1. Repentance: The Journey Begins When You Decide to Leave

The best things in life take time. We like things that are hand crafted, built to last, high quality. We love our food slow roasted, smoked, and aged to perfection. We want them locally grown, organic, and homemade.

Everyone of those descriptions takes time, practice and skill. Do you see what I mean? The best things in like take time.

However, most folks don’t have the patience to wait. We are willing to take convenience and speed over quality. People would settle for a cheap plastic imitation as opposed to the real thing. So we will settle for our buy and stream instantly in our throw away culture.

Unfortunately, that can also describe our Christian faith. We want to pray and have everything fixed. We want to open the Bible and find a quick answer to our problems. We want to go to church worship service and leave feeling inspired and ready to take on the world!

I’m here to tell…it just doesn’t work that way. The life of a Christian is built on long obedience in the same direction. I first heard this phrase from pastor and author Eugene Peterson. Many of you know of his work The Message, his personal paraphrase of the Bible. In fact this series that we are embarking on is outlined in his book Long Obedience in the Same Direction.

There is another word you could use as well. Long obedience in the same direction is discipleship. It’s the life long journey of obediently following Jesus. It’s a daily routine of waking up and living a life that is obedient to Jesus. It’s a life that doesn’t magically pop out of a microwave. You can’t purchase it online and download it in a matter of moments…it’s a life that takes time.

In his parable of the sower Jesus talks about those who receive the “seed” of the Gospel. Here is how Jesus describes those who are rocky soil.

Matthew 13:5–6 NIV

Some fell on rocky places, where it did not have much soil. It sprang up quickly, because the soil was shallow. But when the sun came up, the plants were scorched, and they withered because they had no root.

Simply put, developing roots takes time and unfortunately there are many who take the time to develop them. Even more unfortunate are the Christians and churches that don’t help people develop their roots. I take it very personally that I have a job to do and that is to challenge you and even push you to develop roots for the long haul because I know that God can do so much more in your life…if you will just keep trusting him.

So we are going to begin 2022 with a journey of long obedience in the same direction and in so doing see where God takes us.

Here’s our plan for this journey. It’s modeled after 15 psalms the Jewish people sang while they traveled to Jerusalem. In Jesus’ day, a faithful Jew would strive to travel to Jerusalem, and even more so the Temple, three times a year; the Feast of Passover in the spring, the Feast of Pentecost in the early summer, and the Feast of Tabernacles in the autumn. In fact, as you read through the gospels, you will find Jesus attending these three feasts at different times. These were profound moments of renewal and seeking God as the Jewish pilgrims walked to Jerusalem.

Here is what you need to know about the topography of Israel. The city of Jerusalem is the highest elevated city in Israel. To get to the Temple, everyone is walking uphill. Here’s a picture of what it looks like to walk to Jerusalem.

Show 3D Picture

Question: Easier or harder walking up hill? When we take our annual church trip to Colorado, our campsite about halfway up the mountain. So everyday we are walking uphill and initially we need to stop and take a break because it’s hard for us flatlanders to walk up mountains!

So, to help the journey, these faithful Jews would sing from their psalm book, 15 different psalms called the Psalms of Ascent. There are found in your Bible from Psalm 120 to 134. These psalms helped the weary traveler focus on their journey of faith, sometimes reinforcing a truth they need to remember or sometimes providing a truth they needed to be obedient to.

We are going to use them in the same manner as we begin 2022. Each week we are going to study one of the Psalms of Ascent to help us on our journey of long obedience in the same direction.

If you have a Bible or a device, let’s find the first Psalm…120. If you are using the YouVersion Bible app, go to Events. Look for Iowa City Church, and all the Scriptures and sermon notes will be available on your device. So, on their journey to Jerusalem here is the first psalm on their trip.

Psalm 120:1–7 NIV

I call on the Lord in my distress, and he answers me. Save me, Lord, from lying lips and from deceitful tongues. What will he do to you, and what more besides, you deceitful tongue? He will punish you with a warrior’s sharp arrows, with burning coals of the broom bush. Woe to me that I dwell in Meshek, that I live among the tents of Kedar! Too long have I lived among those who hate peace. I am for peace; but when I speak, they are for war.

This psalm is falls into the category of a lament. It’s easy to see why, things are not going well. However, in distress, anxiety the author calls out to God. In the midst of our chaos, struggles or loss, we turn our attention and seek God. This is a good reminder that on our journey of life, things are not going to be easy, there will be moments of distress, confusion and anxiety…where are we going to seek our help? As we enter the 2022, who or what are you going to seek for answers, for solutions to your problems.

The psalmist goes on to say that God answered his cries. As we bow our heads and seek him, as we redirect our lives toward him, he answers us in our distress.

So where is the distress coming from? Three things are mentioned: 1. Lies and deceit. 2. A place that is not home. (Meshek and Kedar are places and people outside of Israel). 3. A place that hates peace.

It really makes sense as to why this is the first psalm on their journey to Jerusalem. They are acknowledging their dissatisfaction with the the way things are. They are tired of the lies, the conflict and people who don’t live as they do…so they turn their faces toward God and walk towards him.

The same can be said for us. To faithfully walk the path of discipleship, there must be dissatisfaction with the world and a longing for peace and truth.

Okay, let’s start with the lies. Everyday our culture tells us lies, here are a few you might be familiar with: more money will make you happy, the right body style or look is all you need, more likes on my social media will make me complete, the right relationship will make me whole, find the right identity and I will finally be happy, get the right job and things will fall into place.

Then when those things fall apart we fall for the lies of how to medicate and feel better: the lies of alcohol, pornography, drugs, or hooking up.

Okay, those are just the lies of culture, what about the lies people say about you, that you’re not good enough, that you’re a mistake or a failure…or the lies you tell yourself. To walk the path of discipleship we have to be dissatisfied with the lies of the world.

There has to be a dissatisfaction with the conflict, the turmoil and the chaos. This has never been more evident then the last few years of political strife, pandemic procedures and opposing narratives. It’s almost as if our culture loves conflict and daily invents new ways to be angry or upset with someone. Is this the kind of culture you want to live in? Is this the type of culture you want to define you?

To faithfully walk the path of discipleship, there must be dissatisfaction with the world and a longing for peace and truth.

The TV show "Hoarders" features the true stories about people with compulsions so strong that they can't let go of their "stuff." On the show, loved ones, psychologists, and organizational experts are brought in to try to help the hoarders stop hoarding.

For example, one episode focused on a middle aged hoarder named Phyllis. Her house was so cluttered with dolls and other belongings that she had to crawl over mounds of garbage in order to reach the recliner where she eats and sleeps. Phyllis's children were so concerned about her welfare that they threatened to contact Adult Protective Services. But Phyllis's compulsions prevailed, and she chose to live without running water and heat and to huddle under blankets to stay warm.

According to Randy Frost, a psychology professor at Smith College in Northampton, Massachusetts, 2 to 3 percent of the population has obsessive-compulsive disorder, and up to a third of those exhibit hoarding behavior.

Sadly, Frost admits that even when a hoarder's home is cleaned up, the hoarding behavior usually begins again almost immediately. The person involved in the self-destructive behavior will not change until they themselves decide to take responsibility.

As long as we like living in our Meshek and Kedar, there will be no change. As long as we put up with the lies that surround us, there will be no change. As long as we are comfortable in our mess there will be no change. As long as we like our sin…there will be no change.

To faithfully walk the path of discipleship, there must be dissatisfaction with the world and a longing for peace and truth.

So what is the step of obedience that Psalm 120 is calling us to? One word: Repentance. Repentance isn’t an emotion. It is not feeling sorry for your sins. It’s a decision. It is deciding that you have been wrong in supposing that you could manage your own life and be your own god; it is deciding that you have been told a pack of lies about yourself and your neighbors and your world. It is deciding that God in Jesus Christ is telling you the truth. It’s deciding to leave the path you are walking and getting on the path that leads to Jesus.

The word repentance is not only misunderstood, but underrated as well. It is one of the key words that is consistently used in sermons throughout the Bible. Here’s a few examples:

John the Baptizer: Matthew 3:2

Matthew 3:2 NIV

and saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.”

Jesus: Matthew 4:17

Matthew 4:17 NIV

From that time on Jesus began to preach, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.”

Apostle Peter: Acts 2:38

Acts 2:38 NIV

Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.

Jesus: Revelation 3:19

Revelation 3:19 NIV

Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline. So be earnest and repent.

What path to you need to walk away from? What relationship needs to end? What sin needs to be left behind? What hurt needs to be healed? What habit needs to be addressed?

Your journey towards Jesus begins when you choose to repent and leave something behind.

Here are some steps you can consider for your journey of long obedience in the same direction:

Tomorrow as a church family we begin 21 Days of Prayer & Fasting. This is time of humbling ourselves and seeking God’s will and direction for our church and for our lives. Consider fasting a meal a day. Or maybe consider fasting 24 hours three times during the next three weeks. Maybe it’s giving up a favorite food. Maybe it giving up social media. In place of those activities, take time to pray and seek God’s direction for your life. I would also encourage you to read through Psalm 120 this week, and think about your journey away from lies and into peace and truth. If you would like to sign up for a daily Bible reading plan, you can find it on the YouVersion Sermon notes, or you can go to the church website and sign up there. Also, make sure and take a commitment card and put it in a place to remind you of your desire to seek God…and ask him what he wants you to repent of.

During our time of Communion, I want you to identify one thing that you need to leave behind. What do you need to repent of. Relationship, sin, a lie you believe or an addiction.

Do you need help in your repentance? You’re not alone. Please, do not be ashamed or embarrassed. We are all broken people walking the same road together. In fact, you would probably be shocked at how many people struggle with the same things you do. We have resources to help you; accountability, Christian counseling or other resources. Reach out to one of our staff and let us help.