The Gospel Week 2 (Repentance)

REPENTANCE

1 Corinthians 15:3–4 ESV

For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures,

-Last week you all acknowledged that you have sinned. I have sinned.

How many of you go back to the person you sinned against and your like “I’m sorry”.

You know your mom and dad see you do something to a brother, sister, or someone else and they are like, “alright you need to go say your sorry.”

And you go up to that person and your like, “I’m sorry”. and then your mom and dad say, “Say it like you mean it”. RIGHT?

So as we get older we are really good at saying “I’m sorry” like we mean it. Is there a problem there? Yeah I think so.

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Mark 11:15–19 “And they came to Jerusalem. And he entered the temple and began to drive out those who sold and those who bought in the temple, and he overturned the tables of the money-changers and the seats of those who sold pigeons. And he would not allow anyone to carry anything through the temple. And he was teaching them and saying to them, “Is it not written, ‘My house shall be called a house of prayer for all the nations’? But you have made it a den of robbers.”

-Jesus saw the corruption in the temple right....and he cleans house.... But I want you to take a step back and look at the hearts of the individuals that would be coming to this temple.

Why did people come to the temple?

How many of you have animals at home? DO YOU CARE ABOUT YOUR ANIMALS? WHY? HAVE YOU EVER KILLED AN ANIMAL THAT YOU HAVE CARED FOR?

So yeah in the Old Testament if someone sinned

they would bring an animal to the temple .... an animal that they raised and cared for....An animal that they provided food for....This animal is there way of living right. So there is this relational aspect and a financial aspect to it and if they sinned and had to take this animal to the temple to sacrifice, how does it affect the person that raised and cared for this animal. How does killing this animal he loves affect his Heart?

EVERETT YOU SHOW ANIMALS AT THE FAIR. What if this coming June you sinned by stealing your uncle waldo’s $50.00 off the kitchen table and then you lied to your parents when they confronted you about it....Then because you sinned you had to kill the animal you were going to show in July! What thoughts run through your mind as your about to kill your sheep or cow?

In the Old Testament They would not want to sin right because they would feel the guilt of their sin. They would want to keep these animals they put so much time, food and energy into.

BUT NOW the temple has money changers, and pigeons and they can just purchase an animal right at the temple and sacrifice it for there sins. How does buying an animal and having it sacrificed differ from an animal you raised and cared for?

Do you see a Heart difference? When you sin do you feel sorrow or guilt?

SO looking back at last week again. When you have sinned you should feel some guilt for what you have done. There should be a sense of regret and remorse. And this guilt, regret, or remorse should push us to repentance. Not just a “I’m sorry”, but sincere repentance.

Jump in your bibles to 1 Corinthians 7:8-10 Paul writes this letter and it hurts them. And at first he feels bad, but it turns out that because they feel bad it pushes them to repent.

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1 Corinthians 7:8-10 - Even if I caused you sorrow by my letter, I do not regret it. Though I did regret it—I see that my letter hurt you, but only for a little while— 9 yet now I am happy, not because you were made sorry, but because your sorrow led you to repentance. For you became sorrowful as God intended and so were not harmed in any way by us. 10 Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret, but worldly sorrow brings death.

Godly sorry brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret, but worldly sorrow brings death.

Take a minute - What do you think the difference is between Godly sorrow and worldly sorrow?

Godly sorrow inspires change and hope through the Atonement of Jesus Christ. Worldly sorrow pulls us down, extinguishes hope, and persuades us to give in to further temptation. Godly sorrow leads to conversion and a change of heart. It causes us to hate sin and love goodness.

So when you sin do you feel a worldly sorrow that brings about death, or do you experience Godly sorrow that brings repentance and Salvation?

Let’s dig further into Repentance!

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What is repentance?

REPENTANCE

Repentance seems to be this combination of Recognition of sin, Godly Sorrow, and Action. A change in direction. You were heading one way, but now you turned around and went the other way.

-You stole, lied, cheated, disobeyed your parents, or worshipped something other than God and you feel the guilt of your wrong doing. You recognized and acknowledged your sin.... “Yes I did that, I shouldn’t of done that”. You experience this Godly sorrow. You feel bad for your offense against God and now your taking action. Your turning away from your sin....Your turning around because you see the path your on is not a good one.

It’s an action that’s made towards living for God.