When I was 6 my Mom washed my mouth out with soap because I said a dirty word.

I tried to tell her I learned it from a bathroom wall…but the context I used the word in was a little too correct. Mom knew a 1st grader didn’t really understand the exclamatory proper usage of a cuss word out of sheer ignorance.

There are a few words many church folk would consider dirty. Not because they are “bad”, but they just don’t fit in the nice, proper version of Christianity we are comfortable with. Fasting can be a dirty word (probably because we don’t want to do it).

Confession is a dirty word for several reasons. It might be a Protestant hangup or just unwillingness to admit to what you know isn’t right. No matter the excuse, confession matters.

This Sunday we are talking about confessions integral place in the Christian life and it’s necessity for any move of God.

This messenger was John the Baptist. He was in the wilderness and preached that people should be baptized to show that they had repented of their sins and turned to God to be forgiven. All of Judea, including all the people of Jerusalem, went out to see and hear John. And when they confessed their sins, he baptized them in the Jordan River. His clothes were woven from coarse camel hair, and he wore a leather belt around his waist. For food he ate locusts and wild honey.

John announced: “Someone is coming soon who is greater than I am—so much greater that I’m not even worthy to stoop down like a slave and untie the straps of his sandals. I baptize you with water, but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit!”

Later on, after John was arrested, Jesus went into Galilee, where he preached God’s Good News. “The time promised by God has come at last!” he announced. “The Kingdom of God is near! Repent of your sins and believe the Good News!” Mark 1:4-8,14-15

In any mighty move of God, confession is at the beginning.

Confession is the prerequisite for everything God wants to do in our life.

Confession isn’t what we think it is. Yes, there is an openness to our own sin and faultiness. The openness of confession doesn’t end there (thankfully). Confession is an open admittance of who is in power.

Join us tomorrow in worship as we think about how confession needs to fit in our life.

What is a sermon preview?
Sermon previews are released on Friday’s. They are to give YOU a short glimpse of what the conversation is going to be like on Sunday morning. On Monday, the preview is updated with some discussion questions, scripture guide and an mp3 of the sermon. I do these for 2 reasons. The first is so God can continue working in your life throughout the week. The second is for you to share this with a friend. I invite and encourage you to share the preview on Facebook/Twitter and through email.