"Things We Don’t Know... About Sin”

Reference

Romans 5:12-19, Matthew 4:1-11

Sermon Notes

MPMC_Bulletin_20260222.pdf

Join us for this powerful Lenten message as Pastor Ron McDougald explores profound truths about sin, temptation, forgiveness, and the limitless grace of Jesus Christ. Drawing from Romans 5:12-19 (the impact of sin through Adam and redemption through Christ) and Matthew 4:1-11 (the temptation of Jesus in the wilderness), this sermon reminds us that Christ's victory over temptation was not just for Himself—but for us.

Key Themes:

We often misunderstand how God's forgiveness works—it's complete and unconditional from the moment Christ loved us first (Romans 5), not something we earn by "doing better."
Insights from A.W. Tozer: When we see someone sinning, we don't know (1) how hard they tried to resist, or (2) the overwhelming forces arrayed against them—and we don't know what we would do in their exact circumstances.
Three universal temptations Jesus faced (and we face):
1. Provision — Thinking we need more than God provides, trusting ourselves over God's daily bread.
2. Power — The desire for control and self-sufficiency instead of surrendering to God's sovereignty.
3. Pride — The lure of self-importance, wanting to "have it all" or prove we're in charge.

Through personal stories, humor, and heartfelt reflections—including a memorable tale from an old African-American pastor, Columbus Barrett, and a college roommate anecdote—Pastor Ron challenges us to reject self-sufficiency and embrace the deep, wide fountain of God's forgiveness through Christ's body broken and blood shed for us.

This sermon was preached during worship, leading into the Sacrament of Holy Communion, emphasizing healing, redemption, and the assurance: You were forgiven before you ever sinned, and that forgiveness holds through every temptation.

If you're struggling with guilt, temptation, or the feeling that you need to "earn" God's love, this message is for you. Jesus was tempted in every way as we are—yet without sin—and His victory is ours.

Scripture Readings: