The Hurdle of Sin
Sermon Title: The Hurdle of Sin
Sermon Purpose: To call the hearer to actively, rather than passively avoid sin in their lives and in the church.
Sermon Proposition: There are 3 reasons why avoiding sin and confronting sin is important for the health of the church.
I. The progress of the church is initiated by the Spirit. V.4:32-37
A. The Holy Spirit initiates Spiritual participation. V.32
Galatians 2:20 "I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.
John 13:34 "A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another. 35 "By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another."
B. The Holy Spirit initiates Spiritual proclamation. V.33
Acts 4:20 "For we cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard."
Romans 1:14 I am a debtor both to Greeks and to barbarians, both to wise and to unwise. 15 So, as much as is in me, I am ready to preach the gospel to you who are in Rome also.
C. The Holy Spirit initiates Spiritual provisions. V.34-35
James 2:15 If a brother or sister is naked and destitute of daily food, 16 and one of you says to them, "Depart in peace, be warmed and filled," but you do not give them the things which are needed for the body, what does it profit?
1 John 3:17 But whoever has this world's goods, and sees his brother in need, and shuts up his heart from him, how does the love of God abide in him?
2 Corinthians 8:1 Moreover, brethren, we make known to you the grace of God bestowed on the churches of Macedonia: 2 that in a great trial of affliction the abundance of their joy and their deep poverty abounded in the riches of their liberality. 3 For I bear witness that according to their ability, yes, and beyond their ability, they were freely willing, 4 imploring us with much urgency that we would receive the gift and the fellowship of the ministering to the saints. 5 And not only as we had hoped, but they first gave themselves to the Lord, and then to us by the will of God.
D. The Holy Spirit initiates Spiritual people. V.36-37
Romans 5:5 Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us.
1 Corinthians 1:10 Now I plead with you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment.
Matthew 19:21 Jesus said to him, "If you want to be perfect, go, sell what you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me."
Luke 12:33 "Sell what you have and give alms; provide yourselves money bags which do not grow old, a treasure in the heavens that does not fail, where no thief approaches nor moth destroys.
Luke 14:33 "So likewise, whoever of you does not forsake all that he has cannot be My disciple.
II. The problem of the church is initiated by Sin. V.5:1-11
A. The sin of Spiritual pretense. V.1-2
Ezekiel 33:31 "So they come to you as people do, they sit before you as My people, and they hear your words, but they do not do them; for with their mouth they show much love, but their hearts pursue their own gain.
B. The significance of Spiritual perception. V.3-4
C. The solution of Spiritual punishment. V.5-10
1 Timothy 6:9 But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and harmful lusts which drown men in destruction and perdition.
Proverbs 11:19 As righteousness leads to life, So he who pursues evil pursues it to his own death.
2 Peter 2:10 and especially those who walk according to the flesh in the lust of uncleanness and despise authority. They are presumptuous, self-willed. They are not afraid to speak evil of dignitaries, . . . 12 But these, like natural brute beasts made to be caught and destroyed, speak evil of the things they do not understand, and will utterly perish in their own corruption,
D. The summary of Spiritual purging. V.11
1 Timothy 5:19 Do not receive an accusation against an elder except from two or three witnesses. 20 Those who are sinning rebuke in the presence of all, that the rest also may fear.
Matthew 25:41 "Then He will also say to those on the left hand, 'Depart from Me, you cursed, into the everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels: 42 'for I was hungry and you gave Me no food; I was thirsty and you gave Me no drink; 43 'I was a stranger and you did not take Me in, naked and you did not clothe Me, sick and in prison and you did not visit Me.' 44 "Then they also will answer Him, saying, 'Lord, when did we see You hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to You?' 45 "Then He will answer them, saying, 'Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to Me.' 46 "And these will go away into everlasting punishment, but the righteous into eternal life."
III. The purity of the church is initiated by submission. V.12-16
A. Purity preserves the power of the church. V.12a
B. Purity preserves the unity of the church. V.12b
C. Purity preserves the reputation of the church. V.13
D. Purity preserves the growth of the church. V.14
E. Purity preserves the effectiveness of the church. V.15
F. Purity preserves the testimony of the church. V.16