MISTAKES: How do we handle them?

May 2, 2006

Introduction

Mistakes: What are they? Does it matter? How do we handle them? Does it matter? Are mistakes and sins the same thing?

Body

I. Mistakes:

A. What are they? They range in size and importance?

1. Some are simply minor accidents or slips.

a. Someone knocks over a glass of water.

b. You make a wrong turn on a trip.

c. You say one word but mean another.

2. But there are others that are more serious called sins.

a. Some say there are no degrees of sin.

b. Different sins have different degrees of seriousness in their effect.

B. But how do we handle mistakes?

1. With the simple mistakes, we have little problem.

a. We clean up the mess from the spilled water.

b. We make the needed trip corrections to get back on track.

c. We may not like what we have to do to correct things, but we know what needs to be done, and we do it.

2. But what about the bigger mistakes? What do we do? How do we handle sin?

II. How do people handle sin? There are the bad examples.

A. Adam and Eve..

1. Their first “defense” was to cover up..

(Gen 3:7-13 NKJV) 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.

2. Then they hid themselves from God, or tried.

Gen 3:8: “And they heard the sound 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 among the trees of the garden.” {9} Then the LORD God called to Adam and said to him, "Where are you?"

3. Sin made them afraid of God.

Gen 3:10 So he said, "I heard Your voice in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked; and I hid myself." {11} And He said, "Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten from the tree of which I commanded you that you should not eat?"

4. Finally, Adam blames others, including God for his sin.

Gen 3:12: “Then the man said, "The woman whom You gave to be with me, she gave me of the tree, and I ate." {13} And the LORD God said to the woman, "What is this you have done?" The woman said, "The serpent deceived me, and I ate."

5. It should be noted that excuses do not solve the problem of sin.

(Gen 3:16-17 NKJV) To the woman He said: "I will greatly multiply your sorrow and your conception; In pain you shall bring forth children; Your desire shall be for your husband, And he shall rule over you." {17} Then to Adam He said, "Because you have heeded the voice of your wife, and have eaten from the tree of which I commanded you, saying, 'You shall not eat of it': "Cursed is the ground for your sake; In toil you shall eat of it All the days of your life. {19} Both thorns and thistles it shall bring forth for you, And you shall eat the herb of the field. {19} In the sweat of your face you shall eat bread Till you return to the ground, For out of it you were taken; For dust you are, And to dust you shall return."

6. His punishment had lasting effects.

(Gen 3:23-24 NKJV) therefore the LORD God sent him out of the garden of Eden to till the ground from which he was taken. {24} So He drove out the man; and He placed cherubim at the east of the garden of Eden, and a flaming sword which turned every way, to guard the way to the tree of life.

There is the bad example of Cain.

(Gen 4:3-7 NKJV) And in the process of time it came to pass that Cain brought an offering of the fruit of the ground to the LORD. {4} Abel also brought of the firstborn of his flock and of their fat. And the LORD respected Abel and his offering, {5} but He did not respect Cain and his offering. And Cain was very angry, and his countenance fell. {6} So the LORD said to Cain, "Why are you angry? And why has your countenance fallen? {7} "If you do well, will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin lies at the door. And its desire is for you, but you should rule over it."

1. His problem started with a bad attitude toward correction.

Gen 4:5 but He did not respect Cain and his offering. And Cain was very angry, and his countenance fell.

2. God was gracious to him and gave him warning.

Gen 4:6 So the LORD said to Cain, "Why are you angry? And why has your countenance fallen? {7} "If you do well, will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin lies at the door. And its desire is for you, but you should rule over it."

II. How should we handle sin?

A. God gave Cain the answer: but you should rule over it."

B. We need to handle temptation in the best way.

1. Jesus gave us part of the answer in His model prayer.

(Mat 6:13 NKJV) "And do not lead us into temptation, But deliver us from the evil one. For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen."

2. We have the assurance that we will not be tempted beyond what we can bear.

(1 Cor 10:13-14 NKJV) "No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it. {14} Therefore, my beloved, flee from idolatry."

a. Sometimes that is the answer: flee!

C. But what do we do when we fail?

1. We need to repent and confess our sins to God.

(1 John 1:7-9 NKJV) "But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin. {8} If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. {9} If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness."

2. We need to also confess to those against whom we have sinned.

(James 5:16 NKJV) "Confess your trespasses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much."

Conclusion

Adam, Eve, and Cain are not good examples.

Sin is not corrected by hiding, denying it, or making excuses.

The best answer to sin is to avoid it to begin with.

The effects of some sins are never fully erased. Many leave ugly scars. All need to be dealt with.

Have you had your sins forgiven? Our sins can be washed away in baptism.

Notice John’s summary: (1 John 2:1-6 NKJV) "My little children, these things I write to you, so that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. {2} And He Himself is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the whole world. {3} Now by this we know that we know Him, if we keep His commandments. {4} He who says, "I know Him," and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. {5} But whoever keeps His word, truly the love of God is perfected in him. By this we know that we are in Him. {6} He who says he abides in Him ought himself also to walk just as He walked."

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