Grieving Over Sin: A Call to Holiness

Devotional

Day 1: The Transformative Privilege of Worship

Recognizing the privilege of being in God's presence through Jesus should transform our worship and prayer, leading to a deeper reverence and active engagement with His Word. This awareness shifts our focus from ourselves to ministering to God, who observes our hearts and attitudes. When we gather, it is not merely for our benefit but to honor and serve God, acknowledging His holiness and majesty. This perspective encourages us to approach worship with humility and gratitude, understanding that it is a sacred opportunity to connect with the divine. [02:29]

"Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need." (Hebrews 4:16, ESV)

Reflection: How can you intentionally shift your focus from personal needs to ministering to God during your next time of worship or prayer?

Day 2: Embracing Godly Sorrow for True Repentance

Godly sorrow is a gift that leads to repentance and salvation. It is a deep, transformative sorrow that produces change and a renewed zeal for holiness. This sorrow is distinct from worldly sorrow, which leads to death and does not result in true repentance. Embracing godly sorrow involves acknowledging our sins and shortcomings, allowing the Holy Spirit to convict us and guide us toward genuine repentance. This process is not about self-condemnation but about experiencing the grace and forgiveness that leads to spiritual growth and renewal. [23:42]

"For godly grief produces a repentance that leads to salvation without regret, whereas worldly grief produces death." (2 Corinthians 7:10, ESV)

Reflection: What is one area of your life where you need to allow godly sorrow to lead you to true repentance and change?

Day 3: Grieving Over Sin with God's Heart

God desires a people who share His heart, who sigh and groan over the sin that grieves Him. This call to grieve over sin is not about judging the world but starting with ourselves, the church, and its leaders. It involves a deep concern for the spiritual state of our communities and a willingness to intercede on their behalf. By aligning our hearts with God's, we become more sensitive to the things that break His heart and are moved to action, seeking His guidance and strength to address the issues we face. [09:29]

"And the Lord said to him, 'Pass through the city, through Jerusalem, and put a mark on the foreheads of the men who sigh and groan over all the abominations that are committed in it.'" (Ezekiel 9:4, ESV)

Reflection: How can you cultivate a heart that grieves over sin in your life and community, and what steps can you take to address these concerns?

Day 4: Holding Fast to the Truth in a Changing World

In a world that often deviates from God's Word, we must hold fast to the truth, resisting the temptation to conform to a progressive morality. True progress, as Jesus taught, is a deeper commitment to holiness, not a relaxation of standards. This requires discernment and courage to stand firm in our beliefs, even when they are unpopular or countercultural. By grounding ourselves in Scripture and seeking the guidance of the Holy Spirit, we can navigate the complexities of modern life while remaining faithful to God's unchanging truth. [30:46]

"Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect." (Romans 12:2, ESV)

Reflection: What is one area where you feel pressured to conform to the world's standards, and how can you hold fast to God's truth in that situation?

Day 5: Urgency in Preparing for the Day of the Lord

The day of the Lord is approaching, and we must be found grieving, sighing, groaning, fasting, and weeping over the things that break God's heart. This urgency calls us to action, to speak openly about sin, and to pray for God's Spirit to restore His bride. It is a call to live with an eternal perspective, prioritizing spiritual readiness and the pursuit of holiness. By focusing on what truly matters, we can be prepared for the return of Christ and encourage others to do the same, fostering a community that reflects God's love and righteousness. [37:37]

"Blow a trumpet in Zion; sound an alarm on my holy mountain! Let all the inhabitants of the land tremble, for the day of the Lord is coming; it is near." (Joel 2:1, ESV)

Reflection: How can you cultivate a sense of urgency in your spiritual life, and what practical steps can you take to prepare for the day of the Lord?

Sermon Summary

In our time together, we have sought to refocus our hearts and minds on the holiness and majesty of God. We began by acknowledging the privilege of being in His presence without being consumed, a privilege made possible through Jesus Christ. This awareness should transform our worship, prayer, and engagement with His Word, leading us to a deeper reverence and active listening. We are reminded that our gatherings are not just for our benefit but to minister to God, who observes our hearts and attitudes.

Reflecting on Ezekiel 9, we see God's judgment on Jerusalem, sparing only those who grieve over the city's abominations. This passage challenges us to examine our own hearts and the state of the church. Are we broken over sin, both personal and communal? God desires a people who share His heart, who sigh and groan over the sin that grieves Him. This is not about judging the world but starting with ourselves, the church, and its leaders.

We also looked at Joel 2, where God calls His people to return to Him with all their hearts, with fasting, weeping, and mourning. This call to repentance is not just an emotional response but a deep, transformative sorrow that leads to change. In 2 Corinthians 7, Paul speaks of godly sorrow that produces repentance and salvation. This is the kind of sorrow we need—a sorrow that leads to action, to a renewed zeal for holiness.

In our fast-paced world, distractions abound, preventing us from truly grieving over sin. Yet, God is looking for those who will weep over the brokenness in the church and the world. We must hold fast to the truth, resisting the temptation to conform to a progressive morality that deviates from God's Word. True progress, as Jesus taught, is a deeper commitment to holiness, not a relaxation of standards.

As we conclude, let us pray for the Spirit to fall upon us, to break our hearts for what breaks His, and to restore His bride. May we be a generation that holds the line, that trembles at His Word, and that is marked by a godly sorrow leading to repentance and life.

Key Takeaways

1. The Privilege of Worship: Recognizing the privilege of being in God's presence through Jesus should transform our worship and prayer, leading to a deeper reverence and active engagement with His Word. This awareness shifts our focus from ourselves to ministering to God, who observes our hearts and attitudes. [02:29]
2. Godly Sorrow and Repentance: Godly sorrow is a gift that leads to repentance and salvation. It is a deep, transformative sorrow that produces change and a renewed zeal for holiness. This sorrow is distinct from worldly sorrow, which leads to death and does not result in true repentance. [23:42]
3. The Call to Grieve Over Sin: God desires a people who share His heart, who sigh and groan over the sin that grieves Him. This call to grieve over sin is not about judging the world but starting with ourselves, the church, and its leaders. [09:29]
4. Holding Fast to Truth: In a world that often deviates from God's Word, we must hold fast to the truth, resisting the temptation to conform to a progressive morality. True progress, as Jesus taught, is a deeper commitment to holiness, not a relaxation of standards. [30:46]
5. The Urgency of the Day of the Lord: The day of the Lord is approaching, and we must be found grieving, sighing, groaning, fasting, and weeping over the things that break God's heart. This urgency calls us to action, to speak openly about sin, and to pray for God's Spirit to restore His bride. [37:37]
** [37:37]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[00:13] - The Privilege of Worship
[01:33] - Centered on God
[02:29] - Imagining God's Presence
[03:49] - Active Listening to His Word
[05:16] - The Miracle of Godly Sorrow
[06:29] - Ezekiel's Vision of Judgment
[08:54] - Marked by Grief for Sin
[10:50] - Starting at the Sanctuary
[14:13] - Joel's Call to Repentance
[20:54] - Priests Weeping for the People
[23:42] - Godly Grief and Repentance
[27:25] - The Danger of Progressive Morality
[32:07] - The Consistency of God's Nature
[37:37] - The Urgency of the Day of the Lord
[40:46] - Prayer for God's Spirit

Sermon Clips

Help us to honor you the way you deserve to be honored. Help us understand what a great privilege it is to be in your presence without being burned up. Help us to see how much we have in Christ, that we don't run to other things for pleasure. God help our church bring back the fascination of worship, bring back a trembling at your word. [00:01:23]

When you pray and you close your eyes, do you just start saying things, or do you actually imagine and picture him and think about who he is before you talk? Because that will change the way you pray, that will change the way you sing. And even right now, like, I know sometimes we can be in worship and we're thinking about the presence of God. [00:02:59]

I've been praying for this Gathering. I've been praying that Miracles would happen tonight, like absolute miracles from God. Now, when you think that, you think, okay, what are people going to get healed? Maybe. Or someone have some prophetic word? Maybe. So we're going to be delivered of something? Could be. But what I've been praying for specifically for tonight is the miracle of Godly sorrow to fall upon us. [00:04:32]

God is looking at the city, and he is Disturbed at the sin in that City, and so he says I'm going to destroy it, but before I destroy it, hey Mark the people who sigh and groan over the Abominations that are going on in the city. You remember that song we used to sing, Hosanna, and he says break my heart for what breaks yours. [00:08:24]

This is serious. This is not about us going and judging the world. God will do that, and we should be broken over the sin, but I think an even deeper Brokenness should be over his church. You remember this is about Jerusalem that he's talking that was supposed to be the city of God that was supposed to be the city that stood out amongst every other city on the planet. [00:10:42]

In Joel chapter 2, he's talking about the day of the Lord. It's like when the day that the Lord visits and in Joel chapter 2 starting in verse 11, it says the Lord utters his voice before his army for his Camp is exceedingly great. He who executes his word is powerful for the day of the Lord is great and very awesome who can endure it. [00:14:11]

Yet even now declares the Lord, return to me with all your heart with fasting with weeping and with Mourning and Rend your hearts and not your garments return to the Lord your God for he is gracious and merciful slow to anger abounding and steadfast love and he relents over disaster. [00:14:59]

For Godly grief produces a repentance that leads to Salvation without regret whereas worldly grief produces death. Foresee what earnestness this Godly grief has produced in you but also what earnestness to clear yourselves what indignation What Fear what longing what Zeal what punishment at every point you have proved yourselves innocent in the matter. [00:23:42]

We need to be broken about our sin, we need to be broken about our sin, we need God to actually have us feel something, and what I'm realizing is we live in such a fast-paced world with so many distractions that you can get convicted about your sin like you do right now, maybe, and then right afterwards go to your phone and be in a whole different world. [00:25:27]

Doesn't it make you sad that for 6,000 years think about this 6,000 years of human history people have held on to the truths of this book, it was passed on passed on passed on passed on until our generation. We're the first generation of church where the church itself is saying I think that's okay now. [00:28:39]

We've lost our fear of God, we've lost a trembling at his word, and we're just listening to people, and we're so affected by how they feel and think. I'm not saying we don't show compassion and love and concern and we say all things with love, but I am saying, like I said last week, the church was the Pillar of Truth. [00:30:51]

My concern is when he comes back, will he find us grieving, sighing, groaning, fasting, weeping, Mourning over the things that break his heart? And so I want to give us some time right now. We always have to start with ourselves, us as believers, like I shared I remember times when I felt so horrible about my sin and I just wept like a baby. [00:37:49]

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