More than Adequate Covering

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This is a Communion sermon that was given by Pastor Les on June 5, 2016 at Wayside Community Church.

More than Adequate Covering

Psalm 32:1-2 (KJV) Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered. ² Blessed is the man unto whom the LORD imputeth not iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no guile.

Introduction:

A telemarketer called a home one day, and a small voice whispered, "Hello?"

"Hello! What's your name?"

Still whispering, the voice said, "Jimmy."

"How old are you, Jimmy?"

"I'm four."

"Good. Is your mother home?"

"Yes, but she's busy."

"Okay, is your father home?"

"He's busy too."

"I see, who else is there?"

"The police."

"The police? May I speak with one of them?"

"They're busy."

"Any other grown-ups there?"

"The firemen."

"May I speak with a fireman, please?"

"They're all busy."

"Jimmy, all those people in your house, and I can't talk with any of them? What are they doing?"

"Looking for me," whispered Jimmy. (http://www.sermonillustrations.com/a-z/h/hide.htm)

“Jimmy” had apparently done a pretty good job of hiding and he was hoping to keep it that way.

He’s not the only one that hides.

Of course, kids still play games where they hide from each other or from their parents. But, grownups get involved in hiding too.

There is a classic story in the Bible that tells us about the very first time humans ever tried to hide from someone. It’s found in…

Genesis 3:8 (KJV) And they (Adam & Eve) heard the voice of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day: and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God amongst the trees of the garden.

You know why they hid themselves, don’t you?

They had disobeyed the word of God, and they were experiencing guilt and shame for the first time.

You know, Adam and Eve weren’t the last people to try to hide from the Lord!

Ever since their day, all the way to the present, people have tried to hide from the Lord, spiritually speaking, and they have also tried to hide their deeds and actions from the Lord.

This morning I want to use a few passages of Scripture to talk with you about man’s feeble attempts at covering himself, and compare it to God’s way of covering us.

I. Inadequate Covering Attempted by Men

Physical

Genesis 3:7 (NKJV) ⁷ Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves coverings.

Shame, guilt and awareness of their nakedness were the direct results of their sin of disobedience.

The first reaction they took was to “cover up” and then they tried to “hide.”

You may not agree with me, but it seems to me that the farther our society drifts away from God and righteousness, the more we flaunt our nakedness.

If you read through the scriptures, God always promotes the clothing (hiding) of nakedness.

Spiritually

Proverbs 28:13 (KJV) ¹³ He that covers his sins shall not prosper: but whoso confesses and forsakes them shall have mercy.

Ever since the beginning of time, men have tried to cover their sins and hide them from God.

Cain vs. Abel

Genesis 4 – It doesn’t literally say that Cain hid the body in the ground, but it is implied because of the way he responds to the Lord. God: “Where is your brother?” Abel: “I know not. Am I my brother’s keeper?”

Men and women have always tried to cover up, deny and hide their sins. But God says,

Numbers 32:23 “… be sure your sin will find you out.”

Isaiah 64:6 (NKJV) ⁶ But we are all like an unclean thing, And all our righteousnesses are like filthy rags; We all fade as a leaf, And our iniquities, like the wind, Have taken us away.

II. Adequate Covering Provided by God

Physical

Genesis 3:21 (KJV) ²¹ Unto Adam also and to his wife did the LORD God make coats of skins, and clothed them.

I don’t know if I can prove this from the text, but I personally believe that the implication here is that God completely covered them.

In the case of Adam and Eve, they felt their shame and immediately recognized the need to cover up, but it was inadequate.

However, God made coats (garments) of skin to properly clothe them.

Also… The unspoken implication here is that God took the life of an innocent animal in order to clothe the guilty.

(A foreshadowing of the sacrifice He would provide centuries later in the sacrifice of His own Son.)

Spiritual

Psalm 32:1-2 (KJV) Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered. ² Blessed is the man unto whom the LORD imputeth not iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no guile (deceit).

(Keil and Delitzsch Commentary) The forgiveness of sin is [explained] ‏… as a lifting up and taking away … as a covering, so that it becomes invisible to God, the Holy One, and is as though it had never taken place….

Psalm 32:5 (NKJV) ⁵ I acknowledged my sin to You, And my iniquity I have not hidden. I said, "I will confess my transgressions to the LORD," And You forgave the iniquity of my sin. Selah

 (Tyndale Commentaries) While it is wrong to conceal one’s sins from God, God covers the sins of those who acknowledge their sin and repent (see v. 5)….  While verses 1-2b declare that blessed are those who are forgiven by God, verse 2c adds, Blessed is the one ... in whose spirit is no deceit. In terms of what follows in the psalm, it is likely that the psalmist is speaking of the need for the person sincerely to own up and repent of their sin.

Psalm 85:1-3 (KJV) ¹ LORD, thou hast been favourable unto thy land: thou hast brought back the captivity of Jacob. ² Thou hast forgiven the iniquity of thy people, thou hast covered all their sin. Selah. ³ Thou hast taken away all thy wrath: thou hast turned thyself from the fierceness of thine anger.

Isaiah 61:10 (NKJV) ¹⁰  I will greatly rejoice in the LORD, My soul shall be joyful in my God; For He has clothed me with the garments of salvation, He has covered me with the robe of righteousness, As a bridegroom decks himself with ornaments, And as a bride adorns herself with her jewels.

These verses all emphasize the same thing as our Scripture reading earlier: The blood of bulls and goats cannot take away sin, but the blood of Jesus Christ can!

Conclusion:  Song… “Deeper than the Stain Has Gone”

Dark the sin that soiled man’s nature

Long the distance that he fell

Far removed from hope and heaven

Near to deep despair and hell.

But there was a fountain opened

And the blood of God’s own Son

Purifies the soul and reaches

Deeper than the stain has gone

God has graciously provided a more than adequate covering for our sins. It is the precious blood of His Son and it truly goes deeper than the stain of sin.

Let’s sing the hymn in our red hymnals:

Covered by the Blood  #254  (verses 1 & 3)