Hey man, thank you for that special and song this morning. Take your Bible string Isaiah chapter 1 Isaiah chapter 1 this morning and thankful for Music this morning praise the Lord gets us ready for the time in the Word of God and we're saying one this morning and And we look at Isaiah 1. By the way, I encourage every Christian, everyone to study the book of Isaiah. What a wonderful book of the Bible. Prophecies concerning our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. But also, just a wonderful book that points us to who God is and points us to how we can overcome these areas of our life. Because there's, I will just say, It seems to be at times there are insurmountable challenges facing us today. And we look at, we like to think perhaps that we live in a day that's hard, a day that maybe some of the obstacles no one has ever faced before. You know, nothing is new under the sun. And saints of old and saints today have faced the same battles, maybe in a little bit different form, but the battles are the same. But how does all this overcome? And one of the crucial precepts of the Bible is our acceptableness to God. And because of our disobedience towards Him, there must be a cleansing. The stain of sin is universal, but how does one be free from the stain of sin? We see that evil exists and ask, what can cleanse this? We look at the darkness of our day. We see more and more broadcast on the news, the wickedness and the evil devices of bands imagination in man's heart what can cleanse this is the question well this morning we're going to be looking at what takes our sin away and we sing wonderful hymns about it there's power in the blood of Jesus and so this morning if we could stand together out of respect for the ring of the Word of God we're gonna read verse 18 of Isaiah chapter 1 verse number 18 it says is come now and let us reason together sayeth the Lord though your sins be as scarlet they shall be as white as snow though they be red like crimson they shall be as And this truth this morning, a simple verse with a simple truth, though powerful in one that God wants to provide to us this morning. So let's pray and ask God's blessing this morning. Heavenly Father, we thank you, Lord, for your power. We thank you, Lord, for your cleansing power. I pray this morning. that we would be sensitive to your word and sensitive to your leading Lord, whether we be saved for many years, Lord, or maybe new to church or maybe first time in church. I don't know the hearts and those of here today, but Lord, we pray that you would speak to us, Lord, and show us, Lord, where we need to be cleansed. And we thank you, Lord, that you will cleanse us, that you don't cast us aside, dear Lord, in the midst of our deception in the midst of our sometimes even rebellious disobedience. Lord, you love us and you care for us. I pray your blessing today and with this overcoming power, I pray, Lord, that we would see it in Jesus name. Amen. You may be seated. Maybe seated. All right, we see over in a message entitled Overcoming Power. We see the obstacles of today. We see the evil of the day. What can overcome this? And we know when we think we know that, yes, we know God can and Jesus can, but what is the mode of this? How do we see the overcoming of sin? And some might say, I'm such a terrible sinner. How could God cleanse me? Well, let's look at number one this morning. If you're taking notes, I encourage you to do that. We see there's a need for blood. There's a need for blood. You know, we see the signs for the blood drives, you know, donate and save a life. You know, some people give plasma and different things like that, and these are life-saving measures, but that's not what we're talking about today. There is a need of a blood sacrifice to satisfy the laws of God in regards to sin. Sin requires this. There must be a blood sacrifice to cleanse sin. We see the bullock and the lamb in the Old Testament sin offerings were sacrifices for sin, and there were specific instructions that were to be done with the blood. in order for there to be cleansing. And we see all of these were a picture of the coming Christ, of Jesus Christ, the Son of God, who would suffer and bleed and die, and his blood would be the cleansing agent, the overcoming power. In Leviticus chapter 14 and verse 25, it says, and he shall kill the Lamb of the trespass offering. the priest shall take some of the blood of the trespass offering and put it upon the tip of the right ear of him that is to be cleansed and upon the thumb of his right hand and upon the great toe of his right foot so that he might be cleansed Leviticus 17 411 says for the life of the flesh is in the blood and I have have given it to you upon the altar to make an atonement for your souls for it is the blood that maketh an atonement for the soul In Hebrews 9.22 in the New Testament, and almost all things are by the law purged with blood, and without shedding of blood is no remission. And this shed blood can only come from one spotless and perfect sacrifice. that is Jesus Christ. We see in John chapter 1, but not only once but twice, that John the Baptist declared when he sees Jesus, behold the Lamb of God that taketh away the sins of the world. And we see this and we know this is an essential doctrine and this is a precious doctrine for salvation but also for living our Christian life and because we see that there's a necessity for the shedding of blood. And there are some that teach that, well, Jesus is the death of Jesus that cleansed from sin. Very clearly, yes, death took place, but it's by the shedding of blood. Without the shedding of blood, there is no remission of sin. That is very, very clear. The doctrine of the blood is essential. Not that it has some mystical power, but because the divine blood of God Jesus being 100% man and 100% God, living without sin, being the sinless sacrifice for sinful man. There is a need for that blood because of sin. For the wages of sin is death, and one must die and shed his blood in our place so that we may receive, but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. Through what? Through His shed blood. This is foundational. Okay, so is this blood, so we see the blood of Christ, is this blood enough? to cleanse from sin. Is this blood enough? Pastor, you don't understand what I've done. I've heard this many, many times over and over again when we're talking to someone how they can come to Christ and be saved and receive eternal life. They say, Pastor, you don't understand what I've done. I've done a lot of terrible things. I've treated people terribly. I've committed crimes. Why would God want to save me? For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him shall not perish, but shall have whatever lasting life. But yes, but Jesus died for the good people. No, that's not what the Bible says in Romans. It says, in that while we were yet sinners. while we were sinning even though we were condemned even though we have done those terrible things Christ died for us knowing we were sinners we have this idea that God will if God actually knew what I was really like what I really thought and what I really did he wouldn't want me you're forgetting a very important aspect about God he already knows He already knows you. He already knows your actions. He already knows the sin. He already knows the trespasses. He knows all of it. And He wants to save you still. And He loves you still. For God is love, and that love is shown in His Son. So that brings us to number two. We see the blood that cleanses lost sinners. The blood that cleanses lost sinners. We're all sinners in need of a Savior. Amen. There's none exempt. Say, well, I'm good enough to get to heaven. No. For all have sinned and come to the glory of God. All have sinned. Savoring, and also not only that, saving from the noblest of sins. You know, pride. Well, you know, I can... Pride and arrogance, some people boast of their accomplishments and what they can do and their abilities and all of these things. Well, Jesus says, from the noblest of these sins, we call them noble. It's facetious a little bit, okay? There's no such thing as a noble sin. Some people think they're noble, though. Presumption, presuming upon the grace of God. Covetousness, which is desiring things that God has not ordained for us to have. And living for those things, making an idol out of them. White lies, right? Nothing wrong with a little white lie, right? Just a little bit, you know, just a little white lie to not hurt people's feelings. I can tell you this, no such thing as a white lie, but only a black one. They're just as dark and sinful as any other lie. A lie is a lie and that's it, amen. Like, by the way, but also not being unkind either. It's like, well, they want the unvarnished truth. There's such thing as tax, but don't lie. Amen. That is the question. Don't lie, but there is tax. Deception by omission is just as dark a lie as any other. Stealing. Stealing that little piece of candy. Oh, the shopkeeper wouldn't miss that, or the apple, or whatever it is, or stealing from the government because you don't want to report your proper tax amount. Bible said, Jesus said, render unto Caesar the things that are Caesar's. Well, I don't like the tax code. That's why we have elections. And that's why we have representatives. And that's why we have senators. That's why, and guess what? Tell them, these taxes are killing us. We still need to pay them. Don't steal. Say, well, the government steals from me, so I'll steal from it. You'd be surprised how many Christians justify that. Well, they steal from me, you know, and famous creationist Ken Hovind, you know, he thought that he was above the law in those areas, and he went to prison for tax evasion. Because he said, the God says, I don't have to pay my taxes. And everybody in my place is a volunteer, even though I pay them. Well, I'm sorry. Jesus said, read and run to Caesar, things that are Caesar's. very clearly to submit to the laws that we see today. Exaggeration, we go on and on, these are acceptable sins, we call them noble, they're not noble, they're still sin, they're acceptable things in the eyes of many, but they're still sin, and also not only saving from that, but saving from the foulest of sins, we see murder, fornication, sexual sin, adultery, homosexuality today, all of these things are affronts and a twisting of the image that God has made in the picture of the marriage relationship. Don't you think the devil wants to destroy that? Because what do we see described over and over again? The relationship between Christ and the church is that of a marriage. The church is his bride. He is the groomsman. And wouldn't that be just like the devil, to destroy that, to destroy the marriage relationship, destroy the image of God, destroy the creation of God, and create an unnatural ugly mess, Romans 1, 25 and 26 says, who change the truth of God into a lie. and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who was blessed forever. Amen. For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections for even their women, to change the natural use and that which is against nature." We look at these things and it's all a ploy to destroy the image of God and to confuse and to malign the creation of God. See, drug addiction in America today, that's right, illegal and legal. You'd be surprised how many people are addicted to legal drugs today. Pain medicine and things like that when they're not really, they don't need it, but it's a very big thing today. All of these can be cleansed by the blood of Jesus Christ. It doesn't matter the vilest, the most treacherous, the past, you don't understand. What I did was terrible. There's not a sin that Jesus cannot cleanse, praise God. But like, but how? How do I have these sins cleansed from God? If you're lost today, realizing, confessing that these and many more are sin, that's the trouble. That's the trouble. That's to say, why do not people come to Christ? This point right here, admitting, well, it's a sin, but it wasn't that bad. I mean, there's other worse sins out there. And by the way, it is we who put sin on a scale. Sin is sin to God. It's an affront to him, it's an abomination to him. All of it has the same penalty. But we must understand something in realizing and confessing that these and many more are sin, that our heart is corrupt, that we're not a good person that sometimes does bad things, but that we're corrupt to the core because of sin and the nature of sin within us, that we need to be cleansed by Jesus Christ. And realizing that you can do nothing to be cleansed. For the works of the flesh, for Brain went blank there. By the works of the flesh shall no flesh be justified, meaning cleansed and justified as righteous before God, that you must throw yourself upon the mercy and grace of Almighty God to be saved. As a life preserver, that's the only thing we can do, is call upon the Lord Jesus Christ and be saved and throw ourselves upon his mercy, for whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. no deals no bait-and-switch and we say okay God I'll save me if you do this for me you know I'll serve you if you get me out of this right God doesn't take deals we look at this and really to be honest with you you're not really sorry about your sin you just want out of your situation And there's a, we gotta be very, very careful of that. And you know, it's very important that we, yes, we ask Jesus to forgive us, and we ask God to forgive us, not so we can go do what we want, so, oh, I'm off the hook now. No, it's because we honestly want to change life. Just honest and humble confession of what you are, a sinner that needs salvation. That's what salvation is. Humble and honest. because we must have the right motivation when we come to God. Not a motivation to get out of consequences, not a motivation to do whatever and to get out of jail free card, to realize that we are in the danger of hell fire, but also that we are in no fellowship with God and that our life can be different, our life can be transformed, we can become a new creature in Him As Pastor Harvey would put it, sick of yourself and sick of your sin. I'm very sorry for the things that you've done. I'm sick of the way I'm living. I'm sick of the way I'm going. I don't want to go in this direction anymore. I need to come to Christ. A sinner that needs to be cleansed. A sinner that needs to be free. And you know what the Bible says? You will be free indeed if you call upon the name of the Lord. You will be saved. We looked at this on Friday night in John chapter 8. You shall know the truth and the truth shall set you what? Free. The truth of who? Jesus himself in the gospel. Hellfire is real and that is the only place one guilty of these sins and many more will go if they were without Christ. I said, well, hey, pastor, I understand. I said, I'll think about this. I'll think about it. And I'll wait till, I'll think about it tomorrow and this week, and I'll come to a decision. Understand, but today is the day of salvation. How devastating for you to go to hell tomorrow when you're being offered the free gift of salvation today. You can accept it today. Some people do it because, well, you know what? I just got to think about this. I got to, I don't know if I want to give up the sin. Do you love your sin that much? that you're willing to go to hell because you want it so badly. You know what? That's what I had to come to that decision. I think everybody has to come to that decision. I said, you know what? I don't want my sin anymore. I don't want it. I desire Christ and I come to him for salvation. Because to be honest, there's people that think, well, I can just do it. I can be saved. That's right. Go live how I want. But people who are honest and humble before God, they know they can't bring that with them. They know they can't bring the like, well, I'll get it all fixed up and I'll quit this and I'll quit that. No, you'll be forgiven and made new, be transformed. Praise God. That's exciting, isn't it? Transform life. As a pastor, we know this. All right. Number three. Blood that cleanses saints. The same blood that cleanses the foulest sinner keeps the saints pure. So we who are saved, we need purification. It's a process of sanctification. There are times that we fail of the grace of God, the Bible says. That we decide that we're gonna go where sin creeps in, we fall into the old ways of thinking, old habits, one of the worst of being apathy. I don't care. Yeah, people are dying and going to hell, and I just really don't care. You know, and all this work for God, just a bunch of busyness, and I just don't see the point. That's called apathy. Bible calls it being asleep. Being asleep on guard, being asleep and not seeing. No empathy for the lost. You know, we've enjoyed being saved so long that we've gone to sleep. That's a real danger. We see that with Jesus and the disciples. They went to pray with him and they fell asleep while praying. With the time they needed, the power of God and the power of the Holy Spirit, the time that they needed to pray, they fell asleep. Isn't that the truth, that we fall asleep and we don't pray when we ought to be praying? In times when we're facing not only crisis, but before that, when we know that there is things on the horizon, that things are in the battle, do we pray? but that's a real danger, it's a sin. To have apathy, have a sin of not to care about the things that God cares about. Christ's blood cleanses from, call them the noble Christian sins, of passing the buck. It's not my fault. It's not my fault, it was the devil made me do it. Right? Then we see Adam doing that, God said, what have you done? He said, it wasn't my fault, it was the woman you gave me, God. He goes to the woman, it was not my fault, it was the serpent's fault, it was the old devil's fault. It's not my fault, it was my husband's fault. You know what? It was their fault. It wasn't my fault, it was my wife's fault. Or my children's fault. It's not me, it's their problem. Oh, that never happens to us, does it? It does, doesn't it? It does. We pass the buck. We say, no, it wasn't my fault, instead of saying, no, Lord, it was my fault. It was me. It was my decision to sin and do wrong. not caring for the poor, not caring for the lost, the I don't care apathetic attitude, a lack of vigilance, not you're being asleep, you're not being, be sober, be vigilant for your adversary the devil walketh about as a lion seeking whom he may devour, not go and nibble on. Not go and just scare, but devour and to destroy. That's the devil's aim. So we need to have some vigilance. Need to have our eyes open, have our ears open, and be watching. Oh, the Christian, the noble Christian sin of gossip. Oh, talking about other people so you can look better to yourself. Talking about other people's problems instead of focusing on your own. Right? Gotta teach your kids that. Don't they love to focus on their siblings' problems instead of their own? Right? Oh, we're the same way. Don't think, like, oh, that all changes when you grow up. No, it just gets worse. Self-righteousness. Oh, I'm doing so well. I'm so spiritual. I pray so much. As the fear of fear said, oh, I fast three times in the week, and I give a tithe of all that I have, and I do all this stuff. But what lack I yet? Oh, self-righteousness. Evaluation of others instead of self-evaluation. Do you know that God, Christ's blood cleanses from these things? That we can make our robes white in the blood of the Lamb and that we can be forgiven from these things. But the problem is, do we see we need forgiveness from these things? Do we need cleansing from these things? Do we need freedom from these things? Also, Christ's blood cleanses from secret sins. Do you know there is a problem among Christian people, and this has always been the case and always will be, that we know there's a transformed life, we know that we're supposed to be different, we know that we're supposed to be a new creation and we have freedom from sin, but then secret sin comes in. We know we dare not let it out in public because we know Christians aren't supposed to do those things. We just do it in secret. then no one knows about it. And we're okay with it when we talk about this in Sunday school time. It's okay when it's in secret, but there's a problem when everybody knows about it. Would you be ashamed if your people in the church or your Christian friends knew what you were doing behind closed doors? Like, oh, I would be mortified. Then you have a false view. You gotta be mortified because Jesus sees it. The most important person in all the world, at that point, we're caring more about how we appear to people than really our relationship with Jesus Christ. Amen. This is where things happen, and this is where our thinking can get skewed. Christ's blood cleanses from the secret sins of lust. Well, I don't outwardly show it, but I think evil thoughts in my mind. I lust after things, whether it be lusting after in a sexual manner, or lusting after possessions, or lusting after power, or lusting and desiring, and it comes out in your actions and in your words. Guess what? These are secret sins. I wish I was somebody else. I wish, I wish, I wish, I wish. That's a sin against God. I'm pretty sure it says in there to be content with such things as ye have. Does God provide us what we need? Yes. Does God sometimes even provide our wants? Yes, he does. However, if we're constantly in a mode of what I have is not good enough, I must get something better, that's unthankful and a sin against God. whether the secret sin of pornography, the secret sin of anger, the secret addictions, whether it be to technology, to drugs, to pride, all of these things, arrogance, you know, just because you put a sweet smile on your face and you treat people like you're humble doesn't mean you are. Man, you know what the test of humility is, is when you're rebuked and that you're told that you're wrong. If you rear up on the inside, you're not humble. humble person says yes that was my fault that was I was wrong and seeks forgiveness from God and seeks forgiveness from whoever when God rebukes like well that's not me well I understand what you're telling me God but did you see that person over there yes he saw he's not talking to that person over there he's talking to you Sometimes we can tell God, well, I understand what you're saying, God, but do you know what's going on in this over here? I mean, I understand you're focusing on me right now, but look at my children. I mean, they have more problems than I do. Well, maybe they're having those problems because of you. We affect our children in much greater ways than we realize. I don't understand why my children don't desire the things of God. Let's time out. Have you given the example that you desire the things of God? Have you given that example of scripture reading and family devotion and time in the house of God? Have you shown them that God's things are important, or have you given the opposite example? Like, well, I love God, and I try to put God first, but if you really haven't, it comes out in your children. They don't say, well, I don't care about the things of God. Also, don't tell your kids not to do things that you do yourself. Oh, what's that called? Hypocrisy. Well, you know what? You shouldn't be indulging in that type of entertainment. Well, do you indulge in that type of entertainment behind closed doors of your bedroom? On the TV or on the tablet or on the computer in your room? That you watch things that your children should never see? Be honest with you. If your children shouldn't see them, neither should you. Oh, these are all the things that we justify and say, oh, well, these are just how things are. But they damage our relationship with God. They're sins that must be cleansed, and the power of Jesus Christ, no matter how seemingly small. And can I say this? Some of the ones that we see that are pride and arrogance, and these are the ones that, oh, that's a little thing. We look at the Bible, do we see that pride is a big, great big problem? It's a great big problem that needs the blood of Christ. It's not just something that just goes away. It's something that's innate in all of us that we must ask Jesus to deal with in us. We go on and on, disobedience to God. 1 John 1, 8 through 10 says, if we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves. We can deceive ourselves very easily, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, here is how we be cleansed from this, very simple. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar. What's that talking about? If the Holy Spirit speaks to us and says that you have sinned, no, I haven't. You got the wrong person and we quench the spirit of God. His word is not in us. We're not living out the word of God. We're not living the truth. We have not made, we're not a doer of the word. It's not in our heart. It's not in our thinking. We are saying, no, I am okay. It's acceptable over here. Hold on. Just as we've been learning in Sunday school is the words in my mouth and the meditations of my heart, are they acceptable? in thy sight, not mine, in thy sight, O God. Is it acceptable to you? And that's really the question. It's a basic question. We ask a question whether, no matter what it is, is this acceptable to God? If you don't know, then get in the book and find out. The Bible's very clear. It should not be what is acceptable to you, O God, or how can I make this acceptable to you, O God? Oh, there's a big difference there, isn't there? It's either acceptable or, oh God, how can I make this acceptable? How can I figure out a way to get around and do this? And that's why you have a lot of twisted religions today because, guess what, man can rationalize anything. They rationalize murder and abortion. It's rationalization, that's all it is. Well, it's acceptable because of this, and because of this, and because of this, and because of this. No, it's not acceptable in the sight of God. End of discussion. So question, what can wash my sin away? So I'm a sinner, or I'm a Christian that's sinned, or I'm a lost sinner, I've never been saved. What can wash away my sin? We say, what can wash away my sin? Nothing but the blood of Jesus. Isn't that what the hymn says? Christ shed his blood for you. Have you received that gift? If you haven't, receive it today. If you have received it, have you kept that right relationship with God? New Testament talks about they've made the blood of Christ of none effect. Why? Because they've decided to go back to the old way of thinking, the old way of living, go back to the old things that they were saved from. Romans 8, 37, and all these things, we are more than conquerors to him that loved us. So don't think that the blood of Jesus isn't enough to save you. It is enough to save you. It's enough to keep you saved. It's enough to cleanse you after you're saved. But do we trust it? Do we seek after it? Pray that you would today. Oh, my sin is too great. No, your Savior is a great God. He's almighty and all-powerful. He is the almighty. He is able to save you. He is able to guide you. He is able to empower you to do right. So that if we have this defeatist thinking, well, I'm just going to fail anywhere. Yeah, you will fail because we're human. But God will never fail. When we put our faith in Him instead of us, we will never fail. He will never fail. But we are the ones that fail. So don't put your trust in you then. Put your trust. almighty God put your trust in Jesus Christ the righteous through whom we have forgiveness of sin and cleansing of sin through his shed blood let's pray nearly father we thank you that we're here today I pray Lord if there's any here listening online or here in the auditorium this morning they've never accepted you as Savior they've never asked you to forgive them for their sin They've never trusted thy shed blood for their salvation. I pray they do it today. I pray, Lord, that you would also be with those of us who are saved. Lord, perhaps we have justified something, rationalized something, asked the question, how can I make this acceptable in your sight, Lord, instead of whether it is or whether it's not. Lord, you tell us what your mind is and what your thinking is. You are very clear, Lord. I pray that you would guide us, Lord, as we go into the invitation time. And, Lord, if there's things that are in our life that ought not be there, there is habits, there is sin, the ugly head of pride and arrogance and the proud look has reared up into our life, Lord, that we would humble ourself before you at the altar today and ask for forgiveness for it, Lord, and walk in the renewed thinking, walk in humility, Lord, that, and also just ask you plainly, Lord, help make me humble. And Lord, that is a dangerous question to ask, for Lord, you definitely will do that. You will answer and you will humble us. For Lord, we can't be the proper servants, have the proper servant's attitude if we're only thinking about ourself. I thank you, Lord, for your patience and longsuffering toward us, Lord. I pray that you'd be at this invitation time this morning, in Jesus' name, amen.