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[0:00] What a blessing to be here this morning. This past week, past few weeks maybe, I've been thinking of a subject, kind of a negative one, the subject of sin.

[0:30] And then this past week when Ellie and I were in Ohio, we got stranded in Columbus for a few days because of computers.

[0:45] Airplane, airline staff not being available to fly airplanes and the agents properly, you know, they canceled flights all over the world.

[0:57] But anyway, we were stranded in Columbus for a couple days. And so we went to the Creation Museum. It wasn't too far from there.

[1:08] A few very nice days there. And then it just confirmed again what are in a deeper way, the subject of sin. So as in the days of Noah, Jesus said.

[1:26] And so I'd like to, you know, I'm sure we can end on a positive note. But I guess the question or the thing that's been impressed on me is, you know, what is God's view of sin?

[1:41] What does God say about it? Not my view. Not your view. Really, in the end, it doesn't matter. But what does God say?

[1:55] How does God look at it? When Adam and Eve sinned, we know that it brought death and destruction to the world.

[2:06] Before sin, it was a perfect world. They lived in a perfect union with God. You know, if there was never sin, if they hadn't sinned, I mean, Jasmine wouldn't need to be baptized.

[2:27] Right? You never needed to repent. But because of sin, we needed a Savior. But through sin, death came into the world.

[2:41] Sickness, death, disease. And then we inherited this thing called the sin nature. Every one of us have inherited that.

[2:52] Let's go to 1 John, chapter 3. I want to read a few verses there first, and then we'll also look at Noah.

[3:07] In 1 John, chapter 3, verse 1. A wonderful, wonderful verse. Behold what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us that we should be called the sons of God.

[3:26] Therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not. Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it does not yet appear what we shall be, but we know that when he shall appear, when Jesus shall appear, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is.

[3:50] And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure. You know, this world has a sin problem.

[4:03] Ever since the fall of man, ever since the fall of Adam and Eve, this world has had a sin problem. In verse 4 it says, Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law.

[4:22] For sin is the transgression of the law. So if you ever wonder what sin really is to God, it's transgressing his law.

[4:34] Here John tells us what sin is. It is disobeying what God has required. Being disobedient to God.

[4:48] The word of God is to be obeyed. God's moral law. Transgressing the word of God is sin.

[5:02] And we're not talking about the Old Testament, you know, the Old Testament Mosaic law, for example. We're not talking about that.

[5:13] We know that Jesus is the fulfillment of that law. But to willfully disregard and disobey God is most certainly sin, according to the Bible.

[5:29] In verse 5 it says, And ye know that he was manifested to take away our sins. And in him is no sin.

[5:41] Whosoever abideth in him sinneth not. Whosoever sinneth hath not seen him, neither known him. Little children, let no man deceive you.

[5:52] He that doeth righteousness is righteous, even as he is righteous. He that committeth sin is of the devil. I know the speaker isn't working right, but you can just turn it off.

[6:08] I'll try to be loud enough. He that committeth sin is of the devil.

[6:20] For the devil sinneth from the beginning. Boy, these are plain, harsh words, aren't they? I'm just so glad, I mean, that I can preach this because I didn't write it.

[6:34] It's the word of God and I stand on it because it's the word of God. He that committeth sin is of the devil. How many of us have committed sin?

[6:45] For the purpose of the Son of God was manifested that he, Jesus, might destroy the works of the devil.

[6:59] Then he goes on, he says, Whosoever is born of God does not commit sin. For his seed, God's Spirit, remaineth in him and he cannot sin because he is born of God.

[7:14] You know, if it wouldn't be for salvation, if it wouldn't be for the Spirit of God, for the new life in Christ, we would be the most hopeless.

[7:28] We would be of the devil. We'd have no hope. But here he says that we have an answer, we have a solution over this sin, this sin problem.

[7:41] We have a perfect solution. God's provision. The new life in Christ, what John is saying is that the new life in Christ cannot sin.

[7:56] If we sin, John also said that if we sin, in other words, if our flesh sins, because that's the only thing that can sin, then we have an advocate with the Father, the Lord Jesus Christ.

[8:12] the righteous. Verse 10 says, In this the children of God are manifest, and the children of the devil. Whosoever doeth righteousness is, sorry, whosoever doeth not righteousness is not of God, neither he that loveth not his brother.

[8:32] For this is the message that ye heard from the beginning, that we should love one another. Romans 3.23 says that all have sinned and come short of the glory of God.

[8:49] For all have sinned. You know, you and I are 100% included in that word all. There are people today that think they have not really sinned.

[9:03] They are actually a good person. I have known a few that believe that they were good from their childhood up and they really never did anything wrong.

[9:16] Not perfect maybe, but no sin. And that's simply not true. Just that thought alone is sin because it's against the word of God.

[9:30] So you're already admitting you're a sinner if you say you've never sinned. In fact, the Bible calls you a liar. But I'm a good person.

[9:46] Let me ask you, according to whose standard are you good? Your own or God's standard? The Bible says according to His standard, we all fall short.

[10:00] we all miss the mark. Another thing that sin is is simply missing the mark. We have, some of you like to archery hunt or hunt period.

[10:14] You like shooting things. And sin is missing the mark. You know, if this, if this is the mark right here and you're trying to hit it but you hit right here instead of here, you missed it.

[10:36] We have all missed the mark when it comes to sin. And we're responsible for that.

[10:48] Romans 6, 23 says, for the wages of sin is death. The wages of sin is death and God has proven that to us.

[11:00] Has He not? He's proven it to us through the flood once and then the next great event was He Himself died for sin.

[11:17] He proved it to us the wages of sin is death but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. Yes, that gift is totally free.

[11:30] There's nothing that you could do to save yourself, right? We shared that with Jasmine yesterday and she knows that.

[11:41] She fully understands that. Because if you could earn it then it would no longer be a gift. the gift is something that you can't earn.

[11:56] How has God dealt with sin in the past? What is His opinion of sin? Has He taken drastic measures in the way He has dealt with sin?

[12:12] Now let's think about the flood. You know that seems so harsh when you think about it.

[12:23] You know it's not just some fairy tale and the way some Bible stories today want to make it look like on Bible story pictures you need to I think sometimes when you throw those away and get real story books but to make it into a fairy tale like it was just a fun boat ride with funny animals.

[12:44] It's false. It was a real happening a real thing real animals and real people but the thought that God destroyed and wiped off the face of the earth all of life that was breathing except for what was in the ark is a dramatic event.

[13:09] It is a drastic measure. A worldwide flood. Now today many people don't believe it or they're not quite sure that it actually happened the way the Bible says it and they begin to question it.

[13:28] Really a worldwide flood? What do you think? Do we all believe that in here? Raise your hand if you believe it. Do you believe in the worldwide flood?

[13:42] Listen if we can't believe the flood if we doubt creation the six day creation and the flood and these the word of God then if you if one part of the Bible is not true then the whole Bible becomes questionable.

[14:02] If one part isn't true if God didn't create the whole world and everything in it in six days like he said he did then you might as well doubt the rest of the Bible too including your salvation.

[14:21] It is very important that we understand this to be true and that every word in the Bible is true. But the reason for the flood as harsh as it may seem is because of sin.

[14:42] That's why the flood God is a holy God and he cannot tolerate sin and neither will he tolerate sin now.

[15:05] Judgment is surely coming once again on the earth but of that day and our knoweth no man no not the angels of heaven but my father only.

[15:20] That's what Jesus said in Matthew 24 and then he said but as the days of Noah were so shall the coming of the son of man be as in the days of Noah for as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking marrying and giving in marriage until the day that Noah entered into the ark and knew not until the flood came and took them all away so shall also the coming of the son of man be.

[15:59] You know it doesn't how should I say they were marrying and giving in marriage drinking eating. What I get from that is that there was no reality of God in people's lives.

[16:16] There was no recognition of God's existence at that time. They were just living life by themselves. Just doing what they were doing and yes sinning.

[16:29] The days were evil. It was great wickedness. In fact let's turn to Genesis chapter 6 and just read a little bit about this.

[16:45] Genesis chapter 6 and verse 5 And God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.

[17:01] it was just evil. And it repented the Lord that he had made man on the earth and it grieved him at his heart.

[17:15] Sin grieves the heart of God. It grieved him at his heart. and the Lord said I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth both man and beast and the creeping thing and the fowls of the air for it repenteth me that I have made them.

[17:38] Then we have these precious words but Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord. Have we found grace in his eyes? Then it goes on I'll read a little bit further.

[17:53] These are the generations of Noah. Noah was a just man and perfect in his generations and Noah walked with God and Noah begat three sons Shem, Ham, and Japheth and the earth also was corrupt before God and the earth was filled with violence and God looked upon the earth and behold it was corrupt for all flesh had corrupted his way upon the earth.

[18:19] Does this sound like today? The world that we live in today? I think it does. There was today we have open and blatant mockery of God.

[18:33] Open blatant sin that used to be hidden and shameful. Today is just open. Open in the face of God.

[18:46] Mocking God. And God said unto Noah, the end of all flesh.

[18:56] I'm just going to keep reading. The end of all flesh is come before me for the earth is filled with violence through them and behold I will destroy them with the earth.

[19:07] Make thee an ark of gopher wood which I think was cypress wood. rooms shalt thou make in the ark and shall pitch it within and without with pitch.

[19:20] Verse 15 and this is the fashion which thou shalt make it of. The length of the ark shall be 300 cubits and the breadth of it 50 cubits and the height of it 30 cubits.

[19:36] If you don't know what a cubit is I think as close as I what I've seen is it would have been this boat was like 450 500 feet long and 75 feet wide and about 45 feet high.

[19:54] And if you can correct me on that it's fine I just read that this morning but I had it figured up one time and I think that's accurate but it was a big boat and let's keep reading here in verse 16 a window shalt thou make to the ark and in a cubit shalt thou finish it above and the door of the ark shalt thou set in the side thereof with lower second and third stories shalt thou make it and behold I even I do bring a flood of waters upon the earth to destroy all flesh wherein is the breath of life from under heaven and everything that is in the earth shall die but with thee will I establish my covenant and thou shalt come into the ark thou and thy sons and thy wife and thy sons wives with thee and every living thing of all flesh two of every sort shalt thou bring into the ark to keep them alive with thee they shall be male and female of fowls after their kind and of cattle after their kind and every creeping thing of the earth after his kind two of every sort shall come unto thee to keep them alive and take thou unto thee all food that is eaten and thou shalt gather it to thee and it shall be for food for thee and for them thus did know according to all that god commanded him so did he you know there's in this little short story history not just the story it's history that's where the word story comes from there's not a lot of details can you imagine what was it five months they were in that boat and to feed all these animals to work with them to keep them alive keep them healthy it was very likely a very full time job for the eight souls but think about all that died in this great worldwide flood this account of flood that was higher than the highest peak of a mountain you know if it wasn't higher than the mountain peaks then you couldn't really say it was worldwide you know they didn't quite cover all of the earth but it says it was higher than all the mountains it was a worldwide flood the whole world was underwater and like

[23:00] I had said earlier if we don't believe this account and many people are questioning it today preachers are being very weak on it then we can't really know for sure about heaven we can't know for sure about hell we can't know for sure about the cross but we know that it's all true and that's where we stand thank you for raising your hand we all stand together that this is true Jesus said that heaven and earth will pass away but my word will never pass away that's how true it is it's more true than heaven and earth it's more true than me standing in front of you today it is a real happening and I believe that the flood was when I went we went through the ark and there in

[24:01] Kentucky and I thought wow this is the greatest event that ever happened on earth that was my first thought and I thought it's not probably the second greatest the greatest one happened later let's look at first John chapter one for a few more verses if we say that we have fellowship with him and walk in darkness we lie and do not the truth but if we walk in the light as he is in the light we have fellowship one with another and the blood of Jesus Christ the son cleanses us from all sin here is the cure here is the solution to all sin to be cleansed to be forgiven to be washed but if we say we have no sin we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us if we confess our sins he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness but if we say that we have not sin we make him a liar and his word is not in us this sin problem in the world today has affected us in fact we were part of it right the difference is simply have we received the gift have we received redemption that's the only difference between you and I and the worst sinner today is a savior so first we have

[26:04] God dealing with sin by sending a worldwide flood to wipe life off of the earth because he was grieved in his heart over sin the next thing he does and when I say life you know what I mean everything except what was on the ark but the next thing he does to deal with sin is he sends a savior which I believe is the greatest that is the greatest of all events that has ever happened on this earth that God God himself came and paid the price in full so that we can put our trust and faith in him and be free right the relationship that was lost in the garden has been restored the possibility of having a right relationship with God again has been made it's up to us that is not just a possibility it's a reality for thousands of people millions have found that possibility as a reality the greatest event in our history that I can think of this is just my own thoughts this morning but is that God sending the perfect land himself

[27:49] Jesus the son and going on a cross to deal once and all with that sin problem the flood was amazing but to think that our God came and died and bled so that we can be forgiven that we can have that relationship again is better than destroying all of humanity in a big flood isn't it so what will happen with the people that reject the provision God has made for all of humanity the people that say I don't want a relationship with God I don't care about that what's going to happen to them let's turn to Revelation chapter 20 and we want to talk a little bit about baptism that soon we'll get to that but let's read in

[28:58] Revelation 20 chapter 20 verse 11 and I saw a great white throne and him that sat on it from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away and there was found no place for them and I saw the dead small and great stand before God and the books were opened and another book was opened which is the book of life and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books according to their works and the sea gave up her dead which were in it and death and hell were delivered up and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them and they were judged every man according to their works and death and hell were cast into the lake of fire this is the second death and whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire is our name in the book how are we sure that our name is in the book of life are you sure that you're good enough to be in the book of life is that how we think

[30:24] I've lived a good enough life I've been kind to my neighbor those are all important things but unless the blood of the land has washed and cleansed their sin then our name isn't there redeemed by the blood of the land that's the people that are written in the book revelation 21 let's just the next chapter over a few more verses and I saw a new heaven and a new earth for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away and there was no more sea and I John saw the holy city new Jerusalem coming down from God out of heaven prepared as a bride adorned for her husband and I heard a great voice out of heaven saying behold the tabernacle of God is with men and he will dwell with them and they shall be his people and God himself shall be with them and be their God and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes and there shall be no more death no more or neither sorrow nor crying neither shall there be any more pain for the former things are passed away and he that sat upon the throne said behold

[31:48] I make all things new and he said unto me write for these words are true and faithful and he said unto me it is done I am Alpha and Omega the beginning and the end I will give unto him that is a thirst of the fountain of the water of life freely he that overcometh shall inherit all things and I will be his God and he shall be my son but the fearful and unbelieving and abominable and murderers and whoremongers and sorcerers and idolaters and all liars shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone which is the second death I believe this is the final the final way that God will deal with sin you know the difference here of the people that were right with God the people that had their sins taken care of they had the blood of Jesus wash their sins he will be their God drinking of the water of life freely he that overcometh shall inherit all things and I will be his

[33:11] God and he shall be my son that or the last verse but the fearful the unbelieving the abominable the murders those that said no I don't need Jesus no I want to enjoy life the way I want to enjoy it that's what God's going to do with them the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone this is the final way that God will deal with sin what is our view of sin this is the question coming back to me personally how do I look at sin when you think about creation the flood God's son on the cross and the final judgment that should form our opinion shape our view of sin maybe a little bit deeper it has really when I look at these judgments and the way

[34:23] God dealt with sin these three times it has gripped me in a new way and I wonder can we come to a place where we too hate sin much more than we do appreciated the opening this morning that Vern shared he was alluding to some of this as well can we allow God to instill a deep hatred of sin and what it does to our lives and a fear a reverent fear of a holy God and his eternal judgment you know God had repented it had grieved him that he had made man because of their sin then he came down and bled and died for mankind I think that is actually the harsher judgment of sin

[35:23] God came and died for us again because of sin the harsh judgment was on the cross when all of God's wrath was poured out God himself paying the penalty and satisfying his wrath over sin do you and I sometimes think too lightly of sin of telling a lie or stealing something or cheating how about a selfish heart serving self serving self instead of serving others I'm going to read a little list here this is an incomplete list of sin but they are types of sin that God reveals in the

[36:36] Bible this comes out of a list from answers in Genesis not loving God with your whole being irreverent use of God's holy name coveting your neighbor's things blaspheming God's name whining and complaining and by the way each one of these has a scripture beside it I mean a verse verses to back it up speaking ill of your parents division among brothers sexual immorality loving yourself too much second timothy free one talking to the dead that's a real thing forsaking the church Hebrews 10 25 not loving your neighbor disobedience to God unforgiveness laziness pornography loving money crude joking idol worship making idols substance abuse gluttony stealing cursing anger bribery abortion adultery hypocrisy gossip greed sorcery murder lying slander lust hate and pride pride maybe being the root of all the others and that's an incomplete list

[38:12] Bible has more but sometimes it's good to just name some of those because we look at sin as well but doesn't love cover a multitude of sins does God really hate sin if we think about the judgments that we have seen so far and the judgment to come I think we know the answer but the most drastic event of all I believe has been when Jesus went on the cross and he paid for all the sin the worst sin that ever was committed has been paid in full by the blood of the lamb and I'm so grateful for that that we can have that reality that assurance that we can know that yeah yeah I was that but Jesus did something inside he transformed me

[39:20] I don't like sin anymore I don't have to be defeated by sin anymore so what is baptism so what is baptism this afternoon I think it's several different things but the confirmation that you have accepted by faith right by believing by faith accepted that the penalty of your sin has been paid and you've put all your trust in the Lord Jesus Christ his blood was shed for us for you and all that believe and that it's a testimony that we've turned from our sin and allowed him

[40:24] Jesus to be the master of our life it's also sealing your faith that commitment to following Jesus your future right the future that will follow Jesus no matter what a deep commitment it symbolizes to the world to all the believers and to the angels and to the fallen angels that you belong to Jesus right there's a new ownership there's a new boss there's a new I don't like calling boss but king how about a king lord of lords and he owns you now and he will lead you to greener pastors you know life's journey can be very rough at times being a christian doesn't make life that easy can actually make it rougher in some ways think about the christians being persecuted for their faith but may this be a day for you jasmine that will always give you courage and resolve to keep on keep pressing on and those of us that have been baptized and have been walking with god that we would be encouraged and inspired and that we can claim that promise that if we confess our sins our sin nature that thing in us that wants to bend towards sin that's the nature that we receive that we inherited but if we confess that that he is faithful he is just to forgive us and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness i was thinking about that this morning what does that mean we understand forgiving our past sin right but what is cleansing us from all unrighteousness how deep is that to be cleansed i look at that as in going forward that we can be cleansed from all unrighteousness not just from the past but that we are clean soldiers of the cross when it says that god is faithful and just to forgive us and cleanse us you can have one thousand percent confidence that that is how it is you know if you'd be looking to me or to man your parents that somehow they'll get you into heaven you couldn't be very sure of that but when god says that he is faithful and just you can bank on it that is how it is he doesn't just forgive us he also makes us clean he straightens up our messed up lives he cleanses it he makes it clean he gives us a clean slate and then he promises us a comforter the holy spirit to guide us you have no excuse man is without excuse hebrews says how shall we escape if we neglect so great

[44:25] a salvation there is no escape is the answer to that man is without excuse jesus has done everything that he could have possibly done so now we have the holy spirit to give us this new life christ living through us now it's his life living through us what a miracle what a wonderful life apostle paul said it is no more i that live but christ in me that can be our testimony it needs to be it's christ when i speak it's jesus that you hear is it when we speak do people hear jesus or is it still selfish me on the throne i on the throne or is it christ that people see and hear but this is the reality of christianity this is the difference of actually being a christian versus just being religious and acting like one you know people try to act like christians but when christ is flowing through you and it's christ in you the hope of glory then you're not just an acting christian you become one you are one and the acts just come out of that right the fruits just come out you don't have to try you have to pretend it becomes your nature we naturally our nature has changed you know last sunday we were with people that most of us probably and most of christianity would probably look at them as being quite religious still or some kind of a religious organization or system and how should i say maybe the appearance and some of the traditions but there was a life there there's a life in many of them who saw something deeper than just the outward acts of tradition there was a life there was a real zeal there of desire a hunger for god a reality of god and i believe jesus is setting them free and i just point that out to say that it's not always how we think or what we see on the outside it's what's on the inside that burns inside of a person whether it's whatever setting it might be so i want to encourage you to follow jesus with all your heart not just me jasmine but all of us that we follow jesus with all our heart he will never lead you astray stay near to his word and especially young people if you have questions questions it's really hard to grow without questions it's hard to grow when you have all the answers you're stuck you have all the answers but it's good to ask questions find the most godly people you know many times those are

[48:25]  our own parents and ask questions about the word of god and things it is good to learn in other words what i'm saying is be teachable allow god to teach us have a note here once you think you know everything yourself you are you are treading on dangerous ground but this journey with jesus is worth it it's worth every trial every fear you mentioned that you're kind of scared earlier you know it's worth it's worth every fear every trial we face every hardship every heartache life is a journey but it will be worth it all shall we stand and we'll pray together let's god we come to you and father our hearts are just overjoyed this morning lord especially as we think of another soul committing her life to you another young person that wants to follow jesus for the rest of her life lord that is worthy of praise to you lord only you can do that and father today we just want to acknowledge that you hate sin and that you died to cleanse us from that awful thing called sin father we just want to to be considerate and we want to have your heart on this matter and understand maybe in a deeper way that that you hate even the smallest sin the things that trip us up and and sometimes are just selfish thoughts or whatever it is that we have to deal with lord i pray that you would help us to just put our trust in you again and to understand that you came to cleanse us from all unrighteousness every unrighteous thought that we ever had lord you came to cleanse us from that you shed your blood and we we marvel at that great event that great sacrifice that you made just by coming to this earth even that alone is such a sacrifice that you made jesus but then you were mocked and forsaken and rejected and and went to a cross and you died a horrible death you took upon yourself the payment the penalty of our sin lord we thank you this morning we worship you and we help us to realize the great cost of our sin and to never forget it we thank you lord we worship you and praise you or just be with us be with each of us lord this afternoon and especially with jasmine we just pray you bless her day we pray this in jesus name amen you may be seated hi you you you you you you you you you you