Repentance
Jodi Lenker joined us this week to offer this morning’s message. God gave her a great word on a topic most people avoid talking about: Repentance.
To kick things off, Jodi reflected on practices used in some denominational churches. Many churches use liturgies or rituals that very easily turn into obligations as opposed to forms of worship. However, when you look at some of the words written by Christians of the past (sometimes the very long ago past) you can see how rooted the writings are Bible.
To show a sign of respect for the words you are about to speak, and as a sign of respect, you usually stand to read church liturgies… So, Jodi lead us had us stand and read the Brief Order of Confession and Forgiveness:
Most merciful God, we confess that we have sinned against You in thought, word and deed, by what we have done and by what we have left undone. We have not loved You with our whole heart; we have not loved our neighbors as ourselves. For the sake of Your Son, Jesus Christ, have mercy on us. Forgive us, renew us, and lead us, so that we may delight in Your will and walk in Your ways, to the glory of Your holy name. ~ Amen!
As Christians, it is important for us to repent on a daily basis, and remove barriers between God and us. This world is full of temptations and flaws that will lead us from Christ, so we need to be willing to face those things (as hard or uncomfortable as they may be) and confess and repent in order to receive mercy.
First to those in Damascus, then to those in Jerusalem and in all Judea, and then to the Gentiles, I preached that they should repent and turn to God and demonstrate their repentance by their deeds. ~ Acts 26:20
Repentance is not just saying we’re sorry, but showing it by our actions.
Bible Hub tells us that repentance, in its most basic sense, involves a turning away from sin and a turning toward God. The primary Greek term in the New Testament often rendered “repent” is “metanoia,” meaning a change of mind or inner transformation. In the Old Testament, two Hebrew concepts work together to convey repentance: “shuv,” which carries the idea of returning to God, and “nacham,” indicating remorse or sorrow over wrongdoing. Combining all these meanings, biblical repentance signifies a decisive shift in one’s heart, mindset, and actions, awakening a renewed relationship with the Creator.
What are the things we need to reflect on in order to have true repentance? We need to reflect on our thoughts, words, deeds, AND the things we have left undone. Has the Holy Spirit ever prodded you to do something, and you were too scared or nervous to follow-though with it? This could be something as simple as holding a door for a stranger, or as important as telling someone about Jesus. If we miss or neglect these calls, we often walk away with a feeling of lack or regret. We need to repent for not heeding to these calls.
Jodi gave a great analogy… How often to parents know when their kids have done something wrong, and the kids deny it and deny it, but parents will patiently wait for their child to admit their mistake(s)? Isn’t that much like God waiting for us to fess up to our wrongdoings… for OUR mistakes.
The law is only a shadow of the good things that are coming—not the realities themselves. For this reason it can never, by the same sacrifices repeated endlessly year after year, make perfect those who draw near to worship. ~ Hebrews 10:1
Before we bring our petitions before God, we need to first repent and remove the barriers (of our sin) between us and Him.
We also need to make sure we are not withholding forgiveness to/from others.
Jodi challenged us to through our Bibles, and study repentance and forgiveness.
You see, because we are no longer living as those in the Old Testament, repentance and how to achieve it looks different. We don’t have to go to a priest to confess our sins and seek atonement. Jesus became the High Priest. We have direct access to Him at all times!
Consider starting or ending each day with repentance which results in His mercy and forgiveness covering you.
Bible Hub tells us that repentance is not a one-time event but a continuous posture. First John 1:9 offers the assurance that when individuals “confess [their] sins, He is faithful and just to forgive… and to cleanse [them] from all unrighteousness.Ongoing repentance involves:
Recognizing Sin: Holding one’s actions up against Scripture’s teaching.
Confessing Wrongdoing: Admitting guilt before God and, as appropriate, before others.
Seeking Forgiveness: Trusting in divine mercy, grounded in Christ’s atoning sacrifice.
Changing Direction: Actively choosing righteousness instead of sin.
Reliance on the Holy Spirit: Depending on divine help to sustain that heart and life transformation.
Bible verses we read/referenced today included:
1 John 2:1-2
Matthew 3:1-2,5-6
Matthew 4:17
Acts 26:20
2 Corinthians 7:8-10
Luke 15:8-10
Hebrews 4:12-13, 14-16
Hebrews 10:1
Keep reading your Bible until your Bible reads you.
