Introduction:
Without this: We are dead in our sins, there is no hope for the future, no man can enjoy real peace, no man can enjoy fellowship with Jesus Christ, no man can see God. I’m talking about God’s forgiveness.
Psalm 130:1-8
A) A Cry for God to Hear (130:1-2).
Out of the depths. The depths of despair, indicating feelings of abandonment? The depths of water (used figuratively, such as the sea), indicating he was drowning in his sin?
The psalmist realizes he has a God who will hear his cry. Because we have that same God, we have a God who will hear our cries.
His ears are open to the prayers of the righteous. “For the eyes of the Lord are over the righteous, and his ears are open unto their prayers: but the face of the Lord is against them that do evil” ~ 1 Peter 3:12 (King James Version).
We have a high priest who was tempted in all points like as we are ~ “For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin” ~ Hebrews 4:15 (King James Version).
B) A Plea for God to Help (130:3).
Consider the many ways man attempts to deal with his sin.
Rely on the passage of time, failure to admit the sin, failure to accept responsibility, etc.
The only proper way for us to deal with sin is to repent and ask God for forgiveness.
The psalmist asks, “Without forgiveness, who shall stand”.
Who shall stand to live with the guilt of their sin?
Who shall stand before God on the day of judgment? “For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad” ~ 2 Corinthians 5:10 (King James Version).
C) Reason for Hope (130:4-8).
God is willing to forgive.
God is not willing that any should perish, but that all come to repentance. “The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance” ~ 2 Peter 3:9 (King James Version)
Nehemiah describes God as ready to pardon, gracious and merciful. “And refused to obey, neither were mindful of thy wonders that thou didst among them; but hardened their necks, and in their rebellion appointed a captain to return to their bondage: but thou art a God ready to pardon, gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and forsookest them not” ~ Nehemiah 9:17 (King James Version).
God’s word provides us with an assurance that God will forgive.
“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” ~ 1 John 1:9 (King James Version).
When we repent and ask forgiveness, God remembers our sin no more. “For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more” ~ Hebrews 8:12 (King James Version).
Conclusion:
Because of God’s forgiveness: We are dead to sin, we can enjoy true peace, we can posses real hope for the future, we can come into fellowship with Jesus Christ, we can see God