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Youth Worship 12th April 2025 : If you sin unintentionally

12 April 2025

YOUTH WORSHIP 12 April 2025
Text: Numbers 15

Title: “If you sin unintentionally” Numbers 15:22

INTRODUCTION

1. The children of Israel had sinned grievously

a) They had chosen to disobey the Lord time and time again
b) They were now consigned to wander in the wilderness for forty years because of their wilful sinfulness
c) The obvious need was for them to learn about the problem of sin

2. Many laws were given to Israel

a) To instruct
b) To forewarn
c) To encourage Israel not to take sin lightly

3. Two aspects were highlighted:

a) Sin that is unintentional
b) Sin that is intentional

DEALING WITH UNINTENTIONAL SIN

22 ‘If you sin unintentionally, and do not observe all these commandments which the LORD has spoken to Moses—

23 all that the LORD has commanded you by the hand of Moses, from the day the LORD gave commandment and onward throughout your generations—

24 then it will be, if it is unintentionally committed, without the knowledge of the congregation, that the whole congregation shall offer one young bull as a burnt offering, as a sweet aroma to the LORD, with its grain offering and its drink offering, according to the ordinance, and one kid of the goats as a sin offering.

25 So the priest shall make atonement for the whole congregation of the children of Israel, and it shall be forgiven them, for it was unintentional; they shall bring their offering, an offering made by fire to the LORD, and their sin offering before the LORD, for their unintended sin.

26 It shall be forgiven the whole congregation of the children of Israel and the stranger who dwells among them, because all the people did it unintentionally.

27 ‘And if a person sins unintentionally, then he shall bring a female goat in its first year as a sin offering.

28 So the priest shall make atonement for the person who sins unintentionally, when he sins unintentionally before the LORD, to make atonement for him; and it shall be forgiven him.

29 You shall have one law for him who sins unintentionally, for him who is
native-born among the children of Israel and for the stranger who dwells among them.

Numbers 15:22-29

1. Sin will affect the whole congregation

a) Sin does not just affect the individual
b) It affects the whole community/congregation

2. What constitutes sin?

a) The neglect of the commandments of God
b) The failure to keep the commandments of God is considered sin

3. Unintentional sin

a) There is no evil intention
b) The sin is not pre-meditated

4. Atonement may be made for unintentional sins

a) The individual sins
b) But the whole congregation is unaware of the sin
c) Thus, it is not held responsible for the sin of the individual
d) Atonement may be made
e) Forgiveness is extended to the repentant sinner

DEALING WITH PRESUMPTUOUS SIN

30 ‘But the person who does anything presumptuously, whether he is native-born or a stranger, that one brings reproach on the LORD, and he shall be cut off from among his people.

31 Because he has despised the word of the LORD, and has broken His commandment, that person shall be completely cut off; his guilt shall be upon him.’”

Numbers 15:30-31

1. Presumptuous sin is not unintentional

a) It is not a sin of ignorance
b) It is a sin that is committed deliberately

2. The nature of presumptuous sin

a) It brings reproach on the Lord
b) The individual has despised the word of the Lord
c) He has broken His commandment

3. Consequences

a) He shall be cut off completely
b) He will have to bear his guilt
c) The punishment is up to the Lord

4. Examples of the sin of presumption

a) The sin of the 10 spies who deliberately caused Israel to rebel against God Numbers 13
b) The sin of the congregation to attempt to enter Canaan after God had already given His commandment not to battle the Amalekites
Numbers 14
c) The 10 spies were killed by a plague
d) The children of Israel suffered a humiliating defeat at the hands of the Amalekites

OUR CHALLENGES

1. To be more thoughtful

2. To not take sin lightly

3. To have a heart that will repent when sin is realised

4. To seek forgiveness from the Lord swiftly

5. To learn and to grow from each experience