Hey! Can You Accept Forgiveness?
Introduction
2 Sam 12:1-9 and Others
1 Then the LORD sent Nathan to David. And he came to him, and said, "There were two men in one city, the one rich and the other poor. 2 "The rich man had a great many flocks and herds. 3 "But the poor man had nothing except one little ewe lamb Which he bought and nourished; and it grew up together with him and his children. It would eat of his bread and drink of his cup and lie in his bosom, and was like a daughter to him. 4 Now a traveler came to the rich man, and he was unwilling to take from his own flock or his own herd, to prepare for the wayfarer who had come to him; rather he took the poor man's ewe lamb and prepared it for the man who had come to him." 5 Then David's anger burned greatly against the man, and he said to Nathan, "As the LORD lives, surely the man who has done this deserves to die. 6 "And he must make restitution for the lamb fourfold, because he did this thing and had no compassion." 7 Nathan then said to David, "You are the man! Thus says the LORD God of Israel, 'It is I who anointed you king over Israel and it is I who delivered you from the hand of Saul. 8 'I also gave you your master's house and your master's wives into your care, and I gave you the house of Israel and Judah; and if {that had been} too little, I would have added to you many more things like these! 9 'Why have you despised the word of the LORD by doing evil in His sight? You have struck down Uriah the Hittite with the sword, have taken his wife to be your wife, and have killed him with the sword of the sons of Ammon. (NAS)
Can you accept forgiveness? I mean for the worse sins you have committed. Today I want to sight the lives of several Biblical characters to illustrate the acceptance of forgiveness. First we will look at King David.
I. David, Can You Accept Forgiveness?
A. David Despised the Word of the Lord. v 9 a
9 Why have you despised the word of the LORD by doing evil in His sight?
B. David Committed Manslaughter. v 9 b
". . . You have struck down Uriah the Hittite with the sword, have taken his wife to be your wife, and have killed him with the sword of the sons of Ammon. (NAS)
C. David Committed Adultery. v 9 c
". . . have taken his wife to be your wife, and have killed him with the sword of the sons of Ammon.
Illustration Let's ask David if he accepted forgiveness. Ps 32:1-2
1 How blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered! 2 How blessed is the man to whom the LORD does not impute iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no deceit! (NAS)
Application Ps 32:10-11
10 Many are the sorrows of the wicked; but he who trusts in the LORD, lovingkindness shall surround him. 11 Be glad in the LORD and rejoice, you righteous ones, and shout for joy, all you who are upright in heart. (NAS)
II. Paul, Can You Accept Forgiveness?
A. Paul was . . Hostile to the Name of Jesus. Acts 26:9
"So then, I thought to myself that I had to do many things hostile to the name of Jesus of Nazareth.
B. Paul was . . Hostile to the Christian People. Acts 26:9
"And this is just what I did in Jerusalem; not only did I lock up many of the saints in prisons, having received authority from the chief priests, but also when they were being put to death I cast my vote against them. (NAS)
Illustration
Let's ask Paul if he accepted forgiveness. 1 Tim 1:15-17
15 It is a trustworthy statement, deserving full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, among whom I am foremost {of all.} 16 And yet for this reason I found mercy, in order that in me as the foremost, Jesus Christ might demonstrate His perfect patience, as an example for those who would believe in Him for eternal life.
Application
17 Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only God, {be} honor and glory forever and ever. Amen. (NAS)
The forgiveness of sin is for Non-Christian and Christian alike.
Every once in a while someone will say but that happened before they were a Christian. A Christian can be forgive even though he or she knew better. God's grace is sufficient.
III. Simon Peter, Can You Accept Forgiveness?
A. Simon Denied the Lord Three Times. Luke 22:57-62
57 But he denied {it,} saying, "Woman, I do not know Him." 58 And a little later, another saw him and said, "You are {one} of them too!" But Peter said, "Man, I am not!" 59 And after about an hour had passed, another man {began} to insist, saying, "Certainly this man also was with Him, for he is a Galilean too." 60 But Peter said, "Man, I do not know what you are talking about." And immediately, while he was still speaking, a cock crowed. 61 And the Lord turned and looked at Peter. And Peter remembered the word of the Lord, how He had told him, "Before a cock crows today, you will deny Me three times." 62 And he went out and wept bitterly. (NAS)
Illustration - Did Simon accept forgiveness of these sins? Who was the preacher God used on the day of Pentecost?
B. Simon Showed Partiality to Jewish People. Gal 2:11-12
11 But when Cephas came to Antioch, I opposed him to his face, because he stood condemned. 12 For prior to the coming of certain men from James, he used to eat with the Gentiles; but when they came, he {began} to withdraw and hold himself aloof, fearing the party of the circumcision. (NAS)
Illustration - Did Simon accept forgiveness? 2 Pet 3:15
15 and regard the patience of our Lord {to be} salvation; just as also our beloved brother Paul, according to the wisdom given him, wrote to you, (NAS)
Application
Can you see you live and some of your sins in the life of Simon?
IV. Mark, Can You Accept Forgiveness?
A. Mark sinned in Quitting. Acts 13:13
13 Now Paul and his companions put out to sea from Paphos and came to Perga in Pamphylia; and John (Mark) left them and returned to Jerusalem. (NAS) (Underlined JaMc. Acts 12:12)
B. Marks Sin Caused Brothers to disagree. Acts 15:37-40
37 And Barnabas was desirous of taking John, called Mark, along with them also. 38 But Paul kept insisting that they should not take him along who had deserted them in Pamphylia and had not gone with them to the work. 39 And there arose such a sharp disagreement that they separated from one another, and Barnabas took Mark with him and sailed away to Cyprus. 40 But Paul chose Silas and departed, being committed by the brethren to the grace of the Lord. (NAS)
Illustration - Did Mark accept forgiveness. 2 Tim 4:11
11 Only Luke is with me. Pick up Mark and bring him with you, for he is useful to me for service.
Application
Can you accept forgiveness for your sins of quitting? Of doing a poor job with an assignment God gave you?
Conclusion
A young girl once ran away from home to get married. Her father was very angry and said that he would never forgive her. She was sorry to have grieved her father and wrote him long letters begging for his forgiveness; however he took no notice. By and by, the daughter had a little son.
When the boy was old enough to run about alone, she said to herself, "I will write no more letters to my father, but I will send my little son. He shall be a living letter. My father will know what I want to say to him when he sees his little grandson. He will know that I still love him and want his forgiveness."
So she took the little boy to his grandfather's house and sent him in alone to speak to her father. She bade him to put his arms around his grandfather's neck and kiss him. When the little fellow did this, the old man's heart melted. He sent at once for the mother and forgave her.
You see, the grandson accomplished what the mother could not. I want to conclude with the truth. The Son, Jesus, can accomplish what you and I can not. Forgiveness in found in Jesus the Son of God!