Turning Back: A Call to Collective Repentance

INTRODUCTION

Heritage Meal-Next Week

Series Recap

Last week we talked about the importance of repentance in our life. This morning we are going to look at repenting as a community.

PRAYER

Hook-The importance of moving as a group-Amoeba game

Transition to main argument:

We are using Revelation 2:5 over a few weeks to get ready for our Heritage meal.

Revelation 2:5 “Remember then how far you have fallen; repent, and do the works you did at first. Otherwise, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place, unless you repent.”

This morning we are going to focus on the second mention of repent.

There is power when God’s people repent as a community

Communal Repentance can prevent disaster

Jonah 3:5–10

EXPLAIN

Jonah recap:

Jonah’s disobedience

God’s correction

Jonah preaches

Nineveh repents and is spared

There are times a group of people need to turn toward God in order to avoid disaster. Over time a group of believers can find themselves on the verge of destruction because of choices that are made. For example, a church that chooses to focus inward instead of reaching out will slowly die as a church.

ARGUE

Some say this passage is proof that God changes. However, Tony Evans says:

The Tony Evans Bible Commentary III. The Prophet’s Preaching (3:1–10)

That God relented from the disaster is a reminder that God never changes, but he can adjust to the changes in humans. While he doesn’t change his holy standards, he will alter his intended outcome in response to our actions. In this case, repentance produced something for his grace and mercy to respond to.

Sometimes God extends mercy for a later judgement. Nineveh eventually was destroyed around 612 BC.

ILLUSTRATE

Shutting down a highway due to wreck/snow conditions

APPLY

Choose to turn back to God.

Communal Repentance brings healing

2 Chronicles 7:14 “and my people, who bear my name, humble themselves, pray and seek my face, and turn from their evil ways, then I will hear from heaven, forgive their sin, and heal their land.”

EXPLAIN

Solomon finished building the palace and God gave him some positive assurances for the people. Solomon prayed and God responded directly.

1st & 2nd Chronicles C. God’s Answers to the People and to Solomon (7:1–22)

In such days of calamity, when the people turned to God, he would hear them and answer them out of his love and grace. God issued this promise specifically for [his] people, who are called by [his] name, the people of Israel.

God promises that when His people humble themselves, pray, seek His face, and turn from their evil ways, He will hear their prayers from heaven, forgive their sin, and heal their land

Many times people want God to intervene but skip over the initial command.

Humble themselves ...and

Seek His face…and

Turn from their wicked ways…then

God will forgive their sin…and heal the land.

What’s interesting is how the verse creates a matching pair: Israel’s four actions (humbling themselves, praying, seeking God’s face, and turning from wicked ways) correspond directly to God’s three actions (hearing from heaven, forgiving sin, and healing the land).

Healing looks different in certain situations.

ARGUE

But it is difficult

ILLUSTRATE

Broken bone healing-Sometimes the healing hurts.

APPLY

Know that healing takes place when God’s people seek His face in unity.

Communal Repentance is done with the heart

Joel 2:12–18

EXPLAIN

The Tony Evans Bible Commentary II. The Day of the Lord and the Call to Repentance (2:1–32)

Suddenly, the Lord, through the prophet, offers a message of hope: turn to me with all your heart. In other words, he says, repent! To repent is to change one’s mind in order to reverse direction. When you realize you’ve taken the wrong road, the only right response is to turn around and go the other way. Such a spiritual turnaround requires an outward manifestation of actions that matches the inward attitude, including fasting, weeping, and mourning.

2:13–14 When you turn away from sin, you also must return to the LORD your God. Why? Because God is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger, abounding in faithful love (2:13). If you’ve held to prolonged unrighteous attitudes against God, you’ve made him your enemy. But, don’t run from him because he’s also your only hope. He relents from sending disaster and is the only source of true blessing.

In this passage, we see the importance of inward sorrow is more important than outward.

The New Bible Commentary 2:12–17 The Only Chance

The custom of tearing one’s clothes was part of the cultural reaction to crisis (cf.

2 Kings 19:1 “When King Hezekiah heard their report, he tore his clothes, covered himself with sackcloth, and went into the Lord’s temple.”

When we repent, our hearts should be broken and not just go through the outward motions.

ARGUE

“True repentance is private. Why do we need to repent as a church?”

The passage shows that repentance isn’t private—it’s communal, urgent, and all-encompassing. God’s kindness and patience are designed to lead us to repentance, not to leave us complacent.

ILLUSTRATE

Inward change of a butterfly

APPLY

When your church or life faces crisis, don’t settle for surface-level change. Tear your heart, not just your clothes. Gather your community—young and old—and seek God’s face together. Stop pretending everything’s fine and admit where you’ve wandered. Seek the Lord while He may be found; let go of your old ways and return to Him, and He will have compassion and freely forgive.

We are going to have an opportunity next week during our meal to repent and turn to God as a community of believers.