Sep6
Matthew 3:1-2…….Ready
In those days (Expresses a period of time looking back 30 years, while Jesus was living in Nazareth, of Galilee.) John the Baptist came, preaching in the Desert of Judea 2 and saying, “Repent, (3340-to turn, to think differently, change one’s mind, feel remorse, be converted.” Repent and believe the Gospel.-Mark 1:15) for the kingdom of heaven (God) is near. (at hand, on the brink, accessible. i.e. The long awaited O.T. promises of God are coming to pass in the Saving work of the Messiah/Jesus.)
Continued From Book
“Teaches how were to see ourselves as lost & broken sinners who need to turn back to God.” ⇒ Will you confess that your ways are not working and you are ready for God’s ways. (Matt. 3:5)
“Calls for a change of “Heart & Mind”. Will you see sin not just as bad behavior, but as offensive and grievous to a Holy God?” (cf. Ps. 51:1-5, Rom. 3:23, 12:1-2, 12:9, 1-John 1:8-10)
“Calls for coming to that place in your life where you can say: “I was wrong God and you were right. I’ve been going in the wrong direction. I’ve been living life on my terms.” ⇒ Will you acknowledgement that something is wrong, that something needs to change. Saying “I’m wrong” is not an easy thing for anyone to say. It is humbling to admit that we are wrong. By nature we do not want to submit to anyone, even God. (cf. 1-John 1:8-9)
“Calls for being open and honest with God about the messed-up places in our lives; Will you admit; “I don’t have it all together”. “I am not a good person at heart”. “I don’t live or act as I should”.
“Calls for recognizing the damaging and destructive effects of sin in our lives. Will you admit I hate my Sin. I am sorry for it. I don’t want it in my life anymore!”
Repentance is not feeling sorry over the costs and consequences of sin. That’s worldly sorrow not godly sorrow. A criminal can be sorry they got caught, but not sorry enough to change.
The word for “Repentance” is “Metanoia” which means “to turn around and change direction”. You’ve been walking down the road in one direction (sin & rebellion) and you make a 180 degree turn and start walking in the opposite direction (God & Obedience). We change our minds about ourselves. We change our minds about God. We change our minds about our behavior. We change our minds about sin. Sin is no longer something to be desired, pursued, or held onto, but something to flee from. A repentant person will see Sin for what it really is: evil, destructive, and offensive to God. A repentant person will be repulsed and sickened by sin. Sin is no longer something to be enjoyed, but something to be forsaken. It is no longer a source of pleasure, but a pathway to destruction, death and Hell. Repentance is also described as a radicle reorientation of life—it’s a changed mindset, a change of priorities, a change of values, a change of perspectives, and a change of direction.
Additional Notes & Applications
Teaches the beautiful thing about repentance, is that it doesn’t require a whole check-list of things to accomplish. There is no get-your-life-together-first requirement. There are no rules you have to follow before repentance. For repentance is where it begins.
Displays how prophets can be found not just in the pulpits, but in the most unusual places. (Next time maybe you won’t be so quick to dismiss a street corner preacher as a “weird” or “strange”, or a guy wearing a robe & sandals holding a sign saying; “Repent, for the end is near” as a “Religious Nut”) (cf. Jer. 7:2)
Teaches how God often uses the most odd and unlikely people to reveal His Kingdom. How odd of God to choose the Jews, who had no special qualities. How odd of God to choose David, a young lad whose father did not even include him among the sons whom he presented to Samuel for consideration! How odd of God to choose Mary, a young unmarried girl! How odd of God to choose a manger for the Savior of the world to be born. And How odd of God here to choose John the Baptist! Which goes to show how you don’t have to be somebody well known or of great importance to be used by God. God uses you and me, not the most prominent or popular.)
-John the Baptist-John the Baptist was the first prophetic voice to arise out of Judea in four hundred years since the last prophet Malachi. The presence of John the Baptist in the Wilderness was seen by many as the fulfillment of prophecy made hundreds of years earlier by the prophet Isaiah who predicted one who would come and prepare the way for the Lord.-(Is. 40:3-5) ) From Luke’s Gospel we learn the timeframe of John’s ministry, how it was during the reign of Governing rulers, Tiberius Caesar,-(A.D. 14-37) Pontius Pilate,-(A.D. 26–36) Herod Tetrarch, Philip, Lysanias, and the High Priests Annas and Caiaphas.-(A.D. 18-36)-(Luke 3:1-3) By listing the fifteenth year of Tiberius’ reign allows us to date the start of John’s ministry as beginning somewhere around August A.D. 28 to August A.D. 29. We also learn how John was the only son of Zechariah a priest who served in the Temple and his mother was Elizabeth, who was a cousin of Mary-(Luke 1:36) thereby making John the Baptist and Jesus related. We learn about John’s unusual birth, how it was announced by the angel Gabriel that John would be great in the sight of the Lord, and filled with the Holy Spirit from birth.-(Luke 1:11-15) Luke also describes how John the Baptist “continued to grow in spirit, and lived in the desert until his public appearance”.-(Luke 1:80) Our first thought when we read Matthew’s account of John the Baptist. It looks like John never read any books on “How to win friends and influence people”. When we read John’s preaching, it seems he never attended any Church out-growth courses on “How to have a seeker-sensitive Church” or “How to make everyone in your Church feel warm and cozy”. When we hear about John’s wardrobe its clear he never read any books on “How to dress for success”. You wouldn’t find him on the cover of “GQ or Peoples Magazine”. And when we read about John’s diet, its clear that he never read any books on “Eating Healthier”. We also learn how John didn’t need gimmicks, tricks, or humorous stories to keep people entertained. No potlucks, raffles, or give a ways. John didn’t perform any signs, wonders, or faith healings to attract people. John didn’t need to build a beautiful Sanctuary, or a huge church with theater seats and surround sound. There was no choir, orchestra or comforting music. John didn’t limit his sermons to talking about God as all loving and accepting. John was not content on preaching a comfortable feel good message about how blessed and special you are. Or how God wants to do great things in your life (which He will eventually do). Or preach a Prosperity Gospel of Health & Wealth. But what we do learn is that John the Baptist was a straight talker. John was bold and uncompromising in his convictions. He was not concerned with making friends or being Mr. Popular. He was not a people-pleaser. John wasn’t afraid to step on toes or offend people in order to tell them the truth, even if it meant losing his popularity, or his head as it turns out.-(cf. Matt. 14:3-11) John didn’t pull any punches, but said it like it is, and that’s the kind of preaching we need in the church today, people who will stay true to their faith and convictions no matter what!
-Desert/Wilderness-Meaning: A mountainous hill area of Judea stretching 20 miles between Jerusalem on the west and the Jordan River & Dead Sea on the east. The wilderness is usually defined as a place that is abandoned, desolate, and unpopulated. The wilderness represents a hostile place. It is a place of hunger, thirst, death, bandits, and demons. It is home to scorpions and snakes. At first glance the wilderness would seem like a bad choice of venue and the worst possible place to preach. When major cities like Jerusalem offered more exposure and more opportunity to reach people. The Temple was there, the Priesthood was there. However, throughout Israel’s history, the wilderness has been a place where God has shaped His people. It’s the place where the nation Israel was forged. Prophets did much of their work in the wilderness. Jesus will soon be tested in the wilderness. God continues to work in the wilderness of our lives today. We are most open to hearing God’s word when life seems empty and barren. Being in the wilderness helps strip away the things of the world that we may see our brokenness and hopelessness and turn to God. It’s often in those hard & difficult places that God gets our attention. For many a wilderness can be some loss or severe hardship, more then when things are comfortable and going good. Remember the Prodigal Son he thought he would be happy with his inheritance, it was not until he suffered failure and loss that he realized what a fool he had been. His hunger helped him to repent and return back to his father.-(Luke 15:11-19) A wilderness can be a place of spiritual renewal, hope, and new beginnings. Being lost is actually a pre-cursor to being found. God often uses the wilderness of our dry, empty, barren lives to get us to repent. A Wilderness can be a place where we find ourselves lost, alone, and drifting, with no place to turn. A Wilderness can be a place of hardship and pain. A Wilderness can be a place of hopelessness and despair, where one thirsts for God. A Wilderness can be a place where we’re struggling with some sort of sin or addiction with no way out. I’m sure we can all think of such times in our lives, maybe your in one right now? If so, don’t lose heart; God does some of His best work in the Wilderness. A Wilderness can be a place where we get real with God about how small, helpless, and inadequate we really are. A Wilderness can be place where one is totally alone with the ultimate issues of life, death, and eternity. A Wilderness can be a place that takes us away from our comfort zones, material things, and the distractions of life so we can better hear God’s voice. A Wilderness can be place where God is calling us out of our barren and empty religion, much in what we find in mega church’s today.
-the Kingdom of heaven is near-Meaning: Instead of using the phrase “Kingdom of God” as Mark and Luke’s Gospels do. Matthew uses the “kingdom of heaven”. Matthew had probably done so out of respect for devout Jews, who out of fear and reverence would not use the name of God and therefore would substitute “Heaven” for God. The word “Kingdom” is usually associated with idea of a geographical location or territory ruled by a monarch or king. But in the Bible it’s always associated with the “rule & reign” of God. Therefore, what John is really saying is; “The kingdom/rule of God is here right now in the Saving work of Jesus, who will provide our forgiveness and redemption. When Satan tempted our first parents Adam & Eve to eat the forbidden fruit, he brought sin, rebellion, and misery into the world. Ever since that time, life can take only one of two directions— One either continues on his or her journey on the road to hell and eternal death. Or one journeys on the path that God has made to Heaven and eternal life through the Saving work of His Son Jesus Christ. John by saying “The Kingdom of heaven is near” is telling us that we do not have to die in our sins and go to hell, that God has made a path to heaven by having Jesus die for our sins. (cf. Col. 1:13-23)
WHAT REPENTANCE IS AND IS NOT…..
First: Repentance is not optional or a choice, but a duty and command due to our fallen sinful nature inherited from Adam & Eve.+-(Rom. 5:12-19, Acts 17:30) Repentance is not a work we do to earn Salvation, its a work of God’s grace. Repentance is not something we decide, when its to our convenience, or at the time we please. Its a gift of God brought on by the Holy Spirit. (To procrastinate in repentance can be a dangerous thing. Conviction is a precious gift of God in opening our eyes in seeing our real condition and quickening our hearts to believe the Gospel.) Repentance is more than just turning away from sin, it’s turning in faith and trusting in what Christ Jesus has done that Saves us. You could say Repentance & Faith go hand in hand. You can’t have one without the other. They are really two sides of the same coin. You can’t have faith in Christ as Savior without first changing your mind about sin and who Jesus is and what He has done. The word “Repentance” has two definitions, one from the Hebrew found in the O.T. and one from the Greek found in the N.T. The Hebrew word is “teshuvah” and means “to turn around”, “to change direction”, and “to return”. It is a great picture: You have been walking down the road in one direction (sin & rebellion), and you make a 180 degree turn and start walking in the opposite direction (God & Obedience). The Greek word for repentance is “metanoia” which means a “change of mind”. We change our minds about ourselves. We change our minds about God. We change our minds about sin. Sin is no longer something to be desired, pursued or held onto, but something to flee from. A repentant person will see the ugliness of sin. They will see Sin for what it really is; evil, destructive, and offensive to God. A repentant person will be repulsed and sickened by sin. Sin is no longer something to be enjoyed, but something to be forsaken. It is no longer a source of pleasure, but a pathway to destruction, death and Hell. Repentance is also described as a radicle reorientation of life—it’s a changed mindset, a change of priorities, a change of values, a change of perspectives, and a change of direction. [Note: If you struggle with repentance, have no desire to repent, find it hard to repent, or you just can’t seem to get there? Call out to God and ask Him to expose the darkest places of your heart, that you may see sin for what it truly is. And keep asking, praying, and reading God’s Word. God will grant you the repentance and faith you need as you look to Him for it.] (cf. Matt. 7:7-8, Rom. 2:4, 8:16, 2-Tim. 2:25-26, John 16:7-15, 1-John 5:6-8)
Second: Repentance is not sorrow or remorse over the costs and consequences of sin (fines, penalties, broken relationships, etc.) That’s worldly sorrow, not godly sorrow. Judas may have felt badly for betraying Jesus, but he only repented out of regret and not to God. The same goes for a criminal who can be sorry they got caught. But their sorrow doesn’t lead to change only how they might be more careful in plotting their crime the next time. Repentance is not a superficial thing or a light matter. It’s not like changing your opinion about which T.V. show is your favorite or which chat-app you prefer. Repentance involves a serious and profound decision of the mind that leads to a complete reorientation of life. We can feel bad… feel regret…and not change at all.+ Repentance is not about feeling your a bad person. Feeling your a crummy and rotten person is not the same as conviction of sin. Anyone can admit their a terrible person at times, and yet not admit their a sinner. Repentance is not punishing yourself in order to convince God (and ourselves) just how miserable and sorry we are, that we deserve to be forgiven. (The Gospel tells us that Jesus suffered for our sin. We do not have to make ourselves suffer to merit God’s forgiveness. We simply rest in the forgiveness won by Christ). Repentance is not doing something good in order to make up for the sin. (Sin is often seen as a failure of performance, when its a failure of intimacy. The only grief we experience is disappointment in our inability to do what is right, and not that we have “dishonored” God.) Repentance is not simply despising the act of sin, it’s despising of self that is evil and sinful.+ Repentance is not ever sinning again, but are you going to war with the sin? Are you battling sin on every front? Are you working on looking more like Jesus today than yesterday? Repentance is not about feeling bad over sin, but about offending and wounding God. (The more glimpses we have of the glory of God, the more we mourn for scorning that glory.) Repentance is not just words. Not even sincere, tearful words. But a change of mind that results in a change of life. (Repentance is less about you emotions, your tears, or your regret. It’s about a change of heart & mind.) Repentance is not just saying your sorry and you’ll try harder next time. But sorry enough to forsake and quit the sin.+ Repentance is not just the resolve to do better.+ (Everyone who has ever made New Year’s resolutions knows how easily human determination can be broken.) Repentance is not about God blessing us and answering our prayers. We repent not for the benefits, but because its good for the soul and keeps us productive. Repentance is not about fearing the punishment of our misdeeds, or securing a ticked out of hell. It is one thing to be a terrified sinner and another to be a repenting sinner. (If the only reason your repenting is to avoid hell, its nothing more than trying to make a deal with God.) Repentance is not about easing your “guilty conscious” or “getting something off your chest” so you can feel better about yourself.+ Repentance is not turning over a new leaf.+ (Sure, we’ll be better behaved, all right, but it won’t be because we suddenly decided to reform ourselves. It will be because our hearts were touched by the love and forgiveness of God.)+ Repentance is not a little tweak here, add some new habits there.+ Repentance is not about behavioral modifications or turning by degrees. You can’t say, “Instead of watching hardcore pornography, I’ll switch to soft-porn instead”. Or say, “Instead of giving up drinking completely, I’ll only drink on the weekends or I’ll only have one beer a day instead of several”.
Third: Repentance is not a shameful condemning word, but a word of hope, joy, and new life.+ Repentance is more than just confessing sin, it’s about owning it and fighting it.+ Repentance is not a one-time act where you repent of your sins and put your faith in Jesus. Repentance is both the starting place and an ongoing need as we continue to make mistakes while allowing the Lord to knock off the rough edges. To repent means to keep struggling against sin and coming to God for forgiveness, no matter how often we may fail. Repentance is not a one-time thing, “Been there – Done that”. It’s a place you live daily in turning from sin and growing more and more like Jesus. (The day you stop repenting, is the day you stop growing!) Repentance is not about keeping up appearances, but its about being real and transparent with God.
Fourth: Repentance is not praying a prayer, going forward at an Alter call, or signing a decision card, but the work of the Holy Spirit in drawing and convicting a persons heart in repenting. [Note: This is not saying people have not been Saved praying the Sinners Prayer or responding to an Alter Call. But rather when true Conversion happens in those areas it is always accompanied first by the Holy Spirit or the Word. Praying a prayer, filling out a card, or responding to a Alter Call is only a outward sign of an inward conviction that had already taken place in the heart.] Repentance is not about cleaning up your life before coming to Jesus. An impossible feat to be sure. (The whole purpose of the Cross is that your not perfect that’s why you need Jesus to Save you.) [Note: If you’re holding off on a decision for Christ until you think you’re “ready” or “worthy,” then you’re waiting in vain. Jesus is ready to receive you right now!] Repentance is not ever sinning again, but are you going too war with sin. Are you battling sin on every front. Are you looking more like Jesus today than yesterday? Repentance is not that you can’t do certain things, its that you now have no desire to do those things. Repentance is not always an emotional display of falling on your knees in tears.+ God does not have to be persuaded to Save us by how much crying and pleading we do. Salvation depends on our faith in believing in Jesus (although deep emotion may be experienced.) Repentance is not wallowing-in-sorrow.+ We often have the idea that repentance means groveling in the dirt and self-condemnation until we feel we have sufficiently earned God’s forgiveness. Repentance is not beating yourself up about the past. Self-condemnation only opens wider the wounds of guilt & despair. [Note: Many beat themselves up, living under a constant barrage of guilt and defeat; “I will never overcome this issue”. “I’ll never become the person God wants me to be”. We must guard against this kind of self-condemnation, for Satan will use it to chain you to the past. We are all sinners in need of a Savior. That’s why Jesus came. Let that reality lift you from the ashes of guilt & shame.]-(cf. Philp. 3:13-15) Repentance does not mean all your problems will magically go away, in fact they may become worst.+
Fifth: “Repentance” has many benefits. Repentance sets us free with a renewed heart and a clean conscience.+ Repentance allows us to leave the destructive patterns of sin. Repentance cleanses and refreshes the soul, helping us to get back in harmony in a loving and obedient relationship with God.+ Repentance allows us to grow in God’s grace, that were not perfect, we have a far way to go.+ Repentance can keep a stubborn and hardhearted person tender towards the things of God. Repentance allows God to work and move in our life. Repentance brings freedom from guilt and shame. Repentance helps us avoid judging others and gently chips away at the ugliness of our pride.+ Repentance puts us back on the right path, and keeps us on the right path. Repentance keeps us from becoming comfortable and hardened by sin. Repentance allows us to change course, protects us from damaging and destructive behaviors, and greater harm in the future. Repentance allows us to learn from our mistakes and act differently the next time it happens.+ And most importantly of all Repentance keeps the Enemy/Satan from gaining a grip/foothold in our lives.
Note: To repent of something today often means nothing more than regret. People repent for having chosen burritos for dinner, or they repent for having bought the wrong shoes. Or they’ll hear the cries of “Repent”! as a message of judgment and doom. Say the word “repent” and a lot of people shut their ears. For many the call to repentance feels like a unfair judgment imposed by other people. The word repentance conjures up images of strange people carrying signs on the street corner calling down fire and brimstone on a debauched society. Most of us hate being confronted. We get angry and offended when someone calls us out. That were not as good as we think we are, that we’re off track somewhere, that we’re involved in some sort of sin; that we’re participating in something that’s wrong in God’s eyes. But repentance is ultimately all about a greater good. It is the path to receiving mercy…and life. Repentance can be difficult, there are habits, attitudes, and addictions that need to go. Repentance can be hard because it involves dying to the things we love, it involves living in a way that often seems impossible. It involves changing parts of our lives that are deeply ingrained in our identity and embedded within our hearts. It’s much easier to love and serve ourselves than it is to love and serve God and our neighbor. It’s easier to blame, justify, and rationalize your sin away than to take responsibility and admit the truth. It’s easier to hide sin and pretend it doesn’t exist than to admit guilt. It is easier to lash out with anger when we’re hurt, then it is to love and forgive. It is much easier to cut down other people than to love them and build them up. It’s easier to curse and swear, to lie and cheat, than to live a life of honesty and integrity.
Note: Repentance is often misunderstood. Many see it only as a formality in praying a prayer, going to confession, or doing penance. Some people wont even admit they are a sinner. They’ll call sin by another name as an alternate lifestyle, born this way, free spirited, etc. Or they will minimize sin to a laundry list of indiscretions. What Scripture would call sin they call a mistake, error in thinking, moment of weakness, laps of judgement, poor decision, human frailty, minor flaw, etc. Or they’ll try to justify and excuse their sin by any number of appeals. “I was born this way”. “I’m a victim. If you only knew what I’ve been through and how badly people have treated me, you’d grant me a little slack.” [Note: When it comes to repentance it is important that we are honest with ourselves. We must work to overcome the excuse making, blaming and rationalizing that can divert us from truly turning to the Lord,”] Or they’ll fall into self-denial, deceiving themselves in believing; “I good with God”. “I know I’m not perfect, but at least I’m not as bad as some people I know”. That “There’s people who are in a lot worse shape than they are”. Not realizing that repentance is not optional, but a demand and necessity due to the sinful nature inherited from Adam & Eve.-(Gen. 2:17, 2:1-19, Ps. 51:5, Rom. 5:12) Sin is not just the activities we do that are wrong, but sin is a state we find ourselves in. That were not just a sinner because we sin, we sin because we’re sinners. Most people have no problem at all in admitting that they’ve committed some sins, even if they think those sin are isolated little mistakes in an otherwise pretty staller life, a parking ticket here, a little white lie there. But sin is more than that, sin is in us and of us, and not just on us. Sin is a systemic condition as a result of living in a fallen world. Were sinners by nature & practice, that we are naturally in opposition to God. Just as you do not have to teach your children to lie, to be selfish, to be deceitful, it just naturally comes to them because of the sinful fallen nature. Nor is sin something you can restrain or control, even with our best efforts, because sooner or later it will come out! You might be able to curb some big sins like murder, adultery, and stealing. But you’ll still have issues in other areas like anger, pride, greed, lust, gossip, jealousy, hatred, selfishness, bitterness, etc. which is just as much a sin in God’s eyes as anything else, and therefore we have a need and obligation to repent. (cf. Gen. 6:5, Matt. 5:27-28, 15:18-19, Rom. 3:10-13, 7:21-25, James 2:8-10, 3:2, 1-John 1:8, Is. 53:6)
If your going to respond to John’s call to repent you need to come to grips with some basics facts.
1. You need to face the fact that God really does exist and He has a claim on your life. One day you will face Him and He will call you into account for everything you have ever done. (Matt. 12:37, Rom. 14:11-12, Heb. 9:27, Rev. 20:11-15)
2. You need to face the fact that everyone sins. You might be able to curb some big sins like murder & adultery. But you have lied, you have lusted, lied, you have gossiped, you have coveted, which is just as much a sin in God’s eyes as anything else. (Rom. 3:23, James 2:10)
3. You need to face the fact that no matter how good you are you cannot earn or work your way into heaven. You cannot stand on your own goodness and righteousness. (Rom. 3:27-28, Eph. 2:8-9)
4. You need to come to grip with Jesus Christ, who He is and what He has done. That He is the Son of God and the only way to heaven & eternal life. That He paid the penalty of your sins in His own body on the cross. That He was buried and then raised to life on the third day. (John 3:16, 14:6, Rom. 4:24-25, 10:9-10, 1-John 2:1-2)
Note: A question arises for a Saved Believer who has already repented; “If my sins are forgiven (past, present and future). Why do I still need to repent and ask forgiveness? If I ask God to forgive my sins, isn’t that a lack of faith in God’s promises, since we are asking Him for something He has already given us? In part this is true. The Bible teaches that a person need not ask for forgiveness of sins more than once to be Saved. Once we have repented, having trusted in Jesus to Save us from the penalty of sin, we are Saved eternally and will never bear the punishment for our sins.-(John 10:27-28, Rom. 4:6-8. 10:9-10, Heb. 10:16-18) On the other hand, a believer is also called by Scripture to maintain a repentant heart by seeking God’s grace & mercy in the face of our daily shortcomings and stumbles in sin. (cf. Matt. 6:12, 1-John 1:9, Rev. 2:5) In other words, there are two types of repentance in the Bible. The first type of “Repentance” refers to the repentance that accompanies our Salvation the moment we accept Jesus as Lord & Savior. Simply put, this is the Repentance unto Salvation. This type of repentance is a unique, one-time event prompted by the Holy Spirit in the heart of an unbeliever, bringing them to Saving faith in Jesus.-(cf. 2-Corn. 7:10) Those who have repented of sin and trusted in Christ as Lord and Savior, God declares them right before Him on the basis of Christ’s righteousness and substitutionary death.-(Rom. 3:21–26; 5:1; 8:1, 30, 33–34) It is a declarative act of God by which we are infused with righteousness, justification takes place in the believer once for all time.-(Rom. 5:12-21, Philp, 3:8-9, 2-Corn. 5:19-21) The second kind of Repentance is the conviction believers experience daily through the Holy Spirit when made aware of their sinful behaviors. Becoming a Christian removes the penalty of sin, but it doesn’t (immediately) remove the reality of sin in our earthly life. This type of repentance expresses the genuineness of faith. It also brings a sense of joy & peace with God, maintains fellowship with the Father, obedience to the Lord, and Christ-likeness.
Note: Repentance today has become an unpopular message among a lot of Pastors who, out of political correctness have tone down the subject so as not to offend or upset anyone. Or they do so out of the fear of chasing off their flock of financial supporters. Or they do so in order to remain a seeker-friendly church. Some don’t even preach sin or repentance at all in order to make conversion to Christ as easy as possible and as a result people mistakenly believe that repentance is about moral resolve, saying a prayer, or being religious. Or they bring people to intellectual faith and a Salvation given by a God who is a warm, kind, and permissive Grandpa. The Salvation they are told about is like a free candy bar to eat that is sweet and that demands nothing from their life except to eat it and enjoy it. Or they redefine sin as merely the failure of positive thinking, or the failure in attaining God’s best for us. Or they’re Sermons will be all about felt needs, prosperity, financial freedom, live your best life now, God loves you and has a wonderful plan for your life, etc. Rather than, like John the Baptist’s in making it about Sin and the need for Repentance. We are not doing a person any favors if we lower the bar of repentance to just feeling bad or being sorrow. (Note: This is not saying every Sermon needs to be about sin. But we should be concerned when the steady diet of sermons coming from a pulpit the hearer is never confronted with the issue and reality of his or her sin.)
REASONS FOR REPENTANCE…
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Repentance is commanded by God, God calls all men everywhere to repent.
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Repentance is mandatory due to our fallen sinful nature inherited from Adam & Eve.
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Repentance is crucial if were to escape God’s wrath and punishment in hell.
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Repentance is a gift that may not come again, God does not promise us a tomorrow.
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Repentance opens the door to God’s grace, healing, and forgiveness.
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Repentance turns us in the direction where God can start to work in our life’s and what’s best for us.
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Repentance proves were not trying to hide our sin from God, others or ourselves.
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Repentance allows us to seek God’s grace & mercy in face of our daily stumbles into sin.
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Repentance allows God to relieve the burden of sin, guilt, and shame.
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Repentance allows us to be continually healed, brings security to the soul.
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Repentance keeps us from becoming comfortable and hardened by sin.
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Repentance protects us from damaging and destructive behaviors.
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Repentance puts us back on the right path, and keeps us on the right path.
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Repentance frees us from sins hold, keeps Satan from gaining a foothold in our life’s.
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Repentance shows were growing & maturing in wanting to be more like Christ.
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Repentance shows that we are asking for and relying on God’s strength to help us change.+
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Repentance pleases God, shows that were taking sin seriously.+
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Repentance keeps us from growing cold in holiness & righteousness.+
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Repentance keeps us from pride on the one hand and apathy on the other hand.+
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Repentance keeps us humble and pliable in God’s hands – one that He can use. +
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Repentance keeps us from grieving the Holy Spirit and hindering His work.+
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Repentance is a sign of genuine faith and true conversion. +
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Repentance keeps the grace and forgiveness of God active & alive in our hearts.+
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Repentance maintains our single-hearted love and devotion to God. +
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Repentance and confession sustains our loving relationship with God. +
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Repentance moves us to greater obedience and submission.+
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Repentance shows God that we take responsibility for our sin.+
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Repentance displays our continual need for Jesus.+
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Repentance allows us to learn from our mistakes and move forward. +
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Repentance keeps us from despair in giving up. Brings hope God is never done with us. +
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Repentance helps us re-devote ourselves to Christ. +
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Repentance frees us from the anger and bitterness we’re holding in our hearts towards others. +
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Repentance recognizes our continual need for God’s help, that we can’t do it on our own. +
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Repentance allows God to pour out all His spiritual blessings and graces into our lives. (God can’t answer our prayers or help us if we’re harboring sinful habits and attitudes) +
HOW TO REPENT…..
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Repent by admitting you’re a sinner who can’t Save themselves.
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Repent by inviting Jesus into your life as Lord & Savior.
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Repent by having a change of mind about God, sin, and holiness.
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Repent by seeing sin for what it really is, offensive and displeasing to a holy God.
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Repent by having conviction of sin not just bad behavior.
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Repent by having godly sorrow for sin, not just remorse & regret.
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Repent by recognizing no matter how good or how hard you try, you’ve broken God’s Commandments.
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Repent by turning away from your own efforts & goodness, to trusting in the finished work of Christ.
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Repent by claiming and receiving God’s forgiveness as promised in His Word.
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Repent by having godly grief & sorrow for your sin.
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Repent by seeing how vile & disgusting sin is (Pray for the blinders to be taken off so you can see the truth & ugliness of sin) +
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Repent by agreeing with God about your sin, that nothing is hidden from His sight. +
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Repent by recognizing everything you’ve done, thought, and believed had been wrong. +
SIGNS OF REPENTANCE……
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A repentant person will live a life that is pleasing to God.
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A repentant person will turn from their sinful way of living.
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A repentant person will have others notice a difference about them.
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A repentant person will witness their faith to family and friends by being baptized.
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A repentant person will start to attend a bible-believing church.
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A repentant person will be less likely to judge the sins of others having seen their own need for God’ forgiveness.
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A repentant person will come to hate sin knowing the high price it cost our Lord & Savior.
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A repentant person will no longer defend, excuse, or justify their sin.
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A repentant person will be quick to own-up and come clean to God about sin.
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A repentant person will be open, honest, and transparent about their sin.
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A repentant person will feel the pain and harm the caused others.
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A repentant person will apologize and ask forgiveness from those they hurt.
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A repentant person will make restitution and amends where possible.
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A repentant person will follow and obey God’s Word.
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A repentant person will make every effort to forsake and stop the sin.
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A repentant person will know their limitations and set up boundaries.
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A repentant person will remain answerable & accountable to other Christians.
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A repentant person will move forward in the forgiveness of God without shame, guilt, or fear. (Don’t let your behavior steal your identity.)
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A repentant person shows their still seeking God and the Holy Spirit is still working in them.
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A repentant person will live and reside daily in God’s Word.+
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A repentant person will take to heart the serious consequences and judgment for sin.+
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A repentant person will love what God loves and hate what God hates.+
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A repentant person who used to run towards sin now runs away from it.+
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A repentant person will make Jesus Lord & King over their lives.+
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A repentant person will turn from away from a life of self-centeredness & self-rule to Christ’s rule and control.+
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A repentant person will have a new perception about self, sin, God, Christ, and the world.+
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A repentant person will forgive others seeing how much God has forgiven them.+
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A repentant person will stick with Jesus through think & thin, no matter what may come. (The worst life with Jesus is far better than the best life without Him!)+
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A repentant person will have a conversion experience to share with others about when and how they were Saved.+
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A repentant person will live a life of generosity, kindness, and honesty towards others.+
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A repentant person will purge and put off everything associated with the sin.+
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A repentant person will have a humble heart and a teachable spirit.+
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A repentant person will want to know Jesus more and more.+
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A repentant person can’t help but share what Christ has done so that others may be Saved.+
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A repentant person will have a life that is pleasing & honoring of God.+
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HINDERANCES IN REPENTANCE….
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We hate the idea of submission & confession. [We naturally rebel to authority.]
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We feel we’re a good person [not perfect, but not bad either]
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We don’t see ourselves as sinners or feel there’s anything wrong with us.
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We allow pride to take over. We hate being exposed or appearing weak and needy.
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We feel our good deeds outweigh our bad deeds. The good things we’ve done and all the people we have helped will Saves us.
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We minimize & excuse sin as no big deal [We don’t see certain things as sin].
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We feel repentance is embarrassing & humiliating, who wants to admit they’re a bad person and a sinner, it is not an easy thing to do.
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We fear the consequences, tickets, fines, jail. (Know the positive benefits of no longer being weighed down by guilt and regret far outweigh the negative consequences.)
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We take pleasure & delight in sin [It’s hard to repent from that which we enjoy.]
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We fear repenting will take all the fun & joy out of life. Will lose our personality or have to give up our favorite foods, TV shows, music, hobbies.
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We like the idea of Salvation and going to Heaven, but we’re not into all the obedience, holiness, and sacrifices that goes with it.
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We fear failure, since the changes will be too hard to make [Or fear success since a lot more will be expected of us.]
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We fear losing our identity. Who would we be if we left the only thing we know.
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We fear a shattered self-image. That we don’t have it all together after all.
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We fear exposure, rejection, mockery, and exclusion.
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We presume upon God’s kindness, that a loving God does not send people to Hell. (Though God is loving, His holy nature cannot leave sin unpunished.)
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We feel were too great a sinner to be forgiven by God. Or we fall into despair and give up, having repented only to sin again and again. (Know God’s grace is greater then your last sin!)
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We feel we have all the time in the world to get right with God [We can have our fun now and repent later.]
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We feel going to church, reading the bible, obeying the Commandments, and doing good works is enough.
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We fear change. Repentance requires change, and people fight and resist change.+
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We’re filled with our own sense of goodness & self-righteousness.+
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We put worldliness and the love of money and riches of this life above the things of eternal life.+
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We allow the negative views of religion and evangelism to turn us away.+
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We blame God for not giving us enough proof, advantages, or opportunity.+
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We presume we’re Saved because we were baptised as an infant, born in a Christian family, or go to church regularly.+
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We’re spiritually lazy and unconcerned with eternal life and the welfare of our own soul. +
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We’re afraid of the changes, that some things will have to go from our life.+
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We’re spiritually lazy and unconcerned with eternal life and the welfare of our own soul. +
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We’re afraid of what are family, friends, and coworkers will say. Stop worrying about what others think of you, and start worrying about what God thinks about you. (Better to have others reproach us for repenting, then to have God damn us for not repenting. ) +
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FALSE SENARIOS IN REPENTANCE……
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We only need to reform our behavior, but not our hearts.
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We think that the emotional experience of coming to Christ is repentance when its a decision.
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We think that saying a prayer or signing a decision card is repentance.
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We only repent because we got caught in sin, not because we hate sin.
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We repent only for temporal gain, not for the glory of God.
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We only repent of big sins, and avoid repenting of smaller sins. (We repent of some sin, not all sin)
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We only repent of open and gross sins, and not the hidden sins of the heart.
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We think repentance is something you do once to become a Christian, when it’s a lifestyle.
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We think repentance is a work of self-improvement in order to find favor with God.
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We repent because of the consequences & fallout, not because sin is sinful, but because it is painful
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We think repentance is overcoming, conquering, or raising above sin.
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We think repentance is a series of steps or checklist that must be done.
(For more Applications get the whole Book) 
(All material is copyrighted and may be used for preaching, teaching, and instructing. And not for publication in any form without the written permission of the author.)
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