By
Ronald E. George Jr. at the Fayetteville Baptist Church
Intro: It's
time to clean up the cobwebs. Dust
off the shelves and clean the windows. It
has been said that cleanliness is next to Godliness.
Why does God emphasis staying clean?
God knows what dirt can do to the human life.
Since He cares about our welfare He has shown us the importance of
staying clean. Anything that
isn’t clean can be deadly to our health and happiness. So we clean. We
clean, and we clean some more. We
clean our houses, our cars, our yards, and our bodies.
We must not forget to clean our hearts and spirits.
Scripture Text:
Mat. 8:1 When he came down from the mountainside, large crowds followed
him. 2 A man with leprosy came
and knelt before him and said, "Lord, if you are willing, you can make me
clean." 3 Jesus reached out his hand and touched the man. "I am
willing," he said. "Be clean!" Immediately he was cured of
his leprosy. 4 Then Jesus said to him, "See that you don't tell anyone.
But go, show yourself to the priest and offer the gift Moses commanded, as a
testimony to them."
I. The
Leper was Unclean - We're all unclean
(Romans 3:23) - For all have sinned...
A.
Things get naturally dirty - sin is natural - living in the world we
get dirty.
B.
Neglect or complacency about cleanliness.
Dirt accumulates over time -
must be cleaned continually.
C.
Can't see the dirt until it is exposed by the Word of God.
Sometimes we
get
used to it or don't want to change.
D.
Dirt and sin has an unseen effect on our lives.
The wages of sin is death.
E.
Dirt and sin have two sides.
They are commission and omission.
F.
Dirt and sin have lasting effects.
The result will be passed on to the children.
II. Some
Places to Look for Dirt in Our Lives
A.
(Psalms 19:12) - What about the dirty little corners - the secret
places that no one sees, but God.
B.
(John 15:3) - Dust on the cover of the Bible will allow sin to enter
in.
C.
(John 14:6) - Clean the windows to see the Light.
Jesus is the Light -
Let Him shine through.
D.
(Mat.23:25) - Clean up the inside of your life and clean up the
outside.
Must be the same inside and outside.
III. What
are the Benefits of Cleansing?
A.
God's forgiveness and acceptance of you.
B.
Clean feeling - free of guilt - germ-free
C.
(Romans 6:23) – We are freed from the effects of sin - death.
D.
Restoration of fellowship with friends, family, and the Lord.
E.
The touch of the Master gives us cleansing and health.
IV. How
Do We Cleanse Our Lives? You
need the right cleaner.
A. Come to Jesus - for the
cleansing power of His Blood
B.
Come individually for cleansing.
C.
(John 13:10-11) - Are you clean? In
all ways of your life - inside & outside (I John 1:9)
Cleaning is hard work, but the results and worth it.