James 5:16 "Confess Your Sins to One Another"

{# Without a player to seek there is nothing to click, so the timestamp drops to plain text rather than a button that silently does nothing. #}

You are listening to a message from Southwood Presbyterian Church in Huntsville, Alabama. Our passion is to experience and express grace. Join us.

{# Without a player to seek there is nothing to click, so the timestamp drops to plain text rather than a button that silently does nothing. #}

Amen. That was one of the great, great joys of this week was seeing kids see a God that big. It's in their story, the hero of their story.

{# Without a player to seek there is nothing to click, so the timestamp drops to plain text rather than a button that silently does nothing. #}

It's a real joy. We're talking this summer about one-anothering, the beauty, the challenge of true gospel community, the relationships that are shaped by Jesus that He's brought us into.

{# Without a player to seek there is nothing to click, so the timestamp drops to plain text rather than a button that silently does nothing. #}

We started with love one another. Last week we saw how hard it can be to rejoice and weep with one another. And now today we move from hard to downright uncomfortable.

{# Without a player to seek there is nothing to click, so the timestamp drops to plain text rather than a button that silently does nothing. #}

We're going to talk for the next two Sundays about confess and forgive. Turn to James chapter 5. I'm going to read a few verses that talk about our life together in community.

{# Without a player to seek there is nothing to click, so the timestamp drops to plain text rather than a button that silently does nothing. #}

And the last one highlights our focus for today. Confess your sins to one another. James 5 at verse 13.

{# Without a player to seek there is nothing to click, so the timestamp drops to plain text rather than a button that silently does nothing. #}

Is anyone among you suffering? Let him pray. Is anyone cheerful? Let him sing praise. Is anyone among you sick?

{# Without a player to seek there is nothing to click, so the timestamp drops to plain text rather than a button that silently does nothing. #}

Let him call for the elders of the church and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer of faith will save the one who is sick and the Lord will raise him up.

{# Without a player to seek there is nothing to click, so the timestamp drops to plain text rather than a button that silently does nothing. #}

And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven. Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another that you may be healed.

{# Without a player to seek there is nothing to click, so the timestamp drops to plain text rather than a button that silently does nothing. #}

The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working. The word of God for the people of God to shape our hearts and our lives together.

{# Without a player to seek there is nothing to click, so the timestamp drops to plain text rather than a button that silently does nothing. #}

Thanks be to God. Let's pray. Father, we do give you thanks. In particular now for your word. And we ask for your spirit to work in particular through it to conform us to your likeness.

{# Without a player to seek there is nothing to click, so the timestamp drops to plain text rather than a button that silently does nothing. #}

And in this passage particularly to make us like what you would have us to be as individuals. And especially together as your people.

{# Without a player to seek there is nothing to click, so the timestamp drops to plain text rather than a button that silently does nothing. #}

Help us, Holy Spirit. We ask in Jesus' name. Amen. Perhaps more than many other issues.

{# Without a player to seek there is nothing to click, so the timestamp drops to plain text rather than a button that silently does nothing. #}

When you hear James say, confess your sins to each other. You may have all sorts of objections pop into your head. But do you mean, how could I possibly?

{# Without a player to seek there is nothing to click, so the timestamp drops to plain text rather than a button that silently does nothing. #}

Yeah, but what about? And there are a lot of those ways to finish those sentences. So I want to start by briefly mentioning three things that this does not mean.

{# Without a player to seek there is nothing to click, so the timestamp drops to plain text rather than a button that silently does nothing. #}

What's three things not being said here in this passage. This is going to put the command in the context of the whole of God's word.

{# Without a player to seek there is nothing to click, so the timestamp drops to plain text rather than a button that silently does nothing. #}

And help us see what God is after in our community in this area. First, this confessing our sins to one another is not a substitute for confessing to God.

{# Without a player to seek there is nothing to click, so the timestamp drops to plain text rather than a button that silently does nothing. #}

All of our sin is first and foremost against God, right? Psalm 51. Hearts turned away from relationship with Him that He created us to have and enjoy.

{# Without a player to seek there is nothing to click, so the timestamp drops to plain text rather than a button that silently does nothing. #}

And so the Bible speaks much more often about the importance of confessing sins to God than to anyone else. You can go to Him anytime and we should.

{# Without a player to seek there is nothing to click, so the timestamp drops to plain text rather than a button that silently does nothing. #}

This is not that. And this doesn't replace that. Second, confessing our sins to one another is not self-promoting.

{# Without a player to seek there is nothing to click, so the timestamp drops to plain text rather than a button that silently does nothing. #}

Here's what I mean. Sometimes in a church that is so committed to grace as we are, confessing sins can be thought of as a badge of honor.

{# Without a player to seek there is nothing to click, so the timestamp drops to plain text rather than a button that silently does nothing. #}

This shows how wonderful and spiritual I am. And you might get the idea that the goal is merely to earn points for transparency. The most vulnerable person is the most spiritual person.

{# Without a player to seek there is nothing to click, so the timestamp drops to plain text rather than a button that silently does nothing. #}

And that's all that really matters. We'll see that certainly transparency and vulnerability can be and should be fruits of the gospel working in our hearts and in our community.

{# Without a player to seek there is nothing to click, so the timestamp drops to plain text rather than a button that silently does nothing. #}

But we confess together, James says, that we would experience what? The healing of God. It's not primarily about us being proved wonderful.

{# Without a player to seek there is nothing to click, so the timestamp drops to plain text rather than a button that silently does nothing. #}

It's so that our hearts would be turned to find hope in Him. And therefore, this is not promoting self. It's promoting Jesus and His grace. Not us and our excellent confessing skills.

{# Without a player to seek there is nothing to click, so the timestamp drops to plain text rather than a button that silently does nothing. #}

It's not about that. Third, confessing our sins to one another is not every sin confessed to everybody, for which you're probably thankful.

{# Without a player to seek there is nothing to click, so the timestamp drops to plain text rather than a button that silently does nothing. #}

Confess your sins to one another is stated in the context of meaningful relationships in the family of God. Ask the elders to pray, James says, and we love to do that with you, by the way.

{# Without a player to seek there is nothing to click, so the timestamp drops to plain text rather than a button that silently does nothing. #}

And yes, when he gets to confess your sins, it's broader than just to the elders. It's beyond that. But the clear idea is that the people who hear the confession will actually pray with and for you.

{# Without a player to seek there is nothing to click, so the timestamp drops to plain text rather than a button that silently does nothing. #}

That they know you and love you. They don't condemn you, on the one hand, and they don't let you off the hook, on the other hand.

{# Without a player to seek there is nothing to click, so the timestamp drops to plain text rather than a button that silently does nothing. #}

So wisdom must be exercised in the audience of the confession, right? And no, Facebook is not what I mean by wisdom.

{# Without a player to seek there is nothing to click, so the timestamp drops to plain text rather than a button that silently does nothing. #}

You can take that to the bank pretty much every time. And for many of us, that's really good, right? I mean, that's quite enough on confession. We can stop right there.

{# Without a player to seek there is nothing to click, so the timestamp drops to plain text rather than a button that silently does nothing. #}

Because honestly, I'm not really sure who someone is like that that I could confess to. So I just play it safe, right? Wisdom. I heard him say wisdom.

{# Without a player to seek there is nothing to click, so the timestamp drops to plain text rather than a button that silently does nothing. #}

That's what I'm going to do. I'm going to be wise and just keep it to myself, right? Listen, if you feel that, it's not just you. Y'all, most of us are more comfortable there.

{# Without a player to seek there is nothing to click, so the timestamp drops to plain text rather than a button that silently does nothing. #}

I don't have time to list all of the things that we in this room would rather do than confess our sins to one another. But the list includes rooting for your rival's football team.

{# Without a player to seek there is nothing to click, so the timestamp drops to plain text rather than a button that silently does nothing. #}

Eating a plate full of broccoli. Disgusting. And singing a solo in front of a large audience. All of those, for many of us, are more appealing and safer than this.

{# Without a player to seek there is nothing to click, so the timestamp drops to plain text rather than a button that silently does nothing. #}

We don't like sharing our real heart-level idols and struggles, do we? And yet, God says, confess your sins to one another.

{# Without a player to seek there is nothing to click, so the timestamp drops to plain text rather than a button that silently does nothing. #}

He directs us towards this. What does confessing to one another look like? Well, think of it this morning in terms of picking a fight.

{# Without a player to seek there is nothing to click, so the timestamp drops to plain text rather than a button that silently does nothing. #}

Now, we usually don't condone fighting. It's not something that we recommend a lot. But, please understand, the Bible talks a lot about spiritual warfare.

{# Without a player to seek there is nothing to click, so the timestamp drops to plain text rather than a button that silently does nothing. #}

And says we must understand that we're in it. And we must engage in it. That's what I mean here. Our passage in James 5 indicates that the implications of this warfare in which we're engaged are both physical and spiritual.

{# Without a player to seek there is nothing to click, so the timestamp drops to plain text rather than a button that silently does nothing. #}

But, regardless, sin is the real enemy. We talked about that with the kids at VBS this week.

{# Without a player to seek there is nothing to click, so the timestamp drops to plain text rather than a button that silently does nothing. #}

That sin is what has messed everything up, right? The world. You. Me. Our relationship with God. Our relationship with each other.

{# Without a player to seek there is nothing to click, so the timestamp drops to plain text rather than a button that silently does nothing. #}

And so, when we identify a villain. When we see who the bad guy is. We must engage him or it. It's not enough merely to go around cleaning up the messes that the villain creates.

{# Without a player to seek there is nothing to click, so the timestamp drops to plain text rather than a button that silently does nothing. #}

We must actually confront our sin itself. Wherever we see it. Confessing our sins to one another begins with being willing to see sin in ourselves.

{# Without a player to seek there is nothing to click, so the timestamp drops to plain text rather than a button that silently does nothing. #}

And really to hate sin enough to pick the fight. Hate it enough. To see that we're in spiritual warfare.

{# Without a player to seek there is nothing to click, so the timestamp drops to plain text rather than a button that silently does nothing. #}

And I'm not going to call a truce on sin. Just so that I can get on with living the way that I want to and not be bothered for a while. No. There's no such thing in God's word.

{# Without a player to seek there is nothing to click, so the timestamp drops to plain text rather than a button that silently does nothing. #}

Sin is an enemy to be fought against. Confess. The word for confess. Actually there in verse 16. Means speaking the truth.

{# Without a player to seek there is nothing to click, so the timestamp drops to plain text rather than a button that silently does nothing. #}

Speaking the truth about our sins. Confess. Are you willing to do that? Are you willing to admit even to yourself that that's what's going on in your heart?

{# Without a player to seek there is nothing to click, so the timestamp drops to plain text rather than a button that silently does nothing. #}

Confession begins with identifying the villain. Picking a fight with your sin. If you're willing to do that secondly.

{# Without a player to seek there is nothing to click, so the timestamp drops to plain text rather than a button that silently does nothing. #}

It means inviting a friend to the fight. James says confess your sins to one another. This is really the crux of what we're talking about this morning.

{# Without a player to seek there is nothing to click, so the timestamp drops to plain text rather than a button that silently does nothing. #}

Actually verbalizing to a friend or brother or sister. The darkness you're beginning to see in your own heart and life. It's a way of acknowledging I can't fight this on my own.

{# Without a player to seek there is nothing to click, so the timestamp drops to plain text rather than a button that silently does nothing. #}

And I was never meant to. I mean think about it. You would not go alone to a fist fight with a dangerous enemy. Right? You'd bring someone with you. You wouldn't fight a serious medical condition without getting help from a doctor.

{# Without a player to seek there is nothing to click, so the timestamp drops to plain text rather than a button that silently does nothing. #}

You wouldn't respond to a call where gunshots had been fired without dialing in for backup. Right? So why would we approach sin more casually than that?

{# Without a player to seek there is nothing to click, so the timestamp drops to plain text rather than a button that silently does nothing. #}

We all need a sidekick as it were. In our fight against sin. Because see sin always wants the fight to be in secret.

{# Without a player to seek there is nothing to click, so the timestamp drops to plain text rather than a button that silently does nothing. #}

That's where sin gets stronger. In the darkness. When you're alone. Pastor John MacArthur on this verse writes about how important it is to confess sins to one another.

{# Without a player to seek there is nothing to click, so the timestamp drops to plain text rather than a button that silently does nothing. #}

He says sin is most dangerous to the isolated believer. Sin seeks to remain private and secret. But God wants it exposed and dealt with in the loving fellowship of other believers.

{# Without a player to seek there is nothing to click, so the timestamp drops to plain text rather than a button that silently does nothing. #}

Dragging our sin into the light as God tells us to over and over. Doing that weakens sin. It weakens sin and it also removes our aloneness.

{# Without a player to seek there is nothing to click, so the timestamp drops to plain text rather than a button that silently does nothing. #}

I had lunch with a friend this week who asked me how things were going in my life. Just wanted to know. I said pretty good. It's a great week. VBS is super.

{# Without a player to seek there is nothing to click, so the timestamp drops to plain text rather than a button that silently does nothing. #}

But since you're actually really asking deeper. I'm actually really frustrated with how I've seen my selfishness showing up lately.

{# Without a player to seek there is nothing to click, so the timestamp drops to plain text rather than a button that silently does nothing. #}

Especially in ways I've been unthoughtful and unloving toward my wife. A few minutes later I confess to him. I've seen my idol of control negatively impacting my parenting.

{# Without a player to seek there is nothing to click, so the timestamp drops to plain text rather than a button that silently does nothing. #}

Both of those times he was able to say two things really. First, oh man, me too. And he was able to say, hey, let me share with you some things God's been showing me about that in my life.

{# Without a player to seek there is nothing to click, so the timestamp drops to plain text rather than a button that silently does nothing. #}

And all of a sudden, a struggle that I hadn't shared with anyone yet particularly. That had just been in my heart kind of being ignored a bit honestly.

{# Without a player to seek there is nothing to click, so the timestamp drops to plain text rather than a button that silently does nothing. #}

It can go there and be alone and fester. All of a sudden it was dragged out into the open. And guess what else? I wasn't alone in it anymore. I was there and had someone with me.

{# Without a player to seek there is nothing to click, so the timestamp drops to plain text rather than a button that silently does nothing. #}

You remember the loneliness we talked about a couple weeks ago? That can be so devastating to us? Confessing our sins to one another may remove that loneliness better than anything else we can do.

{# Without a player to seek there is nothing to click, so the timestamp drops to plain text rather than a button that silently does nothing. #}

Because all of us are wracked with sin. We know in many different ways what that feels like. And so in this instance, confessing removed my loneliness.

{# Without a player to seek there is nothing to click, so the timestamp drops to plain text rather than a button that silently does nothing. #}

And at the same time, it opened the door for him to confess. And for him to have his loneliness removed as well as we shared and prayed in that together.

{# Without a player to seek there is nothing to click, so the timestamp drops to plain text rather than a button that silently does nothing. #}

Maybe you've been in a small group where you've seen that happen. One person is finally willing to share an honest struggle. And it enables others to be able to start coming out of hiding, as it were.

{# Without a player to seek there is nothing to click, so the timestamp drops to plain text rather than a button that silently does nothing. #}

To share their own struggles. And you leave the evening with multiple people drawn out of their loneliness and into community. I love that.

{# Without a player to seek there is nothing to click, so the timestamp drops to plain text rather than a button that silently does nothing. #}

I love when that happens. But there's one more really important thing that happens in this verse. When God tells us to confess our sins to one another, he continues and pray for one another.

{# Without a player to seek there is nothing to click, so the timestamp drops to plain text rather than a button that silently does nothing. #}

You see, as any kid in VBS this week could tell you, there is one superhero. Kids, you awake?

{# Without a player to seek there is nothing to click, so the timestamp drops to plain text rather than a button that silently does nothing. #}

Superhero. It's on your list. One superhero who can deal with the problem of sin. We can't handle it on our own.

{# Without a player to seek there is nothing to click, so the timestamp drops to plain text rather than a button that silently does nothing. #}

Jesus didn't merely deal with sin once for all on the cross. He continues fighting sin in us. Fighting with us, in fact.

{# Without a player to seek there is nothing to click, so the timestamp drops to plain text rather than a button that silently does nothing. #}

And he's the one who gives us the power to defeat sin. And so we pray. That's why. That's the context, actually, of this whole section in James, isn't it?

{# Without a player to seek there is nothing to click, so the timestamp drops to plain text rather than a button that silently does nothing. #}

It's about prayer. Pray about the physical difficulties you're facing. Pray about the spiritual struggles. Because that is where your hope for healing truly lies.

{# Without a player to seek there is nothing to click, so the timestamp drops to plain text rather than a button that silently does nothing. #}

See, confessing your sin to someone else does drag the sin out of the darkness into the light where it gets weaker. It does remove aloneness and give you someone to fight with you.

{# Without a player to seek there is nothing to click, so the timestamp drops to plain text rather than a button that silently does nothing. #}

And what a blessing that is. But most importantly, it gives you both the chance to call out to Jesus together.

{# Without a player to seek there is nothing to click, so the timestamp drops to plain text rather than a button that silently does nothing. #}

To live practically dependent upon his help and deliverance. And to go there together. It's not just you praying to God. Not just a pastor praying for you.

{# Without a player to seek there is nothing to click, so the timestamp drops to plain text rather than a button that silently does nothing. #}

But brothers and sisters praying with you to the one who rules over sin. And that's gospel community, isn't it? Isn't that what we long to see happen?

{# Without a player to seek there is nothing to click, so the timestamp drops to plain text rather than a button that silently does nothing. #}

That we would together run to Jesus and find our hope in him? That's what it means. Boiled down to the basics, right? And our sin is perhaps the best occasion, if you can call it best.

{# Without a player to seek there is nothing to click, so the timestamp drops to plain text rather than a button that silently does nothing. #}

To remember that. To remember how much we need him. And to drive us together to run to him. That's what this family, these relationships we're talking about are all about.

{# Without a player to seek there is nothing to click, so the timestamp drops to plain text rather than a button that silently does nothing. #}

Us going to Jesus together. Prayer is the primary way we fight against sin. It has real power, James says.

{# Without a player to seek there is nothing to click, so the timestamp drops to plain text rather than a button that silently does nothing. #}

How does prayer have power? Well, because King Jesus, the one to whom we pray, is the one who has conquered sin. And so we ask for his help.

{# Without a player to seek there is nothing to click, so the timestamp drops to plain text rather than a button that silently does nothing. #}

To believe the truth of his word rather than the lies of Satan. We ask for his help to stand firm against the temptations of the devil. We ask for his help to value the eternal riches of God over the fleeting pleasures of sin that are so appealing to us.

{# Without a player to seek there is nothing to click, so the timestamp drops to plain text rather than a button that silently does nothing. #}

And so together with brothers or sisters as we plead with God over and over, we see our hearts reoriented. Our attitudes adjusted. Our longings actually fulfilled by him, not something else.

{# Without a player to seek there is nothing to click, so the timestamp drops to plain text rather than a button that silently does nothing. #}

Now God's word doesn't spell out all the ways this must look as we confess to one another. But for most of us, it's pretty hard to imagine what this could look like.

{# Without a player to seek there is nothing to click, so the timestamp drops to plain text rather than a button that silently does nothing. #}

Because we haven't ventured into it very often. What could it look like for a whole community, a whole church to be marked by confession?

{# Without a player to seek there is nothing to click, so the timestamp drops to plain text rather than a button that silently does nothing. #}

One morning, Kathy, I guessed her age at 35, joined us for the first time. One look at her face caused me to conclude that she must have been Hollywood beautiful at 21.

{# Without a player to seek there is nothing to click, so the timestamp drops to plain text rather than a button that silently does nothing. #}

Now her face was swollen, her eyes red, her teeth rotting. Her hair looked unwashed, uncombed for who knows how long. I've been in five states in the past month, she said.

{# Without a player to seek there is nothing to click, so the timestamp drops to plain text rather than a button that silently does nothing. #}

I've slept under bridges on several nights, been arrested, raped, robbed. Now she's weeping. I don't know what to do. I don't want to be homeless anymore.

{# Without a player to seek there is nothing to click, so the timestamp drops to plain text rather than a button that silently does nothing. #}

But I can't stop drinking. I can't stop. I can't. Next to Kathy was a rather large woman, Marilyn, who had been sober for more than a dozen years.

{# Without a player to seek there is nothing to click, so the timestamp drops to plain text rather than a button that silently does nothing. #}

She reached out to Kathy with both arms and pulled her close so her head was on her chest. I was close enough to hear Marilyn speak quietly into Kathy's ear. Honey, you're going to be okay.

{# Without a player to seek there is nothing to click, so the timestamp drops to plain text rather than a button that silently does nothing. #}

You're with us now. We can deal with this together. And then others began sharing their struggles, asking for help as Marilyn kissed the top of Kathy's head.

{# Without a player to seek there is nothing to click, so the timestamp drops to plain text rather than a button that silently does nothing. #}

It's an account from an AA group. I wonder, could it happen here at Southwood? Marilyn's response, the beautiful picture of aloneness being removed.

{# Without a player to seek there is nothing to click, so the timestamp drops to plain text rather than a button that silently does nothing. #}

We can deal with this together. As Kathy confesses, I can't stop. I can't stop. And we actually have resources in the gospel, and we're talking about it in a second, to go even further than they did.

{# Without a player to seek there is nothing to click, so the timestamp drops to plain text rather than a button that silently does nothing. #}

We can do even more. And I think as God shapes Southwood increasingly with these gospel realities, we'll see things like this.

{# Without a player to seek there is nothing to click, so the timestamp drops to plain text rather than a button that silently does nothing. #}

You'll have more small group times where you say, does anybody have anything we can pray for? And it sounds like this. Yeah, I just can't stop lying all the time.

{# Without a player to seek there is nothing to click, so the timestamp drops to plain text rather than a button that silently does nothing. #}

Can we pray about that? I've got some big health issues coming up, but the bigger issue, honestly, is that I can't stop worrying. Will you all pray for me?

{# Without a player to seek there is nothing to click, so the timestamp drops to plain text rather than a button that silently does nothing. #}

I think we'll have groups of guys sit around a table, and one will say, I can't stop looking. I need help.

{# Without a player to seek there is nothing to click, so the timestamp drops to plain text rather than a button that silently does nothing. #}

And another one will respond, hey, I know what you mean. We need to be praying. By the way, I'm so glad you came tonight. You're with us now. We can deal with this together.

{# Without a player to seek there is nothing to click, so the timestamp drops to plain text rather than a button that silently does nothing. #}

I think there will be conversations after a worship service in the prayer room, in the hallways, in the pews, perhaps, where rather than just, hey, how you doing?

{# Without a player to seek there is nothing to click, so the timestamp drops to plain text rather than a button that silently does nothing. #}

Well, one person will say, the Spirit is just convicting me about my selfishness. I wanted to tell you that. Or I'm just so tired of the way pride is harming my relationships.

{# Without a player to seek there is nothing to click, so the timestamp drops to plain text rather than a button that silently does nothing. #}

And as we confess this morning, God just put that on my heart, and I wanted to share that with you. Will you pray with me? I've just seen how my desire for control is keeping me from trusting God.

{# Without a player to seek there is nothing to click, so the timestamp drops to plain text rather than a button that silently does nothing. #}

I needed to share that with someone. Can we pray? And a brother or sister will actually stop right there and say, why don't we pray about that together? Why don't we pray now?

{# Without a player to seek there is nothing to click, so the timestamp drops to plain text rather than a button that silently does nothing. #}

See, it will be picking a fight with sin and then inviting a friend into that fight and calling out to Jesus together.

{# Without a player to seek there is nothing to click, so the timestamp drops to plain text rather than a button that silently does nothing. #}

I think it will happen over and over and over. It actually becomes normal and a way of life and the thing we most need.

{# Without a player to seek there is nothing to click, so the timestamp drops to plain text rather than a button that silently does nothing. #}

Kids confessing your sin to your parents may look like coming to them and saying, hey, I'm being really mean to my brother or sister.

{# Without a player to seek there is nothing to click, so the timestamp drops to plain text rather than a button that silently does nothing. #}

And I know you didn't see it, but I just hate how my selfishness is messing up my relationship with them and making me so mean. Can we pray and ask Jesus to help me with that?

{# Without a player to seek there is nothing to click, so the timestamp drops to plain text rather than a button that silently does nothing. #}

Parents, if you were like me and you want to hear those words just once, they'll usually come sometime after the time when you say, hey, sweet girl, daddy's so sorry for losing his temper.

{# Without a player to seek there is nothing to click, so the timestamp drops to plain text rather than a button that silently does nothing. #}

I should never yell at you like that. Can we pray for Jesus to help daddy? I'll be honest, it's a bit scary to me too.

{# Without a player to seek there is nothing to click, so the timestamp drops to plain text rather than a button that silently does nothing. #}

I don't run towards this the way I wish I would, but it's a beautiful thing to experience when this happens. You can confess to God in this service, as we did earlier this morning, but to confess to one another, we all need those smaller group relationships where people know us and really listen to us and actually pray for us.

{# Without a player to seek there is nothing to click, so the timestamp drops to plain text rather than a button that silently does nothing. #}

And y'all, if you don't have any of those relationships, places where you could confess your sins to someone else and be honest about your real sins, not just the ones you want to sound good sharing about, I want you to know, if you've never had a relationship like that, those relationships are precious.

{# Without a player to seek there is nothing to click, so the timestamp drops to plain text rather than a button that silently does nothing. #}

You'll love them. You'll want to be around them all the time. You'll want to pour into those kind of relationships. They're precious and also they're possible. They are.

{# Without a player to seek there is nothing to click, so the timestamp drops to plain text rather than a button that silently does nothing. #}

Because the gospel makes relationships like that possible. See, the reason why we back away from confessing to others is that we know it might cost us something, don't we?

{# Without a player to seek there is nothing to click, so the timestamp drops to plain text rather than a button that silently does nothing. #}

I don't know what it is that slows you down. Maybe it's you know it'll cost you your reputation, your credibility with them, some position you feel like you have.

{# Without a player to seek there is nothing to click, so the timestamp drops to plain text rather than a button that silently does nothing. #}

It might cost you feeling the shame of your sin that already is frustrating you. It may cost you feeling like a failure to yourself and we hate that, don't we?

{# Without a player to seek there is nothing to click, so the timestamp drops to plain text rather than a button that silently does nothing. #}

One of our previous pastors, Bill Nash, used to say all the time, because of Jesus, we have nothing to lose, nothing to hide, nothing to protect, nothing to fear.

{# Without a player to seek there is nothing to click, so the timestamp drops to plain text rather than a button that silently does nothing. #}

That's really true. Jesus is the source of our safety to confess sin because he has the solution for sin. It's why heaven rejoices when a sinner repents.

{# Without a player to seek there is nothing to click, so the timestamp drops to plain text rather than a button that silently does nothing. #}

See, the good news of the gospel is that you and I have the righteousness of Christ, the best reputation possible. security.

{# Without a player to seek there is nothing to click, so the timestamp drops to plain text rather than a button that silently does nothing. #}

Security. It can never be lost because it's his and it's kept in heaven for us, right? Nothing.

{# Without a player to seek there is nothing to click, so the timestamp drops to plain text rather than a button that silently does nothing. #}

Not even your sin or confessing it to someone else could take that away. And so my value is not in what you think of me. It's not in how impressive I am to someone else.

{# Without a player to seek there is nothing to click, so the timestamp drops to plain text rather than a button that silently does nothing. #}

My value is that I'm completely righteous before God in Jesus. Do you let that sink in sometimes?

{# Without a player to seek there is nothing to click, so the timestamp drops to plain text rather than a button that silently does nothing. #}

Because we live with ourselves and we don't feel completely righteous, valued, precious, treasured, and no one can remove it from me.

{# Without a player to seek there is nothing to click, so the timestamp drops to plain text rather than a button that silently does nothing. #}

Do you let that sink in? That that's true? It's the only thing that sometimes will open me up to confess some things.

{# Without a player to seek there is nothing to click, so the timestamp drops to plain text rather than a button that silently does nothing. #}

You know where I sometimes find my value? My worth? I like to find myself valuable as a caring pastor.

{# Without a player to seek there is nothing to click, so the timestamp drops to plain text rather than a button that silently does nothing. #}

someone who cares for people, who loves everybody. Not long ago, I found myself wrestling with the fact that I had sinned against someone and really hurt them.

{# Without a player to seek there is nothing to click, so the timestamp drops to plain text rather than a button that silently does nothing. #}

But the root of it was, as I reflected, honestly, I just didn't care about them in that moment. There were a lot of other things I was more interested in and I really just didn't care about them.

{# Without a player to seek there is nothing to click, so the timestamp drops to plain text rather than a button that silently does nothing. #}

I did not want to confess that and didn't feel like I needed to, honestly. I thought I really needed that person to think of me as a caring pastor.

{# Without a player to seek there is nothing to click, so the timestamp drops to plain text rather than a button that silently does nothing. #}

I can't give them evidence to the contrary. Maybe what I could do is I could pass it off as an oversight, you know, as an accident. I'm so sorry you got hurt. You know, it's one of those terrible things that happens sometimes.

{# Without a player to seek there is nothing to click, so the timestamp drops to plain text rather than a button that silently does nothing. #}

Cyberspace, things get lost. Terrible phone, technology, you know, that's what happened. God and I had to talk about whether the righteousness of Jesus was enough for me.

{# Without a player to seek there is nothing to click, so the timestamp drops to plain text rather than a button that silently does nothing. #}

The approval of my heavenly Father, was that enough for me? Or whether I needed to have some caring pastor righteousness to feel better.

{# Without a player to seek there is nothing to click, so the timestamp drops to plain text rather than a button that silently does nothing. #}

Whether I needed the approval of this person as well for me to be able to be okay. See, Jesus had to be really big.

{# Without a player to seek there is nothing to click, so the timestamp drops to plain text rather than a button that silently does nothing. #}

And his righteousness had to be actually enough for me before I would confess the real sin. And only once I saw him clearly could I confess to her honestly what really was going on.

{# Without a player to seek there is nothing to click, so the timestamp drops to plain text rather than a button that silently does nothing. #}

And have her pray for me in my real sin. Do you begin to see how the gospel produces community like this? If we'll really believe it?

{# Without a player to seek there is nothing to click, so the timestamp drops to plain text rather than a button that silently does nothing. #}

If we'll really let it impact the way we relate to each other? See, I didn't lose my value. I didn't lose my righteousness when I confessed that awful reality to her.

{# Without a player to seek there is nothing to click, so the timestamp drops to plain text rather than a button that silently does nothing. #}

Why? Because my righteousness is in heaven. It wasn't touched by that. I have nothing to hide, nothing to protect, nothing to lose.

{# Without a player to seek there is nothing to click, so the timestamp drops to plain text rather than a button that silently does nothing. #}

I can see my sin as big and awful. The gospel says Jesus had to go to the cross for it. Because it breaks my relationship with God and with others.

{# Without a player to seek there is nothing to click, so the timestamp drops to plain text rather than a button that silently does nothing. #}

It's that big. And I can see Jesus as big and amazing because his righteousness clothes me perfectly and I don't need anything else.

{# Without a player to seek there is nothing to click, so the timestamp drops to plain text rather than a button that silently does nothing. #}

so I can confess to you and actually expect that this is a family not of judgment but of grace because Jesus makes it one like that.

{# Without a player to seek there is nothing to click, so the timestamp drops to plain text rather than a button that silently does nothing. #}

If we're willing to confess our sins, it's because Jesus has become big in our eyes. Y'all, if we're not confessing our sins to each other, I'm more concerned not about our view of sin specifically but about our view of Jesus.

{# Without a player to seek there is nothing to click, so the timestamp drops to plain text rather than a button that silently does nothing. #}

Is he not big enough? Is his righteousness not enough to cover us? Are we not rejoicing in him deeply enough? Is he not enough for us?

{# Without a player to seek there is nothing to click, so the timestamp drops to plain text rather than a button that silently does nothing. #}

Several years ago, I got a note from a former Southwood member who had decided Jesus was enough and she could confess the ugly reality of her sin and addiction.

{# Without a player to seek there is nothing to click, so the timestamp drops to plain text rather than a button that silently does nothing. #}

With some of her brothers and sisters here, she decided she had to no matter how they responded and they surprised her. She writes, I thought guilt and shame would absolutely kill me but not one person looked on me with judgment, only love and grace.

{# Without a player to seek there is nothing to click, so the timestamp drops to plain text rather than a button that silently does nothing. #}

She ran into some Maryland's here who pointed her to rehab but especially to Jesus. They prayed a lot.

{# Without a player to seek there is nothing to click, so the timestamp drops to plain text rather than a button that silently does nothing. #}

They cried with her into the early hours of the morning. They prayed. They watched her kids for her while she was getting help and they prayed.

{# Without a player to seek there is nothing to click, so the timestamp drops to plain text rather than a button that silently does nothing. #}

I found there are many Maryland's here. I'd love for you to find one if you don't have one. People who know the righteousness of Jesus is enough for all of us.

{# Without a player to seek there is nothing to click, so the timestamp drops to plain text rather than a button that silently does nothing. #}

The help of Jesus is what we all need in all of our sin struggles. Dear friends, let's confess our sins to one another so that we can run to Jesus together.

{# Without a player to seek there is nothing to click, so the timestamp drops to plain text rather than a button that silently does nothing. #}

Pray with me. Jesus, we want to be with you. We want to be together with you with these people we love. Sometimes we just want to feel safe more than we want that.

{# Without a player to seek there is nothing to click, so the timestamp drops to plain text rather than a button that silently does nothing. #}

We just want to feel good about ourselves. We just want others to think highly of us. Would you forgive us for that?

{# Without a player to seek there is nothing to click, so the timestamp drops to plain text rather than a button that silently does nothing. #}

For our tendency to isolate, to hide with the truth of your gospel, of the love of a father for us, of perfect robes of righteousness that no one can take away.

{# Without a player to seek there is nothing to click, so the timestamp drops to plain text rather than a button that silently does nothing. #}

Would it overwhelm the lies we believe? Would you remind us of the glories of Jesus that you might move us towards each other and that we might run to him together.

{# Without a player to seek there is nothing to click, so the timestamp drops to plain text rather than a button that silently does nothing. #}

Give us great joy in that. We ask for his sake. Amen. For more information, visit us online at southwood.org.

James 5:16 "Confess Your Sins to One Another"

Passage

Transcription