日期 : 03/29/09

經文 : 詩篇 51:1-17

題目 : 欲蓋彌彰

主旨 : 神的信實與憐憫是除去生命中罪孽的基礎。

引言 :

在二零零五年的六月廿九號的紐約時報有這樣一個故事，是有關一位叫 Greg Leitz 的故事。他是位相當友善的人，他在肯薩斯州的 Wichita 買了 一個小屋後，就佈置好歡迎第一個萬聖節，他買了許多小孩喜歡吃的糖，但是那晚沒有一個人來。他覺得非常的納悶。

後來他與鄰居提起此事，知道了緣因。有人曾在他的房子裡，殺了四位成員的家庭。原來在這社區裡，有六幢房子不同大小，有件事是共同的。在這六幢房子的五間，有一位連續的兇手，犯了凶殺案件。這位兇手的外號是 BTK ，第六幢房子就是這位兇手自己住的。 BTK 的代表就是綑綁、虐待、殺，卅年間他共殺了十個人，最後他被逮捕，並認罪，現在他同時在服十幾個的終生監禁。原來來有七幢房屋，有一間被拆掉，其它的屋子現在都有人在住。他們在買這些房屋時，不知房子的過去。

在美國好幾州，包括德州，如果這幢房屋有任何污點的話，一定要告訴購買者，除了房子曾漏水等等，這是一定有的，還加上這些精神上的污點也要表明出來，譬如說這房子內曾有人死過、曾有人自殺、或有人曾有愛滋病，都有法律的責任將這些說出來。但是，有六、七個州，包括了肯薩斯州在內沒有這樣的法律。屋主不用將這些污點說出來。

那現在這兇手已認罪了，這些屋主都知道這幢房子的過去，當然他們不會開心，如果您在這鎮買房子的話，大概您不會去看這些房子，對嗎？如果將您放在這些屋主的的地位，買了一幢這樣有兇殺的屋，您會感覺如何呢？我想您一定不會喜歡這樣的房子裡。我們說是凶屋，我們沒有人喜歡這樣的屋子裡。它過去的歷史、污點會令您非常的不安，無法感受這是我的家。

當我們剛讀神學的時候，第一個夏天我們搬進一間沒有傢俱的公寓，當時我們的飯桌面有兩個小梯子把它撐住的，當人們圍住吃飯時，不能隨便按手在桌面上，如果這邊有人按，那邊也要有人按，不然這個桌子就不平衡。我也記得我們的第一張床墊，是有一天我在公寓外走路時，在垃圾桶旁有一張好好的床墊，心想美國人好浪費，這麼好的床要把它丟掉，所以我就把它拿回去，讓小孩子睡了一段時間。當我們住在這公寓沒有多久，教會有位好心的會友就送了我們一張床，我們用了差不多十六年之久，用了幾年之後，就發現這張床是屬於一位家庭，曾有一位親戚在這張床死了﹙這張是名正言順的死人床﹚。當聽到以後心裡有些怪怪的，難怪這裡痛、那裡痛，但是過了一陣子也就沒有這件事了，一直用到我們離開聖路易市。這張有污點的床，對我們的影響是非常的有限。

現在我們嚐試一下，將那些有污點的房屋、物件，和那時我們的情緒帶進生命裡，那將如何？如果在我們生命裡的過去，曾經有了一點污點是我們很難承當的，那我的心是怎樣的？我們會不會被過去的行為纏繞住，不能平安的相處，不能與自己平安的相處呢？我們會被一、二個字經常的纏繞著，早知道、早知道。有人說：在地獄裡最痛苦的經歷就是，重複這句：「早知道、早知道」。我想我們曾經也有這樣的經歷是嗎？早知道我就不會做這件事、早知道我就相信神了，有些事是我們要掩蓋的、忘記、除掉、壓抑，都是一些我們所留下來的污點。但是，我們不能夠很簡單去掉，因為內心的不安往往導致我們會在人群中退縮出來，自己看不起自己，也會說一些這樣的話 : 教會是給那些很神聖的人的，不是像我這樣的人可來教會的、我不配來這個教會、也不配與你們這些基督徒來往，如果您在這樣的狀況裡生活，是何等的痛苦？當我們看一個有污點的房子、產業、物件，我們知道這一個污點不容易除掉。但是生命裡的污點，是我們可以除掉、是可以被拿掉。

今天我們一起來看詩篇五十一篇，如果您從第一節讀的話，大概您不一定知道作者是誰？也不知道寫這首詩的背景是什麼？詩篇都是這樣的，只有等後人將詩篇收集了之後，然後他們說這是什麼人寫的，這是大衛寫的詩，或這是大衛在那個山洞裡時寫的。

五十一篇是大衛的詩，這是大衛與別洗巴犯了姦淫的罪之後，然後先知拿單來指責他，大衛就寫了這詩。這裡告訴我們大衛的處境，他與大衛有一段姦淫的關係，為了要掩蓋這個姦淫的罪，他就借刀殺人，殺了烏利亞，然後先知拿單就來跟大衛說，指出大衛得罪了神的事。您看，如果在第一節就將這首詩背景說出來的話，您一看就知道這是大衛的詩，這是大衛行了姦淫，又殺了烏利亞，然後被先知指責之後寫的。我們就會說：這跟我無關，我雖然不好，但是還沒有像大衛那樣吧！所以這首詩是跟我無關的，你一看就跳過了。但是當我們不知道這是誰寫的，我們看這詩裡的字，看見裡面的發洩、表達的強烈的情緒，許多人都可以認同，是不是？

你會說這詩裡的情緒，我也經歷過、正好像我現在這個處境中。在這首詩，我們看到一個最基本的真理，就是神的信實，是除掉我們生命裡污點的唯一根基。

I •  罪帶來生命中混亂的情緒。

讓我來看，這裡描寫大衛情緒的一些字，在第三、七、十節：「因為我知道我的過犯、罪常在我面前」大衛感覺到他的罪惡、罪咎。然後第七節，「 求 祢 用牛膝草潔淨我，我就乾淨；求 祢 洗淨我，我就比雪更白、」第十節，「神啊！求 祢 為我造一顆清潔的心，」大衛感覺到污穢和骯髒，他感覺到自己好髒啊！我需要被潔淨。然後在第五節，「看哪，我是在罪孽裡生的；我母親在罪中懷了我。」這裡看到一幅羞恥的一幅圖畫，一個羞恥、沒有價值的圖畫; 我是在罪裡生的，從生下的那一天，我就被命定要犯罪，我是一點用都沒有的。然後在十一節，「不要把我從 祢 面前丟棄，不要從我身上收回 祢 的聖靈。」大衛在這裡感覺到他自己的罪，並且感覺到被神遺棄了，與神好遠啊！以致他在問： 祢 還不還在那裡？如果 祢 在的話，為什麼我沒有感覺到 祢 呢？所以 祢 不要從 祢 將 祢 的靈收回吧！讓我來感覺到 祢 還在我的身邊。

然後在十二節裡，「求 祢 使我重得你救恩的喜樂，」喜樂從大衛的生命裡被擄去了。然後在十五節裡說：「主啊！求 祢 開我的嘴，使我的口宣揚讚美 祢 的話。」這裡講他的嘴被關閉了，他與神的溝通歪曲了、破壞了，他不能在那裡讚美神！如果您讀大衛其他所寫的詩，讚美、稱讚神！是他情緒的一部份、也是他與神關係不可所缺的一環，充滿了感情、充滿了讚美！但是現在都沒有了，嘴巴被關閉，所以他說 祢 要開我的嘴，使我的口宣揚讚美 祢 的話，因為他的嘴巴被封閉了。

您能不能想像，生活在這樣一個混亂的情緒裡面所充滿羞恥、罪咎，沒有平安，心裡再沒有任何的喜樂、再沒有任何詩歌，這是非常痛苦的，對不對。沒有人，除了你以外，知道您所犯的是什麼錯誤、罪。無論您想怎樣來遮蓋它，您都沒有任何辦法遮蓋的，這一些的罪、罪所帶來的羞恥、污點就好像就一直在我們的身命裡面。然後又如何呢？

II.    混亂的情緒導致對罪有深切的懊悔 。

大衛知道他心裡的痛苦，是因為他犯了姦淫，他殺了烏利亞，他知道他傷害了別洗巴，他殺了忠心的士兵烏利亞，是他親手毀壞了一個家庭，他不能做什麼，能將以前所犯的錯誤重振過來，他沒有辦法將烏利亞從死裡帶回來，這是他心裡的困繞。他有這種樣認識，但是他沒有停止在這裡。

第四節：「我得罪了 祢 ！我唯獨得罪 祢 ！我行了 祢 眼中看為惡的事，」您有沒有看到，大衛犯了罪，他是得罪了別洗巴、他得罪了別洗巴的丈夫烏利亞，但是大衛在這裡清楚的指出，他犯了罪，得罪了上帝！他感覺到懊悔，十分的難過，不是因為單單傷了人，仍是他也得罪了這一位神！這一位愛他又關心他的神！他也得罪了是他牧者的神！

我還記得在五十年前的一個青年團契的聚會，一位剛從神學院畢業的傳道人，帶著極端的懊悔、流著眼流，在一群二、三十位年青人前，說出他犯了淫亂的罪，當然我們可以辯論、討論，在那些青少年當中承認這個罪是否適合。但五十年之後，到今天我還是不能忘記，他因為得罪了神所導致心中的難過、懊悔。當我們犯罪的時候，我們不是單單得罪一個人、不是單單傷了自己、我們也是傷了，得罪了神！這就罪的意思，沒有打中神的靶心，如果沒有神的話，那罪就不是一件大事情了，是不是？只不過這一個錯誤的行為而已。甚至在今天的世界裡，也不會說是錯誤了。不過就是另外一個行為。

在今天的社會裡，無論是東方、西方，東方是講到一些大城市，婚外情已經不算一回事，只要雙方都是成人，都同意的話，說不定對婚姻還有幫助呢？如果有神的話！這位神又是聖潔、全能的話，那就完全不一樣了。雖然社會覺得這些行為沒問題，大家都在做，如果有神話，對神來說是祂所厭惡的。在這些年來，心中有很多感觸，基督徒對罪的輕視，犯了罪，然後呢？就好像沒有那一回事。最多說一句：「對不起！」雖然我們說是信耶穌、相信神！但我們對罪的態度，並沒有表現出我們真正的相信有一位神的存在。當我們要處罪的問題時，首先我們要再一次確定，真的有這一位神！這是那位又真實、又全能、聖潔的神！如果您沒有這樣的確信的話，你對罪就有一個非常膚淺的態度。因為有這位神，祂就是那個真理、祂就是那最終的標準。因此所有的行為都要以祂的標準來衡量，我們心中感覺到懊悔、難過，那是因為我們得罪了這一位神！然後呢？

III.    深切的懊悔導致尋求饒恕。

像大衛一樣，我們犯了罪 也會感覺 懊悔。我們做父母的都知道迢道理，小孩子做錯了事，噢！我做錯了，就夠了嗎？你是不是說我犯了這個錯，就停在這裡呢？不！除了懊悔之外、難過之外，還有更進一步。

讓我們來看一下大衛，第二節，「求 祢 徹底洗淨我的罪孽，潔除我的罪。」第八節，「求 祢 用牛膝草潔淨我，我就乾淨；求 祢 洗淨我，我就比雪更白。」第九節，「求 祢 使我聽見歡喜和快樂的聲音，使 祢 所壓傷的骨頭可以歡呼。」第十節，「神啊！求 祢 為我造一顆清潔的心，求 祢 使我裡面重新有堅定的靈。」 大衛在說什麼？大衛在懇求神饒恕他，除掉他這個罪好使他再一次恢復到神的面前、好使他清潔、能有喜樂、再一次完整，好使壓傷的骨頭再一次的完整，再一次歡呼。我們也是如此，當我們得罪了上帝，單單感覺到懊悔也是不夠，我們看見許多人、也包括許多基督教會的領袖，當他們的罪被揭開的時候，他們感到難過、懊悔，就好像就停在那裡，並沒有尋求饒恕的證據。我們除了懊悔，我們要多走一步，要求神的饒恕。

大衛怎麼知道他的罪被饒恕？在這詩篇五十一篇，我們看見大衛給了一個答案，大衛沒有在五十一篇的最後一、二句話裡面說，神啊！我感謝 祢 饒恕了我一切的罪，沒有這樣的話。但是大衛在第一節非常的清楚說出來：「 神啊！求 祢 按著 祢 的慈愛恩待我，照著 祢 豐盛的憐憫塗抹我的過犯。」第七節：「看哪， 祢 喜愛的是內心的誠實；在我內心的隱密處， 祢 使我得智慧。」然後十七節，「因為 祢 不喜愛祭物；我就是獻上燔祭， 祢 也不喜悅。神所要的祭，就是破碎的靈；神啊！破碎痛悔的心， 祢 必不輕看。」合和本是，「憂傷痛悔的心， 祢 必不輕看。」大衛唯一能抓住的是什麼？不是他感覺到他的罪被赦免了，不是說我感覺到平安了，好！我的罪被赦免了。大衛唯一抓住的，是神的那個本性、本質、祂的信實、祂的憐憫、祂喜愛誠實、破碎的心，這是神的特點，這是不改變的，這是大衛所抓住的。

大衛在詩篇一百零三篇如此說：「 耶和華有憐憫，有恩典，不輕易發怒，並且有豐盛的慈愛。祂不長久責備，也不永遠懷怒。祂沒有按著我們的罪過待我們，也沒有照著我們的罪孽報應我們。天離地有多高，祂的慈愛向敬畏祂的人也有多大。東離西有多遠，祂使我們的過犯離我們也有多遠。父親怎樣憐恤兒子，耶和華也照樣憐恤敬畏祂的人。」這是何等美的詩，提到神因為祂的慈愛將我們的罪遠遠的把它丟掉。巴不得在座的每一位，把這段經文好好的背住，好好的教您的孩子，從小就要教他，神的慈愛、信實。

我以前也提過，我太太仙霞在小的時候，爸爸每天牽著她的手帶她去學校，在路上就背這一段經文給她聽，天離地有多高，祂的慈愛向敬畏祂的人也有多大。東離西有多遠，祂使我們的過犯離我們也有多遠。父親怎樣憐恤兒子，耶和華也照樣憐恤敬畏祂的人。大衛認識到神的信實和慈愛，雖然他犯了這麼可惡的罪，但是他有把握知道因著神的慈愛、信實，神會赦免、饒恕他，然後將他的罪遠遠的丟掉，將他生命的污點除去。

我們又如何呢？我們比大衛知道的更多，大衛之後的二百年，先知以賽亞這樣的說，「原來祂是為了我們的過犯被刺透，為了我們的罪孽被壓傷；使我們得平安的懲罰加在他身上，因他受了鞭傷，我們才得醫治。我們眾人都如羊走迷了路，各人偏行己路；耶和華卻把我們眾人的罪孽，都歸在祂身上。」大衛知道祂的信實，因為神的信實，他的罪被除掉，但是在大衛之後來的人，他們更加的知道，有一天，有一位僕人、有一位彌賽亞，會從神那裡來，祂來的時候，祂要把人的罪被祂都承當起來。不錯，神的信實、恩惠能給我們罪得赦免，但祂的信實是有代價的，祂要差祂的彌賽亞來到這個世界。

之後又是幾百年，當耶穌出現的時候，施洗約翰說，「看哪！神的羔羊是除去世人罪孽的，」耶穌就是以賽亞所說的那一位，那一位要承擔我們一切罪。然後，耶穌死在十字架上的時候，祂說：「成了！」什麼成了？祂完成祂承擔我們罪的工作，然後祂的那個「成了！」又被祂的復活所懇定，因為這個緣故，使徒約翰這樣說：「我們若認自己的罪，神是信實的、公義，必要赦免我們一切的罪，潔淨我們一切的不義。」

大衛知道他的羞恥、污點會被祂除掉，因為祂相信神的慈愛、憐憫。我們知道神會赦免我們的罪，不是憑我們的感覺，同樣我們相信神的信實，因這個信實，又加上祂兒子耶穌基督死和復活，更加的清楚表現出來了。當我們來到神這裡，帶著我們的懊悔，求神的饒恕，我們的罪會被赦免，我們的羞恥、污點會被除掉。

IV.    饒恕帶來改變的行為

但還有一件事 。 我們的罪會得到赦免，我們的污點會除掉，可以被潔淨了，然後在十四節，大衛說，「 我就必把 祢 的道指教有過犯的人，罪人必回轉歸向 祢 。」大衛在這裡說，當我回轉了之後，我就將 祢 的信實、慈愛教導其他犯罪的人，好使他們也能悔改，歸向 祢 。大衛是指著行動的改變。

中文有「悔改」這兩個字。「悔」的意思，就是懊悔、難過，「改」就是要改變，當我們將悔跟改放在一起的時候，這就是悔改。我們很多時候看見，許多人對所犯的罪很深的懊悔，但是沒有改變，結果重複的犯一樣的罪，犯了之後又懊悔，懊悔之後又再犯，有「悔」，但沒有「改」。但是我們做父母的我們又會看到另一個面，小孩子做錯了事，你說：「如果你不改的話，如你出去，不早回來的話，那你就不能開車了。」孩子為了開車，他就提早回來，他有沒有因前天很晚回來，覺得懊悔呢？他不一定有是不是？他有改，但他沒有懊悔。但真正的悔改，有懊悔、有改變。當罪被饒恕，也求神幫助我們，叫我們不要犯同樣的罪。這豈不是施洗約翰在路加福音所說的：「應當結出果子來與悔改的心相稱。」你可能因你的罪懊悔，但是這一個懊悔要有行動上的改變，將神彰顯出來。

結論:

在過去好幾百年，除了聖經之外，還有一本書是最暢銷的，叫做「天路歷程」，許多人聽過或看過，這是我特別鼓勵大家看的書，英文有古英文版、現代英文版，中文也有漫畫版。我真鼓勵你們看這本「天路歷程」。雖然是一六七五年出版，仍然很暢銷的一本書。是一個故事，講到一位旅客，他經過了一個屬靈的醒悟，他就走在世界的曠野裡，尋找那永恆的城市。第三章這樣說，我在夢中，我就是作者本仁約翰，他在監牢時寫這本書。我看見一個基督徒，是這旅客的名字，他走向一座山，他開始要跑，但是因為背上的擔子太重了，他無法跑快，當他到山頂的時候，他來到一個十字架面前，當他一靠近十字架的時候，他背上的擔子就鬆了，就從他的肩膀上掉下來，然後就滾到山下，滾到一個打開的墳墓裡，然後我就再也看不見了。現在這位基督徒的心，非常的輕，他從他的重擔裡得到了釋放，他再不感到罪咎，他的良心告訴他，他的罪已經被饒恕了，他現在感覺到潔淨、喜樂、自由，這豈不是大衛在五十一篇裡面所渴望的心境嗎？潔淨、喜樂、自由。

我們當中或有人仍然背著一些擔子，可能是過去所做的一切事，導致我們的心經常感到沈重，沒有喜樂，也可能因這個緣故，導致我們要來教會，來尋找到教會裡有的心靈裡的安寧。但是來教會並不能除掉那些污點，唯一除掉你污點的重擔，就是來到耶穌基督這裡，告訴祂你所犯的錯、怎麼得罪祂，然後求祂饒恕你，當你要祂饒恕的時候，你要緊緊地握住祂的應許，有時你會有感覺，感覺到平安、喜樂，但那不是你的根據，因為平安、喜樂你會失去，但是你要抓住神的應許，因為祂是信實的、憐憫的、祂會赦免你的罪，將你的污穢遠遠的丟掉。

Date:   03/29/09

Text:   Psalm 51:1-17

Title:   A Stigmatized House

Theme: God's faithfulness and mercy are the foundation for the removal of sins in our lives

Introduction:

  June 29, 2005 NY Times had an article on Greg Lietz, a friendly guy. After he bought a little house in Wichita , Kansas , he decorated it for his first Halloween. He prepared large quantity of candies that children like, but no one came to his door.

  When he mentioned it to one of his neighbors, he found out why. Somebody had murdered four members of a family who had previously lived in Leitz's house. The crime was committed right in this house. You see, his house was one of six houses in Wichita , dissimilar in size and style, in the same neighborhood. They all had one thing in common. In five of these houses, a serial killer, BTK had committed his ruthless murders. The other house was where the killer lived. If we were in the housing market in Wichita , most likely we would skip these houses.

  BTK stands for Bind, Torture and Kill. BTK had killed a total of 10 people during a 30 years span. Finally he was arrested and pleaded guilty, and now serving several life sentences.

  Originally there were 7 of these houses, and one has been torn down. People lived in the rest of them today. They bought the houses without being told of its horrid past. Now that the killer had confessed and the purchasers have all learned the truth about their houses, and are not happy about it.

  So, put yourself in Greg Leitz and other owners of BTK houses. How would you feel? Most likely you wouldn't like where you are living. Its past history would be too much to make you feel at home.

  During the early days of our Seminary life, in the summer of 1979 , we moved into an unfurnished apartment in STL. Our dining table was made of a table top resting on two ladders. Very soon some member of the church gave us a bed set which we used for the next 16 years. Several years later, we learned that it used to belong to a family whose relative had died on it. Literally, a death bed. It bothered us for a little while and we soon got over it. This Stigmatized bed did not bring us too much unrest.

  Now, how about transferring the emotions connected with the stigmatized house or items to our life? Is there something in our past that we may find too much for us to bear? We may be haunted by past wrong behavior that will not let us live in peace with ourselves. We are haunted by these words, “if only, if only.” We want to cover, forget, remove and suppress such stigma, yet we simply can't. Such unrest can cause us to withdraw from others, looking down on ourselves, or making statements like: the church is too holy for people like me, I'm not worthy to come and even associate with the Christians. To live like this is very miserable.

  While the stigma associated with a house or property may be hard to remove, but stigma in our lives can certainly be removed. There is a remedy for removing the stigma, or shame over things we did in the past.

  This morning we will turn to Psalm 51. Just reading this psalm, we would not know who wrote it or its background. Only later, when the psalms were compiled, the heading was added: it was by David and the occasion was his adulterous affair with Bathsheba, murdering her husband, Uriah; and then prophet Nathan came and pointed out to David how offensive this is to God. You see, if we know from the very beginning this is by David, written after his adulterous affair, then we can say, this doesn't apply to me. However, the words that expressed such strong emotional turmoil can be identified by most readers. In this psalm we see the truth that God's Faithfulness is the basis for the removal of shame in our lives.

I •  Sins can cause great emotional turmoil in us .

Let's take a look at words used to describe David's emotions. Vs.3,7,10, “ For I know my transgressions, and my sin is ever before me.” Feeling guilt. Vs.7, “Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.” Vs.10, “Create in me a clean heart,…” Feeling filth, I am dirty, I need to be cleansed. Vs.5, “Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, and in sin did my mother conceive me.” We see a picture of shame and lacking any self-worth. I was born in sin, from the day of my birth, I was destined to sin, I am good for nothing. Vs.11, “Cast me not away from your presence, and take not your Holy Spirit from me.” Feeling being desert by God. God seemed to be so far from David, asking, Are you still there? If so, how come I don't feel you at all? Vs.12, “Restore to me the joy of your salvation,….” Joy has been taken out of my life. Then vs.15, “O Lord, open my lips, and my mouth will declare your praise” his mouth was closed; his communication with God was corrupted. He couldn't even praise God anymore. If you read David's other psalms, praise was such an integral part of his emotions and relationship with God; but not anymore.

Can you imagine living with such tumultuous emotions: shame, guilt, without peace and song? It is miserable, right? No one, except you, may know the sins your committed, no matter how much you want to cover it, it just won't go away.

Now what?

II •  Emotional turmoil leads us to deep remorse .

David knew such emotional pain were caused by his adultery and killing Uriah. He knew he had hurt Bathsheba, killed a loyal soldier and literally destroyed a family. There is nothing he could do to undo his wrong and bring back Uriah. But there is more to this. In vs.4, “Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight,…” Yes, he has sinned against Bathsheba and Uriah, more so, he had sinned against God. He was so sorry, remorse, that he had sinned against the God who cared and loved him. He had wrong the God who was his shepherd.

I still remember in a youth fellowship meeting 50 years ago. A new minister in great remorse and tears shared with a group of 20-30 youths about his adulterous affair. We can certainly debate whether it was appropriate to share such sins before a group of teenagers. Yet one thing continue to stick in my mind; his deep remorse for the sin he had committed against God.

When we sin, we are not just hurting others or self, we are sinning against God. You see, the word sin means missing the mark God has set. If there is no God, then sin will not be such a big deal. It was just a mistake or another behavior. In today's society, affairs are no big deal, as long as both parties are adults and consent to it. It may even be beneficial to one's marriage. However, if there is a God, and if he is the almighty and holy one, then it is different. Even though the society may accept such behaviors, but it is offensive to God. He is the truth, the ultimate standard against whom all behaviors are measure.

We feel remorse because we have sinned against God.

III •  Deep remorse leads us to seek forgiveness .

What else did David do? Like David, we may feel extreme remorse over what we did, then what? Children may feel very sorry over the rules they broke, is that enought? We may feel bad about what we said and did to a person. And sometimes we just stop here. No, there is more than just remorse. Let's take a look at David again. Vs.2, “Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin!” vs.7, “Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.” Vs.8, “Let me hear joy and gladness; let the bones that you have broken rejoice.” Vs.10, “Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me.” David was pleading to God to forgive him, to remove the sins from him so he can be restored to God, be clean, be joyous and whole again.

The same is true with us. just knowing we have sinned against God is not enough. Just feeling remorse or deep remorse is not enough either. We have all seen individuals and prominent church leaders feeling deep remorse over the sins they have committed, but not much evident for sincerely seeking God's forgiveness. We need to go one step further, asking God to forgive us.

Did David know for sure that his sins were forgiven? From reading psalm 51, we did not get the message that David acknowledged God's forgiveness. However David did make it clear in vs.1, “ Have mercy on me, O God, according to your steadfast love; according to your abundant mercy blot out my transgressions.” He pleaded for forgiveness because of God's faithfulness and mercy. Vs.6, “ Behold, you delight in truth in the inward being,…” vs. 17,18, “For you will not delight in sacrifice, or I would give it; you will not be pleased with a burnt offering. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.” The only thing David could hold onto was God's character, his faithfulness, mercy, his love for honesty and a broken heart. In psalm 103:8-13, “ 8 The Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love. 9 He will not always chide, nor will he keep his anger forever. 10 He does not deal with us according to our sins, nor repay us according to our iniquities. 11 For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his steadfast love toward those who fear him; 12 as far as the east is from the west, so far does he remove our transgressions from us. 13 As a father shows compassion to his children, so the Lord shows compassion to those who fear him.” this is another psalm that David wrote. David knew of God's faithfulness and grace. He knew God would remove our sins from us, far from us.

  How about us? we definitely know more than David. Few hundred years after David, we have the words from prophet Isaiah, Isa 53:4-6, “ 4 Surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted. 5 But he was wounded for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities;

upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his stripes we are healed. 6 All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all.” David knew of God's faithfulness, therefore his sins will be removed. Those that came after David, began to understand that there will come a day, when there is a servant from God who would carry men's sins. Yes, it is God's faithfulness that will offer forgiveness, but this faithfulness is not free, it cost him a servant sent by him.

  Another few hundred years later, when Jesus came, John the Baptist said, “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!” (Jn 1:29). Jesus is the one Isaiah talked about, the one who would carry our sins. And then, on the cross, Jesus said, It is finished. Finished what? He had completed the task of carrying our sins on him. this completion is further affirmed by his resurrection. This is the reason, later on, apostle John wrote, “ 9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” (I Jn 1:9).

  David's assurance that his shame would be removed and sins forgiveness, was his trust in God's faithfulness and mercy. Our assurance was also God's faithfulness plus the historical fact that Jesus died for our sins and rose from the dead 3 days later. When we come to God with that deep remorse of our sins, seeking God's forgiveness, our sins will be forgiven, and shame removed. Yes, we may have that stigmatized past, but it can be removed.

IV •  Forgiveness leads us to changed behavior .

  However, there is one more thing. Yes, our sins are forgiven and the stigma removed, we are clean. Is that all? The Chinese term, “ ?? ” has two parts. The first word means remorse, the second word means change. When put together, it means Repentance. As we look around, we see individuals with great remorse over what they did, they seek forgiveness, yet there was not change. They end up repeating the same sins. There are those who have behavior change, but no remorse. It's like children changing their behavior because the parents want them to. True repentance always means remorse and change. Having given the assurance of forgiveness, we are to ask God to help us to change so we will not repeat the same sins again. Isn't this what John the Baptist said in Luke 3:8 , “ 8 Bear fruits in keeping with repentance….” Yes, we feel sorry for our sins, but this sorrow, this remorse must be demonstrated through changed behavior.

Conclusion:

  Besides the bible, the next best seller is John Bunyan's Pilgrim's Progress. It was first published in 1675, and remains a classic read by many. It is a novel that pictures a traveler, after a spiritual awakening, journeying through the wilderness of the world, in search of an Eternal City. In chapter 3, we have these words. Now I saw in my dream Christian (the traveler's name) walking briskly up a highway fenced on both sides with a high wall. He began to run, though he could not run fast because of the load on his back. On top of the hill, he came to a cross. Just as he got to the cross, his burden came loose, dropped from his shoulders, and went tumbling down the hill. It fell into an open grave, and I saw it no more. Now Christian's heart was light. He had found relief from his burden. …His heart was light…….no longer felt guilty of anything. His conscience told him that all his sins were forgiven. He now felt innocent, clean, happy and free.

  Some of us may still be carrying burdens of our past sins. Our hearts were still heavy. The only way to rid of such burden is to come to Christ. Tell him how sorry we are for the past sins we have committed and ask him for forgiveness. As we do this, we also hold on to his promise that he will forgive us and throw away our sins far from us.