Sermon by Al Neumann
Matthew 10:32: "Whoever acknowledges me before men, I will also acknowledge him before my Father in heaven."
In a court of law and with announcing the gospel there are a number of words that correspond or interact together.
Such as credible witness: A person who gives testimony. In a court of law this is something that is used all the time. In announcing the gospel, we give the testimony of our relationship with Christ and our relationship with each other as always a credible witness. It is something that when it operates in a court of law and when it operates in announcing the gospel. That is when both of them work at their best.
Testify: To give evidence, to establish or prove a fact. We are a credible witness to God announcing the gospel.
Profess: To proclaim publicly in a court of law or announcing the gospel.
Confess: Confession of guilt interacts with confession of sin. A court of law is similar to the gospel message.
The confession of sin is part of the gospel message. The peace of God calls us to the place where our deep gladness and the world's deep hunger meet. We have been issued a summons to announce the gospel. A summons is to confess, and that is the purpose of the message. The word to confess in Hebrew, Greek and English all have a twofold reference, the confession of faith and the confession of sin.
The Confession of Faith: To declare publicly and personal relationship with and allegiance to God.
Hebrews 3:1: "Therefore, holy brothers, who share in the heavenly calling, fix your thoughts on Jesus, the apostle and high priest whom we confess."
The Confession of Sin: It acknowledges sin and guilt.
1 John 8:9: "If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness."
God says we are sinners. When we confess sin we agree with God and admit our guilt. The church is also summoned to confess. The church in her confession identified herself before many witnesses with the good confession of her crucified and risen Savior. Her confession of faith and sin is a sign that the old man is dead with Christ and that she is possessed by her Lord whom she is commissioned to serve.
The church is not only responsible for getting the word out, but through the Spirit's leading to get the message in. And for the most part this means personal encounters. Jesus is the friend of sinners and He has chosen believers to represent His friendship to the lost and get the light of the message through. The confession of faith and the confession of sin are an inseparable pair.
One without the other is like having apple pie without the apples. Here is how they are inseparable. Confession of Jesus Christ is linked intimately with the confession of sins. To confess Christ is to confess that He died for our sins. Christ has already has confessed our sins to God.
Hebrews 12:2: "Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfector of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God."
Christ has already confessed our sins on the cross. Let us keep our eyes fixed on Jesus on whom our faith depends from beginning to end. He did not give up because of the cross. On the contrary, because of the joy that was waiting for Him, He thought nothing of dying on the cross and He is now seated at the right side of God's throne.
Confession Christ is like putting a label on a can. The label confesses what is inside the can. When the believer attaches the label of confessing Christ we know who is inside.
Also on that label stamped in big letters is made in Christ.
Matthew 10:32: "Whoever acknowledges me before men, I will also acknowledge him before my Father in heaven."
The one who confesses Christ, admits belonging to Christ. Confessing Christ before men, clearly indicated that a public confession of a true Christian faith is a virtual necessity. Confession works against the worst part of the human nature, the part that imagines itself to be better than it really is. Dual confession is a pride buster.
1 Corinthians 12:3: "Therefore I tell you that no one who is speaking by the Spirit of God says, 'Jesus be cursed,' and no one can say, 'Jesus is Lord,' except by the Holy Spirit."
The Holy Spirit is in operation with steady influence. The Holy Spirit motivates, stimulates and provokes the human spirit. The Holy Spirit brings us through every situation. Our salvation comes from God.
Philippians 2:9-11: "Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father."
Some day a unanimous agreement will fill the earth. Every tongue should confess.
Romans 10:8-9: "But what does it say? 'The word is near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart,' that is, the word of faith we are proclaiming: That if you confess with your mouth, 'Jesus is Lord,' and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved."
Salvation involves inward belief with the heart as well as outward belief with the mouth. We are acquitted of the crime of sin. That criminal felon sin no longer has control. Faith brings a not guilty verdict. Knowing Christ died that is history. Believing He died for you and me that is salvation.
2 Corinthians 3:2-3: "You yourselves are our letter, written on our hearts, known and read by everybody. You show that you are a letter from Christ, the result of our ministry, written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of human hearts."
Pride is the supporter of sin. Rebellious pride refuses to depend on God. Pride honors the wrong spirit. Pride is the very root and supporter of sin. We need a pride buster. We have a pride buster in Jesus Christ.
John 1:27: "He is the one who comes after me, the thongs of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie."
This is humility at its best.
Luke 5:8: "When Simon Peter saw this, he fell at Jesus' knees and said, 'Go away from me, Lord; I am a sinful man!'"
Peter recognized God's work through Jesus Christ.
1 John 4:15-16: "If anyone acknowledges that Jesus is the Son of God, God lives in him and he in God. And so we know and rely on the love God has for us. God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in him."
The place God calls us to is the place where our deep gladness and the world's deep hunger meet. Jesus the Son of God was John and Peter's pride buster. He is our pride buster also.
Sermon summary prepared by local Glendora church member Charlie Schreiner.