The Sorrow of Sin

Lent period is a special season for my people (TMC, Tamil Settlement). The church strictly observes lent and we have Worship Services for the 40 days. The lay people (lay preachers) together with the Pastor will take their turns preaching in the services. Yesterday (4th Feb), it came to me by suprise to preach in the service. I was actually scheduled to preach this Friday (6th), but then the scheduled preacher was taken ill. So, my boss asked me for a favor a day before. By God's grace with the very limited time i had to prepare and preach on Psalms 51 (set text). I really felt a very strong presence of the Holy Spirit when i preached this time around. I believe God extended a special grace to me in the midst of all the limitations. Many were blessed by the word. So, as usual, i want to share it with all of you. God bless.

Psalms 51: 1-11.
This psalm was written by king David as a lament of repentance for the sin he committed in 2 Samuel 11. The sin of David was brought to his own attention by the prophet Nathan who was the kings prophet (2 Sam 12). This psalm was written by David in a broken situation, a situation full of guilt and when he had lost the peace of his mind. The psalm also explains to us the sorrows that sin can bring to a person.

I. Sin defiles us – hinders worship.
When we sin against God, we defile ourselves. In the Old Testament understanding, whoever is defiled can not enter the tabernacle of God where God resides. Thus, the ceremonial cleansing is essential for the defiled person in order for him to enter into God’s presence and worship Him. Those who came into God's presence to worship and serve Him had to be clean. David correctly viewed his sin (falling short of what God requires) as making the worship and service of a holy God impossible. Thus in (vs. 2) and (vs. 7), David pleads God cleanse him thoroughly so that he can continue worshipping and staying in relation with YHWH.

Sin also defiles our heart (vs. 10) – we cannot see God with an unclean heart (Matt 5:8)

II. Sin causes sorrow and lost of joy
(vs. 8) In this verse, David request God to renew the lost joy. Truly, David has fractured his relationship with God and thus, he has lost the joy and peace in life. David illustrates this lost of joy as if it pained him as much as a broken bone. A person who has a broken bone the intensity of the pain. Likewise a broken bone also hinders a person to naturally perform his daily chores. Likewise, David’s sin has cause him some forms of handicap in his daily living. He knew something was not right. He was a God ordained king, yet his sin made him to live a guilt filled life until then.

David also experienced lost of joy and peace in his own family.
a. Ammon raped Tamar (Ammon raped his half sister - both were David's children)

b. Absalom murdered Ammon (As vengence - Tamar's brother killed his half brother, Ammon)

c. Absalom turned the people against David

d. Absalom attempted to take the throne.

e. Absalom lost his own life

Sin leads us into a sorrowful path of life that is filled with sadness, unhappiness and guilt that will eventual cripples a person.

III. Sin Causes God’ Judgment and rejection
Verse 11. David pleads to God not to reject him. Casting away from God's presence implies a rejection as God's servant. Saul had suffered such a fate for his continuing rebellion against Yahweh. In Old Testament times God gave His Holy Spirit selectively (to empower only some believers) and temporarily (primarily to empower them for special acts of service).
However, in the New Testament context, since the day of Pentecost all believers enjoy the permanent indwelling of the Holy Spirit (John 14:17; Rom. 8:9). Consequently the possibility of God's withdrawing His Spirit from David was a real one for him, but it is not for us. It is possible that a Christian may lose his or her opportunities to serve the Lord, however (1 Cor. 9:27). For example, a Christian who gets involved in gross sin will not lose his or her salvation (John 10:28-29), but he or she may lose the opportunity to serve God in a leadership capacity.
But as for David, his sin will cause him to lose his salvation. A total abandonment by God. So he pleads for God’s mercy.

Conclusion:There were more regrets then joy for David in his kingship because of his sin. The story of David should alert us the damaging power of sin. Sin is able to strip us of peace and joy and above all slowly but surely separate us from God’s presence. The sorrowful paths on which sin can drive us eventually lead us to eternal destruction and misery both in this life and the life to come.