Sermon Notes for Sunday Morning by Joan Ferrand

Pastor Ernie's message, “Failing the Master,” sprang from Matthew 26:31-35. “Then saith Jesus unto them, All ye shall be offended because of Me this night: for it is written, I will smite the Shepherd, and the sheep of the flock shall be scattered abroad. But after I am risen again, I will go before you into Galillee. Peter answered and said unto Him, Though all men shall be offended because of thee, yet will I never be offended. Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, That this night, before the cock crow, thou shalt deny me thrice. Peter said unto him, Though I should die with thee, yet will I not deny thee. Likewise also said all the disciples.” Peter bravely asserted he would never fail Jesus, even if it meant his death. The rest of disciples agreed. Although,Peter and the disciples expressed their allegiance to Jesus, they failed. Even with the best of intentions, people today make mistakes, thinking they know best. They believe they are too strong to be swayed, or fall. Whenever we allow sin to reign, we too will fail the Master. What happens when we sin?

• Our sinning interrupts fellowship with God.

• I John 1:5-7, “....God is light, and in Him is no darkness at all. If we say that we have fellowship with Him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth: But if we walk in the light, as He is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.”
• Psalm 66:18, “If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me.”

• Our sinning hinders the help and work of the Holy Spirit.

• I Thessalonians 5:19, “Quench not the Spirit.” Sin stops the work of the Holy Spirit in one's life.
• Ephesians 4:22-32, “....put off concerning the former conversation (way of life) the old man (stop living the old way), which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts; and be renewed in the spirit of your mind;...put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.....” This portion of Scripture continues to list what we are to put out of our lives, leaving no place for the devil. This is done by faithfully immersing ourselves in the Word of God.

• Our sinning stops spiritual growth.

• I Peter 2:13, “Submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord's sake: whether it be to the king, as supreme;”
• Knowledge of Scripture is not equated to spiritual grow. Knowing a lot of Scripture and not applying it stops spiritual growth. Reading and applying (obeying) Scripture gives us victory. II Peter 3:18.

• Our sinning brings God's parental, corrective chastisement.

• He disciplines and corrects us because He loves us, and deals with us as (His own) sons.

• I Corinthians 11:23-26 is often read as part of the Communion Service. Verse 27 follows with a warning for those who partake unworthily (un-confessed and un-repented of sin.) “Wherefore, whosoever shall eat this bread, and drink this cup of the Lord, unworthily, shall be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord.” Pastor says it is like spitting in His face, to be sinning in this way, while claiming to be righteous. It doesn't matter that the world seems to get away with sin. Remember, if you belong to Him, you are His 'kid,' and He'll deal with you gently,  or with severity if needed, even unto death (vs. 28-32).
• Hebrews 12:3-11 reminds us that  our sin will lead us to His discipline.

• Our sinning brings loss of reward.

• II Corinthians 5:10, “For we all must appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that everyone may receive the things done in his body.....”
• I Corinthians 3:12-15 shows our works will be judged and rewarded accordingly (eternal rewards).
• We also face temporal loses, such as loss of peace, joy, opportunity etc.. Consequences always follow sin, many times for years to come. Remember King David's sin of murder and adultery with Bathsheba resulted in the death of their first child. It caused the entire nation to move away from the things of God and brought strife into his home from that day forward.

VI .Our sinning manifests spiritual death.