COVERED (SERMON AUDIO)

I thinking this week a lot about the old Fable by Hands Christian Andersen The Emperor's New Clothes. Remember that story? What a great story that is on so many levels. So profound is it's an old from much older than Hans Christian Andersen. He actually took it from an old Spanish Fable Eagles way that Archetypical it if it tells us something stories simple a Vain and proud King in his kingdom in these two kind of swindlers con men come into his kingdom and they figure out pretty quick that he's Vain and proud and and and they see that weakness as an opportunity to Target him. And so they they tell him that they have these fancy new clothes that are that are only for the elite in fact if you're too stupid, Or two foolish. If you're if you're too ignorant, you can't even see them only the wise only the the powerful only those of great Prestige can actually see them and they hold up empty are before him and of course the king and all of his quarters of those who surround him none of them.

None of them want to look stupid. So they all say they're so beautiful. And so the king orders it's in and they begin to gather round the Looms and that they're not looming anything. There's nothing there and the King sends people to check on the progress of each time. They come they pretend they see it all so beautiful. I can't wait for the king to get it. Brighten, the day comes they bring the King's new clothes to him and everybody standing around on the king doesn't see it. But he's not going to admit that they set him up for trapped in so perfectly in his pride. He can't declare his ignorance. So they mime dressing him cuz there's nothing to dress him with but there he stands and all of his glory.

everyone Those are the most beautiful clothes we've ever seen in the king's like. Alright, let's have a parade cuz why not they go out and everybody in the Kingdom. everybody in the king of like

until a young child young child if not wearing anything. Gets called out. Nobody else will set the young child says it. But it doesn't change anything the king continues in his prey and everyone pretends that it's glorious.

What does that have to do with Psalm 32 I think a lot actually. I think a lot before we get there though. I want us to

look at a text in the New Testament 2nd Timothy chapter 3 verse 1 to 5 says this understand this

In the last days, there will come times of difficulty.

In the last days, it's it's fascinating every generation. I think since Christ has said

and here's the thing in one sense. It's true like since the Ascension of Christ and as we're waiting for his return we are in this season is already not yet season of expectation of waiting for the return of Christ in the fullness of God's kingdom thrown $0.01 were in the last date. And so we're supposed to live with a sense of expectation and in preparation and a sense for those of us in Christ a great anticipation and longing. I don't know about you, but 20/20 has fueled my anticipation and longing.

It's reminded and reveal just how broken our world is and how desperately we need God to step in.

In the last days, there will come times of difficulty.

Listen to Paul writes. He says people will be lovers of self. and lovers of money will become proud arrogance abusive. Disobedient to their parents ungrateful Unholy heartless unappeasable slanderous without self-control brutal.

Not loving good. Reckless swollen with conceit which one of these words in the Greek has significant in nuance and and and and meaning he's eaten just pull out a thesaurus and look for a bunch of words in the last days. The corruption of mankind bison is going to increase and increase and manifest and what does it bring death and destruction and its it taints and it destroys and it hurts us.

Sin is internal and personal it's not objective and external Phineas relational everything corrupt. Not only sinner but the one sin against its ultimate fruit is death. does this desk will be seen and felt and experienced in so many ways but talk talk talk to you about the earthquakes and natural disasters and I was like Jesus talked about those in the last days, but that's not what he focuses on. He says what what you really got to pay attention to what you really got to understand. Is that as we move into the last days we become correct.

treacherous Reckless swollen with conceit lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God having the appearance. of godliness

But denying its power.

that is a That sentence Puzzle Master run-on sentences that is that is packed. what I found interesting as I was thinking about this this week is that If I read that Passage. Two group of people that are politically on the right. They would say oh, yeah that totally describes the people on the left. Holy, right.

If I read that passage that exact same passage to people on the left. they would say Wow, that totally describes people on the right.

And here's what I want you to think about this morning. Both sides would be right. Because frankly the emperor has no clothes. Irrespective of what side you lean to? this is this is

obscured with this tonight. I don't get too political back. One of my goals here is for you to never know who I vote for.

But life is political. So it's it. It's something that we have to think about because our lives as followers of Jesus take place in a world. That is governed by systems that we participate in. And I know I've said this in several different ways over the last several weeks, but I'm deeply deeply concerned. about the allegiance and heart of the church in America, especially the Evangelical Church I'm absolutely convinced that we we've been compromised.

That we have we have. functionally given our Allegiance and arjo

this is something that can never deliver what it promises. Both sides and I see it in the Evangelical Church on both sides. The voices are just as strident on the left and on the right. And both sides are absolutely convinced of the rightness. And I'm absolutely convinced that both sides are absolutely wrong in their ultimate ability to deliver on what they promised. Both sides are parading around in their Cloud beautiful clothes of nothingness.

There is no political system. There's no political party. There's no political candidates. They can really Deliver Us. the way that King Jesus deliver

I'm not saying don't go. I'm not saying that at all. I'm not saying don't be engaged. I'm not saying that at all. What I am saying is that we need to heed the warning of all that in the last days things get bad inside and we become convinced. That's what is evil is good. And what is good is evil.

and that if we teach our wagon to any horse other than Jesus

compromise the beauty and power of the Gospel in the mission of the church.

Eternal reality It's about what are heart hangs onto? what we hope for What we give our allegiance to?

He ends it this way. avoid such people

let that sinkin. voice search people

for some of us that mean covering the mirrors in our house right now.

Avoid such people. What what does he mean by that? Let me tell you what he doesn't mean he doesn't mean Hate people that think differently he doesn't mean hate people on the laughter hate people on the right. We're called the level. He doesn't say what he doesn't mean is stand up with posters and placards and tell people how evil they are and how God hates them. I know that's not what he means because of the rest of scripture. We're called to be in the world. But not of the world were called to be Salt and Light. We're called to be ministers and ambassadors of reconciliation.

That doesn't change in the last days. If anything's it becomes more important and intensified in the last date. So he doesn't mean withdraw. He doesn't mean condemned what he means when he says avoid such people is just the same remember who your king is. Remember where your Allegiance is? Don't join them in the downward spiral of depravity. And put your hope in things that can never deliver avoid that mistake avoid.

Let down work. descent into sin

called something different

here's where some 32 comes in.

Cuz I'm looking at a room full of sinful people.

You looking at one of the best?

we how to send problem a broken this problem our world thinks we have an education problem or an economic problem. A class problem or a race problem or the world looks at the problem on the surface. God looks so much deeper. But the problems that the world looks at and tries to address. It will never be able to address because the problem at its root is deep within the heart of men trying you can't educate sinfulness away. You can't create an economic system that delivers us from our inner broken. This is just not how it works. a real problem and when I say our real problem at let's just talked in the room here right now. Let's we don't need to fix everybody else. We don't get fit. Let's let's just start here. We're not who we know we could and should be. We don't live the way we know we could and should live weed.

By God's grace.

We are forgiven. By God's grace were made new by God's grace were called to a different way of life. That way of life is not found in a political or economic system is found in the person of Jesus our King in the Sia.

Song starts out. This way blessed is the one

That's great Hebrew word up a talked about this before. It could be translated happy. Joyful. My favorite free the sense of freedom of joy, and he's and Delight that comes with freedom that that's what's meant by this word that we translate blessed. blessed free happy joy is the one

Whose sin or transgression Is Forgiven? Whose sin is covered blessed is the man against whom the Lord counts no in equity. And in whose Spirit there is no deceit.

It's a blessing that comes from the Lord. The psalmist says it's found. When we are deliver.

Unforgiven and restored from the Brokenness of sin different words here for sin transgression nuances that to the root that means to break right? It's it's acts of rebellion against God specific. Whose sin is covered? This is the most General word for sin. The one that means missing the mark. That last week and Nick Woody. It's a word that the root means to twist.

Distortion criminality that the absence of respect for the Divine will these three words combined kind of give us a comprehensive understanding of evil since whatever evil whatever sin you've encountered you're experiencing you've participated in wherever you are and whatever you've encountered.

You can still be blessed. when God shows out

covers GIFs And remembers no more.

You can experience blessing what I love about this opening 2 versus is that there's no expectation in these versus at all that you and I are going to live a sinless life.

Terribly unrealistic expectation wouldn't it?

That's not the expert 8 the expectation is that you are going to fail. expectation is that send is going to have an impact and an effect on every single one of us.

In that fruit of sin will begin to manifest within every single one of us. It will strip us of our happiness. It will imprison us and take away our freedom. What's the opposite of blessedness? An expectation is not that you will live a sin-free perfect life. The expectation is that when you experience the reality of sin, there's another reality of blessing that is greater than your sin.

a continuous

when I kept silent

My bones I kept silent my bones wasted away.

Put some how he moves on to describe the opposite of blessing you blessed when your sins are covered. But when you when you're in your purse in there is always a price to pay always.

I kept silent my bones wasted away through my groaning all day long day and night your hand was Heavy upon me. My strength was dried up as by The Heat Of Summer that means something to us. Live through our Arizona. This actually makes a lot of sense is that that sense when you walk out in Arizona summer and you spend some time outside and in

all the moisture in your body gets sucked out. pet sense of weakness that that sense of emptiness that sense of heaviness

It does the psalmist is describing for us when we live in our sin.

When we don't deal with the reality of our sin, it always takes its toll on us. This is not even the metaphysical reality that God sees and God is going to judge. But that's reality. That's that's coming.

We don't even need that. human beings are cute machine it's it's It's hardwired into us. when we go against the grain of God's design

guilt and shame are the natural response. And they take their toll.

The older I get the more experienced. I'm more and more convinced that no one gets away with anything.

No one gets away with anything. The Bible says your sins will find you out.

Absolutely true.

There's something about are as human beings when we encounter and indulge in sinful Behavior. We become broken by it can't escape it. This is me. We don't try. That doesn't mean we don't try we've got all sorts of mechanisms for trying to deal with our guilt. One of the favorites we like to blame shift right was on my fault. Devil, didn't make me do it. My mama made me do it. My wife made me do it.

Society made me do it Trump made me do it. We love to blame shift. It's not my fault. It's somebody else's fault. But here's the thing blameshift. All you want. It never makes you feel better. It's simply moves the ball farther down the line. We can try to Define it away. Sometimes it seems to be like one of the characteristics of some of the younger Generations right now in our culture this

it's all wrong. Change the definition. Used to be wrong now. It's not wrong with change the definition of sudden not going to feel guilty about it. and again How's that working out for you?

You can change the definition.

But it doesn't.

Dostoevsky

the great Rod Russian author writes this book

one of them one of them characters besides there is no God, there is no right or wrong. I get to decide whatever whatever I want to do. I'm he's a great literary figure an example of so many in our culture today. He actually decides to to live out and test his hypothesis that there is no God. There is no morality. There's no right or wrong. So he decides to kill somebody he decides to kill somebody but quite frankly. Nobody's going to miss. Decide to kill this woman that's annoying and and evil and many people will be happy that she's gone. And why should he not? If there's no God if there's no right or wrong if there's no morality, why should I not take her out? So he takes her out. It is immediately overcome with a sense of what he has done. No, it's a great detective story if you can wait through thousands of pages. He gets away with it. He pulled off the Perfect Crime. He commits murder and he's not going to be caught but no one gets away with anything. And this man whose? Declare there is no God declare. There is no right and wrong in his sin. Is overwhelmed with a deep sense of guilt? So he turns himself into the play. Nobody gets away with anything. You can say there's no God. You can say there's no right or wrong. There is something hardwired into us.

It will not let us go. Thank God for that.

Here's another way we can try to deaden ourselves to it. medicated go shopping

have some Mommy juice.

We can try to deaden ourselves to it. Wait what we seek to find pleasure to just numb ourselves to the reality of that guilt about Shame about broken this deep inside of us and that will work for a moment.

But it doesn't take it away. And it requires more and more and more and of course most of the things that we used to self medicate actually lead us into more sin, which brings more broken is which increases the spiral into the the fruit of sin.

Here's another way we get cynical. What's a We compare ourselves to others we criticize and gossip and put other people down to elevate ourselves. I feel guilty, but at least I'm not Hitler. Have you noticed how anybody that disagrees with anybody is almost automatically Hitler nowadays. Where's that come from? V deep it's this is deep psychological stuff within us we want to avoid and Escape our own guilt our own shame our own Brokenness. And so we deflect and high by looking at somebody else and criticizing them and saying wolf. I'm not the real problem. They're the problem. Here's the deal. They might be worse than you doesn't do anything about your problem. You might be absolutely right. And it doesn't change anything for you. So you can print size and condemn you can be cynical and you can judge and you can say it's everybody else. But at the end of the day, you still got to be you and you still got to wake up the next morning feed you.

one of the favorites have American responses to this is the try to achieve

how to deal with a guilt by saying look look what I've achieved.

As if our guilt and our shame could be balanced and outweighed by the accumulation of possessions or the gaining of titles and trophies. We went we try to hide our Brokenness by our accomplishments and achievements. Don't don't look over here. I don't want you to look at a car. I drive what the hell good golfer. I am. Look at look at my six pack my tag. Look at look at

We're constantly.

But this is a real issue specially for us in an upper-middle-class Suburban bubble. Like we are here in the ranch.

Trying to hide the reality of our broken. Are the picture perfect beauty of Our Lives?

And I don't know about you, but I don't think anyone's being fooled by.

another another response is to The gift to be generous. I know how I'm going to deal with it. I'm going to I'm going to go help other people. I might go help the less fortunate, make sure people see it, but I'm going to I'm going to give this.

Why is it? That one really wealthy people give generously they always want their name on it.

What why is it that if I'm going to donate millions of dollars to a hospital? I want that Wing named after me if I want to donate to a school. I want that library to have my name. Why is that? It's this innate sense of of of giving in order to validate.

I'm not a bad person. Look I built this hospital. I'm not a bad person. Look I help to educate these kids. I'm not a bad person. Look I went on this mission trip that person I teach Sunday school.

Simply another attempt to deal with our shame. by our own ever

last Liam the suffering seven different things I got from Tim Keller Redeemer pres is penitence. Okay, I'm most of us don't have that kind of money to build a hospital wing. So we'll just we'll do the things that we don't really want to do in that nobody really wants to do and hope that it kind of evens things out.

I'm going to do the acts that are going to make me feel better and again much like these other coping mechanisms for a season and they make you feel better.

Here's the deal. You go down to Rocky Point on a mission trip. You help build a house for somebody that's living in poverty. You you help feed people that are hungry you do that and then you come back and you lay down in your bed.

And you feel good about it.

And I know slots begin the creep back in. it doesn't absolve it doesn't cover. It doesn't change.

None of these things.

Work so what works? repentance

I acknowledge my sin to you. And I did not cover. My iniquity this is fascinating. the psalmist saying lit starts out saying Is the person whose sin? Has been covered right blessed is the one who sent has been covered. But now he's saying when I was deep in my sin and I was grown and I was burning and I couldn't do anything about it. This is what I did. I acknowledge myself Ike knowledge my sense and I did not cover my iniquity. Here's the here's the irony and and beauty. Of how God's grace Works God's grace is absolutely able to cover your sin. But only after you stop trying to cover it yourself.

Let me tie it into our study on Genesis. Remember Adam and Eve in the garden lead into temptation.

you remember their response their eyes were open and they but what?

He felt shame. I felt out of control. They felt overwhelmed by their differences. They didn't want anybody else to expose them that what was different. Sing about this they were naked after they ate the fruit and they felt they were naked before they ate the fruit and felt no shame. The difference is internal not external. The difference was within them that that act of willful intentional Rebellion against God's design. broke down

So, what did they do? What did what we all do fig try to cover themselves. Grab what they can fix the grab some leaves think they form some cut the cover that which is different about them and then they hide from God.

All those mechanisms that I just walked through all the ways that we try to deal with our own Brokenness and guilt are nothing more than our own self made figleaves. I'm not broken. I'll cover it up. Which is of course. Not logical I'm not broken. I'll cover it up broken. Are you covering it up? It's got your selfies like you're naked.

God's grace is able to cover us. It's able to redeem us and rescue us it is able to forgive us. And make us whole but only when we stopped trying to cover ourselves.

Tom says I found freedom I found happiness. I found blessing when I quit trying to cover myself.

my sense

Is that many in the church today? Are trying to cover themselves? with something other then the grace of God through Jesus. We're trying to find our covering in Trump or the removal of trump. We're trying to find our covering. in something of this world

none of them cover

because when I acknowledged my sin. When I did not cover my iniquity.

a world operates and thrives on Fry

Christianity To be a part of the Kingdom. To be a follower of Jesus. One of the absolute vital requirements is the stand up and say I don't know how to live on my own.

I don't know. I can't do it. But everytime I try I make it worse. To enter into the community of God's family and God's kingdom is to begin with a humbling and a recognition and an acknowledgement that on our own we are not enough which is the antithesis and opposite of everything that's happening politically in our world right now, no matter which side they're both offering figure will cover you with this, but I don't cover you. They drag you down farther into the Brokenness of sin.

offers a covering the freezer the gilts in the weight of semi knowledge my sent to you. I did not cover my iniquity. I said I will confess my transgressions.

to the Lord

you forgave the iniquity of my sin out. Why? Why is this such a a reality this this idea of confessing to the lure?

Ultimately sin is only sin. because of God send at the end of the day is relational dysfunction between us and our creator. This is why in another one of the penitential Psalms Psalm 51. David racist against you and you only have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight so that you may just be justified in your words and blameless in your judgment. I find fascinating because David had just killed the dude so he can sleep with The Good Wife.

And yet he says his ultimate against you God and you alone have I sent because God is the ultimate standard. God is the ultimate author to find in other words, you will never find Freedom from the guilt and shame and weight of your sin. Unless you deal with the absolute source of it. And that is it sin disconnects and separates us from God. You can try to make Juju on the Earthly level in a variety of ways and whatever path you choose might bring a little bit of Hope and a little bit of healing and a little bit of help for a moment, but it will never last because our real problem is not with ourselves and our neighbors are wives. Our governments are country is ultimately with us and God.

Descent is not simply. breaking a rule

sometimes saying is making the Fig leaf.

Which means I've said this before, it's Christians. We not only have to repent of our sins. We have to repent of our righteousness.

are self-righteous The ways that we tried to deal with our sin apart from God.

Come to God not with our figleaves not with our works of righteousness not with our attempts to deal we come to God in our broken and our nakedness and our shame and we said God.

only you

only you can forget

someone says when I did this you forgave. the iniquity of mice in there let everyone. Who is Godly offer prayer to you at a time when you may be found? surely in a rush of Great Waters They shall not reach him.

Takes his own personal experience. And now he draws it out to everyone else when you find yourself. in that place of guilt and shame when you feel the waters begin to rise when you know that things are outside of your control and outside of your ability to deal when you finally reached the point where you quit trying to make your own fig leaves, You're ready to stand. with no to see

and honesty before God when you do that cry out to him.

Cuz he is hiding place.

You are hiding place for me. You preserve me. From troubles is it doesn't mean you won't have trouble. That's not what I mean. Not what it said in the midst of troubles. You will preserve me. You're hiding place for me. You preserve me from trouble you surround me with shouts of Deliverance. In the midst of pain in the midst of my shame.

painful psychological turmoil of ripping off my fig leaves and standing

or you you bring freedom and joy and blessing.

Set us free. This is YouTube This is this is what we need.

to live in the freedom of repentance

I don't know how or why exactly I growing up in the church. always thought of repentance is such a bad thing such a painful thing. I'm at this place now where I think repentance is the greatest of God's gift to us without repentance. We would be undone. Repentance should never be something that were afraid of or that we're ashamed of we should be ashamed of the things that lead us to repentance, but we should never be ashamed to repent because in Repentance we can find forgiveness and in Repentance we can find Freedom from guilt. freedom

Do God covers us? Remember that in Genesis right when when God comes and he brings the judgment and cursing upon them any remove them from the garden and sent them out he gives them what they asked for. You want to be God you want to do things wrong way? All right, you got to go so he sends them out. But what does he do?

He kills an animal and he covers them.

hovers

Ever get the first date, which we looked at last week. I was until God speaking. I will instruct you. And teach you in the way that you should go. I will counsel you with my eye upon you not only is he our refuge not only does he cover us not only does he forgive us not only does he set us free from guilt and shame but he walks with us. He sees and knows he will guide us and Council us.

Just don't don't be like a horse or mule. Without understanding which has to be curved with bit and bridle or will not stay near you. Don't don't be that.

Why because many? Many are the Sorrows of the wicked.

but steadfast love that kiibru word has said the loyal Covenant. Oh, love of God. surrounds the one Truss Anna lore

Many are the Sorrows of the wicked.

Don't you see that? Every time you watch the news.

Don't you feel that every time you? Look at social media.

I will try to hide it. We'll try to mask it. We try to cover it. We try to fool ourselves. This will make us happy all this will make it better.

I know if I just had more money.

Then I wouldn't feel so bad and I feel happier of it and some of the richest people I know are the most unhappy people. I know. My money doesn't make you happy. At the best it might make your life a little bit more convenient and all that does is give you more time to sit and think about your Brokenness?

And it gives you access to more ways to try to numb yourself. But it never takes it away.

Many are the Sorrows of the Wicca.

And whatever fig-leaf you're trying to make. Is never going to cover? The way that God's grace can truly cover you. And bring freedom. Many are the stars of the wicked but the steadfast love surrounds the one who trusts in the Lord. Let me say it again and again and again, who are you trusting in? Where is your hope who has Your Allegiance? What is What is it that you're counting on if your trust is in the Lord than Wednesday morning, you can wake up with joy and hope and no matter who wins.

oftentimes easiest ways to figure out what our hope is it to look at what actually disturbs us. If you wake up Wednesday morning and you're just rot in the world is over because the other candidate won that all that is is a sign that you got a fig Leaf, but you got to take off so that God can actually cover you. Put your hope is in something other than what it should be in which is in God and God Alone. I'm not saying don't vote. I'm not saying don't participate I am I but I'm saying the way that you do it matters. And the right thing done in the wrong way will always become the wrong thing.

Way that we do it matter. Finish you with my heart. Steadfast love surrounds the one who trusts in the Lord the way it's always been this way will always be rulers Kings presidents countries will come and go but Jesus is on his throne forever. Wrap it listen in one very real sense. It doesn't matter who gets elected on Tuesday.

Cuz Jesus is on the throne.

the Christian can participate can vote and can engage with real freedom.

Because we are covered by God. And can be guided by God. But only when our trust is in the Lord.

his Covenant faithfulness

So be glad in the Lord. And rejoice over right? Shout for Joy all you up right in. How are you upright in heart? How are you righteous? How are you in the Lord? Because God in his grace and mercy and Sovereign coven Dental love towards us has covered Us in the blood of Jesus his son. So we no longer.

Are weighed down by our guilt and shame? We're no longer defined by what we've done or haven't done.

no longer control by the power of sin, but we have been made New Creations and cry. So are mine set. The mindset of the one who is covered by the grace of God is a mindset of joy. Hope even in the worst circumstances

because no matter what happens around us or in us our God. is sufficient Cover us. And make us new church. Put your hope in God.

And let him cover you. He and only he is sufficient. To give you help a man. Amen. Let's pray father. I thank you so much. The weekend come to you as broken men and women. Not pretending or denying that we have been or don't have sent but openly acknowledging the God. We're here this morning because we absolutely need to be here. We need you without you we are without hope without you we are undone without you. We are constantly caught in the Brokenness of our sin and the sin of are self-made covering God set us free. Once again set us free with the beauty and gift of repentance. Let us come to you over and over again and bring you

an open a contrite heart an offer to you penitents and confession and may we experience? the joy of being cover But Jesus our King. You have set us free. Oh God, let us live in the reality of that true. Let us know offer to you prayers and songs of joy and Delight of Hope. in you

and let us High. In your Embrace, we prayed together. Amen and amen chairs with stand and respond and song and let's continue to Worship the Lord the one and only one who covers.

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