REPENTANCE

REPENTANCE

IT IS TIME TO REPENT.

(Guilt, Regret, Sorrow)

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Luke 3:7-9 (NKJV) Luke 3:7 (NKJV)  Then he said to the multitudes that came out to be baptized by him, "Brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come?

8  Therefore bear fruits worthy of repentance, and do not begin to say to yourselves, 'We have Abraham as our father.' For I say to you that God is able to raise up children to Abraham from these stones.

9  And even now the ax is laid to the root of the trees. Therefore every tree which does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire."

A. Repentance opens the way for relationship with God.

1. Repentance has two sides

2. turning away from sins and turning toward God.

To be truly repentant, we must do both.

We can't just say that we believe and then live any way we choose; neither can we simply live a morally correct life without a personal relationship with God,

B. Repentance demonstrates real faith.

1. Confession of sins and a changed life are inseparable.

2. Faith without deeds is dead (James 2:14-26).

3. Jesus' harshest words were to the respectable religious leaders who lacked the desire for real change.

4. They wanted to be known as religious authorities, but they didn't want to change their hearts and minds.

5. Thus their lives were unproductive.

6. Repentance must be tied to action, or it isn't real.

7. Following Jesus means more than saying the right words; it means acting on what he says.

BIBLE READING: Matthew 3:1-12

KEY BIBLE VERSE: In those days John the Baptist began preaching in the Judean wilderness. His message was, "Turn from your sins and turn to God, because the Kingdom of Heaven is near." (Matthew 3:1-2)

C. Repentance makes inward change a visible reality.

1. When you wash dirty hands, the results are immediately visible.

2. But repentance happens inside with a cleansing that isn't seen right away.

3.  Here, baptism was used as a sign of repentance and forgiveness.

4. Repent means "to turn," implying a change in behavior.

5. It is turning from sin toward God.

6. Have you repented of sin in your life?

7. Can others see the difference it makes in you?

8.  A changed life with new and different behavior makes your repentance real and visible.

D. Repentance breaks our bondage to sin.

1. The chief priests' blindness and hardness of heart caused them to sink ever deeper into sin.

2. They rejected the Messiah and planned to kill him, and then plotted to murder Lazarus as well.

3.  One sin leads to another.

4. This is a warning to us to avoid sin.

John 1:29

[KJV]

The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.

1 John 3:4

[NLT]

Those who sin are opposed to the law of God, for all sin opposes the law of God.

Matthew 6:14

[KJV]

For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you:

THE WORD MEANS...

To sin; to trespass or to transgress; to stumble; to fall; to slip; to blunder; to deviate from righteousness and truth.

Practical Application

Sin is the transgression of the law. It is violating the law of God.

ð  Sin is choosing to go one's own way in life, doing one's own thing instead of doing what God says.

ð  Sin is living like one wants instead of living like God says.

ð  Sin is disobeying God, not doing what God says to do and doing what God says not to do.

ð  Sin is disbelieving God instead of believing what God says.

ð  Sin is ignoring God and neglecting God instead of following and worshipping Him as He says.

ð  Sin is rebelling against God instead of doing what God says.

ð  Sin is rejecting God and denying God instead of confessing God and becoming a follower of God.