Be Honest Confess Your Sins 1 Jn 1 8 10
February 26, 2026
Rev. Nathan J. Rusert
Midweek of Invocabit 25-February-2026 Sermon Series Theme: “Hear Your Shepherd’s Voice!” Confession - I-III Sermon Text: 1 John 1:8-10 If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. (9) If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. (10) If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar, and His word is not in us. Sermon Theme: Be Honest: Confess Your Sin! I. Beware Of Self Deception! (Vs.8) II. Lay Your Sins On Jesus - Receive His Forgiveness! (Vs.9) Live In The Truth of His Word! (Vs.10) By Rev. Nathan J. Rusert.
Episode Notes
Midweek of Invocabit 25-February-2026
Sermon Series Theme: “Hear Your Shepherd’s Voice!” Confession - I-III Sermon Text: 1 John 1:8-10 If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. (9) If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. (10) If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar, and His word is not in us.
Sermon Theme: Be Honest: Confess Your Sin! I. Beware Of Self Deception! (Vs.8) II. Lay Your Sins On Jesus - Receive His Forgiveness! (Vs.9) Live In The Truth of His Word! (Vs.10) By Rev. Nathan J. Rusert.
I.N.R.I. Who is to be considered the greatest? That was the ongoing dispute among the twelve. Three years earlier Jesus had called them to follow Him. He had instructed them in God’s Word and teaching. After a night spent in prayer He called them to be His apostles - sent ones. Still all that honor wasn’t enough. They wanted to know who was going to be #1 in Jesus’ Kingdom.
Perhaps it was sibling rivalry. Peter and Andrew were brothers, as were James and John. The mother of James and John boldly asked Jesus to set her sons at His right and left hand when He entered His Kingdom. James and John were by her side encouraging her question. They didn’t know what they asked. Were they ready to drink the cup Jesus was about to drink and be baptism that He was to be baptized with?
Who is to be considered the greatest? The sin of pride. The fountainhead from which all sin flows. The angel of light named Lucifer puffed up in pride sought to overthrow his Creator God and usurp all power to himself. He lost, was cast out of Heaven with his demon army. If the devil couldn’t have Heaven he’d steal earth from its Creator by taking the crown of creation - mankind - captive.
Satan tempted our first parents with pride. They knew more than God said in His Word. They could become as powerful as their Creator - if they just disobeyed His one command - ate of the Tree to know evil - all power would be theirs. They could make up the rules on their own, be wise, fulfill all their desires and lust of their eyes.
Instead of power they received shame. Instead of freedom chains. Enslaved to sin. Captured by Satan to be damned with him eternally in hell. Still they sought to be the greatest. Camouflaging their shame and guilt with fig leaves they ran with the devil.
The cool of the evening came and their prideful deception was shattered by the Shepherd’s voice. “Where are you?” “What have you done?” He called them to repent. Turn from sin. Turn from death. Turn from captivity to Satan’s lies. Turn to Him be forgiven - live again in Him!
We continue tonight hearing our Shepherd’s voice calling us back to Himself in the green pasture of His Church. It is time to put away your sinful pride! Be Honest: Confess Your Sin! I. Beware Of Self Deception! (Vs.8) II. Lay Your Sins On Jesus - Receive His Forgiveness! (Vs.9) Live In The Truth of His Word! (Vs.10)
I. Beware of self deception! The Spirit of Truth shakes you out of sin’s slumber. (Vs.8) Our Good Shepherd, the Creator, knew what Adam and his wife had done. Still He calls them to be honest - “Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten of the tree of which I commanded you not to eat?” “It wasn’t me God! It was that woman! You gave her to me - it’s Your fault!” “All I did was listen to her and eat!” I’m not at fault!” The woman blamed the serpent’s deception - it wasn’t her fault - he lied - and she ate. “God, it’s Your fault You created the smooth talking serpent!”“You made the forbidden tree such a delight to my eyes with its delicious fruit!” “This falls on You - not me!”
Stop your self-deception. It isn’t God’s fault that you sin. It isn’t the screens with their tempting videos that cause you to lust. It is you! Stop lying to yourself! (LSB pg. 326 - “What is Confession?” Part 1)
First we confess our sins. What sins? Our old adam retorts - I’m living the best I can! How dare you call me a sinner! We are fools who deny there is a God - a God who knows every thought and intent of our hearts. Our God who knows us so intimately that there isn’t a word on our tongue, a tic toc on our phone - that He knows before we speak, click, or lust. Listen to the truth: Psalms 14:2-3 The LORD looks down from heaven upon the children of men, To see if there are any who understand, who seek God. (3) They have all turned aside, They have together become corrupt; There is none who does good, No, not one. In Adam we all were enslaved to sin. We don’t start life with a blank slate, but one that is blackened with sin, iniquity, and earns only death and God’s eternal wrath in hell.
We don’t see it. We don’t feel it - all the time it is working death within us. This is the reality of cancer and of original or hereditary sin. Many cancers are only discovered in the end stages, because those afflicted had no symptoms - until too late. That is why doctors encourage us to screen for various cancers especially as we age.
Of sin we confess: “This hereditary sin is such a deep corruption of nature that no reason can understand it. Rather, it must be believed from the revelation of Scripture.” https://bookofconcord.cph.org/en/smalcald-articles/third_part/article_i/ (LSB pg. 326 - “Which are these?”)
We heard the Ten Commandments confessed here tonight. Did you take them seriously? Break them you die - now and eternally in hell. Do you fear God’s wrath as you look into the mirror of His Holy Ten Commandments? Consider your place in life - what is your calling - a parent has more responsibilities before God than an infant. A husband is held to a higher standard in the spiritual, physical, and emotional care for his wife. A father for his family.
Be honest before the mirror of God’s Holy Law. Been disobedient children - you’ve dishonored God who placed your parents over you. Been unfaithful husband to your wife - you’ve dishonored Christ and His Bride the Church. Been hot-tempered - you’ve murdered. Quarrelsome - you’ve slandered. Been lazy - you are a thief. Been rude - you’ve dishonored a human being created in the image of God. The littlest harm you do is a shattering of the family of mankind. Wasting anything, especially your time, is to squander the treasure God entrusted to your care!
Be honest - see your sins for the damnable things they are!
II. How can you fix it? You can’t! God alone does. Our Good Shepherd calls our first parents to be honest that they are sinners. Then He preaches the Promise. He will come born of a woman alone to crush Satan’s head. He alone will allow all the venom of Satan and our sin to be injected into His pure innocent veins. He will freely lay down His life for us sinners - for you!
Listen to His cross won - empty tomb certified promise to us sinners - (vs.9) Stop treasuring your sins. Stop returning to them as a dog returns to its vomit. Lay all your sin on Jesus! (LSB pg. 326 - “What sins should we confess?”)
Morning, noon, and evening pray the Lord’s Prayer. Confess that you are guilty of all sins - as you beg the Father to forgive you your trespasses. We ask Him to cleanse us from our secret faults - sin is so insidious and our flesh so blind that many sins we are not aware of - others we excuse as just our personality.
Come clean before the Father as you lay your hand upon the innocent head of Jesus placing all your sins upon Him being honest with yourself and come clean. You cannot free yourself from your sins - only the blood of Jesus can wash them away.
God is faithful - He promised our first fallen parents the Savior - He fulfilled His promise in the fulness of time by His Spirit in the womb of the Virgin Mary. He is just. Our debt had to be paid in full! Behold the cross - the Lord has laid on Jesus the iniquity of us all! Jesus suffers our hell. Our sin tears Him from His Father as He is forsaken FOR YOU. In triumph He cries, “You debt is paid in full!”“I is finished!” Then He swallows up the wages of your sin - laying down His life FOR YOU!
You don’t earn forgiveness - it is purely the gift of God the Father’s grace in His Son sealed to you by the Holy Spirit richly and daily in the Christian Church. Daily He forgives. Daily He washes all your sin away with the living blood of Jesus! He forever forgets your sin!
III. Live in the truth of God’s Word! (Vs.10) Stop lying. Stop calling God a liar. Listen to His Word.
David thought he had hidden his adultery with the wife of Uriah the Hittite. He even murdered Uriah to cover his guilt. Sin concealed is corrosive.. Wisdom teaches: Proverbs 28:13 He who covers his sins will not prosper, But whoever confesses and forsakes them will have mercy. Looking back at his own self deception David sang: Psalms 32:3-5 When I kept silent, my bones grew old Through my groaning all the day long. (4) For day and night Your hand was heavy upon me; My vitality was turned into the drought of summer. Selah (5) I acknowledged my sin to You, And my iniquity I have not hidden. I said, "I will confess my transgressions to the LORD," And You forgave the iniquity of my sin. Selah
The Lord God sent the prophet Nathan to call the king to repent and receive forgiveness. Are you struggling with sin? The Good Shepherd sends His undershepherd to speak His Word into your ears: (LSB pg. 326 - “What is Confession?”) Don’t try to bury the sin your know and feel in your heart - it is killing you. Come to private confession - (LSB. Pg 292/3 Individual Confession and Absolution)
When the prophet Nathan told David - “You are the selfish heartless man!” 2 Samuel 12:13 So David said to Nathan, "I have sinned against the LORD." And Nathan said to David, "The LORD also has put away your sin; you shall not die.
David received the comforting absolution from Jesus through the mouth and hands of his pastor, as from God Himself. His sin was forgiven. His Word and promise belong to you! If you doubt - come - and receive - all forgiveness is prepared for you. Cast away your pride and its sin - humble yourself - confess your sin - be forgiven! Amen.
Sermon Series Theme: “Hear Your Shepherd’s Voice!” Confession - I-III Sermon Text: 1 John 1:8-10 If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. (9) If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. (10) If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar, and His word is not in us.
Sermon Theme: Be Honest: Confess Your Sin! I. Beware Of Self Deception! (Vs.8) II. Lay Your Sins On Jesus - Receive His Forgiveness! (Vs.9) Live In The Truth of His Word! (Vs.10) By Rev. Nathan J. Rusert.
I.N.R.I. Who is to be considered the greatest? That was the ongoing dispute among the twelve. Three years earlier Jesus had called them to follow Him. He had instructed them in God’s Word and teaching. After a night spent in prayer He called them to be His apostles - sent ones. Still all that honor wasn’t enough. They wanted to know who was going to be #1 in Jesus’ Kingdom.
Perhaps it was sibling rivalry. Peter and Andrew were brothers, as were James and John. The mother of James and John boldly asked Jesus to set her sons at His right and left hand when He entered His Kingdom. James and John were by her side encouraging her question. They didn’t know what they asked. Were they ready to drink the cup Jesus was about to drink and be baptism that He was to be baptized with?
Who is to be considered the greatest? The sin of pride. The fountainhead from which all sin flows. The angel of light named Lucifer puffed up in pride sought to overthrow his Creator God and usurp all power to himself. He lost, was cast out of Heaven with his demon army. If the devil couldn’t have Heaven he’d steal earth from its Creator by taking the crown of creation - mankind - captive.
Satan tempted our first parents with pride. They knew more than God said in His Word. They could become as powerful as their Creator - if they just disobeyed His one command - ate of the Tree to know evil - all power would be theirs. They could make up the rules on their own, be wise, fulfill all their desires and lust of their eyes.
Instead of power they received shame. Instead of freedom chains. Enslaved to sin. Captured by Satan to be damned with him eternally in hell. Still they sought to be the greatest. Camouflaging their shame and guilt with fig leaves they ran with the devil.
The cool of the evening came and their prideful deception was shattered by the Shepherd’s voice. “Where are you?” “What have you done?” He called them to repent. Turn from sin. Turn from death. Turn from captivity to Satan’s lies. Turn to Him be forgiven - live again in Him!
We continue tonight hearing our Shepherd’s voice calling us back to Himself in the green pasture of His Church. It is time to put away your sinful pride! Be Honest: Confess Your Sin! I. Beware Of Self Deception! (Vs.8) II. Lay Your Sins On Jesus - Receive His Forgiveness! (Vs.9) Live In The Truth of His Word! (Vs.10)
I. Beware of self deception! The Spirit of Truth shakes you out of sin’s slumber. (Vs.8) Our Good Shepherd, the Creator, knew what Adam and his wife had done. Still He calls them to be honest - “Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten of the tree of which I commanded you not to eat?” “It wasn’t me God! It was that woman! You gave her to me - it’s Your fault!” “All I did was listen to her and eat!” I’m not at fault!” The woman blamed the serpent’s deception - it wasn’t her fault - he lied - and she ate. “God, it’s Your fault You created the smooth talking serpent!”“You made the forbidden tree such a delight to my eyes with its delicious fruit!” “This falls on You - not me!”
Stop your self-deception. It isn’t God’s fault that you sin. It isn’t the screens with their tempting videos that cause you to lust. It is you! Stop lying to yourself! (LSB pg. 326 - “What is Confession?” Part 1)
First we confess our sins. What sins? Our old adam retorts - I’m living the best I can! How dare you call me a sinner! We are fools who deny there is a God - a God who knows every thought and intent of our hearts. Our God who knows us so intimately that there isn’t a word on our tongue, a tic toc on our phone - that He knows before we speak, click, or lust. Listen to the truth: Psalms 14:2-3 The LORD looks down from heaven upon the children of men, To see if there are any who understand, who seek God. (3) They have all turned aside, They have together become corrupt; There is none who does good, No, not one. In Adam we all were enslaved to sin. We don’t start life with a blank slate, but one that is blackened with sin, iniquity, and earns only death and God’s eternal wrath in hell.
We don’t see it. We don’t feel it - all the time it is working death within us. This is the reality of cancer and of original or hereditary sin. Many cancers are only discovered in the end stages, because those afflicted had no symptoms - until too late. That is why doctors encourage us to screen for various cancers especially as we age.
Of sin we confess: “This hereditary sin is such a deep corruption of nature that no reason can understand it. Rather, it must be believed from the revelation of Scripture.” https://bookofconcord.cph.org/en/smalcald-articles/third_part/article_i/ (LSB pg. 326 - “Which are these?”)
We heard the Ten Commandments confessed here tonight. Did you take them seriously? Break them you die - now and eternally in hell. Do you fear God’s wrath as you look into the mirror of His Holy Ten Commandments? Consider your place in life - what is your calling - a parent has more responsibilities before God than an infant. A husband is held to a higher standard in the spiritual, physical, and emotional care for his wife. A father for his family.
Be honest before the mirror of God’s Holy Law. Been disobedient children - you’ve dishonored God who placed your parents over you. Been unfaithful husband to your wife - you’ve dishonored Christ and His Bride the Church. Been hot-tempered - you’ve murdered. Quarrelsome - you’ve slandered. Been lazy - you are a thief. Been rude - you’ve dishonored a human being created in the image of God. The littlest harm you do is a shattering of the family of mankind. Wasting anything, especially your time, is to squander the treasure God entrusted to your care!
Be honest - see your sins for the damnable things they are!
II. How can you fix it? You can’t! God alone does. Our Good Shepherd calls our first parents to be honest that they are sinners. Then He preaches the Promise. He will come born of a woman alone to crush Satan’s head. He alone will allow all the venom of Satan and our sin to be injected into His pure innocent veins. He will freely lay down His life for us sinners - for you!
Listen to His cross won - empty tomb certified promise to us sinners - (vs.9) Stop treasuring your sins. Stop returning to them as a dog returns to its vomit. Lay all your sin on Jesus! (LSB pg. 326 - “What sins should we confess?”)
Morning, noon, and evening pray the Lord’s Prayer. Confess that you are guilty of all sins - as you beg the Father to forgive you your trespasses. We ask Him to cleanse us from our secret faults - sin is so insidious and our flesh so blind that many sins we are not aware of - others we excuse as just our personality.
Come clean before the Father as you lay your hand upon the innocent head of Jesus placing all your sins upon Him being honest with yourself and come clean. You cannot free yourself from your sins - only the blood of Jesus can wash them away.
God is faithful - He promised our first fallen parents the Savior - He fulfilled His promise in the fulness of time by His Spirit in the womb of the Virgin Mary. He is just. Our debt had to be paid in full! Behold the cross - the Lord has laid on Jesus the iniquity of us all! Jesus suffers our hell. Our sin tears Him from His Father as He is forsaken FOR YOU. In triumph He cries, “You debt is paid in full!”“I is finished!” Then He swallows up the wages of your sin - laying down His life FOR YOU!
You don’t earn forgiveness - it is purely the gift of God the Father’s grace in His Son sealed to you by the Holy Spirit richly and daily in the Christian Church. Daily He forgives. Daily He washes all your sin away with the living blood of Jesus! He forever forgets your sin!
III. Live in the truth of God’s Word! (Vs.10) Stop lying. Stop calling God a liar. Listen to His Word.
David thought he had hidden his adultery with the wife of Uriah the Hittite. He even murdered Uriah to cover his guilt. Sin concealed is corrosive.. Wisdom teaches: Proverbs 28:13 He who covers his sins will not prosper, But whoever confesses and forsakes them will have mercy. Looking back at his own self deception David sang: Psalms 32:3-5 When I kept silent, my bones grew old Through my groaning all the day long. (4) For day and night Your hand was heavy upon me; My vitality was turned into the drought of summer. Selah (5) I acknowledged my sin to You, And my iniquity I have not hidden. I said, "I will confess my transgressions to the LORD," And You forgave the iniquity of my sin. Selah
The Lord God sent the prophet Nathan to call the king to repent and receive forgiveness. Are you struggling with sin? The Good Shepherd sends His undershepherd to speak His Word into your ears: (LSB pg. 326 - “What is Confession?”) Don’t try to bury the sin your know and feel in your heart - it is killing you. Come to private confession - (LSB. Pg 292/3 Individual Confession and Absolution)
When the prophet Nathan told David - “You are the selfish heartless man!” 2 Samuel 12:13 So David said to Nathan, "I have sinned against the LORD." And Nathan said to David, "The LORD also has put away your sin; you shall not die.
David received the comforting absolution from Jesus through the mouth and hands of his pastor, as from God Himself. His sin was forgiven. His Word and promise belong to you! If you doubt - come - and receive - all forgiveness is prepared for you. Cast away your pride and its sin - humble yourself - confess your sin - be forgiven! Amen.
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