Sermon Tone Analysis

Step out to envision a picture with me as I share a story with you.

A story about a small congregation of 50 or so people in a rural community.

They had one of those “antique” style churches with a bell tower and gracefully arched windows.

The kind that is over a hundred years old.

That little building had been neglected over the years, and its paint was chipping off exposing bare woods.

It had been in this condition for quite some time, beaten down by the elements.

Many a pastor of the congregation had tried to get the church board to float some cash to cover the expense to paint, but the board always said no.

The church had a new pastor, a spitfire kind of guy, that really wanted to fix the place up.

New people were starting to come to the church, so he pressured the board into realizing the need to paint the building.

The board begrudgingly created a budget to do so, hoping the new paint would bring in more people and more money.

So, they hired one of their own to paint, but then they cut back the budget for paint and said get it done.

The only way the painter could carry out the task was to water down the paint.

So he scraped and painted the building and it was gleaming white and looked amazing!

Everyone seemed to be thrilled, so they decided the following Sunday they would create a huge potluck meal and invite everyone in the community to come celebrate.

They took out an ad in the paper, used social media, posted flyers around their small community to join them the next Sunday.

The Pastor prepared a special message and the ladies got to cooking a lot of food!

On Friday night a massive rain storm moved into town.

It dropped more rain than they had seen in decades at this one time.

It was so bad, everyone was stuck in their homes all day on Saturday.

But Sunday came, and the sun was shining bright.

Everyone woke up, got their best clothes on, did final preparations on their food and seemed to arrive at the church all at the same time.

As they opened their car doors and walked toward the church you could here a pin drop as jaws were opened, and eyes stared wide.

THERE WADS NO PAINT LEFT ON THE BUILDING!!!

It had all washed off in the rain leaving bare wood and large white puddles pooling around the foundation.

Over half the town had shown up for the celebration and faces were aghast, tears were shed as people shuffled into the building.

The pastor disappeared to his study while the music struck up, hymns and choruses were sung, and people tried to make the best of it, after all, over a hundred guests from their small town had come out to join them.

Just about the time the offering finished the Pastor came out of his study, with a new sermon in hand.

He walked out to the pulpit and proclaimed the title of his message:

REPAINT, and THIN NO MORE!

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Well, the story is fictional, but the reality identifiable.

What does watered down REPENTANCE look like????

I would think it would be repentance without change of behavior or choices.

Continuing to sin and partake of those things repented of — which is not true repentance, but being sorry you felt caught!

How many times have we seen this in people, they supposedly repent, but it is watered down, and soon the bare hearts are exposed to reveal the broken down, old ways that the momentary repentance hid.

The women who was caught in adultery, that her accusers all walked away after Jesus wrote in the sand, was told by Christ...

I learned something this week.

People who do not want to change their behavior don’t like the word REPENT!

In fact, I had a family member comment on a post my wife wrote - a meme - posted and above she said something about repenting.

That family member - who I love dearly, but chose to walk away from faith in Christ as a teenager and has never returned… commented.

“I hate the word REPENT, its too harsh!

It made me realize how much those who refuse to repent are offended by a word that brings such amazing victory into the life of the believer!

1.

What does REPENT mean???

Let’s start off by understanding what it means to repent.

We must have a solid foundation of what the word means.

The word repent or repentance occurs in the NT 58 times over 54 verse in the NKJV.

A. SCRIPTURAL USE OF THE WORD...

We are most familiar with its use by John the Baptist

Jesus is speaking about a current event where Pilate was murdering people for offering sacrifices to God - but He spoke to the people that unless they repented of sin they would perish.

We are commanded to preach repentance for sin to be forgiven.

acts 24.47

The Apostles proclaimed repentance from the Day of Pentecost forward...

Paul spoke in

Peter wrote about God’s patience giving people time to repent and be saved!

Scripture also says that REPENTANCE of a SINNER is so amazing the angels rejoice!

From Scripture we can clearly see that without REPENTANCE there is no forgiveness of sin!

It is what ushers in SALVATION.

It is not just believing in GOD or JESUS, but believing in HIS PLAN OF SALVATION which we partake of by repenting.

B. DEFINITION OF THE WORD

Free Dictionary says:

re·pent 1

(rĭ-pĕnt′)v.

re·pent·ed, re·pent·ing, re·pentsv.intr.1.

To feel remorse, contrition, or self-reproach for what one has done or failed to do; be contrite...2.

To feel such regret for past conduct as to change one's mind regarding it:

re•pent1

(rɪˈpɛnt)

v.i.1.

to feel regretful or contrite for past conduct: to repent of an act.2. to be penitent for one's sins and seek to change one's life for the better.

repentance.

The acknowledgement and condemnation of one’s own sins, coupled with a turning to God.

True repentance or *contrition (as contrasted with mere *attrition) springs from love of God whom human sin rejects or offends.

It includes sorrow for sin committed, confession of guilt, and the purpose of amendment.

So,

Repentance is...

acknowledging sin

sorrow for sin

turning to God and away from sin

amending sin by changing behavior

That being said, I can see where the non contrite heart would despise the word - REPENT.

To them it bears a negative connotation.

2. Negative Side to the Word Repent

Ok, let’s look why this would be so negative.

Remember, it is only negative if one wants to reject the notion of repenting!!!!

A. REJECTING PUTS US AT ODDS WITH KINGDOM OF GOD

You have heard me share this illustration where our lives convict others of sin.

To those who repent or SURRENDER they come into the Kingdom of God and receive all its benefits - it is amazing.

To those who refuse to surrender to the Kingdom of God it is the reminder of death and punishment that await them.

Yes, Jesus made it clear that without repentance, there is not forgiveness of sins!!!

In fact, Jesus denounced those who rejected the truth He brought and refused to repent of their sins and turn to God!

and Paul reminds us that sorrow without repentance leads to spiritual death...

ANOTHER WORDS - HELL AWAITS THOSE WHO REFUSE TO REPENT!

NOBODY WANTS TO BE REMINDED THAT THEIR LIVES ARE HEADED FOR HELL!!!

WITHOUT REPENTANCE THAT IS THE REALITY!!!

Jesus spoke more about hell than heaven, so don’t tell me there is not a reality we must acknowledge.

There is a place where reminding people that there is a down side to the HOPE OF SALVATION - if it is rejected it negates the death of Christ for our sins because we REJECT HIS PLAN...

His plan of salvation requires us to come repenting!

This Scripture which we will make known Halloween night on the streets of Fort Lupton is a reality… we want to share the need to come to repentance and receive forgiveness --- nobody wants to go to hell! and hell is no party!!!

If we reject the purpose of repentance it is a HARSH WORD --- it reminds us of our stubbornness to receive God’s promise on God’s terms!

------

B. CHANGING BEHAVIOR AND DESTRUCTION

Some of the men in the church are going through a devotional with me right now on PURITY.