Seeking Renewal: The Journey from Guilt to Grace

 

Summary

In our journey through Psalm 51, we encounter the profound struggle of human guilt and the longing for divine mercy. We all have moments when we wish to hide our sins from the world, much like the woman caught in adultery or David's plea for God to "hide Your face from my sins." This desire to conceal our guilt is deeply human, yet it contrasts with the yearning for God's benevolent gaze, as seen in the Magnificat where Mary rejoices in being noticed by God. This duality reflects our inner conflict: the hope to see God face to face and the fear of His gaze when burdened by sin.

David's plea for a clean heart and a steadfast spirit reveals the depth of his repentance. He recognizes that the root of his problem lies within his heart, and he seeks not just forgiveness but transformation. This echoes the creative act of God in Genesis, where life is brought out of nothingness. David's request is not for initial regeneration but for renewal, acknowledging that even the regenerate can fall into sin and need God's creative power to renew their spirit.

The fear of losing God's presence and the Holy Spirit is palpable in David's words. He understands that without God's presence, he loses everything. This reflects the Jewish understanding of blessedness as proximity to God, and the curse as being cast into outer darkness. David's fear is not just about losing his kingship but about losing the redemptive presence of God, which is the ultimate source of hope and joy.

Finally, David's desire to teach transgressors God's ways stems from the joy of salvation. True evangelism is born out of the experience of forgiveness and grace. When we are forgiven, our natural response is to share that joy with others, much like a beggar telling another where to find bread. This is the heart of evangelism: sharing the joy of salvation and the transformative power of God's grace.

Key Takeaways:

- The human desire to hide from God's gaze when burdened by sin contrasts with the longing to be noticed by Him. This duality reflects our inner conflict between guilt and the hope of divine acceptance. [06:10]

- True repentance involves not just seeking forgiveness but desiring transformation. David's plea for a clean heart and steadfast spirit highlights the need for God's creative power to renew us from within. [08:28]

- The fear of losing God's presence is a profound acknowledgment of our dependence on Him. For David, and for us, the presence of God is the ultimate source of hope and joy, without which we are lost. [14:18]

- The experience of God's forgiveness naturally leads to a desire to share that joy with others. Evangelism is born out of the joy of salvation and the transformative power of grace. [23:14]

- The steadfast love of God, or hesed, is a call for consistency in our walk with Him. David's plea for a steadfast spirit is a recognition of our need for daily, moment-by-moment obedience to God. [12:04]

Youtube Chapters:

- [00:00] - Welcome
- [00:28] - The Human Desire to Hide
- [01:18] - David's Plea for Mercy
- [02:30] - Sartre's View on God's Gaze
- [03:59] - The Benevolent Gaze of God
- [05:25] - Mary's Joy in Being Noticed
- [06:46] - Peter's Moment of Shame
- [07:34] - True Repentance
- [08:28] - A Clean Heart and Steadfast Spirit
- [10:29] - The Heart of Flesh
- [12:56] - The Mercy of God
- [14:18] - The Presence of God
- [16:38] - The Real Presence of Christ
- [17:52] - The Holy Spirit's Role
- [19:53] - Anointing and Kingship
- [21:29] - The Joy of Salvation

Study Guide

Bible Study Discussion Guide: Psalm 51

Bible Reading:
- Psalm 51:9-13
- Genesis 1:1-2 (Creation and renewal)
- Luke 1:46-49 (Mary's Magnificat)

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Observation Questions:

1. In Psalm 51:9, David asks God to "hide Your face from my sins." How does this request reflect the human desire to conceal guilt, as discussed in the sermon? [00:28]

2. What does David mean when he asks God to "create in me a clean heart" in Psalm 51:10, and how does this relate to the creative act of God in Genesis? [08:28]

3. How does the sermon describe the significance of God's presence in David's life, particularly in relation to the Jewish understanding of blessedness? [14:18]

4. According to the sermon, what is the connection between experiencing God's forgiveness and the desire to evangelize, as seen in Psalm 51:13? [23:14]

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Interpretation Questions:

1. How does the duality of wanting to hide from God's gaze while also longing for His attention reflect the inner conflict between guilt and hope for divine acceptance? [06:10]

2. In what ways does David's plea for a "steadfast spirit" in Psalm 51:10 highlight the need for consistency in our walk with God, and how does this relate to the concept of hesed? [12:04]

3. What does the fear of losing God's presence and the Holy Spirit reveal about David's understanding of his dependence on God, and how might this apply to believers today? [14:18]

4. How does the sermon illustrate the transformative power of God's grace in motivating believers to share the joy of salvation with others? [23:14]

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Application Questions:

1. Reflect on a time when you felt the desire to hide from God's gaze due to guilt. How did you reconcile this feeling with the hope of being noticed by Him? [06:10]

2. David seeks not just forgiveness but transformation. What specific area of your life do you feel needs God's creative power for renewal, and how can you invite Him into that process? [08:28]

3. Consider the importance of God's presence in your life. How do you cultivate an awareness of His presence daily, and what changes might you make to draw closer to Him? [14:18]

4. The sermon suggests that true evangelism stems from the joy of salvation. Identify one person in your life with whom you can share your experience of God's grace this week. [23:14]

5. David's plea for a steadfast spirit calls for consistent obedience. What practical steps can you take to develop a more consistent walk with God in your daily routine? [12:04]

6. How do you respond to the fear of losing God's presence, and what practices help you maintain a sense of security in your relationship with Him? [14:18]

7. Reflect on the concept of hesed, or steadfast love. How can you demonstrate this kind of love in your relationships with others, and what challenges might you face in doing so? [12:04]

Devotional

Day 1: The Duality of Guilt and Divine Acceptance
In our human experience, we often find ourselves torn between the desire to hide our sins and the longing to be noticed by God. This duality is a reflection of our inner conflict, where guilt and the hope for divine acceptance coexist. The story of David and the woman caught in adultery illustrates this struggle. Both sought to conceal their sins, yet deep down, they yearned for God's benevolent gaze. This tension is a part of our spiritual journey, where we fear God's gaze when burdened by sin but also hope for His acceptance and love. Understanding this duality helps us navigate our spiritual lives, acknowledging our imperfections while seeking God's grace. [06:10]

Psalm 139:11-12 (ESV): "If I say, 'Surely the darkness shall cover me, and the light about me be night,' even the darkness is not dark to you; the night is bright as the day, for darkness is as light with you."

Reflection: In what areas of your life are you trying to hide from God's gaze? How can you invite His light into those areas today?


Day 2: Transformation Through True Repentance
True repentance goes beyond seeking forgiveness; it involves a deep desire for transformation. David's plea for a clean heart and a steadfast spirit highlights the need for God's creative power to renew us from within. This transformation is akin to the creative act of God in Genesis, where life is brought out of nothingness. David's request is not for initial regeneration but for renewal, acknowledging that even those who are regenerate can fall into sin and need God's creative power to renew their spirit. This understanding of repentance calls us to seek not just forgiveness but a profound change in our hearts and lives. [08:28]

Ezekiel 36:26 (ESV): "And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh."

Reflection: What specific area of your life needs transformation today? How can you invite God to renew your heart in this area?


Day 3: The Fear of Losing God's Presence
David's fear of losing God's presence is a profound acknowledgment of our dependence on Him. For David, and for us, the presence of God is the ultimate source of hope and joy, without which we are lost. This fear reflects the Jewish understanding of blessedness as proximity to God and the curse as being cast into outer darkness. David's concern was not just about losing his kingship but about losing the redemptive presence of God. This understanding calls us to cherish and seek God's presence in our lives, recognizing it as the source of our hope and joy. [14:18]

Psalm 16:11 (ESV): "You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore."

Reflection: How can you cultivate a greater awareness of God's presence in your daily life? What practices can help you draw closer to Him today?


Day 4: Sharing the Joy of Salvation
The experience of God's forgiveness naturally leads to a desire to share that joy with others. True evangelism is born out of the joy of salvation and the transformative power of grace. When we are forgiven, our natural response is to share that joy with others, much like a beggar telling another where to find bread. This is the heart of evangelism: sharing the joy of salvation and the transformative power of God's grace. Understanding this motivates us to share our faith, not out of obligation, but out of the overflow of joy and gratitude for what God has done in our lives. [23:14]

1 Peter 3:15 (ESV): "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."

Reflection: Who in your life needs to hear about the joy of salvation? How can you share your story of God's grace with them today?


Day 5: The Call for Consistency in Our Walk with God
The steadfast love of God, or hesed, is a call for consistency in our walk with Him. David's plea for a steadfast spirit is a recognition of our need for daily, moment-by-moment obedience to God. This steadfastness is not about perfection but about a consistent pursuit of God's will and presence in our lives. It is a call to remain faithful and committed to our relationship with God, even in the face of challenges and temptations. Understanding this call helps us to focus on building a consistent and faithful walk with God, relying on His steadfast love to guide us. [12:04]

Lamentations 3:22-23 (ESV): "The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness."

Reflection: What steps can you take today to cultivate a more consistent walk with God? How can you rely on His steadfast love to guide you in this journey?

Quotes


"This is what's involved in David's plea in verse nine of Psalm 51 when he cries out to God, 'Hide Your face from my sins, and blot out all my iniquities.' Now this is the second time that he's asked God to blot out his transgressions. In the very first verse he asked God to treat him according the multitude of his tender mercies and to blot out his transgressions, and we looked at that in the sense of his desire to have the record erased, to have it expunged so that the record of his sin would no longer be held against David." [00:59:19]

"Now, you see both sides in the prayers of David. On another occasion David says to God, 'Search me and know me. See if there's any wicked way within me.' On the one hand David has this deep desire for God to notice him, to look at him. We think of the Magnificat in the New Testament when Mary, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, sings her psalm of praise, 'My soul doth magnify the Lord. My spirit rejoices in God my savior.' And in the context of the Magnificat, part of what she's rejoicing about is what? 'He has regarded the low estate of his handmaiden.'" [04:58:45]

"But we have this conflict of feelings within us. On the one hand we want to behold the face of God. That is our greatest hope that shall see him face to face, that we live coram Deo, in his presence and before his face. And yet, when we are overcome with our own guilt, the last thing we want to see is the face of God. Just like Adam and Eve, we run for the trees. We look for a safe place. We call for the mountains to fall upon us, the hills to hide us so that we will not be exposed to the gaze of God." [06:02:71]

"And then he goes on in verse ten, 'Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me.' Again, he keeps coming back to this business of the center of his being -- that he knows that the problem lies deep within himself, in the heart. And he said, 'God, don't just blot out my sins, don't just pardon my sins, don't just forgive my sins, but change me. Fix me because the problem is coming from my heart, and there's something corrupt in my heart. I need heart surgery here, and I want you to create in me a clean heart.'" [07:56:69]

"Now I don't think that David here is asking God to regenerate him. I think that David is already a regenerate man because I think regeneration is a necessary prerequisite for this kind of repentance. This kind of repentance doesn't come out of the flesh. This kind of repentance doesn't come out of a heart of stone. But even those of us who have been born anew by the power of the Holy Spirit still sin. And we still have that corruption lingering in our hearts, and we plead out to God in our repentance to renew that spirit that He has given us in our rebirth in the first place and ask that God's creative activity, which is what He does in regeneration -- the way, again, the Bible speaks of regeneration is what?" [09:04:07]

"We can gloss over the word steadfast. We looked, again, in the first verse where we said that one of the most important words in the Old Testament is found there in the text, the word hesed, which is translated 'a steadfast love' or 'a loyal love.' And isn't that our problem as Christians -- inconsistency? That we have periodicies of love and affection towards God, but we lack that steadfast, day by day, moment by moment consistent pattern of obedience to Him. And this is what David is asking for, not just vignettes of obedience here and there, but he's saying, 'God give me a spirit that's steadfast. Renew my spirit so that I can be consistently walking as a godly person.' That's his plea here." [11:26:67]

"And then he says in verse eleven, 'Do not cast me away from your presence and do not take your Holy Spirit from me.' Now I think we have to understand verse eleven in light of verse four, the second part. If you recall, when we looked at verse four earlier on in this course, I mentioned that that was my favorite portion of the psalm -- that when David says, 'That You may be found just when you speak and blameless when you judge.' That Paul quotes this portion of the psalm in Romans when he's dealing with the doctrine of justification. It is expressing here how David, in his repentance acknowledges that his only hope is the mercy of God, the grace of God, and he acknowledges that if God would deal with him according to justice rather than according to mercy that he couldn't complain about it." [12:31:49]

"This is what the confession, the Heidelberg Catechism, is taking about when it says that Christ is our only hope in life and in death. Take that away and we are a people without hope. And again for the Jew, the presence of God is the single most important element of their redemption. As I've mentioned many times that the Jewish, the Hebrew benediction, 'May the Lord bless you and keep you, keep you, preserve you. May the Lord make his face to shine upon you and be gracious unto you. May the Lord lift up the light of his countenance upon you and give you peace.' That's what it means to experience the blessing of God, to be brought into close proximity to His presence and to experience the ultimate felicity is to look into His face." [14:21:83]

"Finally in verse twelve he says, 'Restore to me the joy of your salvation and uphold me by your generous spirit, and then I will teach transgressors your ways and the sinners shall be converted to you.' The biggest change in my activity after I was converted to Christ was that I could not meet a person that I didn't tell them about Jesus, and when I went home for the first time after I became a Christian, I went to all of my friends and I said, 'Guys, listen. I got to tell you what happened to me.' And I expected them to all jump in the same boat with me when they looked at me as if I was crazy." [21:32:52]

"Some people say that all evangelism is, is one beggar telling another beggar where to find bread because what motivates a spirit of evangelism in the church and among Christians is forgiveness. When I've experienced the forgiveness and the pardon of God, if I have any affection for anybody else, am I not going to want to communicate that to them? And this is what David is saying. 'God You forgive me; You restore me; then I will teach transgressors Your way. I will be an evangelist because that would be my natural response to the experience of Your grace.'" [22:41:45]

"And so Sartre takes this to the view of God, and he says the Christian view of God has God peering down from heaven, and in His omniscience, reducing every person to an object beneath His gaze, which Sartre says is dehumanizing. When I read that in Sartre, I think, 'What a shame that he's never, ever experienced the benevolent gaze of God and his only thinking with respect to God is that God's gaze will reduce a person not only to an object, but to an object under judgment.'" [04:16:22]

"Now again I don't know for sure if that's what David was saying, but I suspect that's what he was concerned about then." [21:22:10]

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Transcript
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