2023 Ignite Breakout

"Repentance & Confession"

Howdy y’all! My name us Purshia Gambles and I’m on staff at The Austin Stone as the Equipping & Women’s Director for our South Congregation. I’ve lived in Austin for almost 3 years and cut my teeth on starting ministry as a college ministry staffer for a church in Lubbock, so I’m very thankful to be here with y’all today!

If you chose this breakout, you want to learn about repentance and confession. I hope to help you in that endeavor! But part of that is just learning what would be helpful. So to start, I’m going to pray for our time together.

(Pray - 1 minute)

First question: What comes to your mind when you think about repentance?

(Give 3-5 mins for discussion)

Alight, let’s bring it back together. If anyone would feel comfortable, what did y’all say?

(Listen and Engage with Answers given)

These are some great thoughts! My default posture toward repentance for a long time was this list:

Realize I had sinned.

Feel really bad.

Tell God that I feel really bad and promise never to do it again.

Never change any of my behavior or habits.

Repeat cycle as a default for years.

If you think about your daily life with God, it may look similar. Or maybe you have never heard any of this before and the concept of repentance is bran new for you. Or you’re somewhere in-between. In any regard, its okay wherever you are ad you’re not late to the party, especially for an activity that you’ll be learning how to do over the course of the rest of your life.

I plan to define repentance, as it is shown in Scripture, but then also give another kind of lens for how most people view repentance in order to help you in your Christian journey for years to come. Then at the end, I’ll answer any and all questions you may have! Sound good? Alright let’s jump in!

If you have your Bibles, turn with me to Acts 3:19-21

Acts 3:19–21 ESV

Repent therefore, and turn back, that your sins may be blotted out, that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord, and that he may send the Christ appointed for you, Jesus, whom heaven must receive until the time for restoring all the things about which God spoke by the mouth of his holy prophets long ago.

This is a command given to repent or turn from their sins that those sins might be blotted out. As Christ followers, to repent, as Leslie Defranco puts it:

“Repentance is an act of acknowledging past wrongdoing, expressing regret or contrition, and committing to right behavior and obedience to God. It is a transformative process that involves turning away from sin or transgression and turning back to God.”

Something else It feels right to stress is that when we repent it is a change in thinking and a change in action, but its not just that. Its turning from our sin and sin patterns toward God through faith in Christ. In fact, you don’t fully repent until you turn toward something after you turn away. And its through this continual turning away that our hearts are transformed and the Holy Spirit does the work of sanctification, or, shaping us into the image of Christ over our lifetimes.

How and when do we gain right legal standing before God?

Justification (legal status)

Adoption (felt reality and expression of legal status)

Analogy of being free v. walking out of the jail cell

Alright, that is what Repentance is. Now, I’ll transition into what we, as humans typically do with it.

(Pass out handout of Repenter’s Quadrant or have on a slide)

This is a tool called the Repenters Quadrant that I learned about several years ago and have continued to return to year after year. Each part of this is meant to cover the way we all most likely handle repentance in our daily lives but lack the framework to assess whether its good or healthy or right.

Finally, I’ll answer the most important question: What is the benefit of learning to repent well??

I’LL TELL YOU IGNITE CAMP ATTENDER!!

The benefit is lifelong fidelity to Christ, being shaped in his image, learning to hunger for holiness, learning to hate our sin, creating and sustaining joy, crafting a heart of humility within us, and so so so much more! Long story short, you will be journeying with Jesus the rest of your life, but you also will find yourself drifting from the path…whether it be due to apathy, fear, doubt, suffering, temptation, and a whole host of other things. But repentance is one of biggest things that God uses to get you back on path with him. And this isn’t a shameful thing although it may feel like at times. But be deeply encouraged, friends. The journey with all of its highs and lows, loops and turns, redirects and more…is so worth it.

That’s all I got, y’all! With the little bit of time we’ve got left, I would love to answer any questions you may have! Don’t be afraid because the only stupid question is the one you don’t ask!

(Give time for Q&A)

(Pray)