More Than Mere Words Series

1. Preparation for disaster – nuclear bomb drills in elementary school; GTMO evacuation drills; tornado drills;

a. When sin is in our lives disaster is coming. It may be now and it could certainly be forever.

b. We don’t always avoid disasters of sin, but we can get back on track through repentance.

c. 2 Corinthians 7:10 (NKJV) 10 For godly sorrow produces repentance leading to salvation, not to be regretted; but the sorrow of the world produces death. [Teshuvah

2. In John Steinbeck’s story, The Wayward Bus, a dilapidated old bus takes a cross country shortcut on its journey to Los Angeles, and gets stuck in the mud. While the drivers go for assistance, the passengers take refuge in a cave. It is obvious that the author is attempting to get across the point that these people are lost spiritually as well as literally. As they enter into this cave, the author calls the reader’s attention to the fact that as they enter they must pass a word that has been scrawled with paint over the entrance. The word is repent. Although Steinbeck calls that to the reader’s attention it is interesting that none of the passengers pays any attention to it whatsoever.

a. Often Neglected today in and out of the church – Romans 6:1-2

b. Yet it is crucial to our salvation because it restores the lifestyle we need to walk with God.

c. Jesus and Repentance (to people who ‘grew up in the church’) – Matthew 4:17; Luke 13:3, 5; 5:32

3. An Example of Repentance – Manasseh (2 Chronicles 33:1-20)

I. Expressions of Sin – 2 Chronicles 33:1-9

A. Where are you in your Relationship with God?

1. Are you building up the things of God in your life?

2. Are you tearing down HIS things and substituting other things?

3. Are you worshiping Him of Someone else?

4. Are you expressing godliness or ungodliness? [Remember, our sin is only hidden for a time and never from God – Numbers 32:23

5. How are you treating the innocents (children and others)? [Notice Satan is after our little ones!

US Stats on Child Abuse (2017):

• Approximately 700,000 children are abused annually

• CPS protects more than 3 million children

• Neglect is the most common form of maltreatment

• About 80% of the abusers are the victims’ parents

• Almost 1 million abortions per year in US

B. Our Blessings from God are Contingent on Our Faithful Obedience – 2 Chronicles 33:6b-8

II. End Results of Sin – 2 Chronicles 33:10-13

A. Sin is Devastating

1. [“You knew what I was when you picked me up!”

2. Manasseh’s world came crashing down -- Pain of captivity

[Sometimes we don’t break sinful habits or addictions until the pain of doing it is greater than the pain of not – We don’t change until we hurt enough; the reason for consequences to our sins.

B. Sin is Demanding

1. Sin wants all of us

2. Sin demands payment

C. Sin is Demeaning – He was Humbled and Humiliated

1. No mercy in sin

2. Satan is gleeful when sin overwhelms us

III. EVIDENCE OF REPENTANCE – 2 Chronicles 33:14-17

A. More than Worldly Sorrow of Getting Caught

B. What are some of the evidences (fruits) of repentance? > Words (John the Baptist – Matthew 3:8-10

8 Bear fruit in keeping with repentance. 9 And do not presume to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father,’ for I tell you, God is able from these stones to raise up children for Abraham. 10 Even now the axe is laid to the root of the trees. Every tree therefore that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.

1. Humble, prayerful hearts exhibiting godly sorrow (33:12-13); 2 Corinthians 7:9-10

2. Godly Lifestyle – Manasseh’s prayer/building projects; change of worship practices

3. Restitution – Luke 19:1-10 (Manasseh and idols in the Temple b/c he knew the LORD, 2 Chronicles 33:13b)

4. Rejoicing! – Sacrifices of 2 Chronicles 33:16-17; Luke 15

1. The time to buy life insurance is not the day you die. The time to install smoke detectors is not while your house is on fire. And the time to develop convictions about holiness is not in the midst of an emergency. In all those examples, it’s too late. Or, at the very least, it’s much harder after the fact. It’s easier to prevent a crisis than to recover from a crisis.

Somehow, Joseph was prepared for the crises that hit him in Egypt—the most serious being a full-on attempt at seduction and immorality by the wife of his owner, the man who had entrusted everything to Joseph. When Potiphar’s wife tried to tempt Joseph to immorality, he did what Paul would later advise Timothy to do when faced with temptations: “Flee!” (2 Timothy 2:22) Joseph took the only way of escape open to him: He fled! (1 Corinthians 10:13)