Can you admit to your sin?

Article for June14, 2026

Matthew 9:35–36 35Jesus went throughout all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom and healing every disease and every affliction. 36When he saw the crowds, he had compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.

Jesus said that the time has come, repent, and believe in the gospel.  What this means is that in order to believe in the gospel we must first be able to truthfully examine ourselves.  Can you admit to your sinful nature and can you admit to your sin?  If you cannot admit to your sin, well the gospel is probably not for you.  To believe in the gospel it assumes you know your sin and fear whether God will forgive you or not.  In other words, you feel your guilt.

In order for us to repent we must first be humble and admit our sin and feel the grief of separating ourselves from God.  Sin is a killer, but most people don’t fear the consequences of sin because the punishment is not immediate.  If you don’t fear the future, then what hope do you have in the present.  We need an intimate relationship with God or none of what the bible teaches becomes meaningful.  God does not want us to separate ourselves from Him, why then do we not care if we do separate ourselves from God?

The world doesn’t care if you adhere to its bidding as long as it has torn you away from God.  However, God does care if you separate yourself from Him, otherwise God would not have made a plan and give us the means to always turn back to Him.  The world could care less if you live or die, God cares and wants us to live forever.  The world has made us sheep without a shepherd, God has taken us as lost sheep and sent us a shepherd, Jesus Christ.

Matthew 9:37–38 37Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; 38therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.”

Notice this is not just a message for just the apostles but a message to all disciples.  We do not come to worship for our sake but for the sake of our Lord Jesus Christ in that we confess that Jesus Christ is our savior.  So, our purpose in worship is not just to glorify God through worship, but also to learn to evangelize through the way we live our lives.  Evangelism is not a door to door procedure to spread God’s word, but a means to evangelize through the demeanor of our behavior towards others and the world.  We are the children of God.

Certainly, there is the purposeful evangelism, but know this, our actions can evangelize a greater message as we show our neighbors our relationship with Jesus Christ our savior.  When we come to church it is not so we can look down our nose to others but that we learn how to plant the seed that God provides to grow His kingdom of heaven.  In other words, we are no longer the harvest but the laborers in the harvest to help in the growth of salvation given out to all through our Lord Jesus Christ.

Though some are sent out to heal and to comfort let not obtaining a spiritual gift be your reason nor your glory to evangelize.  For we are to bring and give all glory to God our Father in heaven.  As we go out at the end of our worship let us not leave our faith inside the church but take it with you wherever you go and show the light of Jesus before you.  You know – love one another.

Matthew 10:7–10 7And proclaim as you go, saying, ‘The kingdom of heaven is at hand.’ 8Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse lepers, cast out demons. You received without paying; give without pay. 9Acquire no gold nor silver nor copper for your belts, 10no bag for your journey, nor two tunics nor sandals nor a staff, for the laborer deserves his food.

We do not evangelize for our glory but for the gory of our Father in heaven.  As God does not need anything from us except maybe our faith, hope, and love; we should go out not to receive but to give.  We go out to give God’s love through the gospel and our love through our honesty in that we use it to comfort others.

Matthew 10:16–18 16“Behold, I am sending you out as sheep in the midst of wolves, so be wise as serpents and innocent as doves. 17Beware of men, for they will deliver you over to courts and flog you in their synagogues, 18and you will be dragged before governors and kings for my sake, to bear witness before them and the Gentiles.

Yes, we are still sheep, but we have a shepherd who is to be shared with as many sheep as will follow our shepherd Jesus Christ.  Do not be deceived by the wolf who is of the world but keep your eyes and heart on Jesus Christ and He will protect you from all harm and danger.  Remember the world can take your body but it cannot take your soul, faith, and eternal life.

Matthew 10:19–20 19When they deliver you over, do not be anxious how you are to speak or what you are to say, for what you are to say will be given to you in that hour. 20For it is not you who speak, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you.”

God is in control; He sent His only begotten Son to save all believes.  Though Jesus died for everyone’s sin only those who’s faith leads them to repentance will be saved.  This is not our works, but through the works of Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit.  We believe because the gospel works through the word of God and the Holy Spirit.  And that we believe we are saved through the gospel given to us through the death and resurrection of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen.

Written by Pastor Curtis A. May