Sermon Tone Analysis

Introduction:

Illustration: Series of commercials “Want to get away?”

(Fart after a date; throws controller into a tv, guy loses control of spray hose, 

Review: We are offered God’s amazing mercy and forgiveness.

2. If we are willing to come clean and genuinely own our mess.

3. Then God’s grace forgives, cleanses, and restores.

David created a colossal mess.

But God invited him back in his mercy.

He has granted forgiveness of his sin.

He has cleansed him of shame.

He has created a “clean heart”, a heart that desires God above anything else.

And all of this had radical results in his life.

Main Idea: In these last verses of David’s prayer, we see the Results of God’s Refreshing Grace

A Life of Infectious Praise

 Psalm 51:13-15

David’s words sound astounding; he actually believed God still could use him effectively in His service.

David’s sins were great and the consequences staggering; yet David trusted in the forgiving, cleansing, renewing grace of God.

Publicly praising God and teaching others about Him was part of the response of God’s deliverance in a person’s life.

Illustration: Maple Street Biscuit — when we experience something positive .. we share it.

But a life of praise is more than just celebration.

— it is a life of conviction, it is a life of devotion to God

We follow, chase, pursue what we praise!

It is also a life focused upon God not ourselves.

— what do we normally think of our waking ours?

Ourselves.

A heart of praise begins to be what Tim Keller calls the “Freedom of Self-forgetfulness” 

“Humility is not thinking less of yourself.

It is thinking of yourself less.”

Illustration: Les Miserables

A Life of Genuine Worship

Psalm 51:16-17

David is not disparaging the sacrificial system that God gave Israel for their worship.

What it suggests is that it is possible to make sacrifices (to worship God) in a way that is in fact not worship at all.

How would that have been possible for the Israelites?

It is very possible to use the very system that could have pointed people to owning up to their desperate need of God’s grace and restoring power and turn it into yet another way of attempting to approve ourselves to God, to others, or even ourselves.

"What are the marks of a heart that has been radically changed by the grace of God?

If we trust in Christ, what should our hearts be like?

It is not simply a matter of morally virtuous behaviour.

It is quite possible to do all sorts of morally virtuous things when our hearts are filled with fear, with pride or with a desire for power.

We are talking about hearts that have been changed, at the root, by the grace of God – and what that looks like in real life."

(Keller)

David is indicating what true spiritual sacrifices are.

When a man has sinned, and the hammer of God’s law has crushed his heart in true repentance (“broken and contrite heart”), the man is ready for God’s further work upon his heart which results in the full restoration that only grace can accomplish.

(Leupold) 

A Life of Transforming Mission 

With individuals (Verse 13— “Sinners will return to you.”)

Psalm 51:13

He would teach others about God’s perfect ways, and they could be restored just as God had restored David.

God intends to use the very brokenness that you have born to bring others to restoration.

Illustration: My story?? Strawbridge’s adopted daughter?

David Lenior?

No one is too far gone, too broken, too lost … nothing, no matter how broken or marred, is too far gone to be restored by God.

Transforming the culture—cities  — David’s transformation would not just be personal.

It would affect The whole nation.

Psalm 51:18-19

Conclusion