A Call to Repentance
A Call to Repentance
Pastor Keith Hassell
Foundation Scripture: Matthew 3:1-12; 2 Corinthians 7:9-11
I. In recent events, our nation been called to patriotism and to prayer, but has yet to be called to repentance
A. We continue to seek His hand
B. We continue to seek His ear
C. But we have yet to seek His face
II. Repentance: The missing ingredient
A. Isaiah 59:1-2 “Behold, the Lord’s hand is not shortened that it cannot save; nor His ear heavy, that it cannot hear, but your iniquities have separated you from your God; and your sins have hidden His face from you, so that He will not hear.”
B. Isaiah 59:19-20 “When the enemy comes in like a flood, the Spirit of the Lord will lift up a standard against him. The Redeemer will come to Zion, and to those who turn from transgression in Jacob, says the Lord.”
III. Repentance: Its more than saying “I’m sorry.”
A. Matthew 3:7-8 “But when he (John) saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to his baptism, he said to them, Brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? Therefore bear fruits worthy of repentance.”
B. 2 Corinthians 7:9-11 “Now I rejoice, not that you were made sorry, but that your sorrow led to repentance. For you were made sorry in a godly manner, that you might suffer loss from us in nothing. For godly sorrow produces repentance leading to salvation, not to be regretted; but the sorrow of the world produces death. For observe this very thing, that you sorrowed in a godly manner: What diligence it produced in you, what clearing of yourselves, what indignation, what fear, what vehement desire, what zeal, what vindication! In all things you proved yourselves to be clear in this matter.”
C. Godly sorrow
1. Diligence (constant attention given to the problem)
2. Clearing of yourselves (ceasing partnership with the sin)
3. Indignation (righteous anger directed toward past sinful behavior)
4. Fear (The fear of the Lord is to depart from evil. The fear of the Lord will keep you from evil.)
5. Vehement desire (a new attitude towards doing right)
6. Zeal (passionate effort to do what is right)
7. Vindication (taking action to make things right and to clear all personal guilt or debt)
IV. Repentance: The message of the Gospel
A. Matthew 3:1-2 “In those days John the Baptist came preaching in the wilderness of Judea, and saying, ‘Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”
B. Mark 1:14-15 “Now after John was put in prison, Jesus came to Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God, and saying, ‘The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe in the gospel.
C. Acts 17:30 Truly, these times of ignorance God overlooked, but now commands all men everywhere to repent.”
D. Acts 20:20-21 “I kept back nothing that was helpful, but proclaimed it to you, and taught you publicly and from house to house, testifying to Jews, and also to Greeks, repentance toward God and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ.”
E. What is the message of the Gospel? REPENT and BELIEVE
F. Why? The KINGDOM OF GOD IS AT HAND
V. The Call to Repentance
A. Repent of sinful behavior (alcohol, drugs, smoking, sexual sins, etc.)
B. Repent of unforgiveness and bitterness (refusing to forgive as God has forgiven you)
C. Repent of wrong attitudes (critical, complaining, condemning, defiant, selfish, stubbornness, pride)
D. Repent of wrong associations (friends, music, clothing, jewelry, clothing, clubs, places, etc.)
E. Repent of sins of the tongue (cursing, lying, gossip, unclean conversation, things that do not edify, abusive language)
F. Repent of lukewarmness (apathy, no passion, living a double life)
G. Repent of leaving your first love
H. Repent of sins of omission (not praying, not reading your Bible, not witnessing, not being in church, not tithing, not giving, not serving, not taking a stand for righteousness, not living what you believe)
I. Repent of excuses and procrastination