Sermon Central
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Lost Art Of Repentance? If? Then?
Contributed by Wade Martin Hughes, Sr on Sep 30, 2023 (message contributor)
Summary: IF? THEN? Why do we hear so little about repentance in the church world today? The Bible calls for real Godly sorrow and a broken and contrite heart. CAN WE HEAR THE CALL TO REAL REPENTANCE FROM GOD'S WORD?
WHERE IS THE REPENTANCE? REPENT= CHANGE OF MIND, HEART AND ACTIONS…
By Wade Martin Hughes, Sr. Kyfingers@aol.com (YouTube: Wade Hughes)
SIDE BAR: Music is so influential on your brain and thought processes. The type of music you listen to actually has the power and ability to change your moods and the way you think, your attitudes and how you look at things. My wife just told me that she can hear a song she has not heard in 50 years and the words are still embedded in her mind.
WHY IS IT SO RARE THAT WE HEAR REPENTANCE MENTIONED TODAY? WE HEAR: BY FAITH? JUST NAME IT AND CLAIM IT? JUST BELIEVE? CLAIM IT? WE HEAR IT TAUGHT THAT JESUS SO LOVES US… WE FEEL COMFORTABLE IN OUR SINS.
Today we are so good at making offerings of excuses. Then we tend to play the blame game. It is the tendency to enjoy and cling to our sin. Can we honestly be forgiven without REPENTANCE? Adam and Eve never repented. King Saul never repented. WE MUST RETURN TO THE CALL FOR GENUINE REPENTANCE! Without repentance the church is a social club.
2 Chronicles 7:14 If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.
Romans 3:23 (KJV) For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;
*REPENT: to view or think with deep regret or remorse, penitence, contrition, Godly sorrow, sorrow. We must forsake all sin and wrong. Real repentance brings TRANSFORMATION. If we really repent we will feel broken, sorry, more than regret. Repent means we must rearrange our entire thinking patterns.
Penitence is MORE THAN I AM SORRY: IT IS A CHANGE OF MIND, HEART, WORDS AND ACTIONS THAT BRINGS ONE CLOSER TO GOD. REAL REPENTANCE MUST TURN AWAY FROM SIN AND TURN TO GOD FOR FORGIVENESS and correct the behavior. WE MUST BE DEDICATED TO AMEND OUR LIFE STYLE.
REPENTANCE MUST BE MOTIVATED BY LOVE… UNRESOLVED SIN… penitence is feeling sorry and regret. We must come to reconciliation.
ELIJAH CALLS FOR REPENTANCE.
AHAB AND JEZEBEL REIGNED IN A SEASON OF SPIRITUAL DARKNESS. ELIJAH WARNED AND DEMANDED KING AHAB TO REPENT. AHAB BLAMED ELIJAH FOR THE DROUGHT… NOT HIS PERSONAL SIN.
ISAIAH CALLS FOR REPENTANCE…. THE PEOPLE THOUGHT THEY DID NOT NEED TO REPENT…
Isaiah 30:10 Which say to the seers, See not; and to the prophets, Prophesy not unto us right things, speak unto us smooth things, prophesy deceits: 11 Get you out of the way, turn aside out of the path, cause the Holy One of Israel to cease from before us. 12 Wherefore thus saith the Holy One of Israel, Because ye despise this word, and trust in oppression and perverseness, and stay thereon:
JOEL CALLS THE CHURCH TO REPENTANCE. HE SAYS REPENT!
Joel 2:12 Therefore also now, saith the LORD, turn ye even to me with all your heart, and with fasting, and with weeping, and with mourning: 13 And rend your heart, and not your garments, and turn unto the LORD your God: for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and repenteth him of the evil.
JONAH CALLS NINEVEH TO REPENT…
JEREMIAH CALLS FOR REPENTANCE OVER 100 TIMES IN HIS BOOK. JEREMIAH BEGS THE PEOPLE TO REPENT AND THEY PRETENDED AND MADE AN OUTWARD SHOW OF IT. THE PREACHER CALLS: FOR THE PEOPLE TO WASH THEIR HEARTS. THE CALL GOES UNHEEDED.
MICAH WARNS PLEASE REPENT… THE SEA OF FORGETFULNESS….
Micah 7:19 He will turn again, he will have compassion upon us; he will subdue our iniquities; and thou wilt cast all their sins into the depths of the sea.
IF WE REPENT: REMOVE THE SIN AS FAR AS FROM EAST TO WEST. (Not north and south. East and west never ends.)
Psalm 103:12 As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us.
AMOS EXHORTS ISRAEL TO REPENT.
ZEPHANIAH CALLS TO THE PEOPLE TO GATHER TOGETHER TO REPENT BEFORE THE DAY OF THE LORD’S ANGER. (ZEPH. 2. )
MALACHI REBUKES THE PRIEST FOR THE LACK OF REPENTANCE. REAL REPENTANCE IS MORE THAN ACTION, IT IS AN ISSUE OF THE HEART. IT IS A SAD DAY WHEN THE LEADERS REFUSE TO REPENT.
Micah 7:8 Rejoice not against me, O mine enemy: when I fall, I shall arise; when I sit in darkness, the LORD shall be a light unto me. 9 I will bear the indignation of the LORD, because I have sinned against him, until he plead my cause, and execute judgment for me: he will bring me forth to the light, and I shall behold his righteousness.
