Andy Nagahara

❖ Video

❖ Audio

Create in me a clean heart, oh God (Psalm 51)

A.This is who we are (0-5)

0 For the director of music. A psalm of David. When the prophet Nathan came to him after David had committed adultery with Bathsheba.
1 Have mercy on me, O God, according to your unfailing love; according to your great compassion blot out my transgressions.
2 Wash away all my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin.
3 For I know my transgressions, and my sin is always before me.
4 Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight, so that you are proved right when you speak and justified when you judge.
5 Surely I was sinful at birth, sinful from the time my mother conceived me.

I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature. [1] For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. For what I do is not the good I want to do; no, the evil I do not want to do–this I keep on doing. Now if I do what I do not want to do, it is no longer I who do it, but it is sin living in me that does it.」 (Romans 7:18-20)

B. The two things we should seek from God

1. Forgiveness (6-9)

6 Surely you desire truth in the inner parts [1] ; you teach [2] me wisdom in the inmost place.
7 Cleanse me with hyssop, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow.
8 Let me hear joy and gladness; let the bones you have crushed rejoice.
9 Hide your face from my sins and blot out all my iniquity.

2. To be prepared for work (10-12)

10 Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me.
11 Do not cast me from your presence or take your Holy Spirit from me.
12 Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me.

C. What God wants for us as we are made new

1. To teach and to share (13)

13 Then I will teach transgressors your ways, and sinners will turn back to you.

2. To sacrifice ourselves (14-19)

14 Save me from bloodguilt, O God, the God who saves me, and my tongue will sing of your righteousness.
15 O Lord, open my lips, and my mouth will declare your praise.
16 You do not delight in sacrifice, or I would bring it; you do not take pleasure in burnt offerings.
17 The sacrifices of God are [1] a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.
18 In your good pleasure make Zion prosper; build up the walls of Jerusalem.
19 Then there will be righteous sacrifices, whole burnt offerings to delight you; then bulls will be offered on your altar.

Summary

When we take an honest look inside ourselves, we are compelled to acknowledge how foolish, ugly, weak, and small we really are. None of us can save ourselves, but salvation comes from God. He knows us through and through and yet he continues to love us and give us the help we need to live as children of God.

For Discussion

1) What is this “broken spirit” that God desires?
2) What is the message we need to share with the people around us?