"Day After Day" 5-22-22
Overview
Day After Day: The Spirit's Word of Forgiveness
"It's okay. We're good. It happens. No problem." These are gracious phrases between neighbors—appropriate when someone bumps a cart in the grocery aisle or forgets a small errand. But God never speaks this way about sin. The Apostle John confronts this very issue in 1 John 1:8: "If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us." John was addressing an early form of Gnostic teaching that claimed matter is evil and spirit is good—a teaching that excused immorality and ultimately denied human sinfulness altogether. The Holy Spirit refuses to shrug at sin, because sin is the most fundamental problem we have: it separates the unholy from the Holy One.
Are some sins worse than others? Scripture answers both yes and no. Jesus speaks in John 19:11 of one who is "guilty of a greater sin," and the New Testament repeatedly compares greater and lesser evils. Yet James 2:10 reminds us that "whoever keeps the whole law but fails in one point has become accountable for all of it," and Galatians 3:10 warns that "all who rely on works of the law are under a curse." Even our smallest transgression makes us lawbreakers worthy of condemnation. Sin is never something God minimizes.
Because sin is our deepest problem, we need a weightier word—and the Holy Spirit, often called the "shy" member of the Trinity because He always points to Christ John 16:14, is also wonderfully "chatty." He inspired the whole of Scripture 2 Peter 1:21, and through that Word He never stops speaking forgiveness. 1 John 1:9 declares: "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." The Spirit comes to us through Word and Sacrament—in absolution, in hymns, in preaching, at the font, at the Lord's Table—announcing the forgiveness purchased by Christ on the cross.
Luther captured this beautifully in the Small Catechism: "In this Christian Church day after day He fully forgives my sins and the sins of all believers." This is the heart of the Spirit's pastoral work in our lives. As Psalm 103:12 promises, "as far as the east is from the west, so far does he remove our transgressions from us," and in Hebrews 8:12 God says, "I will remember their sins no more." When we are tempted to dredge up old guilt, God responds, "I don't remember that"—because Christ's blood has covered it. So the Spirit comes, and keeps coming, with the only word strong enough for our greatest problem: forgiven, fully forgiven—day after day after day.
Transcript
What you open your Bibles, please, 2s
with me for our study today to the book of first John, 4s
the first chapter. 8s
If you're using a Pew edition of Holy Scripture, 9s
you're going to find that in the New Testament, 11s
on page 200 and 11. 14s
First John, the first chapter for our study today. 17s
We continue on in the series, The Cent One. 21s
And we have been examining various actions 23s
of the Holy Spirit. 27s
We've studied how the Holy Spirit 29s
calls and gathers and lightens and sanctifies. 31s
Well, today, one more action that we'd like to add. 35s
It's OK. 44s
We're good. 46s
It happens. 50s
No problem. 53s
Have you ever used those words? 57s
Have those words ever been shared with you? 59s
Those little short phrases. 64s
It's OK. 67s
We're good. 69s
It happens. 71s
No problem. 73s
Where's the question I want to pose this morning? 76s
And it is simply this. 78s
Are those expressions ever used by the Holy Spirit 80s
when it comes to sin? 86s
Are they ever used by the Holy Spirit when it comes to sin? 91s
We turn today to first John. 99s
The Apostle John is dealing with a problem in the church. 101s
There were several false teachers that had interjected 105s
themselves and their false teaching into the church. 109s
And so John had to deal with that. 112s
What they were teaching was really the seed bed of what 116s
would be called later of a heresy called 119s
narcissism. 121s
Genosis is the Greek word for knowledge. 122s
And so they were teaching false things 126s
that then later would turn into the full-blown heresy 129s
of narcissism itself. 135s
What they were teaching was simply this. 138s
Matter is evil and the Spirit is good. 141s
Matter's evil, they said in the Spirit is good. 147s
So people thought that, well, one could 153s
send up a storm because it really wasn't them. 158s
It was the matter. 164s
It was the body, but the Spirit was good. 166s
This led to widespread immorality and ultimately a denial 170s
that they were sinners. 179s
John came right at this. 184s
He knew it had to be addressed. 186s
And so that's why he writes in verse 8. 189s
If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves 193s
and the truth is not in us. 198s
He comes right at the false teachers and says, 203s
if we believe here what it is that you are teaching, 205s
if we believe that we are without sin, 208s
that somehow sin doesn't exist because the Spirit 211s
is good regardless of the evil matter there of the body. 215s
And John is saying, you believe that here 221s
and you are under a deception, the truth does not dwell in you. 224s
But that raises an interesting question, doesn't it? 233s
And the question is this. 236s
Are some sins worse than others? 239s
At least 25 times in the New Testament. 252s
There is the expression of greater evil and lesser evil. 258s
In fact, Jesus says this in John 19. 265s
The one who handed me over to you is guilty of a greater sin. 269s
So there's the comparison right there. 275s
Thank you. 278s
This is being guilty of that sin which is greater. 279s
25 times then there's the comparison of the greater evil 285s
and the lesser evil. 288s
So we can be tempted to think. 290s
When it comes to maybe some of those other sins, 295s
we can be tempted to think that somehow 300s
God says to us, it's okay. 303s
We're good. 311s
It happens. 314s
It happens. 315s
No problem. 318s
But here's the thing. 323s
He never, ever, says that. 327s
Never. 331s
James the second chapter. 334s
For whoever keeps the whole law but fails in one point has become 337s
accountable for all of it. 343s
The law here being referenced is the law of God that reveals our sin. 348s
And so James the second chapter reveals to us that if we break God's 352s
even in the tiniest of parts we are guilty of breaking all of it because the law of God 359s
is a unit and break it even in the tiniest of parts it makes us a law breaker. 366s
Galatians the third chapter for all who rely on the works of the law are under a curse. 375s
There was relying on the works of God to somehow make us right before God. 382s
All who rely on the works of the law are under a curse for it is written cursed. 388s
Is everyone who does not observe and obey all the things written in the book of the law. 392s
So our some sins worse than others. 404s
What's the biblical answer that? 408s
Yes and no. 411s
Yes and no. 415s
It's both true. 416s
That's okay. 423s
That's okay. 425s
We're going. 428s
We're going. 430s
It happens. 434s
No problem. 438s
But you see, 441s
God never, 443s
ever communicates that way to us with regard to our sinfulness. 444s
Those phrases might be very, very appropriate in terms of our mistakes that we make with one another. 451s
For example, being so focused on the paper towels that you smash your cart into someone in the 460s
There's an appropriate place for that. 475s
It's the common kind of things that happen in life where all we forgot to get that to you. 478s
I'm sorry. 483s
We're good. We're good. But with regard to sin, 485s
transgression is not okay. 493s
God doesn't say to us amidst our sin. 499s
We're good. 505s
He doesn't say to us. 508s
Okay, yeah, you're not, you're not fulfilling feeling a law, but 511s
we're good on that one. 515s
God doesn't shrug his shoulders and say, it happens. 519s
God does not say no problem. 525s
Because our sin causes a horrendous problem. 530s
Our sin makes us separated from God all mighty. 536s
You have the holy one and us then who are unholy and the unholy can't spend an eternity in the presence of the 539s
holy one. 547s
It is the most fundamental, biggest problem that humankind has. 548s
It's our sinfulness that separates us from God Almighty and makes us worthy of eternal condemnation itself. 555s
You see, to our biggest problem, we need a different word. 567s
We need a way to your word. We need a word with some gravitas that addresses the situation. 571s
We need that different word from God. 578s
Today, such a joyous, joyous day in the life of our church, two baptisms. 588s
One of the first service in this morning and now at the service. 598s
Two unique children. God broke his mold when he made them. 603s
Never to be repeated miracles. You neatly gift it. 610s
As you think about children, there are descriptors that can be put on. 618s
As you reflect on them, as you watch them, you can say, 625s
they're very energetic or they're more reflective or they sure like to do this or they could 632s
excited about this or this is how they kind of quiet down. 639s
Little descriptors that can be put on. It's the same thing for all of us. 645s
As we go through our years of living, this side of heaven, there are descriptors. 650s
As we reflect on ourselves, we can look at ourselves and say, I describe myself this way. 654s
When this happens, this is typically how I respond to it. 661s
Various descriptors that we can put on ourselves. 665s
With God, the third member of the Trinity that we're talking about specifically, 672s
there's a descriptor that can be put on the Holy Spirit. 681s
And sometimes the Holy Spirit is understood as the shy member of the Trinity. 687s
shy member. It's really a very, very good description. 695s
Because the Holy Spirit is shy because he's constantly pointing to the Lord Jesus Christ. That's why 702s
Jesus says in John 16 of the Holy Spirit. He says, He will glorify me because He will take 708s
what is mine and declare it to you. The Holy Spirit, one God, three persons, father, son, 716s
Holy Spirit, the Holy Spirit, the shy member of the Trinity. That was a lot of it recently. 724s
Of a pastor who was contending that while that's true, the shy member, 734s
he communicated in great respects and great reverence. He said, the Holy Spirit though is really 740s
the chatty member of the Holy Trinity. The chatty member. 748s
And I thought to myself, he is exactly right. That not only is the Holy Spirit shy, but the Holy Spirit is 757s
chatty. 768s
Think the Holy Spirit is the one that inspired all of Holy Scripture. Second Peter 1 says, 771s
no prophecy ever came by human will, but men and women moved by the Holy Spirit spoke from 779s
God. This is a lot of words here that the Holy Spirit has inspired 788s
shy and chatty. And what are the things? One of the verses that the Holy Spirit inspired 796s
is verse 9. Right after, if we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. 804s
Verse 9, if we confess our sins, he who is faithful and just will forgive us our sins and cleanse 812s
us from all on righteousness. The shy member of the Trinity then has much to say, 823s
because there's never an expression of the wordless Spirit. The Holy Spirit always 835s
always comes to us through the word, always. He's not going around the word, he comes to us 843s
through the word. And so at the beginning of the service when we confess our sins and the word 853s
of absolute is given. The Holy Spirit is there with that word speaking, the forgiveness of sins. 859s
When the hymns are sung and the hymns reflecting the pages of Holy Scripture and the great promises 869s
of God, the Holy Spirit is with the word speaking, the word of forgiveness. When the word is 876s
reached and when it is taught, the Holy Spirit is there in that word speaking, the word of forgiveness, 883s
at the baptismal font, God comes and the Holy Spirit is there with the word, 893s
washing the little one or the adult in the promises of God Almighty as the Spirit comes with his 902s
word of forgiveness. As we gather around the table for Holy Communion, the Spirit is there once again 910s
speaking His word of forgiveness. The Holy Spirit promises to be and is where He promises to be 916s
and that is word and sacrament. He calls us to believe. He gathers us together as His people 927s
because He doesn't want us to be alone. He enlightens us. He turns the light bulb of faith on 940s
inside of us. He sanctifies us everything that the Holy Spirit does to bring us to faith and lead the 947s
life and one more thing we study today. Luther wrote this in the small cataclysm. 956s
In this Christian church day after day, He fully forgives my sins and the sins 971s
of all believers. Day after day in the Christian church, He fully forgives my sin 985s
and the sin of all believers. If we confess our sin verse 9, 1004s
He who is faithful and just will forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all on righteousness. 1012s
It is the forgiveness that is purchased through the cross of the Lord Jesus Christ. 1023s
We are the second member of the Trinity. God in the flesh takes all of our sin. All of the thoughts, 1029s
all the words, all of the deeds, all that we did, all that we left undone, all that we said, 1037s
and all that we left und said. And He bears it all as the wrath of God for sin falls upon the sun 1045s
instead of us. And God says to us, forgiven, forgiven, fully forgiven. 1053s
Psalm 103 says, as far as the east is from the west, so far he removes our transgressions from us. 1070s
Hebrews 8, God says, for I will be merciful toward their iniquities and I will remember their 1078s
sins no more. That the love it is divine and kneesha, isn't it? That God comes with His word of forgiveness 1087s
and we want to dredge it up at times and God says, I don't remember that. I don't remember it 1098s
because it has been forgotten through the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ. God comes and fully 1106s
forgive us fully. 1117s
That's okay. We're good. 1127s
It happens. No problem. Those words not used by the Holy Spirit when it comes to sin, but 1134s
it comes to us with the weight here, word. He comes to us what we need to hear. Born of the blood 1153s
of the Lord Jesus Christ, as God says to us, I forgive you. 1164s
Holy, fully. And He keeps coming with that word. Day after day after day after day after day 1184s