September 20, 2011

I want to pose a scenario to you this morning that is not far-fetched. In fact, this is something that no doubt could happen to you and has happened to someone you know.

You haven’t felt well for a while and so you finally decide to get checked out by the doctor. A routine examination shows a need for more tests and the tests identify a serious illness. Let’s say it is cancer. You are sent to a surgeon and he says there is a good chance it can be completely removed by surgery and you will be fine. Upon hearing this you respond, “I don’t know Doc. I am not sure I want all the cancer removed, can you leave a little of it in there?”

No doctor would agree to that! He was trained to bring healing and took an oath to use all of his skill and training to that end.

And yet that is exactly what you do with God when it comes to sin. God, through His Word and through His Spirit, reveals this terrible cancer called sin that is eating you up and destroying you now and for eternity, and yet you tell God you don’t want it all taken out.

How crazy is that?

God’s prescription for dealing with sin is called “repentance”. It acknowledges a serious spiritual problem and allows Him to come in and remove it. But you must be willing to have it all removed.

This message is the first in a series call “Terms of Endearment” that centers on helping you understand all the amazing things that God does in your life when you enter into salvation. There is redemption, there is regeneration, there recreation, is reconciliation, there is righteousness, and there is rejoicing.

”Now there were some present at that time who told Jesus about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mixed with their sacrifices. Jesus answered, “Do you think that these Galileans were worse sinners than all the other Galileans because they suffered this way? I tell you, no! But unless you repent, you too will all perish. Or those eighteen who died when the tower in Siloam fell on them—do you think they were more guilty than all the others living in Jerusalem? I tell you, no! But unless you repent, you too will all perish.” Luke 13:1-5

There are three key words I want to focus on this morning – “all”, “repent”, and “perish”.

I. REPENT is An Inclusive Word

Going back to our analogy, when you go to the Surgeon and shares his diagnosis with you and recommends immediate and radical action you would not waist time by wondering what you had done wrong to deserve this, nor would you point to all the people in the waiting room and ask, “What’s wrong with them?” The Dr. would ignore those questions and press you for a decision.

That is what is happening with Jesus in his portion of Scripture.

"All" need to repent. But you can only repent for yourself. It is an individual responsibility.

What Jesus is saying is there are no innocent human beings. "All have sinned and come short of the glory of God" (Romans 3:23). "There is none righteous, no not one" (Romans 3:10). What should amaze us in our sin is not that some are taken in calamity, but that we are spared and given another day to repent. The really amazing thing in this universe is not that guilty sinners perish, but that God is so slow to anger that you and I can sit here this morning and have another chance to repent.

A. There is no escape from it

Repent or perish; all must face it. Acts 17:30 informs us that God "commandeth all men every where to repent." The desire of God is for all men to come to repentance (II Peter 3:9 "The Lord is not slack concerning His promise...."). God does not give us an option in the matter of repentance, He commands all men to repent.

Repentance is not arbitrary, it is absolute.

B. There is no excuse from it

Either you repent or perish. It is that simple.

Unless you repent you will PERISH.

The clerk will perish if she does not repent. Your children will perish, you parents will perish, your neighbors will perish, your colleagues will perish if they do not repent.

REPENT OR PERISH!

There is no escape for perishing except through repentance.

Perish is something more than simply die a physical death. Jesus is referring to something beyond death. Those Galileans were taken unawares and experienced a horrible end; however, unless you repent, you too will be taken unawares and experience a horrible end—the judgment of God beyond the grave.

The word perish often refers to this terrible judgment in the New Testament. For example in John 3:16 perishing is seen as the alternative to having everlasting life. The same thing turns up in John 10:28.

It is significant that Jesus taught repeatedly about Hell. To portray it He often drew upon the horrors of the Vale of Hinnom, the garbage dump of Jerusalem. Into it were thrown the filth of the city along with the bodies of dead animals and the unclaimed bodies of executed criminals. Maggots infested the nauseous mass, consuming fires burned constantly, and wild dogs howled and gnashed their teeth over edible portions of the garbage. Jesus said that this was a symbol of hell, and the reality is always greater that the symbol.

It is in the word “repent” that your hope lies to escape Hell.

Without repentance and a fleeing to Christ there is fire in your future.

September 19, 2011

" 'My son,' the father said, 'you are always with me, and everything I have is yours." Luke 15:31

Back somewhere between the invention of the wheel and the Dark Ages a group called "Air Supply" had a hit song called "Lost In Love". Actually, it was in the 80's, but that was a while ago. But that idea fits the two sons in Jesus' third parable. They were surrounded by the lavish love of a gracious father and neither of them were able to experience it. I have been examining why that was true.

The younger son got caught in the pleasure trap. He thought that fulfillment and happiness were "out there" somewhere to be captured. So he took his fortune and began a wanton search only to come up bankrupt and in bondage. He had to abuse grace to learn how to use it.

The older son was missing out because he was caught in the performance trap. He thought he could earn the father's love by his faithful service. He didn't know he could get it by grace. Unfortunately, he refused grace.

He apparently believed that since he had served the father faithfully he deserved a better deal than what he had. Since he felt he was getting cheated, he refused to celebrate with his father over the return of his little brother. It seems that people who have trouble receiving grace also have trouble giving it.

So, surrounded by lavish love, he lived feeling unloved. God's love is real. His love is free. It is unconditional. But we need to know how to receive it or we will never experience it. Feeling the need to earn love, he spurned love.

If you are like this older son and have trouble accepting the Father's love because you feel the need to earn it, learn from the younger brother. When you come to the Father confessing with a contrite heart, not expecting anything, the Father gives you everything! If you come seeking His face you receive His grace. It's not about Him accepting what you've done, it's about you receiving what He's done.

The younger son partied and the older one pouted.

September 18, 2011

"Now there were some present at that time who told Jesus about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mixed with their sacrifices. Jesus answered, “Do you think that these Galileans were worse sinners than all the other Galileans because they suffered this way? I tell you, no! But unless you repent, you too will all perish. Or those eighteen who died when the tower in Siloam fell on them—do you think they were more guilty than all the others living in Jerusalem? I tell you, no! But unless you repent, you too will all perish.”  Luke 13:1-5

I want you to imagine a scenario that you may be all to familiar with and one we all dread. Having not felt well for awhile you finally go to the doctor for a physical exam. Your doctor finds some things that concern him so he sets you up with an appointment with a specialist. As you leave your Drs. office you are anxious because he seemed so concerned.

You see the specialist and he runs several tests. Upon getting the results he sits you down and explains to you that they have found a cancerous tumor and it has to be removed as soon as possible. He seems pretty confident that if you will have surgery you should have a high probability of beating the cancer. His recommendation is to have it done as soon as you can.

God forbid that should happen, but if you were faced with that decision I am sure you would want that cancer taken out - all of it. I doubt if you would tell the surgeon to take most of it but leave a little of it in there.

And yet we often take that attitude toward sin.

We are like the shoplifter who got saved and wrote to a department store, "I've become a Christian and I can't sleep at night because I feel guilty, so here is $100 I owe you."

Then he signed his name and in a little postscript at the bottom he adds, "If I still can't sleep, I'll send you the rest!"

Repentance is to sin what surgery is to cancer. And sin is like a cancer because it can kill you and like cancer you need to get it all out. When you repent you turn from sin - every known sin in your life - and turn to God. It is a spiritual and moral u-turn! It doesn't work to repent of some sins while holding on to a few. You can't flirt around with sin. You can have in for a pet. It will destroy you if you don't repent of it.

Jesus gave this choice - Repent OR Perish! If you want to perish don't bother to repent. But if you don't want to repent then you will perish.

Wabush, a town in a remote portion of Labrador, Canada,was completely isolated for years.  But recently a road was cut through the wilderness to reach it. Wabush now has one road leading into it, and thus, only one road leading out. If someone would travel the unpaved  road for six to eight hours to get into Wabush, there is only one way that person could get out of town - by turning around and going back the other way.

Everyone of us, by birth, arrives in a town called Sin. As in Wabush, there is only one way out - a road built by God himself. But in order to take that road, one must first turn around.thacomplete about face is what the Bible call repentance and without it there is no way out of town - no way out of sin.

Jesus says to you as He did to these men, "Repent or perish."

September 17, 2011

"But unless you repent, you too will all perish. Or those eighteen who died when the tower in Siloam fell on them—do you think they were more guilty than all the others living in Jerusalem? I tell you, no! But unless you repent, you too will all perish.”  Luke 13:4-5

Repentance hasn’t gone out of style but it seems that talking about it has. Have you noticed that or is it just me?

John the Baptist talked a lot about it. Jesus did, too.

Why do you suppose people aren’t talking about it much today?

I can’t say for sure, but I can offer some ideas.

Maybe it has to do with a misunderstanding of grace. There are those who are of the opinion that since Jesus died for our sins all we have to do is believe in Him and He forgives us just as we are. Repentance doesn’t fit in that scenario.

Perhaps some think calling people to repentance is too confrontational and may offend people. Political correctness can lead to theological incorrectness and that can be deadly.

To repent is an admission that God is right and you are wrong. That is something the sinful nature doesn't want to do.

I fear, however, the real reason that people have lost the sense of urgency over repentance is because they have lost a sense of urgency about sin. Repentance isn’t that big of a deal if sin isn’t that big of a deal.

In the verse above Jesus mentions two times that if you don’t repent you will perish. I don’t know but that sounds serious to me! Especially when you understand that perish means more than just dying – it means eternal death or spiritual death.

According to Jesus it comes down to two clear choices: either you choose to repent of your sin OR you choose to perish in your sin. Either of those is a big deal! Repenting of your sins and finding eternal life is a big deal. Failing to repent and perishing in your sins is also a big deal.

Repentance is having a godly sorrow over sin and turning away from it. Repentance is turning your back on sin and seeking God's Face. Acts 3:19 says, ^"Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord,"

I think we ought to talk more about repentance. And we ought to do it! It’s a big deal!

September 16, 2011

"Then he began to call down curses on himself and he swore to them, “I don’t know the man!” Immediately a rooster crowed. Then Peter remembered the word Jesus had spoken: “Before the rooster crows, you will disown me three times.” And he went outside and wept bitterly. Early in the morning, all the chief priests and the elders of the people came to the decision to put Jesus to death. They bound him, led him away and handed him over to Pilate, the governor. When Judas, who had betrayed him, saw that Jesus was condemned, he was seized with remorse and returned the thirty silver coins to the chief priests and the elders. “I have sinned,” he said, “for I have betrayed innocent blood.” “What is that to us?” they replied. “That’s your responsibility.” So Judas threw the money into the temple and left. Then he went away and hanged himself."  Matthew 26:74-27:5

God has a lot of big ideas. I guess that is one reason He's God. And, it is why you're not!

As Christ-followers it is our responsibility to get our minds and hearts around those life-changing concepts and let the mold our spirits.

One of those big ideas that doesn't get much air time anymore is repentance. I have been studying and meditating on it (and doing it) this week for my message on repentance. If you don't understand repentance you won't be able to get many of God's other big ideas.

While I was out walking my dog this morning the Spirit quickened my mind about the difference between repentance and regret. The classic examples are Peter and Judas. Both had regrets but only one repented while the other is still having regrets.

Let's examine this a little closer:

1) Both were disciples of Jesus

2) Both denied Him at critical times

3) Both did it to their own advantage

4) Both realized their mistakes and felt deep regret

5) But Peter humbled himself while Judas hung himself.

BIG difference!

Repentance is all about humility. Regret is often about pride.

Both were proud men, why did they have such different responses to their failures?

Let me offer an idea and you do some searching of your own.

Peter understood who Jesus really was. It was Peter who declared that Jesus was the "Son of the Living God". Jesus commended him for this insight. When you know Who Jesus is then you also know who you are - and aren't.

Judas misunderstood who Jesus really was. He wanted Jesus to set up His Kingdom on earth by overthrowing Roman oppression and restoring Jerusalem. He was basically following Jesus for selfish ambition. Once he realized Jesus wasn't Who he wanted Him to be he looked for another deal.

Because Peter understood Who Jesus was, he wanted to save faith after he had failed.

Because Judas didn't know Who Jesus was, he wanted to save face after his failure.

Repentance is the response of someone who really gets the big idea of who Jesus is! Living in remorse and surrendering to regret isn't.

I guess the question this morning is, "Will you be Peter or will you be Judas?"

September 15, 2011

"Now there were some present at that time who told Jesus about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mixed with their sacrifices. Jesus answered, “Do you think that these Galileans were worse sinners than all the other Galileans because they suffered this way? I tell you, no! But unless you repent, you too will all perish. Or those eighteen who died when the tower in Siloam fell on them—do you think they were more guilty than all the others living in Jerusalem?  I tell you, no! But unless you repent, you too will all perish.”  Luke 13:1-5

Repent is an inclusive word - everyone will need to repent or they will perish.

Second, REPENT is a Decisive Word

The story is told of a shoplifter who writes to a department store and says, "I’ve just become a Christian, and I can’t sleep at night because I feel guilty. So here’s $100 that I owe you."

"Then he signs his name, and in a little postscript at the bottom he adds, "If I still can’t sleep, I’ll send you the rest."

That is NOT true repentance! Repentance must be accompanied by true godly sorrow! Repentance is not motivated by the desire to feel better, it is driven by the desire to BE better!

"Repent" is a crucial word. "Repent" is a critical word. Repent is an absolute necessity. This is borne out in the following things: you must REPENT or you will PERISH!

When you are diagnosed with a potentially terminal disease and a radical treatment is prescribed, you know you receive what the Surgeon is calling for or you will perish. That is a decision that must be made sooner rather than later.

It is not a time for distraction or speculation it is time for decisive action. The Surgeon is not interested in discussing medical theories with you or wildly speculating on why some people get cancer and other people don’t, he wants you to commit to dealing with YOUR cancer.

In this encounter with Jesus these men were trying to avoid the issue by speculating about what was wrong with these other people. Jesus will not allow you to avoid the issue. Through His Holy Spirit He will relentlessly confront you and convict of your sin. That is the whole point of repentance.

Repentance is a definite decision made with the intention of turning AWAY from sinfulness and turning 180 degrees TOWARD God! Repentence is the "Christian U-Turn" in that it is a decision to immediately stop the sins that lead you away from God and turn around to return to Him by faith.

If you do not want to perish (be destroyed for eternity) then you will want to repent and return to God!

September 14, 2011

”Now there were some present at that time who told Jesus about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mixed with their sacrifices. Jesus answered, “Do you think that these Galileans were worse sinners than all the other Galileans because they suffered this way? I tell you, no! But unless you repent, you too will all perish. Or those eighteen who died when the tower in Siloam fell on them—do you think they were more guilty than all the others living in Jerusalem? I tell you, no! But unless you repent, you too will all perish.” Luke 13:1-5

REPENT is an inclusive word

"All" need to repent.

What Jesus teaches, then, is that all of us are extremely sinful. There are no innocent human beings. "All have sinned and come short of the glory of God" (Romans 3:23). "There is none righteous, no not one" (Romans 3:10). What should amaze us in our sin is not that some are taken in calamity, but that we are spared and given another day to repent. The really amazing thing in this universe is not that guilty sinners perish, but that God is so slow to anger that you and I can sit here this morning and have another chance to repent.

A. There is no escape from it

Repent or perish; all must face it. Acts 17:30 informs us that God "commandeth all men every where to repent." The desire of God is for all men to come to repentance (II Peter 3:9 "The Lord is not slack concerning His promise....").

God does not give us an option in the matter of repentance, He commands all men to repent.

Repentance is not arbitrary, it is absolute.

It is an either / or - either repent or perish.

B. There is no excuse from it

Either you repent or perish. It is that simple.

Unless you repent you will PERISH.

The clerk will perish if she does not repent. Your children will perish, you parents will perish, your neighbors will perish, your colleagues will perish if they do not repent.

REPENT OR PERISH! Face it now or regret it later.

There is no escape for perishing except through repentance.

Perish is something more than simply die a physical death. Jesus is referring to something beyond death. Those Galileans were taken unawares and experienced a horrible end; however, unless you repent, you too will be taken unawares and experience a horrible end—the judgment of God beyond the grave.

The word perish often refers to this terrible judgment in the New Testament. For example in John 3:16 perishing is seen as the alternative to having everlasting life. The same thing turns up in John 10:28.

It is significant that Jesus taught repeatedly about Hell. To portray it He often drew upon the horrors of the Vale of Hinnom, the garbage dump of Jerusalem. Into it were thrown the filth of the city along with the bodies of dead animals and the unclaimed bodies of executed criminals. Maggots infested the nauseous mass, consuming fires burned constantly, and wild dogs howled and gnashed their teeth over edible portions of the garbage. Jesus said that this was a symbol of hell, and the reality is always greater that the symbol.

It is in the word “repent” that your hope lies to escape Hell.

Without repenting and fleeing to Christ there is fire in your future.