Sermon Central
-
Repent
Contributed by Kent Meeler on Oct 7, 2010 (message contributor)
Summary: REPENTANCE IS NOT WHAT IS PREACHED MUCH ANYMORE. HERNCE THE CHURCH LOOKS AND ACTS LIKE THE WORLD.
REPENTANCE
NBCOG 06/20/2010
And they went out, and preached that men should repent.
And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men every where to repent:
INTRODUCTION
*THERE IS A GREAT NEED IN THE WORLD TODAY.
*THE NEED IS FOR REPENTANCE.
*IT’S NOT ONLY A NEED FOR THE WORLD,
BUT IT’S A NEED FOR THE CHURCH.
*THE CHURCH IS BECOMING MORE WICKED AND WORLDLY WITH EVERY GENERATION
AND WE RESPOND BY SAYING, “WE NEED A REVIVAL“.
*BUT, BEFORE WE CAN EXPERIENCE REVIVAL, WE MUST FIRST EXPERIENCE REPENTANCE.
*WE BELIEVE: That all have sinned and come short of the glory of God and that repentance is commanded of God for all and necessary for forgiveness of sins.
I. NOW, YOU WON’T HEAR MUCH ABOUT REPENTANCE ANYMORE.
1. IT SIMPLY IS NOT PREACHED,
TAUGHT OR SANG ABOUT.
2. IT IS SOMETHING THAT THE PROFESSORS IN SEMINARIES SAY,
WILL DRIVE PEOPLE AWAY FROM YOUR CHURCH.
3. BUT, IT OUGHT TO BE SOMETHING THAT DRIVES US TO OUR KNEES.
4. REPENTANCE OUGHT TO DRIVE US TO SEEK GOD.
5. REPENTANCE OUGHT TO CAUSE US TO DENY OURSELVES
TAKE UP OUR CROSS
AND FOLLOW AFTER JESUS.
6. THEN AN UNBELIEVING,
HURTING,
SINFUL WORLD WILL SEE JESUS IN US
AND WILL BECOME HUNGRY -
EVEN DESPERATE FOR HIM IN THEIR LIVES.
II. SO, WHAT IS REPENTANCE?
1. SOMEONE SAID THAT IT IS DOING A 360 DEGREE TURN.
2. WELL, I NEVER WAS TOO GOOD WITH GEOMETRY.
3. BUT, TO ME THAT SEEMS TO PUT YOU RIGHT BACK WHERE YOU STARTED FROM.
4. REPENTANCE IS TO BE BROKEN OVER OUR SINS AS THE HOLY GHOST CONVICTS US
AND MAKES US AWARE OF THEM.
5. AND THEN WHILE WE’RE BROKEN WE SEE OUR SINFUL STATE.
6. AND WE CALL ON JESUS TO FORGIVE US AND THEN WE TURN FROM OUR SINS
AND TURN TO WALK TOWARD HIM COMPLETELY.
7. SO, REPENTANCE OUGHT TO SPIRITUALLY REPOSITION US IN A DIRECTION TO MOVE US TOWARD JESUS CHRIST.
8. WITHOUT REPENTANCE, WE ARE ON WHAT JESUS CALLED THE BROAD WAY OF DESTRUCTION GOING TO HELL.
9. BUT, WITH REPENTANCE WE ARE ON THE STRAIGHT AND NARROW ROAD CALLED A HIGHWAY OF HOLINESS THAT LEADS TO JESUS AND LIFE EVERLASTING.
JAMES 4:7-10 Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.
Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded.
Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep: let your laughter be turned to mourning, and your joy to heaviness.
Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up.
10. UNTIL YOU’VE REPENTED OF YOUR SINS YOU CAN’T SUBMIT YOURSELF TO GOD.
11. YOU CAN’T DRAW NIGH TO GOD WITH AN UNCLEAN HEART AND DIRTY HANDS.
12. AND YOU STAND POWERLESS TO RESIST THE DEVIL.
III. There are three Greek words used in the New Testament to denote repentance.
1. The verb (MET TAME LO MY) metamelomai is used of a change of mind.
2. Such as to produce regret or even remorse on account of sin, but not necessarily a change of heart.
3. This is the word used with reference to the repentance of Judas Matthew 27:3.
4. (MET TAN AO) Metanoeo, meaning to change one's mind and purpose,
as the result of after knowledge.
5. BUT, WHEN YOU USE this verb, with the cognate noun metanoia, it is true repentance. 6. A change of mind, purpose and life, to which remission of sin is promised.
IV. True repentance consists of:
(1) A true sense of one's own guilt and sinfulness.
(2) An apprehension of God's mercy in Christ. (3) An actual hatred of sin and turning from it to God.
I have heard of thee by the hearing of the ear: but now mine eye seeth thee.
Wherefore I abhor myself, and repent in dust and ashes.
For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of: but the sorrow of the world worketh death.
(4) A persistent endeavor after a holy life in walking with God in the way of His commandments.
Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.
For behold this selfsame thing, that ye sorrowed after a godly sort, what carefulness it wrought in you, yea, what clearing of yourselves, yea, what indignation, yea, what fear, yea, what vehement desire, yea, what zeal, yea, what revenge!
V. WHEN DAVID SINNED WITH BATHSHEBA HE SENSED TRUE GUILT OVER HIS SIN.
PSALM 51:1-4 Have mercy upon me, O God, according to thy lovingkindness: according unto the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions.
