Sermon Companion
Key Scripture: Joshua 7:10-12
10 The Lord said to Joshua, “Get up! Why have you fallen on your face? 11 Israel has sinned; they have transgressed my covenant that I commanded them; they have taken some of the devoted things; they have stolen and lied and put them among their own belongings. 12 Therefore the people of Israel cannot stand before their enemies. They turn their backs before their enemies, because they have become devoted for destruction. I will be with you no more, unless you destroy the devoted things from among you.
Devotional:
Secrets sin begins with a choice. Whether it’s a choice we make or a choice someone else makes that affects us, it always starts with someone pursuing the things that God commands to be set apart in ways outside his will. Relationships, pleasure, ambition, control, material prosperity – all of these things and more begin as good things and turn destructive outside of God’s design. God cannot bless rebellion. And often we experience His removal of blessing as the removing His presence and grace from that area of our lives and allowing us to experience the friction and consequences of trying to live outside of His good design.
The solution may be difficult: killing the sin or letting go of the desire gone wrong and turning to Him in trust. But it is worth it for His presence.
Reflection Questions:
Is there an area of your life in which you are experiencing consistent friction? If you examine it honestly, can you say you’ve completely surrendered it to God with no strings attached for the outcome?
Key Scripture: Genesis 3:8-10
8 And they heard the sound of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and the man and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God among the trees of the garden. 9 But the Lord God called to the man and said to him, “Where are you?”10 And he said, “I heard the sound of you in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked, and I hid myself.”
Devotional:
Ever since the first sin in the Garden of Eden, mankind has been hiding from God. In shame we choose to try to shield ourselves from God and others because of our sins and failures. We can hide through denial that we have issues, through constantly managing the narrative about ourselves, or through just shrinking away, it makes no difference. It’s all still hiding. We believe we’re escaping the worst of the consequences, but we don’t realize that hiding is its own form of prison. And in that prison we miss out on the real, abundant life that Jesus offers us (John 10:10). Someone once said, Satan’s first victory in our lives is when we fall to temptation to sin. His second victory is when we hide and live in shame.
Reflection Questions:
Take an honest look at your life right now. Are there areas of it where you are hiding in the prison of shame? What do you believe would be the consequences if you didn’t hide anymore? Could it be better than how you’re living now?
Key Scripture: 1 John 1:7-9
7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin. 8 If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. 9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
Devotional:
The only solution to hiding is beginning to bring our whole lives into the light and live there. Confession is the way we do that. The first and most important confession is to God. And when we confess humbly to Him, scripture says He is faithful and just to forgive us of our sins and failures and to cleanse us from the relational consequences of them. When we confess our sins and failings to Him, the Father sees us through the blood of Jesus, not dirty, but beautiful and new. He takes away our guilt and gives us the righteousness of Jesus (2 Corinthians 5:21). This means that not only is our guilt removed, but to God it is as if we lived perfectly as Jesus did – that’s our new status. The theological term for this is imputation, meaning we are credited with Jesus’ good works. This is a wildly beautiful gift.
Reflection Questions:
Have you confessed your sins and made the decision to follow Jesus? If not, what’s holding you back? If you have, do you make honest confession to God a regular habit? How would the regular habit of walking in the light make your life different?
Key Scriptures: 1 John 1:7; James 5:16
7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin.
16 Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working.
Devotional:
The only solution to hiding is beginning to bring our whole lives into the light and live there. Confession is the way we do that. The second most important confession we practice (after confession to God) is confession to one another. We receive forgiveness when we confess to God (removal of our guilt). We receive healing when we confess to others (removal of our shame). It’s not because God can’t heal us of shame himself – sometimes He does. But He’s created us to respond to the power of another person sitting across from us saying, “Hey, thank you for sharing. God sees and has forgiven you and loves you. And I do too. Now, let me help you move forward.” Honest confession creates a bond of trust, fellowship, and healing in those who are humbly practicing it together. It reminds us that we are not alone. It combats the lies that the Enemy wants us to believe about ourselves – namely that we can never be worthy of love and acceptance if we are fully known. We help each other remember who we are in Christ. And we become agents of healing in the world when we live in His grace!
Reflection Questions:
Do you have someone to whom you’re regularly confessing? If not, why not? What is holding you back? Who could you begin that kind of relationship with? Make the ask.
Key Scripture: Galatians 6:1-2
Brothers, if anyone is caught in any transgression, you who are spiritual should restore him in a spirit of gentleness. Keep watch on yourself, lest you too be tempted. 2 Bear one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.
Devotional:
Confession is a deeply important practice in the lives of Jesus followers. But we need to do it well in order for it to be good and effective in our lives. Here are the 5 principles from Sunday’s sermon:
Consequences are not your ultimate enemy. We’re all afraid, and usually we’re mostly afraid of the opinions of others. We can deal with our secrets for a time and get on the path to healing or waste our lives dealing with them, always paying for them and never being done. It’s our choice.
Confess appropriately. Knowledge can be a burden, so confess to people who are appropriate, in ways that are appropriate. Age, gender, power dynamics, wisdom, demeanor, relationship, and safety matter. Ask if they would be willing to hear your story. Walking in the light with others does not always mean every person should receive the same level of personal disclosure from you.
Confession is often a process. It’s a pattern and a discipline that we commit to, often not a one-time deal. Healing takes time, and depending on your story, healing might involve a friend, a mentor, a recovery group, a pastor, a counselor or a combination of these people. We’re not looking for quick fixes. We’re looking to become people of honor and integrity, free of shame. Patterns that have been years in the making don’t resolve immediately. Commit to the process.
Confession is for healing. It’s not just to make us feel better, though that is usually a by-product at some point. Healing often hurts before we feel relief. And that’s because we must learn to view our sin and failings honestly. Approach with humility.
If someone confesses to you: don’t freak out. Thank them for trusting you. Keep your face and strong emotions in check. Ask good, curious questions. Prayerfully help to connect patterns in love. Seek help or more knowledge if you feel inadequate. It’s not your job to fix. It’s your job to help them get help.
Reflection questions:
What has been your experience with a relationship that involved confession? In what ways have you had it go wrong or right? Would you be willing to be a safe person that someone could confide in? Would you be willing to reciprocate that confidence?
Key Scriptures: Mark 5:18-19; 1 Peter 3:15-16
18 As he was getting into the boat, the man who had been possessed with demons begged him that he might be with him. 19 And he did not permit him but said to him, “Go home to your friends and tell them how much the Lord has done for you, and how he has had mercy on you.”
15 but in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect, 16 having a good conscience, so that, when you are slandered, those who revile your good behavior in Christ may be put to shame.
Devotional:
Confession isn’t only about confessing sin. Part of confessing is telling the stories of the goodness of God in our lives – confessing Christ to those who believe and don’t yet believe. Our stories, yes, even our wounds, struggles, and repented-of sins, are powerful witnesses to God’s working in the world and in our lives. Stories are powerful. In the telling of these stories, we can help bring healing, encouragement, and faith to a darkened world. Ultimately, the story of our lives and of our following Jesus shouldn’t be kept to ourselves. God can use all the part of our story, even the pain, to encourage others and bring them closer to Him. The good news is that we don’t need degrees or the ability to preach and teach to tell a story – just a willingness to bear witness to God’s working in our lives.
Reflection Questions:
Can you coherently and relatively succinctly tell the story of how you came to Jesus and how you’ve seen God move in your life? It can take a little practice to do it well because sometimes we haven’t thought it through as a coherent whole. Try quickly mapping out the major beats of your life through the lens of how God was moving in each. Then, try telling the story of your life to someone. It can be a very cool, relationship-growing experience.