1084. Your Heart has More Sin than You Realize

Welcome to The Daily Platform from Bob Jones University in Greenville South Carolina today on The Daily Platform with your sermon from Rev. Chris Anderson. He's the president of church works media, which publishes gospel songs and devotional books including the gospel meditation series, a senior pastor at Killian Hill Baptist Church in Lilburn, Georgia. Please permit me to Luke chapter 2220 to be a running start were in the last 24 hours of the life of Christ before he goes to Calvary to be crucified. He has met with the disciples in the upper room. He has taken a towel and wash their dirty feet. He has taught them. John 1415 and 16, where he tells them that he's going away send the comforter all of his focus is on them.

Even though he's coming up to it. A dreadful time. He hasn't yet gotten to the garden of Gethsemane, where he prayed that deep prayer agonizing over being separated from the father being made us a curse on taking our sin on him. He has instituted the Lord's table kind of observing the last Old Testament Passover and then turning into the first New Testament Passover and then on the heels of that we have the discussion that we come to today powerful passage is a passage that angers me passage that saddens me.

It frightens me and it convicts me, but it also offers tremendous comfort by the grace of the Lord Jesus, I want you to compare the hardness of the disciples with the mercy of Jesus. As we read some Luke chapter 22 we begin reading in verse 24 actually go back to verse 23 he had just been telling them that one of them would would betray him, speaking of Judas, but they didn't know.

So verse 23 says they began to inquire among themselves which of them it was the should do this thing, so they're arguing about who might be the betrayer.

But then that I quickly morphs into a different argument. Verse 24 says there was also strife among them which of them should be accounted the greatest and he said unto them, the kings of the Gentiles exercise lordship over them and they that exercise authority upon them are called benefactors, but you shall not be so. But he that is greatest among you.

B is the younger, he that is the chief see the death serve for whether is greater, he that sat that meter he the service is not he visited at me but I am among you as he the service year. They which have continued with me in my temptations not appointed to you a kingdom as my father hath appointed unto me, that you may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom and sit on thrones judging the 12 tribes of Israel, the Lord said, Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat. But I have prayed for they that thy faith fail not.

And when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren.

And he said unto him, Lord, I am ready to go with the both into prison and to death and he said I tell the Peter that the concoction will not crow this day before, that thou shalt thrice deny that thou knowest.

This is the word of God was sobering passage begin with this idea and we need to move along quickly but speaking of human frailty and divine grace is one of the darkest moments for the disciples, but against the black velvet of human sin and weakness and frailty. We see them diamond of Jesus, grace and we see it brilliantly. All through the Gospels. I think we see it in a uniquely powerful way in this passage start with this. Just two points today. The first is that your heart has more sin than you realize your heart has more sin than you realize. I said that this passage angers me so frustrated with the disciples. They are tone deaf in their selfishness on their oblivious in their ambition. Jesus is hours away from being betrayed, being arrested being mocked, being beaten, being spit upon being lied about thorns on his brow is his back torn to shreds nailed to a cross alone, suspended between earth and heaven with two centers on his side. He is coming to the worst time that he would ever experience from eternity past returning future as he tells them this there obsessed with their own importance. They are so ambitious to be great so he had washed their feet. He had prayed predicted his betrayal he had predicted his own death. This is my body which is broken for you. He says with the bread and this is my blood, which is shed for you. He says with a cop and with Brad and their teeth and wine on their breath. They fight about which of them would be greatest how sinful, how ambitious the timing is so wrong is not really unusual back in chapter 9 seems like every time they would talk about Jesus would talk about his coming crucifixion.

They would start a fight about who was owing to be the big shot among them. We see in Luke nine verse 43, the remains of the power of God and the miracles Jesus is doing and he said in verse 44 what these things sink down into your ears.

For the Son of Man shall be delivered into the hands of men, but they understood not the saying it was hid from them that they perceived it not they feared asking the saying then there arose a reasoning among them which of them should be greatest Jesus talks of his crucifixion and they start competing with one another to see who's going to be famous who's going to be at the top when I was in high school. There was a song called fame.

The world will remember my name are you and you know there's a modern song talks about standing in the Hall of Fame, the world's gonna know your name really wants to be important and big and remembered even as Jesus is preparing to suffer in their place.

Jesus corrects them and he says to them that the Gentiles act this way. Look at verse 25.

Back in our text Luke 2225. He says the kings of the Gentiles exercise lordship over them. Those who are heavy-handed are called benefactors of guys you don't sound like Christians at all. You sound like Gentiles is not talking ethically to thank you you sound like unbeliever, you sound like the world disciples you been with me for three years watching me heal listening me up to me tonight. Having your feet wash by me, but you still sound more like Herod than like Jesus, he says, you are never more like the world and when you're striving to be important in great but that's not the way it's going to be at my church have given you an example that you want to serve others.

Wilde's teaching of Ken Collier has stuck with me for the last three decades and can Collier teaches a lot of good things but he would especially emphasize that Christianity Christian leadership Christian influence is service that that like Jesus. We are supposed to lay aside our garments to get a towel and wash dirty feet and he would say in the world. You know the big shot Wednesday, but in the kingdom and the church. The one that has the dirtiest towel wins.

Jesus calls us to service but the disciples are ambitious.

There like the world they're not humble like Christ is a lots of bad day for them. What's better for them is going to get worse for Peter jump down with me to verse 31 verse 31 Jesus as rebukes the disciples wentto Peter particular's assignment Simon, behold, Satan has desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat. But pray for you that you feel not. And when you're converted when you come back, strengthen your brother Peter in typical fashion, says Lord that's that's inaccurate I'm I'm ready to go to prison with you. I'm ready to die with you is is Peter tonight before the rooster crows in the morning or to deny the know me three times in court happen just that way. Peter has this not only this tone deaf ambition like the rest of the disciples, but he has this delusional is this delusional confidence. We see it in Matthew are read to a similar passage from Matthew, Jesus is going out to the garden of Gethsemane and he is predicting that they would not depart from him that they would scatter from him. Then in Matthew 26, 33, Peter answered and said to him, though all men be offended because of the yet will I never be offended. So Peter says I Jesus, you and I know these other disciples are sketch you know I made you and me and then these guys these guys are an embarrassment to the word disciples what course I will stick with you. I'm better than them so Peter had had two ideas he he wanted to ride the coattails of Jesus and be great, and he committed himself to Jesus no matter what happened at Denny's told by Jesus that he would deny him three times in Matthew 26 verse 35 Peter argues with Jesus and says, though I should die with the yet will I not deny the middle the other disciples agreed.

So put yourself in Peter shoes Jesus just said Peter Simon.

Simon Satan is after him. Satan, the son of God is warning you that Lucifer, the father of lies. The murderer from the beginning is after you.

You would think this would be a time when Peter would ask for help or or he would pray, or he would weep even forewarn you think you be concerned but instead he talks he protests, he argues with the Lord Jesus is going to fall miserably. You look at the disciples you look at Peter and what I'm saying with that with the main point is that your heart has more sin than you realize. Because these are these are the Bastille's amended Jesus shows they walked with him for three years they served him they they do love him and there's still so selfish there still so self-confident, so I say it angers me, and it saddens me but it frightens me because there's a lot of me in here more sinful than I realize this delusional self-confidence that I would be different course were not there. Such encouragement here in such an unlikely place. Second point I want to consider. Really, the thrust of the message.

This your Savior has more grace than your heart has sent you're so sinful you're so much worse than you think. Yes, you are ambitious, but you're also lustful in your dishonest and end your self absorbed and your unkind and your divisive as who we are by nature Jesus is so much more merciful than we are sinful. Romans five says that where sin abounded, grace abounded even more if you're an arms race between your sin and Jesus mercy Jesus wins every time he loves you so much more than you really if you would realize that the tabs of your need and depravity and he would run to Christ, he is so eager to forgive you to have mercy on you, even to change your character to use you.

John Newton is advanced in years, so was talking to him about religion and he says I don't remember everything, but I remember this I am a great center and Jesus as a great Savior exactly so there is more mercy with Jesus than there is sin with you. Look at the text. Disciples are fighting about vision be greatest.

Even as Jesus prepares to be crucified. He corrects them.

He says you're talking like Gentiles, you should be serving verse 28. It almost feels like there was an accidental copy and paste and this doesn't fit the passage Jesus has for them.

After the rebuke, ye are they which have continued with me in my temptations that I pointed to you a kingdom as my father at the point it on to me that you may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom and sit on thrones judging the 12 tribes of Israel wants. I read this I think the disciples deserve a backhand.

Jesus, you just start over and so you gonna pick another 12 instead he corrects them further argument, but then he says, because the truth is you have stuck with me for three years. Others have departed for me. I would preach hard things and they would leave me you have left all you have followed me, you have stayed with me because words are so kind, so undeserving because these guys are such knuckleheads, but he says you have stayed with me and in fact I am going to reward you.

You will be with me in the kingdom. And here you are arguing about who will be greatest if an argument that all of you will be with me in my kingdom. And you actually will bear authority in my kingdom is words are so kind, in light of their arguing. His words are so ironic in light of the fact that they are hours away from scattering and forsaking him and leaving him alone. It's so bad that when he gets to the garden of Gethsemane and he says to them, pray with me my soul is exceeding sorrowful, even to death please Terry here and watch with me and even then they sleep. Instead of helping up there totally oblivious to his needs. The only one that would comfort him as God sent an angel to Gethsemane to give him strength for what was yet to come. His friends absolutely blew it.

And yet, in his mercy he rebukes them, and he says you have stayed with me. I will reward you in any kind of takes a long term assessment of them. I'm not judging you based on your failure tonight because actually these men would be recovered and they would turn the world upside down and they would all die as martyrs with the one exception of John.

He's tortured and exiled on the Patmos they would be faithful. Tonight was just a really bad night and in mercy, Jesus didn't think that this failure was final. He just keeps grace upon us when we deserved his scorn. If you don't think of Jesus.

This way you're not thinking of him accurately. He delights in mercy, even when he rebukes Peter Peter always arguing with Jesus. Jesus is Peter, you're going to deny me three times and Peter says no I would never fails miserably when he thinks Jesus will be king. He tries to write his coattails to self-promotion when Jesus is arrested in trouble. He denies him in the act of self protection is a manager inconsistent another knotty demo is better for Peter. Every time, and yet in the middle of that. Look at verse 32. The placement of verse 32 is stunning to me Peter you going to deny me, Satan is after you, but I've prayed for you that your faith fail not. And when you are converted when you are recovered, strengthen your brother and that's amazing.

Jesus prays for you Christian who still struggle so much with your send that that's all of you.

That's all of us. Jesus prays for you is not angry at you.

He's burden for you.

He loves you.

And even at this moment. Hebrews 725 says he is able to save us to the uttermost. Since he always lives to make intercession for us. He's praying for us right now. First John two verses one and 2000. John said when you do we have an advocate with the father, Jesus Christ the righteous.

When you said we have Jesus who pleads our case and we read a lot love the him. This is when Satan tempts me to despair and tells me of the Guild within a port. I look and see him there for me and then to all my sin because the sinless Savior died, my sinful soul is counted free for God. The justice satisfied to look on him and pardon me, you don't walk with God because you're so obedient you walk with God because Jesus is so merciful because his power by his blood is so powerful to cleanse you from said it's all grace.

He loves you in spite of you. P delights in forgiveness the new book by a man named Dana Portland called gentle and lowly see it recommended everywhere.

Everybody's reading this book talks about the mercy of Jesus when Jesus in Matthew 11 says come unto me all ye who are weary and heavy laden, give you rest. He says I am meek and lowly of heart.

I am gentle Dana Portland says Jesus sides with you against your sin, not against you because of your sin.

He hates you.excuse me hates your send when it would've been a really that would be a bad excerpt from the sermon the post online. He hates your sin, but he loves you. He quotes Thomas Goodwin, an old Puritan your very sins move him to pity more than to anger when he was saying he's even more merciful to you for the overage of what this ways like you get in a car accident is your first thought. I need to call my dad for help or oh no my daddy to kill me when you said anything. Go God is so mad at me.

God loves you so much he wants you to confess your sin and he is he is faithful and just to forgive you, he's the father on the edge of his seat waiting for the prodigal is not fully his arms not met is not a lecture. He is going to run to you and embrace you, because he's so merciful and even your sin inspires his mercy of basketball. My son already hold and play basketball.

Here he was a good basketball player.

He married my daughter Rebecca. She was not a good basketball player. She played in high school just for a couple years when she first got her uniform to give me. She said dad we begin tomorrow so excited. I have even tried on my costume name is called a uniform. She comes over practices is that I'm not great but my coach told me to practice my layovers yet baby that's a layup. She needed to practice piano or something. Rachel, who is a senior. She's she's good at knitting not bass once I asked her she was the athlete's playing basketball in high school she dives for ball. Her face meets the opponents in the and heard her nose blew up. I didn't of the body had that much blood and it always look like a crime scene so terrible terrible terrible take her to the ER and eventually she has have surgery.

She has the surgery to fix her deviated septum, and I asked the surgeon do we need some medication for pain because it seems like this is really miserable and the guys enjoyed its outpatient surgery to put her under which you may find Advil for doing that night.

One of the longest nights of my life. She's an utter agony is wailing. She said dad why won't it stop that I keep asking God to take it away and won't stop and whisper the whole night just this kind of gripping our hands and rocking together and it was absolutely miserable. Truth be told I should've gone and bought some vodka or something to help her. It was miserable, medicinal, medicinal worksite, one of the worst nights of my life listening as she's suffering I'm her dad's. I don't say asked her why were you so stupid to die for the ball as Sir, I'm tired.

This is costing me money you made a mess. She's actually asking me of God loves me, why doesn't he make the pain stop.

I didn't say*let me talk to you about your theology. I wasn't angry with her.

I was heartbroken because I love her. God is not angry primarily when we sin he so merciful and is ready to forgive.

So Jesus is Peter Lowood so I prayed for you described this as a sifting he says Satan is desired to sift you there's encouragement here.

Satan couldn't come at Peter without divine permission is like Job 1. Satan wants to attack Peter and any catalyst, God suggest, and God gave them permission and you read the passage is a why would God let them do that. What why not just protect Peter. I think the answer is this that Peter was too proud to be used. Stew full of himself, God allowed Satan to work and it didn't sift Peter. It didn't ruin his life. It actually was used of God to humble him and to sift out the chaff so that finally, a humble Peter could be used of God. That's mercy prayed for you that your faith will stand and when you come back with your brothers and that's exactly what happened. The student here in the 90s and I enjoyed my time here very much by God's grace I had them aspiring for ministry and training for ministry at campus leadership opportunities in the doorman society and that was good. Eventually I get to be a GA working in the Dean of men's office.

I thought I had. I had it together. I was all that I got in trouble with the University.

I got expelled.

It was dark, utter failure, abject humiliation. I deserved it. I blew it I was so low, call my mom and I'm disconsolate she doesn't know what to do. She cries with me for no I get a call. She had called Lauren Cook she said I'm worried about my son, would you help him warning Jean Cook call me. Invite me to their house just to encourage me.

Dana Jamie Turner there and I my cars not even working everything falling apart and they say you can borrow artisan for the next week I'm borrowing their car. People tell me just transfer to something else else because so merciful he forgives and he uses us because we are so small he delights to use clay pots he forgives and eventually I come back and even when I came back a year later it was deleted. I was sitting down here in the transaction. Sorry this spicy closing the transaction because I was under spiritual probation. So, a former dean of man's men's staff has to sit in the front of the auditorium. I really pay attention to the sermons that you guys hang in there. You be fine. We were walking on campus absolutely humiliated. I'm going through the library to enroll tenant to sign up for classes. Failure was looking at me whispering, snickering, Ted Miller is behind the desk working and he sees me and walks around the desks. I walked on the desk gives me this huge bear hug… I am so glad to see.

Thank God for friends. God has been so merciful to me tenant to use me, but do you understand God is merciful to use any of us.

We bring us into the equation. He brings grace and he teaches us that were not all that but his grace is sufficient for us That failure need not be final. There is more grace in him. Then sin in us and I'm not telling you is as we closed you will be sending and repenting the rest of your life but you have a Savior who love you so much. He is so ready to forgive you so you don't despair you don't quit and don't walk away you come to him and he is a God identity again.

I'm sorry.

Please have mercy on me. Thank you for the blood of Jesus. And when you are restored. You take some brothers and sisters with you and you keep serving the Lord. Thank God for his great grace, go home and read first Peter chapter 5 Peter's going to write about pastors and he says when you pastor don't lord it over the flock. I don't know for bad motives to be humble me. An example is a Peter said that right Peter said that because God broke camp and then forgave him and fill them with the spirit and use them and I want to do the same with you is so sinful, that is even more gracious through the blood of Jesus Christ. So when you send run to Christ and he forgives and he'll use you in spite of herself or to use your word today to make us marvel and wonder at Jesus like us worship him, Lord, usual were to inspire hope in the hearts of hopeless people. I thank you for grace. Without it we would have no chance might you use this and might you be glorified through we pray in Jesus name, amen.

You been listening to a sermon from Rev. Chris Anderson, senior pastor at Killian Hill Baptist Church in Lilburn, Georgia join us again tomorrow as we hear more sermons preached from the Bob Jones University Chapel platform