The Struggle is Real // Week 7

Guilt and Shame
Various Passages November 3, 2019
I. Introduction:
A. Sin not only deeply impacts the quality of our life and relationships but it leaves a
deep imprint our own souls regarding our own identity (how we view ourselves,
who we think we are) and makes our conscious carry the heavy weight of guilt!
B. Today I want to address guilt and shame.
1. Guilt is that feeling that I have done something wrong.
2. Shame is that feeling that I am wrong.
a) That deeply feeling that I am no good, defective, unacceptable, even
damaged beyond repair.
C. While guilt and shame are closely intertwined with each other, I want to separate
them this morning because God’s answer to each one is slightly different.
D. As I move into this today, let’s start with
II. Shame
A. Shame is the feeling that I am bad, I am wrong, I am evil! it is about who you are,
specifically who you see yourself to be
1. Shame makes you hide who you really are and what you have done from
others thinking if they knew the real you they would never like you.
B. Shame first appears in the garden after Adam and Eve sinned by eating of the fruit
that God told them not to eat. Read Gen 3:7-10
C. Note especially that their first response was to make themselves loin coverings out
of fig leaves to hide intimate parts of their body from each other but also they
sought to hide from the presence of God. Point out 7c, 8b, 10b
1. But listen to how God provided for them in their new state of sin and shame.
2. Read v21 – God provided for them garments of skins
D. We can see two things here that deal with our shame-
1. First, the sacrifice of an innocent animal to cover the sins of Adam and Eve
2. Secondly, the skin of that sacrifice was made into garments to cover their
shame and nakedness! He gave them clothing
E. And that is exactly what God has done for us today in Jesus
1. Not only has God given Jesus as the sacrifice to pay the death penalty for our
sins
2. But He has also offered that same sacrifice, Jesus as our new clothing to
cover our shame
3. Gal 3:27-28
a) Those of us who are in Christ have been clothed with Jesus Christ
b) When God sees us He no longer sees us according to our nationality,
social status or gender or even our sins but rather He sees Jesus when He
looks at us
F. Clothes have the ability to give us a new identity, a new look and to cover up the
parts of our life that we do not want others to see!
1. A few months back I wore a pair of Nike’s on a Sunday morning. I was
amazed at the number of young people that noticed and commented how cool
I was for wearing them.
a) The kind of clothes we wear gives us a new identity as often people
value and identify us by the clothes we wear!
2. Also, clothing covers what we do not want others to see!
a) I had numerous people at my daughter’s wedding tell me how good I
looked and I did look much better than usual as a tuxedo does wonders
for a man.
b) But, I could not help but think of what people would have said if I did
my daughter’s wedding in a bathing suit – not as much hidden, not as
much pretty.
G. God has provided for me a new set of clothing to deal with my shame and the
label on that clothing is Jesus! He covers my sin and is my new identity!
H. So “God’s solution to shame is the clothing of Jesus!” Let me repeat. You repeat!
• Let’s now take a look at the emotional damage sin does in the area of
III. Our Guilt!
A. Guilt is the awareness and the feeling that I did something wrong and it is
connected with our conscience
B. The foundation that every believer in Jesus Christ stands on is that all of our sins,
past, present and future have already been paid for by Jesus Christ in His death
and they are forgiven forever.
1. Listen to Hebrews 10:11-12.
2. The penalty for our sin has already been paid, but the consequences of our
daily sins are felt deep within our souls.
B. It is the blood of Jesus reapplied to our conscience that deals with our guilt!
Remember the penalty is already paid; now we are dealing with the consequences
of our daily sins upon our emotions and conscience!
1. 1 John 1:9
2. Ps 32:1-5
C. So, while “God’s solution to shame is the clothing of Jesus!” on the other hand
“God’s solution to guilt is the cross of Jesus!”
• So how do these truths seek deep within our souls to change the way we see ourselves
and release us from the heavy load of guilt we are carrying. We need to
II. Reckon what God says is true as true for you!
A. Reckoning simply means to count what God has already said is true as true for
you.
1. In the first ten verses of Romans 6 God states all these amazing truths that
happened to us at the cross of Jesus then He tells us in verse 11 to count, to
consider, to reckon these same truths as true of us.
2. I cannot name and claim things that I want to be true in my life, but I do
name and claim the things that God says are already true about me! So yes, I
am a “name it and claim it guy” – I name and claim everything that God says
is true of me “in Jesus”!
B. So regarding my shame I put on the clothing of Christ by:
1. Daring to believe what God says is true of me! I see myself, as I really am a
new creature in Christ at the core of my being, a saint!
a) Yes, a saint who still sins, but not just a dirty rotten sinner at my core,
who has been forgiven.
2. One practical tool that could help you with this is a card that is our small
groups ministry created and is using. If you are struggling with shame, begin
to pray through these different truths about you in Christ! Praise through
them, thank God for each one, meditate and memorize the passages that are
especially relevant to you.
C. When it comes to reckoning the cross of Jesus regarding my guilt. I thank God
that forgiveness is already mine and I confess my sins to experience the cleansing
of my conscience!
• As we go to
III. Communion
A. Today let us make Ps 139:23-24 our prayer. He is appropriating in prayer what
God said is already true. He is asking God to make that truth personal in his life.
Cr v1
B. Ask God if there are any hurtful way of shame or guilt within you.
1. If it is shame ask Him to lead you to the piece of clothing in Jesus you need
to put on, claim as your own and mediate on it
2. If it is guilt over unconfessed sin regarding something you have done,
confess it to God and experience the cleansing of your conscience
3. If it is guilt over something you are just not clear on what you did but just
have this general sense of guilt then I would identify it as false guilt from the
Devil!
a) God’s conviction by the Holy Spirit is never unclear and vague but clear
and direct regarding the sin, you will know what you did!
b) Satan’s false guilt is always unclear & vague it does not need to be
confessed but rather resisted in the name of Jesus!
C. Pass elements and time to reflect before the Lord