Still Want Me, Jesus?...But I Have Sinned!

Still Want Me, Jesus?...But I Have Sinned!

 “Deny you three times…before the rooster crows? Never, Jesus! I ‘m here for you!”

And as Jesus was handcuffed and taken away, Peter fled in fear. He ran to the palace where Jesus would be put on trial.

Soon Jesus would be hung on a rugged cross and die a wretched, death. Soon the preachers would mock Him, the Son of God, as He died to forgive their sins. Soon Satan, the prince of darkness, would lift his goblet of wine and celebrate the death of his arch enemy.

But before the first nail pierced the hand of the Savior, Peter, the devoted disciple, denied ever knowing Him.

He stood with others, warming himself at the fire pit.

“I know who you are! You walked with this Jesus of

Nazareth.”

“Are you out of your mind, crazy? I don’t know that man.”

That’s once!

“You belong to Jesus. I can tell by the way you talk.”

“Shut up, woman. This Jesus is a stranger to me.”

That’s twice!

“I’ve seen you with Jesus!”

Fury registered on Peter’s face. “I don’t know this Jesus #$@&%*!”

That’s thrice!

And the rooster crowed. Peter remembered the words of Jesus. Running from the crowd he fell on his face in the dirt of the

earth—and wept—bitterly.

But God knew. He knew Peter would tell

the world about Jesus. Peter had fallen—needed to change. And when Jesus arose from the dead Peter turned to Jesus and asked forgiveness.  Read Peter’s words below.

"Now it's time to change your ways! Turn to face God so he can wipe away your sins, pour out showers of blessing to refresh you”

Acts 3:19

That’s what Peter did. He humbled himself. And God who is rich in mercy picked him up and wiped away all of Peter’s tears!

Dear Lord, I humble myself before You. I have sinned in this _______________. Please forgive me. Thank you. I love You so!

Guilty!

Called to Greatness...Called to Impact! 

Great Men are Humble before God

Guilty!

“I know how bad I've been; my sins are staring me down.’

Psalm 51:3 (MSG)

David was bored and when he saw beautiful Bathsheba bathing—that was it!

“Oh, baby! She’s what I need. Married to me? No.

Married to another? No bother. I’m king. I can do anything.”

“Get me that girl… tonight!”

And Bathsheba came—like a little lamb. David took one look at

her, pulled her

into his arms, kissed her lovely face, and crossed the boundaries of

holy matrimony.

It didn’t matter that Uriah, Bathsheba’s husband, was in battle that very night

risking his life for his king. David got what he wanted!

The plot thickens. “David, I’m pregnant.”

The cover up

“General Joab, send Uriah home. He needs time at home…with his wife.”

“Sir, yes, sir!”

Uriah came home but slept outside the king’s gate. “Why aren’t you home?”

“Enjoy my wife while all the army of Israel camps outside in the open field?”

David fussed, “Lordy, Lordy, some sticky situation. How can I come out smelling like a rose?”

“General Joab!”

“Sir, yes, sir!”

“Put Uriah the Hittite on the front line of battle when the fighting gets tough.”

And so a noble soldier fell in battle and David made Bathsheba his wife.

But God saw

Nathan, the prophet, was listening. “What’s that you say about David, Lord?”  

Nathan packed his donkey and headed for Jerusalem.

“David, you have sinned against God! Much trouble will come to your family.”

“Aw, come on God. I just wanted a little fun. You made me this way. Others have done far worse.”

David didn’t say that! He made no excuse.

 He fell on his face. 

“Against you only have I sinned and done this evil in your sight.”

And God forgave David—immediately!

King David was called a man after God’s own heart. Why?—because he humbled

himself before God.

        Guilt had hung over him like a club.

                      He was tired of pretending.

          He wanted to be close to God—again. 

He repented!

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         This is greatness—humility before God for sin.
Dear Lord, Please forgive me for this sin_____________. I was wrong.

But on the Third Day!

  But on the Third Day
“'The Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men,
be crucified and on the third day be raised again.' "
    Luke 24:7 (NIV)

                        Did he say if …again?

     “’If he be the king of Israel, let him now come down from the cross: and we will believe him.’” (Matthew 27:42n GNT)

    “‘If you are the king of the Jews, save yourself.’"                  (Matt.23:37NIV)

    “‘If you are the Messiah, save yourself and us!’"(Luke 23:39 HNV)

Satan - “Ha! Look at the mighty Jesus now. He’s so pitiful. He didn’t even put up a fight.  Crown me king. Let the party begin!”  (Laughter shakes the gates of hell.)

Heartbroken disciples stand in the rain as thunder, lightning and earthquake, shatter their hopes. He was gone. Really gone! How they had hoped for a miracle… but there was no miracle. Evil got its way. They had looked for Messiah all their lives. Their dream had died. 

They would take Him down from the cross. They would bury Him and come later to put more perfume on His body. It was the least they could do…it was all they could do.

                                                            But… three days later.

Hell’s Demons – (screaming) “What have you do with us, Jesus?”

Jesus – (His eyes, piercing and full of fury) “Give me the keys—now!”

Satan – (Bowing) He hands over the keys of hell and death and runs.
   
Rising above the cruelty of those who crucified Him, Jesus spoke up for you. “It is finished!” Jesus did what He came to do… make a way for your forgiveness…a way for you to become His child.

                                You are free. There are no more ifs.                          

“Christ redeemed us from that self-defeating, cursed life by absorbing it completely into himself. Do you remember the Scripture that says, ‘Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree’? That is what happened when Jesus was nailed to the Cross:
He became a curse, and at the same time dissolved the curse.”
Galatians 3:13 (MSG)
  
 Dear Lord,
        You…are who you say you are.
                                            I… am who you say I am.
                                                                                    No and's, if's or but's!

                                                                                    Not Guilty
                                               “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation;
                                                                     the old has gone, the new has come”
                             II Corinthians 5:17

Once there was a girl who didn’t know how much God loved her…until one horrible, wonderful day. She got caught—red-handed! Everyone said, “ She should die for this. We really got her this time. We always knew she was no good .”
  
There was a problem, however. Jesus just happened to be there. Everyone stopped and listened, “ If you are perfect, if you have never done anything wrong—go ahead—kill her.” Well, they all walked away, one by one.

Then only Jesus and the girl were left. Looking into His eyes of liquid love, she knew no one could love her more than this lovely Jesus.  He set her on her two feet again, “I do not condemn you. You are free. I love and forgive you...completely.” How happy she was. She was forgiven. She was brand new.
 
One of your enemy’s goals is to make you feel guilty. He stirs your bad memories and taunts, “You’re such a looser.”

You aren’t supposed to live like that. Jesus took all your sins. When you make a mistake come to Him. Tell Him everything and get forgiveness. Then your enemy will run. 

Adam and Eve were so ashamed after they disobeyed God. They tried to hide, but He found them. He found them because He loved them. He found them because He had forgiveness for them. And He found them because He still had a plan for them. 

                                      “God is faithful and reliable. If we confess our sins,
                      he forgives them and cleanses us from everything we've done wrong”
                                                                  I John 1:9 GW
        Dear Lord,   
        I am not afraid to talk to You about my mistakes...about anything.