Today on the verdict with Pastor John Monroe. Is there anyone here? who's committed sins of which you are deeply, deeply Ashamed. I think All of us would put up our hands, wouldn't we? And this evening we want to think of the mercy of God, the grace of God.
Of God. We want to think of David's amazing. Unbelievable. Restoration. Welcome to the verdict, featuring the Bible teaching of Pastor John Monroe.
Do you think of yourself or others in terms of the mistakes you've made? Are you sometimes unable to forgive? Today on the verdict, we're exploring the reality of spiritual restoration. And the faithfulness of God's grace and forgiveness as we continue our study on the life of David.
Now, here's Pastor John Monroe to introduce today's lesson. We've been studying the life of this remarkable man, King David. a man who accomplished so much who's so gifted, and yet he falls into serious sin. And we've been learning that not one of us is exempt from temptation. From Psalm 51, we learn that when we confess our sin, God graciously forgives and restores.
We saw that David's sin was multifaceted. And he goes to the root of his problem. He doesn't blame others. He doesn't blame his circumstances. No.
David realizes that he has transgressed. And he deals with different aspects of sin. Against our holy God.
So let's learn further about David as he enters the presence of God on his knees as a broken man, as a sinful man. calling on the mercy and grace of God. Here is one of the most powerful confessions of sin. In all of scripture, and I want to read first of all. with you the first seven verses of Psalm I'm reading from the English standard.
Version. Superscription is to the choir master, it's a psalm of David. Notice when Nathan the prophet went to him, after he had gone into Bathsheba.
Now verse 1. 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 wider. Then snow. David is saying in these first seven verses, then, that when we confess our sins, God graciously forgives our sins and restores us.
Do you hear that? When we confess our sins, God graciously forgives our sins and restores us. See David is going to find complete Forgiveness. And he's going to use different metaphors to emphasize that this forgiveness which comes from God. Which is entirely based on the love of God and the mercy of God and the grace of God is full forgiveness, it's final forgiveness and it is absolutely complete.
Notice again verse 1, what does it say? Have mercy on me, O God. according to your steadfast love. according to your abundant mercy. Blot out my Transgressions.
What does he want to do with these transgressions? These deliberate. Stepping over the line. He wants them blooded out. What's the metaphor?
Well, the picture is. God is a judge. who has written records. Of David's transgressions. Here they are.
Number one. Number two, number three, number four, number five. There they are, David. And David is saying no, I want them. Blotted out.
You know, when God forgives your sins, and blots it out. There's never any question. It has completely Gone. Remember the psalmist, Psalm 103? As far as the east is from the west, he's done what?
He has removed our transgressions from us. He has blotted them out. David's transgressions, written as it were, on the book of the judge, there they are, they have been erased. When you're saying However deep However serious when it is blotted out. It is irretrievable.
It will never, ever again be brought back. against you. That's his first picture. He says, Mine My transgressions are blotted out. And then he says, verse 2: Wash me thoroughly.
From my iniquity, I like that. Wash me thoroughly. From my Negwude. What's the picture?
Well, the figure is of dirty clothes which need washing. That's the picture. That David's iniquity, it's not superficial. This is to his very heart. This man is polluted with sin.
The sin is ingrained. What's the answer to it? It's to be washed. Thoroughly Wash me thoroughly. From my iniquity, his iniquities go deep.
He needs a spiritual, not just a shower. A spiritual washing. Nothing else will get rid of David's sin. wash me thoroughly from my iniquity. Here's the third picture, verse three.
For I know my transgressions.
Sorry, verse 2, cleanse me from my Sin. Is dirty, he needs cleansed. The word here is for the ceremonial purification. It's used of lepers being cleansed from defilement. David knows that.
There's no animal sacrifice under the law. The normal sin offering and the trespass offering of Leviticus 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5. They're not adequate. They can do it. Only God.
It's powerful enough. to wash him from his Sense Why is that? Because it's God who is offended. It's God's law which was broken, and God alone does the forgiving. There's no self-atonement here.
No pastor or priest or minister or pope or cardinal can forgive our sins, can he or she? We need God's grace. We need God's forgiveness. Remember the old hymn Rock of Ages, it has a line in it. Thou must save and thou alone.
That's it. It's at the cross, isn't it? That David's forgiveness now is full, it's complete, it's total. All of the sin is removed. It's been blotted out.
It's been washed thoroughly. It's been cleansed. He's forgiven. There's another one, verse 7. Purge me with hyssop.
and I shall be clean. Wash me and I shall be whiter than snow. His fifth. was the small plant. If you're familiar uh with the ritual in the Passover in Exodus twelve, you know that hyssop was used by the priests to sprinkle blood of the sacrificed animals for the cleansing of the unclean.
That's it. David is using that picture. Wash me with his lip. I need that blood to cleanse me and I shall be clean. Wash me and I shall be whiter than snow.
What's whiter than snow? We think of snow as pure, as clean. are those whom God forgives. Sin is removed. Through the shedding of blood.
The Mosaic covenant was inaugurated by the shedding of blood. The new covenant is inaugurated by the shedding of the of the blood, not of an animal. But of the blessed, the blood of our blessed Savior, Jesus' own blood. that God's Son had to die, His precious blood had to flow. for your forgiveness and mine.
That we are now, just think of it, think of David. Think of the depth of his sin. And now he realizes that through the sheer Mercy and grace of God. His sins have gone. He is wider.
Let's know. That when we confess our sins, Don't forget the condition of this. This is personal confession. This is repentance when we confess our sin. God graciously forgives.
and restores us. No. In verses eight through 19 the the the remainder of the chapter and we don't have time to go into it in detail. But this spiritual restoration. Yes, it begins with forgiveness of sin.
But the spiritual restoration leads to spiritual renewal and spiritual service. Forgiveness, first of all, leads to spiritual renewal. Verse 8 through 12. Let me hear joy and gladness. David, how could you hear joy?
When you've caused so much sorrow and hardship. Let me hear joy and gladness. Let the bones that you've broken rejoice. Hide your face from my sins and blot out all of my iniquities. Create in me a clean heart, O God.
and renew a right spirit within me. Cast me not away from your presence. Take not your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of your salvation and uphold me with a willing spirit. Do you get this?
That true Biblical, spiritual. forgiveness leads to spiritual Renewal. David is purified, he's cleansed, he's washed, his sins are blotted out. God's love is unconditional, it's full and complete. And this spiritual renewal.
follows complete cleansing and forgiveness. See what happens? When we sin. and we got away from the Lord. A number of things happen in the depth of our soul.
We we get hardened, don't we? And perhaps we get bitter. And we get critical. And God does something wonderful that not only does He forgive us, But in his abundant compassion and his abundant grace, he's going to lead us to spiritual renewal. It's not enough, as it were, for David just to have his sin removed.
He wants a renewal of spirit. He wants a change of his heart attitude. This is the fruit of repentance, the evidence of true repentance. Superficial confession will not lead to renewal of spirit. David wants to get back to that time.
when he was directed by God's word. He wants to get back to that time when God's hand was on his shoulder. He wants to get back to that time when he's a man after God's own heart, having a clean heart and a renewed spirit.
So that the joy of the Lord will be restored to him. You see, failure to confess sin. leads to spiritual shipwreck. Verse 11. Cast me not away from your presence.
Take not your Holy Spirit from me. In the Old Testament, there was a selective indwelling of the Holy Spirit. No, David is not saying that he thinks he's gonna lose his salvation, no. But in the Old Testament time, who had the indwelling spirit? The leaders.
Remember when David is anointed king by Samuel in first. Samuel 16 Remember I read last uh week that the Spirit of the Lord rushed on him. But the spirit left So Saul was no longer the anointed king, and David wants to remain as king. He doesn't want to be rejected by God. He wants to live a life of usefulness, a life of blessing.
And refusal to confess your sin. Refusal to repent. Means that your heart is hardened and it gets harder and harder and will bring heartache and tears and worry and staleness and bitterness. and repetition of your sin. No, we don't lose our salvation if we're truly saved.
but we will lose the joy of our salvation. We may lose the assurance of our salvation and will certainly lose our usefulness. To the service of God. Have you experienced that? that you send And you didn't confess your sin.
And you just went on as if nothing happened and people didn't know. Perhaps only one or two, or perhaps no one knew, but you knew in your own soul there was a barrenness. And this year Sitting there, or you're standing to sing and praise to God, you. You feel a hollowness, don't you? A lack of reality.
In your own life, and when you read the Word of God, it's just not the same, and your prayers are mechanical. What has happened? Your heart has become hardened and David realizes this. And now, having received the forgiveness of God, He wants the spiritual renewal. He wants this joy and this wonder.
of being a child. of God. But there's more. Forgiveness leads not only to spiritual renewal, but to spiritual service. Verse 13.
Then I will teach transgressors your ways. David, who are you to teach? You you you messed up. You're going to start teaching people now? Yes.
Yes. Then I will teach transgressors your ways. and sinners will return to you. Deliver me from blood guiltiness, O God, O God of my salvation, and my tongue will sing aloud of your righteousness. O Lord, open my lips.
And my mouth will declare your praise. You're going to praise God, David? Yes. Yes, I am. I'm going to praise God.
For you will not delight in sacrifice, or I would give it. You will not be pleased with a burnt offering, no. What kind of sacrifice does God want? Verse 17: The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit. That's right, David.
A broken and a contrite heart, O God, you will not despise. Do good to Zion and your good pleasure. Build up the walls of Jerusalem. Then you will delight in rice sacrifices and burnt offerings and whole burnt offerings. Then bulls will be offered on your altar.
Authentic forgiveness. Authentic renewal, spiritual renewal, leads to service. Shoot. Experience this deep, deep forgiveness. This will enable you to edify others about God's Gracious dealing with sinners.
It will have humbled you. You'll have a deeper understanding of sin. And you'll have a deeper and greater understanding of the grace of God, and that will lead to an idea that service is a tremendous privilege. And that praising God For his gracious dealings with sinners is a privilege. Remember, the Lord said in Luke 7: Her sins, which are many, are forgiven, for she loved much.
Who is the individual? Standing at Calvary Church, who should be praising God the most and worshiping God the most, the Pharisee? No. The one who's experienced the forgiveness of God. And to realize that God in His grace not only saves us.
But God in His grace enables us to speak to a neighbor. to bring up children in the ways of the Lord and to tell others about the gracious works of the Lord. of God and to stand In the Sanctuary with the people of God to sing and to worship the great God. Note the sacrifices God wants. A broken spirit.
A broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise. The Pharisees drew near with their lips, but their hearts were far from me. Don't be the Pharisee. God doesn't delight in your worship. God does not delight in your service where there's unconfessed.
Seven. I know you want to worship God. I know you want to praise God. Think of the privilege of coming together with your brothers and sisters in Christ and worshiping God. But all of that is hollow, isn't it?
As you teach that Bible class, as you teach that life group, as you open the scriptures, that is hollow, isn't it? If there's not been the forgiveness. and the spiritual renewal. Remember what Samuel says to Saul, obedience is better than sacrifice. Put Psalm 51 saying, Saying many things.
God's forgiveness is based on God's mercy and grace. Confess your sin. And then God's grace received Christ. who died for our sins. First John one verse seven.
But if we walk in the light as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another. And the blood of Jesus, his son, cleanses us from Aren't you glad it says all sin? If we say we have no sin, We deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we conf here it is, if we confess our sins He is faithful and just. to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from What?
Oh. Oh. all in righteousness. All my sin. All my righteousness.
Can be forgiven. Blotted out. washed thoroughly. Whiter than snow. Have you experienced that?
Someone here tonight, you're weighed down with your sin. You say, John, I've really messed up. I'm glad you've come. I'm glad you've come. I want to point you to Christ.
who came for people just like you. to come to you. His precious blood was shed.
So that you like David. can receive the mercy of God and the grace of God. That's the gospel. That in our Lord Jesus Christ there is forgiveness. There is mercy, there's compassion.
as you place your trust in Christ and confess your sins. Let me ask those of you who are followers of Jesus, When you read Luke 15, who do you identify with? The prodigal? or the elder son. Remember the prodigal?
He came by, you know, the elder son. Oh, what's all the fuss made about this character? I've been working hard all of this time, and this fellow's down in the far country with all of the prostitutes, and a big fuss is being made about him. What's his problem? He's the Pharisee.
He does not understand God's grace. He doesn't see the sin and the pride and the self-righteousness. in his own Heart. Thomas Brooks writes, Does not God look more upon his people's graces? than upon their weaknesses.
That's it, isn't it? I've wondered as I've studied this over these months. Again and again, why did God call David a man after his own heart? I think in part Because of the prayer of Psalm 51. That David understood.
What we all need to understand, the depth of sin. and the wonder of the mercy and the grace of God. And it's very interesting. When you read the account of David's life in the 29 chapters of 1 Chronicles, It doesn't even mention the story of Bathsheba. Or does in 2 Samuel?
But if you were writing a history of David, let's face it, you would have a whole chapter upon chapter upon chapter about the sin of Bathsheba. And you wouldn't want the wretched man ever to forget it. But that's not God's way, is it? James reminds us, the Apostle James, he talks about the patience of Job, but as you read Job, you think Job sometimes was pretty impatient. Or you think of Rahab the prostitute.
She's remembered. She isn't remembered for sleeping with many men. No, she's celebrated. that she lived by faith. and hid two of God's chosen people.
When John the Baptist is in prison and sends his messengers to Jesus and says, Are you the one who should come, or should we look for someone else? Jesus doesn't condemn John. He says, no, go tell John the things you've seen and heard. And then he says to the crowd, Truly, I say to you, among those born of woman, there has not arisen a greater than John the Baptist. He takes that opportunity.
to command John. And when Paul in Acts chapter 13 is writing about David, he doesn't say, Now, I want to tell you about David, that terrible murderer and adulterer. He says, No, David, the man after God's. On Heart. You're listening to the verdict with Pastor Jean Monroe and a message titled David's Restoration.
John has more to share in just a moment, so keep listening.
Now, today's lesson comes from our ongoing study on the life of David. And as a special addition to this series, we're offering a helpful resource. It's a custom listening guide specifically designed to complement each of these daily lessons. With details on key points, questions for review, and practical ideas for daily application. This printable workbook is a great resource for your own personal study.
or for hosting a group discussion with family or friends.
So, get your free copy of this unique resource today by visiting us online at theverdict.org and downloading your copy of the Life of David Listening Guide. Speaking of going deeper, if you're already subscribed to the Verdict podcast, you know about John's weekly Avizandam feature, where he brings biblical perspective to the conversations happening all around us. Every Tuesday, John examines current issues with the thoughtful deliberation that gives this feature its name, drawn from Scottish legal tradition. It's become a meaningful part of many listeners' weekly routine.
So make sure you've subscribed to the Verdict podcast. And if you're ever in the Charlotte, North Carolina area, we'd welcome you to worship with our church family at Calvary Church, where John serves as senior pastor. Our community is built on the same commitment to scripture that you hear on the verdict, and we'd love to meet you in person. Find out more about visiting us at theverdict.org.
Now, here's Pastor John Monroe.
Well, what's your verdict? Have you ever prayed like David? Have you ever felt the enormity of your sin before a holy God? I pray that for you there will be forgiveness and restoration. As you turn from your sin, As you call upon God for His mercy, and his grace.
It's at the cross. Where our perfect Saviour, the Lord Jesus, the one who knows no sin, Becomes sin for us that we might become the righteousness of God in Him. Turn from your sin today. Call upon the name of the Lord and you'll be saved. Thanks for joining us today on The Verdict.
I'm Michelle Davies. Today's program with Pastor John Monroe was produced and sponsored by Calvary Church in Charlotte, North Carolina.
