Repent And Return To Me... A Message For Lent

2023.02.26. Sermon Notes. Repent and Return to ME. A message for LENT

William Akehurst, HSWC

BIG IDEA. GOD desires our full commitment to HIM. HE wants us for HIS OWN, HE wants…for our whole heart. HE calls out to us to “Return to ME with all your heart” Joel 2:12

JESUS GAVE US THE MOST IMPORTANT OF ALL COMMANDMENTS IN GOD’S WORD…

Matthew 22:36-40 (NKJV)

36 “Teacher, which is the great commandment in the law?”

37 Jesus said to him, “‘You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ 38 This is the first and great commandment. 39 And the second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ 40 On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets.”

THE SPIRIT OF CHRIST RESIDES IN US

Galatians 4:6 (NLT)

And because we are HIS children, GOD has sent the SPIRIT of HIS SON into our hearts, prompting us to call out, “Abba, Father.”

GOD CALLS OUT, DESIRES, WANTS, YEARNS FOR US TO TURN OUR LIVES AROUND TO HIM

Joel 2:12-13 (NKJV)

12 “Now, therefore,” says the LORD,

“Turn to Me with all your heart,

With fasting, with weeping, and with mourning.”

13 So rend your heart, and not your garments;

Return to the LORD your God,

For He is gracious and merciful,

Slow to anger, and of great kindness;

And He relents from doing harm.

"Rend your heart". Tear your heart from the things of this world that distract you from GOD. Our hearts get attached to things of this world. FATHER GOD is pleading with us to tear away from those things, and return to HIM

GOD’S WORD TELLS US THAT HIS SPIRIT YEARNS FOR US

YEARNS, DESIRES, CRAVES, ACHES, LONGS FOR... A PASSIONATE NEED

James 4:5-10 (NKJV)

5 Or do you think that the Scripture says in vain, “The Spirit who dwells in us yearns jealously”?

6 But He gives more grace. Therefore He says: “God resists the proud, But gives grace to the humble.”

7 Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. 8 Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded. 9 Lament and mourn and weep! Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to gloom. 10 Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He will lift you up.

LENT IS A TIME OF REPENTANCE LEADING UP TO THE CROSS.

A time of fasting and moderation, repentance, self-denial and spiritual discipline. To set aside time for reflection on JESUS, considering his suffering and sacrifice, his life, death, burial and resurrection. A time examine ourselves, and RETURN to GOD.

40 days and 40 years

Jesus fasted 40 days and nights in the wilderness.

GOD led the people of Israel through the wilderness over the course of 40 years.

40 days and nights

Lesson learned. Man lives by the WORD of GOD. This is Supernatural and requires a change of heart, mind and spirit (Repentance) in order to understand.

WE LIVE BY THE WORD OF GOD. WE LIVE BY CHRIST JESUS AND HIS WORD.

JESUS CALLS TO US TO CHANGE, REPENT, BECAUSE NOW IS THE TIME. WE MUST MAKE THIS CHANGE DURING OUR LIFE.

Matthew 4:1-4, 16-17 (NKJV)

1 Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. 2 And when He had fasted forty days and forty nights, afterward He was hungry. 3 Now when the tempter came to Him, he said, “If You are the Son of God, command that these stones become bread.”

4 But He answered and said, “It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.’ ”

16 “The people who sat in darkness have seen a great light, And upon those who sat in the region and shadow of death, Light has dawned.”

17 From that time Jesus began to preach and to say, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”

BE CAREFUL TO OBSERVE. SELF DISCIPLINE.

FULLY COMMITTED TO WHAT GOD HAS SAID IN HIS WORD TO US AND BY HIS SPIRIT IN US.

Deuteronomy 8:1-6 (NKJV)

1 “Every commandment which I command you today you must be careful to observe, that you may live and multiply, and go in and possess the land of which the LORD swore to your fathers.

2 And you shall remember that the LORD your God led you all the way these forty years in the wilderness, to humble you and test you, to know what was in your heart, whether you would keep His commandments or not.

3 So He humbled you, allowed you to hunger, and fed you with manna which you did not know nor did your fathers know, that He might make you know that man shall not live by bread alone; but man lives by every word that proceeds from the mouth of the LORD.