”)

David’s response ( – “I have sinned.”)

Bridging Sentences

Textual Idea: In this penitential psalm, David confessed his sinfulness to God AND sought God’s restoration.

Textual Idea:

In this penitential psalm, David confessed his sinfulness to God AND sought God’s restoration.

Sermon Idea: When you need a do over, you go to God for restoration!

Sermon Idea:

When you need a do over, you go to God for restoration!

Interrogative: What is the process of God’s restoration?

Interrogative:

What is the process of God’s restoration?

Transition: Our text reveals 4 steps in God’s restoration plan.

Transition:

Our text reveals 4 steps in God’s restoration plan.

Body

Satisfaction

Division 1 Statement

Division 1: OH ME!

OH ME! God’s restoration begins with recognition of sin (v 1-4).

God’s restoration begins with recognition of sin (v 1-4).

Explanation

§ Explanation

V. 1 – “Be gracious to me” – a plea for forgiveness

V. 3 – “For I know my transgressions, and my sin is ever before me”

Transgression (stepping over boundaries)

Iniquity (altogether wrong; can’t excuse it, condone it, apologize for it)

Sin (missing the mark of God’s stand.)

V. 4 – “Against You, You only, I have sinned and done what is evil in Your sight”

Sin can be against oneself () // Against a neighbor // Always agt God

**He accepts his fault. Doesn’t blame ignorance, depression, or unruly passion. Doesn’t plead that Bathsheba was ½-responsible. Doesn’t accuse Uriah of neglect. He did this!!!

Illustration

§ Illustration

Man calls it an accident; God calls it an abomination.

Man calls it a blunder; God calls it blindness.

Man calls it a chance; God calls it a choice.

Man calls it a defect; God calls it a disease.

Man calls it an error; God calls it an enmity.

Man calls it a fascination; God calls it a fatality.

Man calls it an infirmity; God calls it an iniquity.

Man calls it a liberty; God calls it lawlessness.

Man calls it a luxury; God calls it a leprosy.

Man calls it a mistake; God calls it a madness.

Man calls it a trifle; God calls it a tragedy.

Man calls it a weakness; God calls it willfulness.

Billy Sunday (American evangelist, 1862-1935) -- “I’m against sin,” he said. “I’ll kick it as long as I’ve got a foot, and I’ll fight it as long as I’ve got a fist. I’ll butt it as long as I’ve got a head. I’ll bite it as long as I’ve got a tooth. When I’m old and fistless and footless and toothless, I’ll gum it till I go home to Glory and it goes home to perdition.”

Argumentation

2 Samuel 11:27 NASB95

When the time of mourning was over, David sent and brought her to his house and she became his wife; then she bore him a son. But the thing that David had done was evil in the sight of the Lord.

§ Argumentation

1 Sam 11:27 – “When the time of mourning was over, David sent and brought her to his house and she became his wife; then she bore him a son. BUT the thing that David had done was evil in the sight of the Lord.”

– “When the time of mourning was over, David sent and brought her to his house and she became his wife; then she bore him a son. BUT the thing that David had done was evil in the sight of the Lord.”

– “There is no one greater in this house than I am, and he has withheld nothing from me except you, b/c you are his wife. How then could I do this great evil and sin against God?”

Genesis 39:9 NASB95

“There is no one greater in this house than I, and he has withheld nothing from me except you, because you are his wife. How then could I do this great evil and sin against God?”

– Prodigal Son, “Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in your sight.”

Luke 15:18 NASB95

‘I will get up and go to my father, and will say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in your sight;

– Prodigal Son, “Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in your sight.”

Psalm 51:4 NASB95

Against You, You only, I have sinned And done what is evil in Your sight, So that You are justified when You speak And blameless when You judge.

V. 4b – “So that You are justified when You speak, and blameless when You judge.”

– “So that You are justified when You speak, and blameless when You judge.”

Say, “Oh me!”

Application

§ Application

Recognize your sin! {5 times “my” in vv. 1-3}

Suppose instead of turning off the gas, I blew it out. Then when we were choking, instead of opening windows…we just sprayed cologne/perfume. The fool principle of trying to overcome the poison of gas with perfume will noy work. The next day would be a visit to the coroner’s office! We have to first recognize/acknowledge the real issue.

Look in the mirror of God’s Word (like a bathroom mirror shows our faults).

David Jeremiah, “There is no change without confrontation!”

Say, “Oh me!”

Division 2: WASH ME!

Division 2 Statement

God’s restoration continues with confession from our sin (v. 5-9).

WASH ME! God’s restoration continues with confession from our sin (v. 5-9).

Explanation

§ Explanation

Confession: see v. 3 – “For I know my transgressions”

V. 2 – “blot out my transgressions” = to wipe away (like writing of a book, “delete”)

V. 2 – “cleanse me from my sin” (used of doing laundry—a foul garment needing wash)

V. 7 – “purify me with hyssop, and I shall be clean” {cleansing of a leper; }

After the hyssop, the priest pronounced: “You are clean!”

V. 7 – “wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow”

Image of someone doing the laundry

V. 9 – “Hide your face from my sins / and blot out all my iniquities”

Two Questions to Ask About CONFESSION:

Is it genuine?

Is it God-centered?

Illustration

§ Illustration

Is it Genuine? – Man who writes a check to IRS…confess he misrepresented his income… “I haven’t been able to sleep b/c of what I did. I’m enclosing a check for $150. If I still can’t sleep, I’ll send the rest of what I owe!”

Bath Tub – Ajax/Comet – Mama wouldn’t get in until it was spotless clean!!!

Tide Pen – stain remover pen, wouldn’t it be nice to walk around with one of these

Argumentation

1 John 1:9 NASB95

If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

§ Argumentation

– “If we confess your sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”

Confess – ὁμολογέω => homo = same; logeō = word/saying <=> “say the same thing”

– “If we confess your sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”

§ Confess–homologeō = homo=same; logeō=word/saying à “say the same thing”

Isaiah 1:18 NASB95

“Come now, and let us reason together,” Says the Lord, “Though your sins are as scarlet, They will be as white as snow; Though they are red like crimson, They will be like wool.

– “Come now, let us reason together,” says the Lord, “Though your sins are as scarlet, They will be as white as snow.”

o – “Having canceled out the certificate of debt…He has taken it…nailed to cross”

Colossians 2:14 NASB95

having canceled out the certificate of debt consisting of decrees against us, which was hostile to us; and He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross.

Say, “Wash me!”

Application

§ Application

God’s restoration doesn’t really start with “Oh me,” but instead with “Wash me!”

Confess your sins to God (and to others as needed).

Say, “Wash me!”

Division 3: RESTORE ME!

Division 3 Statement

God’s restoration continues with our re-creation (v. 10-12).

RESTORE ME! God’s restoration continues with our re-creation (v. 10-12).

Explanation

David uses 11 imperative verbs—pleading for God to do what the psalmist could not do for himself!

§ Explanation

o From verse 6 through 14, David uses 13 imperative verbs—pleading for God to do what the psalmist could not do for himself!

He pleads not only that the sin be removed, but that his WHOLE HEART and LIFE be changed.

o He pleads not only that the sin be removed, but that his WHOLE HEART and LIFE be changed.

V. 10 – “create” = bara’ (ברא) used only of God (), all 30 times God is the “agent.”

ברא

o V. 10 – “create” = bara’ à used only of God (). ONLY an act of God’s intervention can turn things around. {Not Oprah, not Dr. Phil, not a book, not even YOU}

ONLY an act of God’s intervention can turn things around.

ברא used only of God (). ONLY an act of God’s intervention can turn things around. {Not Oprah, not Dr. Phil, not a book, not even YOU}

{Not Oprah, not Dr. Phil, not a book, not even YOU}

LEGO – Luke and I can “make” things…but only God CREATES things.

§ LEGO – Luke and I can “make” things…but only God CREATES things.

V. 10 – “renew” – to resume after an interruption / to give fresh life or strength

V. 12 – “restore” – give me my joy back…and sustain within me a willing spirit”

o V. 12 – “restore” – give me my joy back…and sustain within me a willing spirit”

Illustration

§ Illustration

Fixer Upper – Sometimes they remodel…sometimes they re-create.

Sometimes they’d remodel a house / Other times it needed a complete re-build

LEGO – Luke and I can “make” things…but only God CREATES things.

BestBuy CPU Crash – Geek “restores” cpu. Lady says, “I wish I could do that with my life.”

Argumentation

§ Argumentation

Restoration does not mean “free of consequences.” David still lived with the consequences…see below & the sword never left his house.

2 Samuel 12:13–14 NASB95

Then David said to Nathan, “I have sinned against the Lord.” And Nathan said to David, “The Lord also has taken away your sin; you shall not die. “However, because by this deed you have given occasion to the enemies of the Lord to blaspheme, the child also that is born to you shall surely die.”

– “The Lord also has taken away your sin; you shall not die. However, because by this deed you have given occasion to the enemies of the Lord to blaspheme, the child also that is born to you shall surely die.”

Results of David’s Sin:

Son died // Amnon (his son) raped his half-sister, Tamar // Absalom (son) murdered Amnon // Absalom rebelled agt his dad / Then Joab killed Absalom

Son died

Amnon (his son) raped his half-sister, Tamar

Say, “Restore me!”

Absalom (son) murdered Amnon

Absalom rebelled agt his dad

“Restore me!”

Then Joab killed Absalom

Application

§ Application

Two Lessons:

It is impossible to get away with sin, and

God forgives!!!

Ask God to “restore” and “renew” you today!

Realize that your restoration may not mean replacement of authority/leadership/ministry.

Say, “Restore me!”

Division 4: USE ME!

God’s restoration concludes with our re-commission (v. 13-19).

Division 4 Statement

USE ME! God’s restoration concludes with our re-commission (v. 13-19).

Explanation

§ Explanation

After we have been re-created…God restores us…and puts back in service again!!!

V. 13 – “Then I will teach transgressors your ways…and sinners will be converted”

V. 14 – “Then my tongue will joyfully sing…”

V. 15 – “Then my mouth will declare your praise…”

Illustration

§ Illustration

James Waltner says, “Salvation is more than being sorry, repenting, and receiving pardon. It also means acting in love toward others in obedience to God. Salvation is followed by evangelism.”

YOU WEREN’T SAVED TO SIT…

Re-Commission – God wants you back in the game!!!

Argumentation

§ Argumentation

OUTWARD Demonstration does not equal INWARD Transformation

V. 16 – “For You do not delight in sacrifice, otherwise I would give it”

V. 17 – “The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit…and a contrite heart!”

Personal Confession & Restoration WILL LEAD to National Restoration

We live in a messed up world. And while I agree we need a change in the White House and the government…the only TRUE CHANGE will come when people get real honest with their PERSONAL SIN.

V. 18 – “By your favor, do good to Zion…built the walls of Jerusalem.”

V. 19 – “THEN…young bulls will be offered on Your altar.”

Say, “Use me!”

Application

§ Application

God desires your re-commission, not your de-commission!

Two Reminders:

Recognize that full restoration takes TIME.

Remember that restoration doesn’t always mean complete restitution to a “position.”

Remember that restoration doesn’t always mean complete restitution to a “POSITION.”

Say, “Use me!”

Conclusion

Visualization

Katherine Anne Power was an accomplice in a Boston bank robbery in 1970 in which a Boston policeman, the father of 9 children, was killed. She was not the robber, nor the shooter, but the driver of the getaway car.

She avoided arrest and for the next 23 years hid her past.

She deliberately lost touch with her parents, changed her name, and tried to fade into anonymity.

But at age 44, suffering from chronic depression, she could no longer live with her guilt and efforts to conceal her past.

U.S. News and World Report quoted Power’s therapist as saying, “Power realized that her emotional difficulties would never end until she came clean and gave herself up as a fugitive.” Though she had avoided law enforcement officers for 23 years, she had not been able to escape her own guilt and shame over the crime in which she participated.

After turning herself in, Power is quoted as saying that 10 years in prison would be better than the prison she had lived in for 23 years.

Do you need a do over today?

Then recognize your sin (oh me), confess your sin (wash me), ask God to re-create you (restore me), and finally ask God to re-commission you (use me)

“David’s petition is a decisive plea…with the promise of praise!”

Appeal

· Appeal

“Jesus paid it all, All to Him I owe; Sin left a crimson stain, He washed it white as snow.”

PRAY…

Have you recognized your sin?

Have you confessed your sin?

Have you come to Christ…for God’s restoration of your heart?

Have you allowed God to re-commission you?

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