Let's Keep It Hidden

Introduction

A. Several years ago, I was sitting in a local restaurant with a person that I admired a lot. Like me, he was a graduate student at the time but seemed to have the confidence and assurance that I wished I could possess. As we sat in that restaurant sharing breakfast he said something that still remains fresh. “I am tired of pretending to be something I am not. Everyone sees me as some spiritually minded person. If they knew the truth, they would change their mind very quickly.”

B. In recent weeks many of us watched as the Mary Winkler trial unfolded. No verdict would have satisfied everyone. It isn’t the verdict that I am concerned about. It was the hidden life of a young preacher and his wife. The facade was not real. What was hidden needed to remain hidden. I would suggest that we all work under a certain assumption — what they don’t know can’t hurt them. Or to put it another way “ignorance is bliss.” Or still “let’s keep things hidden to protect our reputation and our appearance.”

C. Since the days of Adam and Eve, people have hidden sin. Remember how the first man and woman tried to cover their sin by hiding from God. In Genesis 3:10, Adam admits that he hid from God because of his sin. Then he and the woman both tried to shun responsibility for their actions. The “let’s keep it hidden” game has been going on for a long time.

D. When I was a child the story of Achan from Joshua 7 scared me. It is the story of Israel going into the promised land and after conquering Jericho all the spoils of war were to be dedicated to God. Achan was the one who took items from the city and hid them for later use. And in Joshua 7:20-21, Achan confesses his sin that he had hidden the items inside his tent. What scared me was the result — Achan and his entire family were killed as a consequence for their sin. As a child I learned that if you confess sin, adults will kill you.

E. I don’t think that was the intent of the story but it was the point I got. We work hard at keeping sin hidden. We smile, greet one another warmly, and try to act as if everything is okay. Today I want us to focus on an aspect of the character and nature of God that calls us to be authentic with each other rather than pretending. Instead of keeping things hidden, God calls on us to be open, honest, and revealing. How do we do that? Let’s study together.

The Character of God

A. What words would you use to describe God? When you think of God what image comes to mind? Are there circumstances which arise which changes that image? What kind of image of God arises when you do something good? What kind of image arises when you sin? Why the difference?

1. Where does our image of God come from? Most of the time it comes from teaching. Most of the time it comes from parents, teachers, and our own study. It is possible for our view of God to be distorted. Distorted by sin and by improper teaching.

2. We believe the Bible to be God’s word and as such it serves as the source for what we can believe about God and about ourselves. Doesn’t it make sense that if we want to know about God, we should pay attention to what he has to say about himself?

B. Let’s turn to Exodus 34. Let’s set the stage. Back in chapter 24, God calls for Moses to come to Mount Sinai. Moses ascends the mountain and according to verse 18, he is on the mountain for 40 days and nights. Chapter 32 tells us that the people become restless. Believing that Moses has deserted them or been killed they seek something tangible to worship. Aaron fashions a golden calf for the people to worship. An orgy of idolatry breaks out in the camp. When Moses arrives at the encampment, he throws the tablets of stone to the ground. Moses approaches God seeking forgiveness on behalf of the people. In chapter 34, God tells Moses to come back up the mountain and bring two more tablets of stone.

C. Notice first of all that this is God’s proclamation about himself. Moses is not speaking. God speaks about himself. What does God say about himself? The Lord is the word “YHWH” repeated twice. This is God telling Moses that he is going to tell about himself.

D. Turn to Numbers 14. Following the spying out of the promised land, the people are discouraged. They will not go into the land. They do not believe that God can give the land to them. God wants to destroy them, but Moses pleads for God’s patience. Let’s read 14:13-20. What does God say about himself?

E. Turn to Joel 2. Joel calls for Israel to repent. He reminds them of God’s nature. Read 2:12-14. What does God say about himself? What is different in this text from Exodus and Numbers? God doesn’t want to punish. His desire is not to look for ways to punish, but rather to bless.

F. Turn to Jonah 4. You know the story of Jonah. You know how he tried to run away from the task God gave him to do. Finally, he goes to Ninevah, preaches, and the people repent. But Jonah is not happy about this result. Read 4:1-3. What does God say about himself?

G. Turn to Nehemiah 9:17. The walls around Jerusalem have been rebuilt. The people are rededicating themselves to God. Read 9:16-17, 26-31. What traits of God are emphasized?

Application

A. What do all these texts have in common? The mercy, compassion, and forgiveness of God are seen in the midst of sin. When the people are in trouble they turn to God. Instead of viewing God as being heavy-handed, they see his great compassion. This is the one thing that they can count on. If God declares that he is compassionate and merciful, what keeps us from believing him? If God’s desire is not to bring calamity, what keeps us from believing him?

B. Over the years I have asked people these types of questions. What does God think of you? When you think of God thinking of you what does he see? And almost without exception, the answer is “He is displeased with me. He shakes his head. He is disappointed in me.” I stuck with the Old Testament because it is in the OT where God speaks the words about himself. It is in the New Testament where God fully demonstrates his words through the life of Jesus.

C. Turn to Luke 15. Commonly called the Parable of the Prodigal Son it is more aptly titled the Parable of the Two Brothers. It is the younger son who has a clearer view of God from Exodus 34 while the older son believes that God cannot possibly forgive. The father in this story is straight from Exodus 34. The father doesn’t punish the son. The son does not receive punishment at the hand of the father. He receives instead a coat, a ring, and a celebration.

D. This parable is preceded with two others that are making the same point “there is more rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.” I am encouraging us to trust what God says about himself. I am encouraging us to be open and honest and not keep sin hidden. I am encouraging us to find someone to share with. My friend years ago shared with me. Mary Winkler testified that she had no one to share with. Embarrassment, rejection, and isolation is what you have when you keep sin hidden. Let me ask you this, If a person were to repent today and confess sin, would you reject them? I’ve seen too many times the arms of love surrounding one who repents. What makes you think that your repentance would get a different response? Invitation.

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