SERMON OUTLINE:
I. John the Baptist
II. What is forgiveness?
III. What are we forgiven of? (What is sin?)
A. "Hamartia"
B. Hebrew terms for sin.
IV. Metaphors for sin in the Bible
A. Old Testament
1. Burden
2. Transaction
3. Path
4. Stain
B. New Testament
1. Physical ailments
2. Sin as bond or indebtedness
3. Almsgiving
4. Sin personified
V. What is sin?
1. Hard to define.
2. What it isn't - the point.
VI. Forgiveness
1. John preached forgiveness.
2. Whatever sin is, we are forgiven of it.
3. Point of Christian faith isn't to avoid sin.
4. Point is to follow Jesus.
5. Forgiveness frees us to follow Jesus.