Refreshing through Repentance
The Gift of Repentance
January 11, 2009
Scripture: Ezra 9-10; Nehemiah 8- 9
Last week I mentioned to you the scriptural vision God has for Good Shepherd Community Church. God’s goal for us, for all churches, is found in Matthew 28:19 and 20. It is called the Great Commission. The essence of the Great Commission is to go and make disciples. Without disciple-making there is no real growth. Before there is growth in the bride of Christ there has to be revival in God’s people. And, as I mentioned half in jest, last week, you can’t be revived if you’ve never been “vived”, or saved. And you can’t be saved without recognizing your basic sinfulness, your need for repentance – turning from sin. So, with the Lord’s help, we will go back to basics this morning, to review the beginning steps after salvation. It never hurts to review. So let’s start with confession.
In Experiencing God Day-by-Day, Henry Blackaby writes about Confession
Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, so that you may be healed. The intense prayer of the righteous is very powerful.— James 5:16
Confession is God's provision to clear obstacles that hinder our relationships with God and with others. Confession is not just for those who don't mind admitting their faults. Confession is a command, given to every Christian. James advised that when we sin, it is important for us to confess not only to God, but also to our fellow Christians. There is a tremendous freedom that comes as we openly acknowledge the sinfulness of our actions to others.
If confession does not come out of repentance, it is merely admission, and not true confession. It is important to confess your sins specifically and not hide behind generalities. It is one thing to pray, “O Lord, forgive my sin.” It's quite another to identify specifically in painful honesty. Whenever possible, confession ought to be made directly to those whom your sin has hurt. You are not to confess the sins of others but only your offenses. Confession is not a sign of weakness; it is evidence of your refusal to allow sin to remain in your life.
Significantly, James linked confession with prayer. Your prayers will be hindered if you hold on to unconfessed sin. When James promised that the “effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much,” he did so in the context of confession. If you wish to have a powerful prayer life, you must regularly confess your sin. Only when there are no obstacles separating you from God and others will your prayers be effective. Pride will discourage you from admitting to others the sinfulness of your heart. A desire to please God will compel you to confess your sin and rid yourself of its oppressive burden.
Repentance is a gift from the Lord. His desire for us is not that we wallow or perish in our sins, but that we repent of our sins and experience abundant spiritual life. His kindness leads us toward repentance. This is true on an individual level and on a corporate level. Listen to these words on repentance:
"…[The Lord] is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance" (2 Pet. 3:9).
"Or do you show contempt for the riches of His kindness, tolerance and patience, not realizing that God’s kindness leads you toward repentance?" (Rom. 2:4).
"Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord…" (Acts 3:19). I like the promise in this verse: times of refreshing come when you repent.
I have previously had the privilege of sharing several truths from Ezra and Nehemiah. Today I call your attention once again to these books and some of the truths embedded in them regarding the gift of repentance. As you listen to this message, I encourage you to consider any personal repentance needed in your own life, as well as in your family, church and nation.
In the first eight chapters of Ezra, good things are happening for God’s people. The book begins by sharing how God moved the heart of Cyrus king of Persia to issue a proclamation for the Jews in exile to return to Judah and rebuild the temple. This was in fulfillment of God’s promise of restoration spoken through Jeremiah: "‘When seventy years are completed for Babylon, I will come to you and fulfill My gracious promise to bring you back to this place. For I know the plans I have for you,’ declares the Lord, ‘plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future’" (Jer. 29:10-11). The exiles did indeed return, and with the help of the Lord, they overcame opposition and rebuilt the altar and the temple. Chapter six records the celebration of the dedication of the temple and the celebration of the Passover.
In chapter seven, Ezra enters the story. He comes full of zeal for the Law of God and with the favor of the king and God upon him: "…Ezra came up from Babylon. He was a teacher well versed in the Law of Moses, which the Lord, the God of Israel, had given. The king had granted him everything he asked, for the hand of the Lord his God was upon him. …Ezra had devoted himself to the study and observance of the Law of the Lord, and to teaching its decrees and laws in Israel" (Ezra 7:6, 10). He also came full of faith and courage as he had trusted God for a safe passage, without any military escort, for those traveling with him and all of their possessions, including sacred articles for the temple.
Though such good things are happening to this point, an abrupt change occurs in chapter nine. Ezra learns that "The people of Israel, including the priests and the Levites, have not kept themselves separate from the neighboring peoples with their detestable practices…. They have taken some of their daughters as wives for themselves and their sons, and have mingled the holy race with the peoples around them. And the leaders and officials have led the way in this unfaithfulness" (Ezra 9:1-2). Ezra’s reaction was severe: "When I heard this, I tore my tunic and cloak, pulled hair from my head and beard and sat down appalled. Then everyone who trembled at the words of the God of Israel gathered around me because of this unfaithfulness…" (Ezra 9:3-4).
God had called His people to be separate from the peoples around them. He did not want the people to intermarry because He knew that the interaction with the foreign peoples would bring corruption and impurity, and would rob the Israelites of the physical and spiritual well-being He desired for them (Ezra 9:10-12). He also knew that such marriages would turn their hearts to other gods, and decrease their devotion to God (Neh. 13:26-27; 1 Kgs. 11:4, 6). He also had it on His heart all along for His people to be set apart in order to become a source of light and blessing to other nations. By intermingling with the neighboring peoples, God’s people were compromising their calling and influence.
Unfortunately, the same can be said for much of the Church today. We are called to be "in the world" not "of the world" (John 17:14-15), but in too many cases the Church has become "of the world." For example, many sins (such as greed, materialism, gossip, immorality, pride, etc.) are just as prevalent in the Church as they are in the world. Much of the Church has lost her distinction as God’s holy people, set apart for His purposes, called to serve as light and salt in the world. She has become worldly and has allowed worldliness to enter her.
Sin, of course, has great consequences. Ezra, well aware of this, with his tunic and cloak torn, fell on his knees with his hands spread out to the Lord and prayed, "O my God, I am too ashamed and disgraced to lift up my face to You, my God, because our sins are higher than our heads and our guilt has reached to the heavens. From the days of our forefathers until now, our guilt has been great. Because of our sins, we…have been subjected to the sword and captivity, to pillage and humiliation…" (Ezra 9:6-7). He knew that sin had led God’s people into captivity, and that if now, in this season of return and restoration, God’s people again embraced sin, they could lose everything God had on His heart for them: "What has happened to us is a result of our evil deeds and our great guilt, and yet, our God, You have punished us less than our sins have deserved and have given us a remnant like this. Shall we again break Your commands and intermarry with the peoples who commit such detestable practices? Would You not be angry enough with us to destroy us, leaving us no remnant or survivor?" (Ezra 9:13-14).
What compounded the remorse in Ezra’s heart was his awareness of how gracious God had been to His people. He had punished them less than they deserved, and in His grace He had shown kindness toward them and granted them new life to rebuild (Ezra 9:9). For the people of God to once again embrace sin would be an affront to the grace of God. Ezra knew that the well-being of God’s people and His plans and purposes for them were at stake.
Have you ever been as upset as Ezra over sin and its consequences? Do you grieve over the loss of the influence of the Church (or maybe your own life) because of the impact of sin? Can you identify with this cry to the Church: "…Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. Grieve, mourn and wail. Change your laughter to mourning and your joy to gloom. Humble yourselves before the Lord, and He will lift you up" (James 4:8-10)?
As Ezra was praying and confessing, weeping and throwing himself down before the house of God, a large crowd of men, women and children gathered around him, and they too wept bitterly (Ezra 10:1). In the midst of this, something wonderful happened. A man named Shecaniah said to Ezra, "We have been unfaithful to our God by marrying foreign women from the peoples around us. But in spite of this, there is still hope for Israel. Now let us make a covenant before our God to send away all these women and their children, in accordance with the counsel of my lord and those who fear the commands of our God. Let it be done according to the Law. Rise up; this matter is in your hands. We will support you, so take courage and do it" (Ezra 10:2-4).
"But in spite of this, there is still hope…." What a pivotal statement! There is still hope because God is a God of hope, a God of forgiveness, a God of grace, a God of patience, a God of mercy and a God of love. He is eager for us to turn from our sins and toward Him. If the Jews in Ezra’s day could have such hope, how much greater is our hope in Christ! As the Apostle John shares, "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness" (1 John 1:9).
Ezra did rise up and lead the people to confession and repentance. Their sin was great, and took some time to untangle, but they were faithful to honor and respond to God’s commands (see Ezra 10:10-44).
We have another glimpse of Ezra and a call to repentance in the book of Nehemiah. In the first portion of this book, God has enabled His people to rebuild the wall of Jerusalem. In chapter eight, the people assembled and told Ezra to bring out the Book of the Law of Moses. He did so and read it aloud to them from daybreak till noon. Ezra stood on a wooden platform as he read, and he and the people showed great reverence for God and His Word: "Ezra opened the book. All the people could see him because he was standing above them; and as he opened it, the people all stood up. Ezra praised the Lord, the great God; and all the people lifted their hands and responded, ‘Amen! Amen!’ Then they bowed down and worshiped the Lord with their faces to the ground" (Neh. 8:5-6).
O for such reverence for the Word of God today! We need devotion to the public and private reading of God’s Word. We need to study to show ourselves approved as those who correctly handle the Word of truth (2 Tim. 2:15). We need strong preachers who will take to heart the Apostle Paul’s exhortation: "Preach the Word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage – with great patience and careful instruction" (2 Tim. 4:2). We need strong teaching that builds up the body of Christ and leads others to repentance. The Word of God needs to be central in churches, homes and individual lives! What a wonderful gift the Lord gave to the Jews rebuilding Jerusalem as He sent Ezra, a man devoted to God’s Word. Along with restoring the altar, the temple and the wall, the Lord sent Ezra to help restore His Word to His people.
As the people listened to the words of the Law, they grieved and wept (Neh. 8:9- 10). Perhaps one of the main reasons for this is because they realized how far they had drifted from the Lord and His desires for them. The leaders, however, encouraged the people not to mourn or weep, but to celebrate. Nehemiah, for instance, told the people to "Go and enjoy choice food and sweet drinks, and send some to those who have nothing prepared. This day is sacred to our Lord. Do not grieve, for the joy of the Lord is your strength" (Neh. 8:10). The people then "went away to eat and drink, to send portions of food and to celebrate with great joy, because they now understood the words that had been made known to them" (Neh. 8:12).
Even though the restoration of the Word of God may bring great conviction as it reveals our shortcomings and sins, it is a gift when the Lord shares His Word with us. Consider, for example, Jesus’ hard message to the church at Laodicea recorded in Revelation 3:14-22. He uncovered the fact that the church was lukewarm and "wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked" (v. 17). And yet, He shared His word with them not to condemn or destroy them, but to call them to repentance. His strong words were based in His love for the church and His desire for them to enjoy fellowship with Him: "Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline. So be earnest and repent. Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with Me" (vv. 19-20).
While there is reason to be joyful and thankful when God shares a word of correction into our lives and churches, there is at the same time the need to "be earnest and repent." Following the celebration of the restoration of the Law of God recorded in the eighth chapter of Nehemiah, God’s people assembled and "confessed their sins and the wickedness of their fathers. They stood where they were and read from the Book of the Law of the Lord their God for a fourth of the day, and spent another fourth in confession and in worshiping the Lord their God" (Neh. 9:1-3). They blessed and praised the Lord for His faithfulness, forgiveness, graciousness, compassion, patience and love, while confessing the sins of their forefathers as well as their own sins (Neh. 9:5-37). They also acknowledged that because of these sins, they were facing hardship and not enjoying the abundant blessings God intended for them (Neh. 9:32-37).
That day the people were deeply stirred and repented of sin and turned their lives toward the Lord. They were very serious about this and made "a binding agreement, putting it in writing," and the leaders, Levites and priests affixed their seals to it (Neh. 9:38). They committed that day "to obey carefully all the commands, regulations and decrees of the Lord our God" (Neh. 10:29). They promised not to intermarry with the peoples around them; they promised to honor the Sabbath; they promised to be faithful in offerings, firstfruits, tithes, and other contributions; and they promised to not neglect the house of God (Neh. 10:30-39). God’s work in their lives, and their response to Him and His Word, led to a great time of celebration and dedication: "…on that day they offered great sacrifices, rejoicing because God had given them great joy. The women and children also rejoiced. The sound of rejoicing in Jerusalem could be heard far away" (Neh. 12:43).
God does indeed call His people to repentance so that times of refreshing may come from Him (Acts 3:19). Perhaps He is calling you to repentance. If so, this is, on one hand, reason for rejoicing since He rebukes and disciplines those He loves (Rev. 3:19). It is also, on the other hand, a time to respond to Him in all earnestness and sincerity. Sin is not to be treated lightly. God calls us to be a holy people, set apart for Him and His purposes. We are to become "blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation" so that we might shine like stars in the universe and hold out the word of life (Phil. 2:15-16). We are to get rid of all bitterness, rage, anger, slander, malice, sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires, greed, unwholesome talk, hypocrisy, prayerlessness, pride, selfishness, etc., and put on compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, patience, forbearance, forgiveness and love.(Gal 5:19-23)
God is eager and faithful to bless those who confess sin and turn from it toward Him. Remember the revival that started in Saskatoon, in 1970 and had such a great impact on thousands of lives in Canada and beyond. The revival started when two deacons, who had been at odds with one another, came under conviction and met at the front of the church and wept and repented and restored their relationship. What great work may the Lord have in mind for your life, your family, your church or your community that may be sparked by your confession of sin and your repentance? This work is waiting on your repentance; what are YOU going to do about it?
Before we go, I think it’s time to review the Roman Road to salvation. I hope you’ve memorized it because you won’t have a chance to hunt around for it once the opportunity comes up. One of these days, I’m going to call on you at random to stand up and recite the Roman Road. You have a choice; you can be prepared or you can be embarrassed – which will it be?
I don’t want to be flogging a dead horse, but this is important – how will you ever be able to carry out your part of the Great Commission if you don’t know how to lead someone to Christ? It’s not a matter of getting me off your case, it’s a matter of obeying your Lord and Master, Jesus Christ. That’s what He’s left us here for; to lead others to Him. If we’re not going to prepare ourselves to do that, He must just as well take us home now, right?
OK? Now, a quick review.
What’s the first verse in the Roman Road? If you know it, please stand up and share it with us.
Romans 3:23 says "For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God."
- Admit that you are a sinner. We all are!
Who knows the second verse?
Romans 6:23a "...The wages of sin is death..."
- Understand that you deserve death for your sin. We all do!
And the third?
But, Romans 6:23b "...But the gift of God is eternal
life through Jesus Christ our Lord."
- Ask God to forgive you. He will save you. He saved us!
Next?
Remember "God demonstrates His own love for us, in
that while we were yet sinners Christ died for us!" (Rom 5:8)
- Give your life to God... His love poured out in Jesus on the cross is your only hope to have forgiveness and change. His love bought you out of being a slave to sin. His love is what saves you -- not religion, or church membership. God loves you! He loves you!
And?
Romans 10:13 says "Whoever will call on the name of the Lord will be saved!"
- Call out to God in the name of Jesus!
And?
Romans 10:9,10 say "...If you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Jesus from the dead, you shall be saved; for with the heart man believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation."
- If you know that God is knocking on your heart's door,
ask Him to come into your heart. Just as the shepherds in our story dragged the innkeeper to the Christ child, God is urging you now to come to Him. Come! He’s knocking on your hearts door.
And, finally, from Revelation?
Jesus said,
In Revelation 3:20a "Behold I stand at the door and knock, if anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him..."
- Is Jesus knocking on your heart's door? Have you opened that door and invited Him in? All you have to do is
Believe in Him.
Ask Him to come in to your heart by faith,
and ask Him to reveal Himself to you.
If you agree with what I’ve just read; if you’ve wish to invite Jesus into your heart as your Savior and Lord, just silently say this prayer with me. Bow your heads with me now:
Dear Lord Jesus
I know that I am a sinner, and I ask for Your forgiveness. I believe You died for my sins and rose from the dead. I turn from my sin and invite You to come into my heart and life. I want to trust and follow You as my Lord and Savior.
In Your Name, Amen
If you said this prayer, you are now His; you now stand like the shepherds in awe before Immanuel – God with us. And know, the angels are rejoicing that another sinner has come in from the wandering hills to kneel before Him (Luke 15:10) Your sins have been forgiven and you have eternal life in Christ Jesus. You have been born again, you are a child of God. Hallelujah! Praise God! The angels in heaven are rejoicing this morning!