Scripture: 1 John 1:8-10 Series: 2020
A brief Evensong sermon on 1 John 1:8-10. Pruitt argues that we are loved and forgiven not for the polished selves we wish we were but for who we actually are, so we must start from where we are and confess honestly. Using a ‘five things about you’ slideshow, kids cheating to impress a teacher, and a golfer tempted to move a bad lie, he reframes God not as a prison warden waiting to catch us but as faithful and merciful. Because God is faithful, we have no reason to lie about our ‘bad shot’; admitting where we are frees us to receive forgiveness and grow by grace into who we were created to be.
Illustrations: life-slideshow-five-things, cheating-on-quiz-for-teacher, golf-play-where-it-lies
August 23
1 John 1:8-10
My life slideshow Five things about you. Tempted to put things you don’t like on their for people to like you.
Or older kids and quizzes, tempted to cheat to give your teacher a better impression.
You are loved and forgiven not for who you think you should be but who you are. Your teachers can’t help if they don’t know where you are. God can’t help if you don’t admit where you are.
We have to start from where we are and not from where we’re not.
Golf analogy.
Play where it lies or move it over. Nobody is watching
Is God watching? Is that the point?
God is faithful. God isn’t a prison warden watching us, waiting for us to make a mistake. God is faithful. God is merciful. We have no reason to lie about that bad shot.
God offers us the freedom to receive forgiveness. We must confess where we are. Admit our lie is not that great sometimes, but we don’t need to give up. Only then can we grow by grace into who we were created to be.