A Season of Repentance - October 3, 2020 8:00pm

We call it under construction and it's from the book of the Bible to call Nehemiah Nehemiah is totally paired with the book of Ezra. And so encourage you even as we're wrapping this series up. The next couple of weeks is still a good time to read through the book of Ezra and Nehemiah its rebuilding and I was thinking that work so well in the course of our lives and it stands for something even even deeper than rebuilding of walls and physical structures and infrastructure the Bible talks about that all the time you talked about that there are there's construction that needs to happen in your life. And I love this verse in Psalm 127 verse 1 which speaks about that construction that's on going in your life. It says unless the Lord builds the house the builders labor in vain. I don't think I need to explain that right the foundations of your life are reserved for God to build and try to build anything on it except. On Jesus that it is a dangerous proposition that shaky the foundation's can fall, you know, we can build on a lot of different kind of stuff in our lives, right? I would say some people try to build their lives on money and possessions, you know, I think you know that that will not sustain the weight of your soul. Elizabeth try to build our lives in the foundation of BB knowledge or science or philosophy right? I'm sure I flirted with that a lot of my life but more you know that the more your soul is settled, right? The bat building that is the foundation of your life that will not sustain the way to your soul either. Some people try to build the foundations of their lifetime religion. And I think you know what? I mean when I say religion, right? It's the idea of going through the man-made rituals and traditions and say hey, well, I got it covered. I belong to a church, right or I was baptized way upon a time or my mom, you know prayed me into this or whatever religion will not sustain the foundation of a life or lots of other foundations, like being lied to her successor popularity write a lot of us live for that. But when we put those bricks on the bottom layers when we make that the cement Foundation of Our Lives It cracks. It makes the building of Our Lives insecure unless the Lord builds the house the labors labor rebuild in vain. So that's why we've been talking about in the series from Nehemiah Nehemiah teaches of what do you build your life upon that can really last and it's kind of amazing as they're building a physical wall. Me and Maya truly is not just taking care of the wall, but he's taking care of people souls. And so if you look through the book of Nehemiah, you'll see that that he is leading them in a season of rebuilding that is built on prayer. There are tons of prayers in the book of DMI. You should count them right even little ones like sentence prayers and then long prayers as what they're praying all the time. Build your life on that foundation and Foundation of prayer prank. Also, we looked at building in our foundation of justice as well. Right fairness Equity compassion, but last week we talked about building your life in the foundation of God's words the scriptures, right that will sustain the weight of your soul it will Today we're talking about in a rebuilding process of if you want to rebuild your life. If you want to build anything that's going to stand to build it on one solid foundation of being able to change your going to ask a question. How do you create true lasting change in your life? How do you rebuild it means? You got to change your life and how does that happen? And there's a solder with an old but I mean just a generation or two ago. This program called celebrate recovery of AA recovery uses three kind of things like that. I think I really helpful descriptions of my life and maybe yours to the things that we need to change and they use its three H's. So it's easy to remember our habits are hurts and her Hang-Ups, you know, what happened to write those are the things that were addicted to and that's not just you know substances, but it can be any kind of a habit any kind of thing any kind of pattern of behavior or habits. But need to change our hurts in the past, you know, some people who suffer from from abuse or neglect or abandonment or rejection their hurts that lingered are those need healing and then not only that but our Hang-Ups as well. That's sicknesses, like depression and anxiety, but it could even go deeper to the garages that we bear in the fear that grips us and the things that make us angry. Right would it be great if we could just leave a lot of that stuff at the past and start to move forward. That's what we're talking about today. To rebuild means change moving in a different direction leaving those things in the past and moving forward. How do you create real lasting change in your life? What you need to pick the right starting point if you're going to got to start well, and I'm going to tell you today what the very most important foundation that you can build. If you want change in your life where you have to start you've heard that phrase ever heard. The phrase confession is good for the soul. Yeah, it's true isn't it? But I also want to take that a step further tonight and say that confession is great. It's great for you. It's great for your soul. It's essential but it's not enough. It's incomplete. You need to begin with repentance to repent. And that's what they did in Nehemiah chapter 9. So if your Bibles could you to turn there? If not, you know your Bible app or you can follow along Nehemiah chapter 9 and verses 123. Here's what it says.

On the 24th day of the same month the Israelites gather together fasting and wearing sackcloth and putting Dustin their heads those of Israel like to send it separated themselves from all foreigners. They stood in their places and confessed their sins and the sins of their ancestors. They stood where they were and read from the book of The Law of the Lord their God of of the Lord their God for a quarter of the day and spent another quarter in confession and in worshiping the Lord there. You see what they're doing their repenting. Let me give you a little bit of picture. But what repenting is that? You can start paying your mind on right now, right? Cuz like it sometimes it can be difficult to get your hand on. What is does it mean to repent when you think about plants right there comes a time every year that you got to cut back from the disease and the deadness right you cut back to the spot that's good the spot that's living to the good plant. If you've done any auto body work, you know, just maybe in your backyard. If you don't get all of the rust, it's just going to come back again. You got to take it all away. When you think about getting rid of anything that's going to grow back things like mold or rot or rust. You've got to take it all the way. You got to get back. You got to cut away all the bad stuff to get to the good stuff again.

Repenting is kind of like that. You got to take away the garbage first before you can move forward the best life begins with repent and that's how Jesus began his ministry. So if you took a look at the opening chapters of virtually any description of Jesus ministry, like in Matthew for instance, so if you took a look at Matthew chapter, maybe chapter 4 verse 17. So here's what you'll say. Is he that Jesus was doing and then sang Matthew 4:17. The ministry of Jesus begin from then on Jesus began to preach repent of your sins and turn to God for the Kingdom of Heaven is near uses that word repent. And the man who helped prepare the ministry of Jesus who comes on the scene before Jesus Jesus cousin John the Baptist that was his message to so do you remember John the Baptist right now? He's the guy who was the Wildman he comes out of the Wilderness and he's like wearing animal skins and he liked as a different kind of diet. He is just a strange man, but his message cut right to the heart and it was repent the very same thing and he called people to repent and be baptized in the Jordan River and people came from all walks of life because they knew that they needed changed. They needed a fresh start and the way to do that John knew and then they began to note. It was to repent that's how it starts. If you take a look at one of the most defining moments in the life of the church and Pentecost in Acts chapter 2, you'll see Peter addresses the crowd of people and you know, what his He's really his hit whole message was repent and be baptized. It's we're good things start and if any of you even know a little bit about the program of AA. That's where it starts. It starts with repenting. What is that mean what it means you got a break with the past? There a lot of things you can do with your past. You can deny your past. You can't deny your problems. You can excuse the past thing all you know. Well, you know, I'm just like everybody else. I struggled with the very same things or if you only knew my story then you would know why I'm hung up about this or why I had that happen or why have that hurt in my life, right and kind of justify ourselves. And the other thing that we do is live in the past. We carry it with us how you do that, right? And that is no way to before he got to break free from the past these things they don't work. People get you stuck and you know other words for stuck a lot more polite word comfortable whenever you're comfortable be careful cuz it might mean that you're stuck or it could also mean you just coping right with with life. Probably struggling what happens is a lot of us. I mean and this probably is the general Human Condition we make like everything's fine on the outside but inside right? We're usually struggling we're barely coping we're living in the past. We're carrying stuff around but the idea of leaving the past behind a great writer Dallas Willard. He he talked about what repentance meant to him what it reminded him of and that was when he was a child and he grew up in you know, a few Generations ago and out in the rural Countryside. In the United States one of the last places to get electricity in southern Missouri and that the only electricity he says that was available back in those days was like, you know how well that would work right? There was a department that was struck to bring electricity everywhere that to extend its reach to every home and power became available to everybody. When those lines came to those terms it cause a very different way of life. Can you imagine right? No electricity to electricity whether it was Daylight or whether it was dark what was clean and what was dirty and play everything was changed because of electricity. And it was it was almost like he says the farmers heard this message repent for the kingdom of electricity is here. Because they were offered a totally new way of life from the old. And I can't imagine that there were many if any who chose to live in the past in the old way. No one something so much better come you don't live in the past anymore. You choose it. The better way. Jesus is saying that's what your life is. Like. That's what this world is like before Jesus came on the scene. There was Darkness there wasn't spiritual power our souls were dry and empty and searched. But when Jesus comes there's a new way of life the kingdom way of life. That's right in front of you. You can choose it. So choose it and leave the past behind. There's more power now. Then you ever would have known before if you take a look at the prayer of Nehemiah chapter 9 read the whole chapter. You'll see there's a prayer there and most of that prayer is rehearsing the past abused real. The people of God their failures their Disobedience their wanderings all of that stuff. And so that's a beautiful prayer that illustrates put the past behind that's what confession and repentance is put it in the past because if you don't you're missing a whole new life in Jesus, Another lesson that will see in Nehemiah chapter 9 about what repentance means is don't just say it show it. What is that mean? Well repentance is actually more than words about to take it over that right? It's a prayer that we pray it and it is but if that's not all that it is it's more than words and it was to these the first people did you pick that up in verse 1, I believe it was of Nehemiah chapter 9. So how did they repent it says they fasted they dressed in burlap couch, right? You know that's going to be itchy right and then not only that but it says they sprinkle dust on their heads and I have to think that's kind of like ashes that they were sprinkling on their heads. These are outward signs of morning. He didn't just use words to repent they put themselves in a position. They were showing God they were showing other people that it's time to make a change. It's time to choose another Direction and they were showing it what a good example for them. Like, how do you confess? How do you do that? There are signs and symptoms. If you took the Joel chapter 2 verse 12 in the Old Testament classic verse that totally lines up with what happened in nehemiah's time. Jose has this this is what that is. Why the Lord said turn to me now while there's time give me your heart come with fasting weeping and Mourning. That's this picture of repentance. It's not just words but actions and showing it but it's it's not showy. But you can show that you're repenting but it's not meant to be shoulder show. I want to tell you don't hold anything back. That's what repentance is. It's not just like although it is gradual and is a process, but it's learning to not hold back anything from God and poor everything out to him. It's not a silly thing. It's hard to really interesting when Joel see this verse right that says give me her to come with fasting weeping and mourning. Those are external but then look what the next verse says. Don't tear your clothing in your grief, but are your hearts instead? That's just wow, right? It's not it's not a showy thing. It's a heart thing and it's about confessing your sins. Honestly, authentically and completely to God I one of those beautiful examples. I encourage you to take a look at it should be your enduring example of what repentance means is in David in Psalm 51. That's where he is totally broke and he's exposed Nathan the prophet had confronted him about his sin. You know, remember that time that he broke basically all the Ten Commandments in one Fell Swoop, but sound 51 you see his heart and his and was being poured out his heart's being torn and it's it's on display so that this wonderful example of what it means to be raw and honest before God. How do you confess? How do you do that? Let me give you just a little bit of practical ideas from the prayer that you'll see in if you read Nehemiah chapter 9 verses about 5 to maybe 2737 rather you'll see that one of the things that the people of God do is they confess God's faithfulness and greatness over and over again, like paint this picture of a God who is holy and righteous. And giving a giving God that we're give is use many many times. Right the guy who gave us Creation The God Who gave us they they they talk about Davis Deliverance, right? They celebrate all of those things, but have a great goddess. That's a great place to start with repentance to remind yourself and to tell God. I know how great you are and you've been so faithful God even in my unfaithfulness that's confession. And then they continue on by acknowledging God life giving commands. They acknowledge that God you you shown us that the life-giving way to live, but we've just left it by the wayside. But God you shown it. Your word has showed us the right way to two distinct and to speak into live just to acknowledge his Perfection and his guidance in his wisdom. But we've forsaken it that's the way to confess, and then confess the consequences if they are just like. Okay. Yeah, we we ended up in Egypt our enemies defeated us and they go on and on and on like whenever we disobeyed you we felt the consequences of that. I don't know about you right but whenever you stepped out of line and whenever you send whenever you've gone her own way, you know it right because of the consequences that happened in your life. Things start to fall apart, maybe a relationship falls apart or maybe your health starts to fall apart, or maybe you're just in turmoil, or maybe you're feeling like really distant from God. The consequences are there that's part of confession confessing the consequences and acknowledging those before God and then but more than anything else. It is about God's grace.

Because you can live in that space of your life where the past keeps you behind a prison door. And God doesn't want you to live there. He wants you to be free. It's okay to acknowledge the crime that got you in that prison. Your choices that led to those moments, but that doesn't want you to live there. The punishment you see he took himself as Jesus died for you on the cross. You don't have to be punished. You don't have to live in those consequences. The prison of that passed Jesus sets you free. So good news when it was beautiful passages in the Bible, right? You can't help but think of confession and repentance without thinking of 1st John 1:9 where it says if we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and cleanse us clean it up of all unrighteousness all unworthiness all wickedness. Great news, isn't it? That's the heart of repentance don't hold back holding back is for cowards. Holding back is for people that want to live in the past. That's not you. You want to change you want to move forward? You want to live in God's Kingdom?

Don't miss if you read the scope of DMI chapter 9. There's this amazing verse at the end of the chapter where they made a real commitment. And if you want to change to real lasting change make a real commitment verse 38 Of Nehemiah chapter 9 after they prayed and worshiped and spent time and God's word and come face-to-face with with God's holiness and righteousness and and they come face-to-face with their own Darkness. Here's what they did. It says the people responded in view of this. We are making a solemn promise and putting it in writing on the sealed document are the names of our leaders Levites and Priests. They actually put it in writing. And why would they do that? Right? I think it was to make it practica. It was make a concrete. It was to make it real it was to remind themselves all the people around them to stand at this Testament that we don't live in the past anymore. We want to we want to live in your life. We want to change we don't want this to be word. We don't want this to be a good feeling that we have. You don't have Sunday morning and it will feel good. And we feel close to you and then it fades by Wednesday. Horse make a strong commitment to God God. Yeah, that hurt or that habit or that hang up. It's like it's Pawn finally right on Sunday. but when Friday comes stock again I want you to know that happens to us all the time, right and there's Grace to cover that. But that's the way you want to live. What real change until they made this commitment? That was real? they were trying to Jesus talks about the fruit of repentance that it's not just words. It's the fruit of your life. That's why I want to remind us as many times as I can at the Y of our church Summerside Baptist Churches this to lead people to Jesus why so they can have changed lives. Not about words, but it's about your life and transformation. That's what it's all about. I don't know what kind of season that you've been in. You season a failure?

season Sim season hiding season of guilt have you lived there? That's not where God wants you to live.

Why not make it a season of repenting? I love what it says. This has been one of the theme versus this whole series 2nd Chronicles chapter 7 verse 14 CVC repenting in here anywhere right where it says God says to his people if my people who are called by my name will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their Wicked Ways. In fact, that's the word for repentance. It's turning away and towards Jesus then I will hear from Heaven. I will forgive their sin and we'll build them from the ground-up heal their land.

What do you need to change?

What do you need to change?

Don't wait, you know that that's the mistake that we all make right? That their stuff we know that we need to change and we wait until it's a crisis or we wait until our life collapses or explodes. That means easy to point the finger right at examples, you know Big Time pastors and leaders who done that the Jimmy Swaggart's write the Ted Haggard's the Jim Baker's right? They waited too long to repent and you know that spot but we do too right we wait until we're broken and we're humbled and humiliated, but what if And what would it be like to repent before it broke us? two headed off at the pass

You know, it's always a season of her pain repenting. We don't need to wait. So we come to the Lord's Supper today and what an amazing time to do that because when we come to the stable. We come here to remember that Jesus died to take away all of that garbage. All of that garbage all of that sin all the stuff from our past and then there's this this passage that will read in just a moment that calls us to examine ourselves. That's to confess and repent cuz Jesus is taking your burden away. And when we gather at this table, we reminded that we want to turn towards Jesus live in his kingdom this new life. So going to do that as we enter communion. Now, let's pray as a worship team comes up and we're going to sing a song before communion. Jesus I pray that you would As we sing and as we take part in a remembering your death for us on the cross your body and blood but I pray that you would humble us and expose us so you can heal us I pray this in your name on it.