IS THERE A H.E.R.O. IN THE HOUSE? SERIES
Repentance: Breaking Free From Past Failures
3 OF 4 Exodus 20.5-6
February 15, 2009 Chester FBC, Chester, IL Dr. Mike Fogerson, Speaker
Introduction:
A The last few weeks we have seen our share of airplanes in the news.
1 First it was US Airways flight 1549, the miracle on the Hudson.
a Shortly after take off on their way to Charlotte, NC, hit some geese and wound up in the Hudson river. All 155 passengers were saved thanks to a skilled pilot & crew (Heros)
b This week, the story of Continental flight 3407 didn’t have a happy ending.
aa On a routine flight from Newark, NJ to Buffalo, NY, apparently ice developed on it wings and it slammed into a house just miles from the airport.
bb 49 souls on board died, and one soul in the house that the plane landed on.
2 In the movies, Superman would have swooped in and saved the day. (But in real life, sadly, sometimes we crash. Miss the runway.)
a An average flight from Miami to New York, spends 93% of it’s flight off-course.
aa The cockpit crew is making adjustments for head winds, tail winds, turbulence, storms, etc.
bb They adjust speed, pitch, roll accordingly to get back on course.
(Think about when you’re driving.)
b We spend much of life just trying to stay on course (Loving God, doing His Will, doing the right thing, etc.)
aa I believe if we do it right, it takes many daily adjustments to stay on the right course.
bb If we only make adjustments on Sunday, we can get way off course over a six day period.
B We’ve talked about Humility (Everything we have in the natural/spiritual is all because of Jesus, see ourselves as children), Endurance (length/lessons), this morning I want to teach you about Repentance.
1 I believe that the adjustments we make daily to stay on course are wrapped up in repentance.
2 I do not think that the devil can stand a chance against a repentant heart.
a When he comes against someone who wants to do everything in his/her power to look more like Jesus, I believe it torments him.
b Let’s look this morning at how repentance can help us break free.
c Pray
I Repentance is not just for Sunday’s.
A Many Christians see repentance as a two time a year event. (Spring & Fall revival)
1 This isn’t God’s idea of repentance. (Not God’s way; Not on course)
2 "You shall not worship them or serve them; for I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children, on the third and the fourth generations of those who hate Me, 6 but showing lovingkindness to thousands, to those who love Me and keep My commandments. Ex 20:5-6 (NASB)
B the phrase “I . . . am a jealous God” threw Oprah for a theological loop per a statement she made in a video we have shown at the church.
1 God is a jealous God.
a Jealous, not in the sense that He’s envious of other gods. (There are no other gods other than the figments of men’s imaginations. No Buddha, No Krishna, No Allah)
aa The word “Jealous” expresses His love for His people because He wants the very best for them.
bb The very best He has from His people is Him. (His will, purpose, love, grace, mercy)
b Let me help you understand.
aa Parents are jealous over their children. (I feel furious thinking about someone else raising my children.)
bb Spouses are jealous over their mates. (I feel enraged thinking about someone else caring for my wife.)
cc God is jealous over His children and will not tolerate competition.
c Nobody loves us like our heavenly Father.
2 God speaks of repentance as a way of life for His people.
a Seek the LORD while He may be found; Call upon Him while He is near.
7 Let the wicked forsake his way And the unrighteous man his thoughts; And let him return to the LORD, And He will have compassion on him, And to our God, For He will abundantly pardon. Isaiah 55:6-7 (NASB)
3 Then Samuel spoke to all the house of Israel, saying, "If you return to the LORD with all your heart, remove the foreign gods and the Ashtaroth from among you and direct your hearts to the LORD and serve Him alone; and He will deliver you from the hand of the Philistines." 1 Sam 7:3 (NASB)
2 "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand." Matt 3:2 (NASB) (cf. Mk 1.15)
19 "Therefore repent and return, so that your sins may be wiped away, in order that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord; Acts 3:19
b Repentance is not a two times a year event, if fact, it is not an event at all.
aa Repentance is a lifestyle.
bb As human beings we fail, but an attitude & life style of repentance brings growth from our failures & restores us to the Christ-likeness God intends for His people.
3 The Romans sometimes compelled a captive to be joined face-to-face with a dead body, and to bear it about until the horrible emanating smell destroyed the life of the living victim.
a Virgil describes this cruel punishment: ’The living and the dead at his command Were coupled face to face, and hand to hand; Till choked with stench, in loathed embraces tied, The lingering wretches pined away and died.
b Without Christ, we are shackled to a dead corpse -- our sinfulness. Only repentance frees us from certain death, for life and death cannot coexist indefinitely.
c The devil is always trying to shackle us with yesterday’s sin, failure that is why essential we repent daily.
II Repentance is not just for some people.
A God is so serious about us putting Him first that He punishes those who refuse to obey Him.
1 In biblical times, it was not uncommon for four generations to live together under the same roof, and thus have greater opportunity to influence and affect one another.
a If Daddy was sinning, off-course, he was bringing home the consequences of sin home with him.
b Literally passed from generation to generation. (Corrupted the whole house)
2 I don’t think God punishes me (or makes me make do penance) because of my great grandfather’s sin
a There is a sad consequence of ancestral sins that can be passed from generation to generation.
b The innocent children of the present generation can suffer because of what their parents or grandparents have done.
aa Talk to a man who has been molested by an uncle or close family friend and tell me that this generation doesn’t suffer because of another family member’s sin.
bb Talk to woman who has been violated/victimized by a father/grandfather/uncle/cousin and tell me that this generation doesn’t suffer because of another family member’s sin.
cc That suffering surfaces in every close relationship he/she has for the rest of their life.
B There is a power in repentance that can break the cycle/chains of the sins of previous generations from visiting and wrapping up this generation.
1 In Ex. 20, it was the father’s who did the sinning & it was children who fell back in love with God.
a Because the cycle was broken, blessing happened for thousands of generations to follow.
b Who can keep track w/ thousands of generations? That’s how God works!
2 I do not want my sins coming back to visit my kids, grandchildren, great-grandchildren.
a Why? I’ve a got a parents jealous heart. (Good thing)
b To break that cycle . . . I must repent.
C What does repentance look like? (Four parts)
1 Recognize you’re not living according to God’s will for your life. (cf. Ps 51.3; Rom 3.20)
a Repentance makes us willing to have a change of mind.
b Stubborn, prideful, stiff-necked people don’t repent because they’re always right.
(Humble hearts)
2 Regret for bringing pain to God’s heart by not living His way.
a Hb. Nahan; (repent) means pain, short of breath, pant, sorrow (40x’s in OT)
aa Means God is sorry about us messing up.
bb IL. We were at supper and I embarrassed my 6 year old to tears. I had hurt his feelings. He was crying and in “nahan,” wishing I hadn’t said what I said.
b We must go on from regret because regret is not repentance.
aa (You don’t go to heaven because you fell bad about sin.)
bb 7 and not only by his coming, but also by the comfort with which he was comforted in you, as he reported to us your longing, your mourning, your zeal for me; so that I rejoiced even more. 8 For though I caused you sorrow by my letter, I do not regret it; though I did regret it—for I see that that letter caused you sorrow, though only for a while— 9 I now rejoice, not that you were made sorrowful, but that you were made sorrowful to the point of repentance; for you were made sorrowful according to the will of God, so that you might not suffer loss in anything through us. 10 For the sorrow that is according to the will of God produces a repentance without regret, leading to salvation, but the sorrow of the world produces death 2 Cor 7:7-10 (NASB)
3 Respond by living a life of love & commitment to God. (Moved from emotion to action)
a 8 "Therefore bear fruit in keeping with repentance; Matt 3:8 (NASB)
aa 20 but kept declaring both to those of Damascus first, and also at Jerusalem and then throughout all the region of Judea, and even to the Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to God, performing deeds appropriate to repentance. Acts 26:20 (NASB)
bb 9 For they themselves report about us what kind of a reception we had with you, and how you turned to God from idols to serve a living and true God, 10 and to wait for His Son from heaven , whom He raised from the dead, that is Jesus, who rescues us from the wrath to come. 1 Thess 1:9-10
b We can’t add Jesus to our lives & not subtract sin; if we change our belief we must change our behavior.
4 There is a release of refreshing.
a 1 "Come, let us return to the LORD. For He has torn us, but He will heal us;
He has wounded us, but He will bandage us. 2 "He will revive us after two days; He will raise us up on the third day, That we may live before Him. 3 "So let us know, let us press on to know the LORD. His going forth is as certain as the dawn; And He will come to us like the rain, Like the spring rain watering the earth." Hosea 6:1-3
b I believe that my repentance will ensure my sons, grandchildren, and beyond will experience a God who heals, bandages, revives, raises up, & comes like the rain!
aa Repentance breaks the generational curse and releases generational blessing!
bb “God, I will not make the mistakes my father made, fall into the same traps, sow the seeds.”
Conclusion:
A I believe that the adjustments we make daily to stay on course are wrapped up in repentance.
1 I do not think that the devil can stand a chance against a repentant heart.
a Let’s look this morning at how repentance can help us break free.
aa Repentance is not just for Sunday’s. (Life-style, attitude)
bb Repentance is not just for Some People. (Everybody)
(Recognize, Regret, Respond, Release)
b Today, are you ready to release blessing into your family for a thousand generations?
2 Think of a husband and wife in a car, the wife tells her husband to turn right at the next junction and by mistake, he turns left. When he realizes what he has done, he says to his wife “I’m sorry love, I went the wrong way.” But if that is all he does, it isn’t enough. His saying sorry isn’t getting them any closer to where they want to be; it isn’t even stopping them getting further away. To get where they want to be, he needs to stop the car, turn it around and go back on to the correct road that his wife told him to take in the first place. That is repentance.
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Respectfully,
Mike Fogerson
