WEBVTT 00:00:00.400 --> 00:00:05.759 We're in a series right now, the second week in, um, on a series titled He Is Good. 00:00:05.839 --> 00:00:15.519 And the reason we titled it that is because the book of Mark and his gospel, his title for his own book is This Is the Beginning of the Good News of Jesus. 00:00:15.679 --> 00:00:18.320 And so his own title is Jesus is good. 00:00:18.800 --> 00:00:25.600 Um and then he seeks to write 16 chapters worth of content about displaying and describing how good he actually is. 00:00:25.679 --> 00:00:35.520 And so we're gonna be spending a a lot of time in the Gospel of Mark trying to look at this idea that Jesus is good, that our primary experience of him should be good. 00:00:35.679 --> 00:00:38.640 And so today I want to look at a practice. 00:00:47.039 --> 00:00:55.439 And it's a practice that I referenced a little bit last week, but it's a practice I don't think we normally uh think of highly or as good. 00:00:55.520 --> 00:01:05.359 Uh, and it's the practice of repentance that I want to express and to explain why I believe it's supposed to be a space, this practice of repentance, why it's supposed to be a space where we experience Him as good. 00:01:05.519 --> 00:01:08.000 So the teaching text is similar to last week. 00:01:08.079 --> 00:01:10.319 We're just gonna go to verse 5, Mark 1, 1 through 5. 00:01:10.480 --> 00:01:16.079 It says this Mark writes, the beginning of the good news about Jesus, the Messiah, the Son of God. 00:01:16.480 --> 00:01:27.439 As it is written in Isaiah the prophet, I will send my messenger ahead of you who will prepare your way, a voice of one calling in the wilderness, prepare the way of the Lord, make straight paths for him. 00:01:27.680 --> 00:01:33.920 And so John the Baptist appeared in the wilderness preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. 00:01:34.319 --> 00:01:39.439 The whole Judean countryside and all the people of Jerusalem went out to him, confessing their sins. 00:01:39.680 --> 00:01:42.480 They were baptized by him in the Jordan River. 00:01:42.799 --> 00:01:43.840 This is the word of the Lord. 00:01:44.319 --> 00:01:45.359 Thanks be to God. 00:01:47.040 --> 00:01:51.840 I used to watch the show Cheers every night before I went to bed. 00:01:52.640 --> 00:01:56.560 I I was I'm I'm relatively young, even though I'm bald. 00:01:56.799 --> 00:02:05.280 Um, but I wasn't around when the show began, and when it did begin, I was, you know, zero years old to seven months or something like that. 00:02:05.519 --> 00:02:10.080 And so I heard great things about the show, and so I wanted to watch it, and so I watched it every night. 00:02:10.159 --> 00:02:18.639 I was I was right into like season two, and very interested in Sam, the you know, ex-Major League Baseball player, and what's gonna happen with him and Diane. 00:02:18.719 --> 00:02:23.599 And I didn't even make it to like the new cast of people, um, Woody Harrelson and all those people. 00:02:23.680 --> 00:02:25.039 I didn't I didn't make it that far. 00:02:25.199 --> 00:02:30.400 Because one night, I'm watching this every night before I go to bed, one episode before I go to bed, and loving it. 00:02:30.639 --> 00:02:36.719 And all of a sudden, as I'm watching it, uh, over the baby monitor that we had, I could hear Teddy start to cough. 00:02:36.879 --> 00:02:44.479 And so I just you know mute the TV or whatever, and I'm listening, and it sounded like he was not just coughing, but struggling like to breathe. 00:02:44.639 --> 00:02:53.840 And so I jump up out of bed and I run into the room, and uh he's standing on in his crib, like facing out and going like that. 00:02:54.000 --> 00:03:00.159 And so I freak out and flip the light on and like grab him up and like take my finger and like I'm trying, like something crawled down his throat. 00:03:00.319 --> 00:03:07.039 I have no idea what's happening, or maybe he choked on something or something like that, and just nothing is coming out, and he's he's going and and all that stuff. 00:03:07.120 --> 00:03:09.280 So I shout for Rainey and we bolt. 00:03:09.360 --> 00:03:12.080 I don't I don't like I don't even have shoes on, no socks, nothing. 00:03:12.159 --> 00:03:20.879 We just get to the car and we start going to the hospital at Germantown Methodist, and I'm I'm flying down Poplar at like 1 a.m. 00:03:21.120 --> 00:03:23.840 and just just blaze no stoplights don't matter. 00:03:23.919 --> 00:03:31.360 I'm just just all the way through there, and we get to the emergency room and get him there, and the whole time that we were driving, she's like holding him in the back. 00:03:31.520 --> 00:03:32.960 And I'm going, Is it can he breathe? 00:03:33.039 --> 00:03:33.439 Can he breathe? 00:03:33.520 --> 00:03:33.840 Can he breathe? 00:03:33.919 --> 00:03:34.960 And she's like, I don't know. 00:03:35.280 --> 00:03:36.800 He seems to he's struggling. 00:03:37.039 --> 00:03:42.479 And uh, and so we get there, and it's she they the lady was like, He's gonna be okay. 00:03:42.560 --> 00:03:49.599 He just has a really bad uh case of croup, and it's really constricting his or uh um his airway and stuff like that. 00:03:49.759 --> 00:03:58.319 So they give him some oxygen and then give him a steroid, and we're there for in the middle of the night, and um, and now he's eight years old and he's fine. 00:03:59.120 --> 00:04:03.919 Um but I haven't watched a show of cheers ever again since that night. 00:04:04.080 --> 00:04:08.400 Like, and I know that it wasn't the show that made him unable to breathe. 00:04:08.479 --> 00:04:13.439 Like, I get that, like the show's not that sinful that the Lord was punishing me or anything like that. 00:04:14.800 --> 00:04:22.319 But I haven't watched it because that show is now associated with the most fear I've ever felt in my entire life. 00:04:22.560 --> 00:04:31.040 And like, so I went like the next day to like, I was gonna watch one, and I was like, I know I'm not superstitious in this way, but maybe a little stitched, like just a just a touch. 00:04:31.279 --> 00:04:35.600 And I was like, man, I what if I just don't, I just don't want to deal with this again. 00:04:35.680 --> 00:04:38.959 I don't want to have that experience again, and it became associated with that. 00:04:39.040 --> 00:04:40.240 So I never got to see how it went. 00:04:40.319 --> 00:04:44.240 So if you have spoilers or things like that, you can tell me because I'm never gonna watch that show. 00:04:44.720 --> 00:04:52.399 But the reason I say all that is because to me, cheers became associated with the greatest fear I've ever felt. 00:04:52.480 --> 00:04:58.639 And I think repentance has become associated with a negative thing, and it was supposed to be a beautiful thing. 00:04:58.800 --> 00:05:08.879 I think it's been usurped or used by pastors who are yelling and screaming and street preachers and people holding up signs and yelling, turn or burn or repent, and stuff like that. 00:05:08.959 --> 00:05:23.519 And this beautiful thing that was supposed to be great has been snagged and now associated with hateful people, and they use it to pronounce it as a way of like not proclamation of goodness, but a proclamation of condemnation. 00:05:24.160 --> 00:05:31.120 And this thing that was supposed to be an announcement that, like, hey, something better is available to you, you should repent. 00:05:31.360 --> 00:05:34.160 Like you can do this other thing that's far better. 00:05:34.240 --> 00:05:43.040 That's the way it's supposed to be used, and instead it began being used as a way to tell you that you're wrong, you're sinful, you're gonna burn, and they used it to condemn you. 00:05:43.120 --> 00:05:53.199 And so I uh today what I want to look at is this practice that uh Thomas Watson in his book, The Doctrine of Repentance, is this Puritan preacher that has this beautiful view of repentance. 00:05:53.279 --> 00:05:54.079 But this is what he says. 00:05:54.639 --> 00:05:58.720 He says there are two great, great graces essential to the saint in this life. 00:05:59.040 --> 00:06:00.319 They are faith and repentance. 00:06:00.720 --> 00:06:01.360 He said that St. 00:06:01.439 --> 00:06:06.639 Augustine kept the penitential psalms with him as he lay upon his bed and often perused them with tears. 00:06:07.120 --> 00:06:10.319 Tertullian thought he was born for no other end but to repent. 00:06:10.560 --> 00:06:14.480 The first sermon that Christ preached, indeed, the first word of his sermon was repent. 00:06:14.720 --> 00:06:20.480 And his farewell that when he left was uh when he was going to ascend was repentance should be preached in his name. 00:06:20.879 --> 00:06:22.720 Repentance is never out of season. 00:06:22.959 --> 00:06:27.759 It is of as frequent use as the artificer's tool or the soldier's weapon. 00:06:28.240 --> 00:06:30.639 Then he says, Let it not be said that repentance is difficult. 00:06:30.800 --> 00:06:32.800 Things that are excellent deserve labor. 00:06:33.279 --> 00:06:39.920 And so repentance is supposed to be this practice that was supposed to be a good thing, and I think it's become associated with things. 00:06:40.000 --> 00:06:48.560 And so when you hear it, or even when you hear like repent, because you start thinking of something negative, or at least to me, in my experience, that's what most people feel. 00:06:48.800 --> 00:06:54.079 And so I think you see that it's supposed to be a good thing in this passage here in Mark 1.5, next slide here. 00:06:54.399 --> 00:07:00.720 It says the John starts preaching, and then the whole Judean countryside and all the people of Jerusalem went out to him. 00:07:00.879 --> 00:07:06.639 And I can be honest, like if it was a bad thing, if they saw it associated with a negative thing, they're not doing all of that. 00:07:06.720 --> 00:07:11.040 Like they're not gonna roll out there in droves to be like, oh, I can't wait to do this horrifying thing. 00:07:11.120 --> 00:07:19.519 Like, no, they were thrilled with this because John was saying something better is available now, something is offered to you that you can press into if you want. 00:07:19.680 --> 00:07:22.560 And all of them were like, great, I can't wait to get out there. 00:07:22.639 --> 00:07:23.759 And so everybody goes out there. 00:07:23.920 --> 00:07:29.360 And so, again, what I want to do today is not just talk about our need for repentance, although I think that's true. 00:07:29.519 --> 00:07:51.040 Um, but I also want to restore some of the beauty to the practice of repentance, so that you don't just practice repentance because you're supposed to, or you have some antiquated idea of it that was passed on from a generation, but that you actually seek to practice repentance in your own life, not because somebody's yelling at you, but because you're like, man, this is this is a beautiful practice that's supposed to be good for me. 00:07:51.199 --> 00:07:52.560 And so that's what I want to try and do today. 00:07:52.639 --> 00:07:58.560 So we're gonna look at what repentance actually is, why we need this practice, and then how we can actually practice that. 00:07:58.639 --> 00:07:59.839 So those three things. 00:08:00.079 --> 00:08:02.399 The first, what is repentance? 00:08:02.560 --> 00:08:16.319 Repentance, uh, this Greek word metanoia, it's a compound word that means to change one's mind, to alter one's understanding, and basically it is a rational decision that you make and a willful, willful act. 00:08:16.399 --> 00:08:23.439 And so it is the same time you are changing your mind on something and your direction, changing your mind and direction. 00:08:23.680 --> 00:08:29.040 And one of the most important things for us to understand about repentance is that it's not just leaving a space. 00:08:29.199 --> 00:08:32.720 You're not just changing your mind and leaving one space, you are doing that a little bit. 00:08:32.879 --> 00:08:37.120 But more than anything, it's not just leaving this, it is moving to something greater. 00:08:37.279 --> 00:08:44.080 A lot of people think of repentance like I'm just leaving something behind, but it's like, yes, but you're also moving to something far, far greater. 00:08:44.240 --> 00:08:54.559 Um, when Teddy was like three or four, we went to the beach, we do this every summer, and uh we were gonna take him to the water park because he finally hit like the the height that he could like ride the water slides and all this stuff. 00:08:54.799 --> 00:08:57.440 And uh we were super excited, he was gonna love it. 00:08:57.600 --> 00:09:06.480 Um so we ate breakfast, and Teddy he was at the age where uh every time he ate a meal, he needed a bath afterwards because of how terrible it went and how dirty he got. 00:09:06.639 --> 00:09:15.440 And so um he ate his food, he was taking a bath, and then it was time, like the water park had opened, and so I was like, hey, we need to get out of the bath, we're gonna go to the water park. 00:09:15.519 --> 00:09:18.879 And he was like, I don't want to go to the water park, I want to stay in the bathtub. 00:09:19.120 --> 00:09:25.679 And I was like, Yeah, well, you don't understand, like the water park has slides and water and fountains and all this stuff. 00:09:25.759 --> 00:09:29.200 And he was like, I gotta slide here, and he starts doing this on the thing. 00:09:29.360 --> 00:09:31.120 And I was like, mm-hmm. 00:09:31.519 --> 00:09:33.360 That's not quite what I'm saying. 00:09:33.519 --> 00:09:34.720 Like, it's better than this. 00:09:34.879 --> 00:09:38.080 Like, you I know you can't understand it, but it's better than the bathtub. 00:09:38.159 --> 00:09:40.159 And he, I mean, just so many tears. 00:09:40.320 --> 00:09:41.440 I didn't want to see in the bathtub. 00:09:41.519 --> 00:09:42.159 I love this. 00:09:42.240 --> 00:09:44.000 Is the best water I've ever had. 00:09:44.240 --> 00:09:49.440 And um, but to me, what I was saying was repent, for the water park has opened. 00:09:49.600 --> 00:09:51.919 Like, this is the message that I'm giving to you. 00:09:52.159 --> 00:09:53.840 The water park is available to you. 00:09:53.919 --> 00:09:55.440 We've purchased the tickets, man. 00:09:55.600 --> 00:09:57.759 Like, there's slides beyond your imagination. 00:09:57.919 --> 00:10:00.639 Like, there's a little bit of water in this, but the whole thing is made of water. 00:10:00.720 --> 00:10:02.799 They're they're killing Florida to get this thing going. 00:10:02.960 --> 00:10:05.440 Like, I mean, come on, like, this is so much better. 00:10:05.600 --> 00:10:12.240 And what I was asking him to do was like, yes, I do need you to leave the bathtub, your your own three-year-old water park. 00:10:12.399 --> 00:10:15.039 But I'm taking you to a space where joy is unlimited. 00:10:15.200 --> 00:10:18.080 Like, it's cost a ton of money to have joy like this. 00:10:18.240 --> 00:10:25.440 And eventually he got out of the bathtub with tears, and then we went to the water park, and then we left the water park in tears because he didn't want to leave the water park. 00:10:25.600 --> 00:10:26.559 And like, he loved it. 00:10:26.799 --> 00:10:28.320 I mean, obviously he loved it. 00:10:28.559 --> 00:10:32.559 But that's what that's what John is is saying to these people in Matthew. 00:10:32.639 --> 00:10:37.360 When he you get the full sermon that John preaches, and he's saying, Yeah, I need you to repent. 00:10:37.440 --> 00:10:37.919 You should repent. 00:10:38.000 --> 00:10:39.279 And it's like, ah, why? 00:10:39.440 --> 00:10:41.600 It's like, because the kingdom of heaven is at hand. 00:10:41.759 --> 00:10:45.279 Like the kingdom has come near, and you can actually experience it. 00:10:45.440 --> 00:10:52.240 And so, yes, I am asking you to leave something, but I'm asking you to leave something worse, to actually step into something far greater. 00:10:52.399 --> 00:10:54.240 And that's what John is trying to tell them to do. 00:10:54.320 --> 00:10:57.360 And I think that's what Jesus is constantly in repentance telling us to do. 00:10:57.519 --> 00:11:01.919 Change your mind, change your direction, but and leave that thing. 00:11:02.000 --> 00:11:04.000 But don't focus on the thing you left behind. 00:11:04.080 --> 00:11:07.360 Focus on the beauty and the glory and the good things that I'm actually calling you into. 00:11:07.440 --> 00:11:09.519 It's far better than what we can imagine. 00:11:10.080 --> 00:11:16.559 And so this is what John is telling us to do, and this is what the practice of repentance is, that's what it is, to change our mind, change our direction. 00:11:16.720 --> 00:11:18.000 So, why do we need it? 00:11:18.240 --> 00:11:20.879 Why do we need to make repentance a regular practice? 00:11:21.279 --> 00:11:22.320 Three reasons. 00:11:22.639 --> 00:11:31.759 The first is we need to practice repentance because Jesus is slowly but constantly seeking to save you from the power of sin in your life. 00:11:32.240 --> 00:11:34.639 It is slow, but it is constant. 00:11:34.960 --> 00:11:40.320 He is seeking to take steps in your life to save you from the power of sin actually affecting your life. 00:11:40.799 --> 00:11:52.559 And so I I made this chart that I'll show you in just a second, but there are three theological terms that in in the life of any believer that Jesus wants to do in our lives. 00:11:52.720 --> 00:11:57.759 One is he wants to justify us, then he wants to sanctify us, and then he wants to glorify us. 00:11:58.000 --> 00:12:01.519 Big, I mean, I you can love the terms or hate them, but this is what he wants to do. 00:12:01.600 --> 00:12:02.720 I'm gonna explain what these are. 00:12:02.960 --> 00:12:05.519 So the first is Jesus wants to justify us. 00:12:05.679 --> 00:12:08.799 So justification is to be saved from the penalty of sin. 00:12:08.879 --> 00:12:11.600 We're separated by God from our sin. 00:12:11.759 --> 00:12:14.559 Our sin draws that wall in between us and God. 00:12:14.720 --> 00:12:21.840 And what Jesus does on the cross, next slide here, is he actually unifies us and reconciles us back. 00:12:22.000 --> 00:12:26.720 And so this thing that was blocking us, he justifies us, and we are now made right in the eyes of God. 00:12:26.879 --> 00:12:27.679 The cross has done that. 00:12:27.759 --> 00:12:32.320 He took our sin so that we could become the image or uh the righteousness of God. 00:12:32.399 --> 00:12:33.759 And so now we're justified. 00:12:33.840 --> 00:12:39.759 And so the way that he sees you in the midst of your sin, when you're doing great, when you're not doing great, the way that he sees you is justified. 00:12:39.840 --> 00:12:42.080 You are justified once and for all. 00:12:42.240 --> 00:12:43.600 That's what the cross has done for you. 00:12:43.679 --> 00:12:49.279 You have become son, you have become daughter, and you cannot break your daughterhood or your sonhood. 00:12:49.360 --> 00:12:50.159 You can't do that. 00:12:50.240 --> 00:12:51.600 Um, so that's justification. 00:12:51.679 --> 00:12:52.080 It's beautiful. 00:12:52.159 --> 00:12:53.279 That's what Jesus did on the cross. 00:12:53.440 --> 00:12:58.960 The second thing that Jesus wants to do after justification for any believer is he wants to sanctify us. 00:12:59.279 --> 00:13:00.399 Go to the next slide there. 00:13:00.480 --> 00:13:00.720 Yeah. 00:13:00.960 --> 00:13:04.320 Sanctification is saving you from the power of sin in your life. 00:13:04.399 --> 00:13:06.879 This is what Jesus wants to do for us in this life. 00:13:06.960 --> 00:13:11.759 Here now, if you're a follower of Jesus and you've been justified, you've received that justification. 00:13:11.840 --> 00:13:14.559 Um, what he wants to do now is save you from the power of sin. 00:13:14.720 --> 00:13:17.120 So this verse right here sums it up really well. 00:13:17.279 --> 00:13:18.960 This is the writer of Hebrews. 00:13:19.120 --> 00:13:23.360 He says, For by one sacrifice, Jesus, he has made us perfect forever. 00:13:23.440 --> 00:13:24.639 So that's justification. 00:13:24.799 --> 00:13:28.000 We're perfect forever in his eyes, regardless of what you do tomorrow. 00:13:28.159 --> 00:13:30.879 You are perfect forever because he has justified you. 00:13:31.120 --> 00:13:36.960 But then you're made perfect forever those who are daily, who are being sanctified or made holy. 00:13:37.120 --> 00:13:45.600 And so we have this space where it's like something has drastically changed our position with him, but then throughout that, he wants to actually make us more holy. 00:13:45.679 --> 00:13:48.159 He wants to purify us of certain things. 00:13:48.320 --> 00:13:53.120 And so I made this image that maybe you'll love, maybe you'll hate, but I think it explains it really well. 00:13:53.200 --> 00:13:54.240 So go to the image here. 00:13:54.399 --> 00:13:57.919 So there's a person, he's a follower of Jesus, he's he's he's doing great. 00:13:58.080 --> 00:14:01.120 Here's what it looks like visibly, uh theoretically. 00:14:01.279 --> 00:14:01.919 This is what it looks like. 00:14:02.000 --> 00:14:03.360 So so next slide here. 00:14:03.519 --> 00:14:06.240 Jesus takes a little ground in your life, okay? 00:14:06.399 --> 00:14:17.919 You're justified and all the things, but like he took a little bit of ground in your life, and now his rule, his reign shapes how you think, shapes apparently what your right shoulder does. 00:14:18.000 --> 00:14:18.960 Um, it shapes you. 00:14:19.039 --> 00:14:28.320 And then next slide here, it took a little bit more, and then next slide here, a little bit more, and then the more you live, the more you live, all of a sudden, like you're moving into this space. 00:14:28.399 --> 00:14:29.440 This is what he's seeking to do. 00:14:29.600 --> 00:14:43.279 He just over time, you've been justified, you're made right with him, but he wants to walk with you and consistently free you of different spaces in your heart where there are sinful desires and things that are shackling you and chaining you, and he wants to just set you more and more free. 00:14:43.360 --> 00:14:47.759 He wants to do that with your mind and your heart, what you do with your hands and so on and so forth. 00:14:47.919 --> 00:14:52.799 So, sanctification, while it doesn't physically look like that, that is what he wants to do. 00:14:52.879 --> 00:14:54.080 He wants to walk with you. 00:14:54.159 --> 00:14:59.120 Uh so a good example is uh Teddy just learned how to ride his bike without training wheels. 00:14:59.440 --> 00:15:07.840 And the process to get him to learn to ride his bike without training wheels, actually to ride his bike at all, was a sanctification process for everybody. 00:15:07.919 --> 00:15:13.759 Uh but for me, for him specifically, like we first, to get him to even get on the bike, we had to bribe him with screen time. 00:15:13.919 --> 00:15:16.320 I was like, you can get screen time if you ride your bike. 00:15:16.399 --> 00:15:19.120 And he's like, okay, so that's one thing, okay? 00:15:19.200 --> 00:15:20.879 And the goal is sanctification. 00:15:20.960 --> 00:15:24.159 I want to get him to ride his bike without training wheels, okay? 00:15:24.320 --> 00:15:28.480 And so got him to even start riding the bike with big training wheels so it's very safe. 00:15:28.559 --> 00:15:36.639 And he started in our little circle down in our cove, and then we moved to a track that was a little bit longer where he could go by himself, so we're getting a little better. 00:15:36.799 --> 00:15:42.000 Then we switched the big training wheels to smaller training wheels that were a little, he had to balance a little bit more. 00:15:42.080 --> 00:15:46.960 And then I just started taking a wrench and loosening the training wheels to where he couldn't lean on them at all. 00:15:47.120 --> 00:15:48.879 And so he'd like the training wheels broken. 00:15:48.960 --> 00:15:50.159 I'm like, man, that's crazy. 00:15:50.320 --> 00:15:51.519 I don't know why. 00:15:51.679 --> 00:15:52.799 That is that way. 00:15:53.039 --> 00:15:54.639 And he was like, Yeah, maybe they're following up. 00:15:54.720 --> 00:15:59.679 Maybe I'm he's what he said was like, maybe I'm getting good enough to ride my bike now that they're starting to fall off on their own. 00:15:59.840 --> 00:16:00.879 I was like, Maybe. 00:16:01.120 --> 00:16:02.960 That is, I, you know. 00:16:03.279 --> 00:16:08.639 And uh, and then the other day we were riding with his training wheels, and they're like basically like, you know, just all the way. 00:16:08.799 --> 00:16:12.480 And then one of them fell off, and he was like, Well, time to take the training wheels off. 00:16:12.559 --> 00:16:13.759 And he took the training wheels off. 00:16:13.840 --> 00:16:16.799 He still struggled a little bit, but he figured it out and he was able to do it. 00:16:16.960 --> 00:16:26.559 The sanctification process in that, the way it looked like, it was like just teeny steps to get him to this space where now he can ride his bike but without training wheels, and he really enjoys it. 00:16:26.639 --> 00:16:31.840 And it's it's again, maybe the image is crude or whatever, maybe it does, but like to me, this is what Jesus wants to do. 00:16:32.000 --> 00:16:39.919 There's spaces in your life where he wants to take more ground in your life consistently so that you experience heaven on earth here and now in our time. 00:16:40.000 --> 00:16:42.080 And so that's sanctification and then glorification. 00:16:42.240 --> 00:16:43.120 Next slide here. 00:16:43.279 --> 00:16:44.639 This is what Jesus wants to do. 00:16:44.799 --> 00:16:46.639 He wants heaven to invade the earth. 00:16:46.799 --> 00:16:50.879 He wants to save you not just from the power of sin, but the presence of sin altogether. 00:16:50.960 --> 00:16:51.759 This is revelation. 00:16:52.080 --> 00:16:56.960 He says there's no more fear, sin, there's no more tears, there's no more suffering, there's none of that. 00:16:57.120 --> 00:16:58.879 He saves you from the presence of sin altogether. 00:16:58.960 --> 00:17:01.840 And so those three things are theological terms, but this is what he wants to do. 00:17:02.000 --> 00:17:08.640 He wants to save you from the penalty of sin, he wants to save you from the power of sin in your life, and then he wants to save you from the presence of sin altogether. 00:17:08.960 --> 00:17:12.160 For us, right now, next slide, we're in this space. 00:17:12.319 --> 00:17:13.920 This is where we're at with Jesus. 00:17:14.000 --> 00:17:19.759 And so he is slowly and constantly seeking to have more of his life overtake your life. 00:17:19.920 --> 00:17:28.319 He is filled with peace and joy and hope and love, and he wants all of those things to overtake the spaces in your life where there's no peace and where there's not love, where there's hate. 00:17:28.400 --> 00:17:33.680 He wants it to just envelop you, not to make you disappear, but to make you become who you were actually meant to be. 00:17:33.839 --> 00:17:36.319 That's what he wants to do, and that's what sanctification is. 00:17:36.480 --> 00:17:47.599 And the reason repentance is important in this space, in our lives following Jesus, is because he will constantly walk with us and say, Hey, I want to move you in this direction. 00:17:47.759 --> 00:17:52.160 This year, what I want to focus on in your life, in your sanctification, is this area of your life. 00:17:52.319 --> 00:17:59.519 This fear that you've had that you've always lived with, that's always been fine, but it's always kind of riddled your life and been a thorn in your flesh. 00:17:59.680 --> 00:18:01.440 I want to remove that thing from you. 00:18:01.519 --> 00:18:08.720 And so this year, we're gonna walk in this direction, removing that fear and purifying that fear from your life so that it no longer affects your life. 00:18:08.880 --> 00:18:12.880 And if we refuse repentance, what we're doing is saying, like, I don't, I no, no, no, I don't want, I don't want. 00:18:13.200 --> 00:18:14.559 I don't want to have that fear removed. 00:18:14.640 --> 00:18:15.759 I don't want to follow you there. 00:18:15.920 --> 00:18:21.039 And what we're doing if we don't repent is we're not actually being led into a space where we actually want to be led. 00:18:21.200 --> 00:18:26.079 And so there are, there's, there's anger, there's stuff that we deal with that he's going, I want to lead you away from that stuff. 00:18:26.240 --> 00:18:31.359 And the practice of repentance is allowing him the opportunity because he's never gonna force it. 00:18:31.599 --> 00:18:37.599 It allows him the opportunity to say, hey, this thing hurts you, and I'd just love to help if you want me to. 00:18:38.079 --> 00:18:40.559 But I'm not gonna force you, I'm not gonna make you do it. 00:18:40.720 --> 00:18:48.160 But if you will let me, I will walk with you into a space where these things that actually affect you negatively, I will purify those things out of you. 00:18:48.480 --> 00:18:59.200 And so constant practice of repentance is supposed to be our normal thing so that he can actually lead us to where we want to go, so that more of his life actually envelops our lives. 00:18:59.920 --> 00:19:08.400 Thomas Watson, again, in his book on repentance, he says repentance is a continuous act that must not be stopped until death. 00:19:08.799 --> 00:19:10.960 Repentance is called crucifying the flesh. 00:19:11.039 --> 00:19:14.480 It's just killing the things in us that are that we actually want to be killed too. 00:19:14.640 --> 00:19:17.440 The things that we're like, man, I wish I didn't care how much people thought about me. 00:19:17.519 --> 00:19:19.680 It's like, yeah, Jesus wants you to be free from that too. 00:19:19.759 --> 00:19:21.680 And he wants to take ground in your life. 00:19:21.920 --> 00:19:25.759 Man, I wish that I didn't deal with so much of other things. 00:19:25.839 --> 00:19:26.559 It's like, great. 00:19:26.799 --> 00:19:27.839 He cares about that too. 00:19:28.000 --> 00:19:41.599 And year after year, week after week, or whatever, he will find different spaces in your life to go like, hey, this year, we're not gonna do them all at once, but this year, we're gonna take on this project and we're gonna sanctify this area of your life so that you can walk in freedom in these things. 00:19:41.759 --> 00:19:44.079 And so he says, repentance is called crucifying the flesh. 00:19:44.160 --> 00:19:51.759 It's not done all at once, but continuously all our lives, though you are diamonds, and I love that, though you are diamonds, you still have flaws. 00:19:52.000 --> 00:19:55.359 And we know that intrinsic, like we know that in and of ourselves. 00:19:55.440 --> 00:19:59.680 And he's going, I just want to help you remove those things that you can't do on your own. 00:19:59.920 --> 00:20:08.400 And so repentance allows him the space to go, like, okay, when I say, let's walk this way instead of this, let's do this instead of this, let's take this action in order to free you of this thing. 00:20:08.559 --> 00:20:18.079 In repentance, we go, okay, I will leave behind what I know and I will step into what I don't know because I trust you and I actually want to experience the sanctifying work of you, purifying my heart and my life. 00:20:18.319 --> 00:20:21.599 And so repentance opens us up to what Jesus actually wants us to do. 00:20:21.839 --> 00:20:28.880 And that's why it's important because if you are a follower of Jesus, the however long your life is, it is a sanctification process. 00:20:29.039 --> 00:20:37.839 He wants to walk with you, develop a relationship with you that ultimately leads you into greater love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, and all of those things. 00:20:38.160 --> 00:20:39.359 That's what he wants to lead you in. 00:20:39.680 --> 00:20:43.839 And so repentance is important so that we actually allow him to do some of those things. 00:20:44.000 --> 00:20:50.319 Um if you don't allow him to do this, if you you're still in sanctification, you'll just stay with these things longer. 00:20:50.480 --> 00:20:53.119 These thorns in your side will just stay there longer. 00:20:53.279 --> 00:20:54.880 It will just be things that stick with you. 00:20:54.960 --> 00:20:59.279 And he's like, I actually want to lead those things, lead you into a space where those things don't happen. 00:20:59.440 --> 00:21:01.440 Okay, that's the the second, the third. 00:21:02.079 --> 00:21:03.680 Oh, excuse me, that's the first. 00:21:05.279 --> 00:21:10.720 The second reason we need to practice repentance is that Jesus has something better for you than you actually think. 00:21:11.440 --> 00:21:15.039 He is calling you into something better than you actually think is possible. 00:21:15.920 --> 00:21:21.920 To me, one of the things that I think that stands in our way of repenting is that we don't believe it will make that much of a difference. 00:21:22.079 --> 00:21:26.160 If I follow Jesus, how much better could it be than what I'm currently doing? 00:21:26.400 --> 00:21:28.960 How could it possibly be better than what I'm able to do on our own? 00:21:29.119 --> 00:21:36.559 And it's we might not say that outright, but it is the space of like, I know that I'm supposed to be obedient in this, but like what big of a difference will it actually make? 00:21:36.720 --> 00:21:41.920 Will it actually change things in a significant enough way to make me want to actually do it? 00:21:42.079 --> 00:21:46.799 And I think it it gets in the way of us seeking to repent because it's like, how much better could it actually be? 00:21:46.880 --> 00:21:51.440 But he wants something better for you than you can actually get on your own and something better than you think. 00:21:52.160 --> 00:21:56.400 I think one of the places that you see this the best is in Luke 15. 00:21:56.480 --> 00:21:57.920 It's the parable of the prodigal son. 00:21:58.079 --> 00:22:08.319 If you know this story, it Uh so Jesus tells this parable there's this prodigal, this is a son that wants to leave his father and take his inheritance and go and live however he wants, and that's what he does. 00:22:08.480 --> 00:22:13.039 He gets all his money and he goes and lives this crazy life with prostitutes and all the rest of it. 00:22:13.200 --> 00:22:26.079 And then it goes really poorly for him because a drought and famine happen, and he spends all his money, loses all his money, and then finds himself in this really low spot where he's like, I had to sell myself as a servant. 00:22:26.240 --> 00:22:29.359 I don't have food to eat, and I long to eat what the pigs are eating. 00:22:29.440 --> 00:22:31.279 The pigs I'm serving eat better than I do. 00:22:31.359 --> 00:22:33.599 And that's his experience, that's the prodigal son's experience. 00:22:33.759 --> 00:22:36.880 And then he has this realization, he actually has this change of mind. 00:22:36.960 --> 00:22:38.640 He he he thinks of repenting. 00:22:38.720 --> 00:22:40.480 And he's like, I should just go home. 00:22:40.640 --> 00:22:41.839 Like, I just need to go home. 00:22:41.920 --> 00:22:47.119 And so what he says, he says, How many of my father's hired servants, like I'm a hired servant, I don't have food to eat? 00:22:47.200 --> 00:22:51.599 How many of my father's hired servants have food to spare, and here I am starving to death? 00:22:51.759 --> 00:22:54.640 And so what he says, this is his plan of repentance. 00:22:54.799 --> 00:23:03.039 And notice what he says, he goes, I will set out, I'll go back to my father, I'll repent and go back to my father, and I'll say to him, Father, I've sinned against heaven and against you. 00:23:03.279 --> 00:23:05.200 I'm no longer worthy to be called your son. 00:23:05.359 --> 00:23:06.960 Make me like one of your hired servants. 00:23:07.039 --> 00:23:08.319 That's his plan for repentance. 00:23:08.400 --> 00:23:09.839 Make me like one of your hired servants. 00:23:10.000 --> 00:23:12.319 And so he gets up and he goes to his father. 00:23:12.559 --> 00:23:18.400 And what I want you to notice is his vision of repentance is only a little bit better than his current situation. 00:23:18.559 --> 00:23:21.519 His vision of like, here's what it'll be like when I repent. 00:23:21.839 --> 00:23:24.160 I'm a servant, go to the next slide here. 00:23:24.319 --> 00:23:26.079 I'm a servant who's hungry. 00:23:26.319 --> 00:23:26.880 There we go. 00:23:27.039 --> 00:23:28.319 I'm a servant who's starving. 00:23:28.480 --> 00:23:31.200 I'll repent and I'll be a servant who has some food. 00:23:31.359 --> 00:23:33.759 Like, that's his, like, dream as big as you can. 00:23:34.160 --> 00:23:35.359 Like, this is this is all I got. 00:23:35.440 --> 00:23:37.680 And it's like, that's that's a really low vision, man. 00:23:37.839 --> 00:23:39.119 Um, but that's his thing. 00:23:39.200 --> 00:23:43.839 He's like, I'll repent, and repentance will be just slightly better than what I'm currently dealing with. 00:23:43.920 --> 00:23:47.119 I'm starving, but at least I'll have food, but I'll still be a slave. 00:23:47.680 --> 00:23:50.640 But then what look look what happens if you just follow the story. 00:23:50.720 --> 00:23:52.480 It says, But so he goes home. 00:23:52.720 --> 00:23:57.359 While he was a long way off, his father saw him, was filled with compassion for him. 00:23:57.599 --> 00:24:00.640 He ran to his son, he threw his arms around his son, he kissed him. 00:24:00.799 --> 00:24:02.640 The son begins his repentance. 00:24:02.880 --> 00:24:06.400 Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you, I'm no longer worthy to be called your son. 00:24:06.480 --> 00:24:17.759 And then the father cuts him off and it says, But the father said to his servants, he says to the servants, Go get the best robe and put it on my son, put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet, bring the fattened calf and kill it. 00:24:17.920 --> 00:24:18.960 Let's have a feast and celebrate. 00:24:19.039 --> 00:24:20.960 For this son of mine was dead and is alive again. 00:24:21.119 --> 00:24:22.240 He was lost and is found. 00:24:22.319 --> 00:24:24.319 And so they began to celebrate. 00:24:24.640 --> 00:24:34.000 This son thought repentance and repenting would be just a slightly better, but it's far greater than what his experience is far greater than anything he could have possibly imagined. 00:24:34.160 --> 00:24:35.440 Like it was just so much better. 00:24:35.599 --> 00:24:37.279 Like it, no, I don't want you as a servant. 00:24:37.440 --> 00:24:40.799 Repentance and turning back into like something just slightly better. 00:24:40.880 --> 00:24:43.039 Like it no, it's so it's far greater than that. 00:24:43.200 --> 00:24:45.440 There's something so much better that Jesus is calling us into. 00:24:45.519 --> 00:24:47.200 And we need to see repentance like this. 00:24:47.440 --> 00:24:50.160 Like what Jesus is calling us into isn't like, I need you to repent. 00:24:50.240 --> 00:24:51.920 And it's like, it's gonna be okay. 00:24:52.079 --> 00:24:52.799 It's not that. 00:24:52.880 --> 00:24:58.000 It's like repent so that you can actually experience the joy of the celebration that's happening here. 00:24:58.240 --> 00:25:04.880 And in my experience, people see repentance and following Jesus restricting us like a diet. 00:25:04.960 --> 00:25:08.880 Like it's like, I know I should do it, but like I really would rather just eat donuts. 00:25:09.039 --> 00:25:10.559 Like I know I do need a diet. 00:25:10.720 --> 00:25:13.279 I just don't, I don't think, I don't really want to do that. 00:25:13.359 --> 00:25:14.720 And that's how people see repentance. 00:25:14.799 --> 00:25:16.400 That's how people see following Jesus. 00:25:16.559 --> 00:25:17.680 But it's actually the other way. 00:25:17.759 --> 00:25:20.400 He's not calling us to a diet, he's calling us to feast. 00:25:20.559 --> 00:25:24.799 In his mind, he's going, you guys are eating scraps, and you don't have to. 00:25:25.039 --> 00:25:28.000 Like you don't have to continue eating just this tiny thing. 00:25:28.079 --> 00:25:31.599 Like you can actually, I have food, choice food, choice drinks at my table. 00:25:31.680 --> 00:25:32.400 You're invited. 00:25:32.559 --> 00:25:33.759 Why stay at the scraps? 00:25:33.839 --> 00:25:38.400 I'm calling you to repent, not so that you turn to something lesser, but so that you turn into something far greater. 00:25:38.559 --> 00:25:47.759 And for us, if we don't have this vision of repentance of the prodigal son coming home and actually experiencing those things, we won't want to repent because it's like, how much better could it be? 00:25:47.839 --> 00:25:50.720 And it's like, it's beyond your imagination how much better it'll be. 00:25:50.799 --> 00:25:55.839 What he will lead you into is far greater than what you are currently experiencing because he's going to be doing it. 00:25:56.000 --> 00:26:01.920 What you did was create your current situation, and he's going, just follow me and I'll lead you into something you've never experienced in your entire life. 00:26:02.160 --> 00:26:04.319 But I need you to turn and come home. 00:26:04.480 --> 00:26:06.480 Repentance will lead to something better. 00:26:06.720 --> 00:26:08.400 It's not a diet, it's a feast. 00:26:08.480 --> 00:26:11.920 It's not restricting, it's freeing, and this is what he's calling us to. 00:26:12.079 --> 00:26:14.960 This is why Peter says this in his sermon. 00:26:15.039 --> 00:26:21.920 He says, Repent then and turn to God so that your sins may be wiped out, so that times of refreshing may come from the Lord. 00:26:22.079 --> 00:26:25.039 Repent so that times of refreshing may come from the Lord. 00:26:25.200 --> 00:26:25.920 Like, what does he want? 00:26:26.079 --> 00:26:27.680 What if I rep if I repent, what's he gonna do? 00:26:27.839 --> 00:26:30.079 It's like, I think he wants to give you times of refreshment. 00:26:30.160 --> 00:26:31.920 Like, I think that's what he wants to do. 00:26:32.079 --> 00:26:33.839 I think that's all he's after. 00:26:34.079 --> 00:26:38.160 He wants to wipe things away from us that harm us, and he wants to lead us into times of refreshing. 00:26:38.240 --> 00:26:42.480 He's always, always, always calling us into something better. 00:26:42.720 --> 00:26:44.799 And for us, we have to believe that that's true. 00:26:44.960 --> 00:26:46.720 Otherwise, we won't follow these things. 00:26:46.880 --> 00:26:51.119 We don't follow people when we're like, I don't really know, if they're leading me in a good direction, I don't really know. 00:26:51.519 --> 00:26:52.480 We just won't do it. 00:26:52.559 --> 00:26:57.839 But if we have a vision, it's like, man, what he has for me is far greater, we'll move into those spaces. 00:26:57.920 --> 00:27:00.640 And so that's why we need to practice repentance. 00:27:01.279 --> 00:27:09.680 The third, we need to practice consistent repentance because the world needs to see our repentance, the unbelieving world needs to see our repentance. 00:27:10.640 --> 00:27:25.680 For you and me, if you're a follower of Jesus, um when you choose to repent, to follow Jesus, to turn from something lesser into something greater, you you reveal and show to a world, an unbelieving world, that something better exists. 00:27:25.920 --> 00:27:32.720 Like there's actually greater space and more freedom and more available, not less available. 00:27:32.799 --> 00:27:37.279 And you show that to the world who doesn't believe in Jesus or just doesn't want to see it for themselves. 00:27:37.440 --> 00:27:54.240 And so the unbelieving world needs to see Christians repenting of fear, fear of the government, fear of the new presidency, fear of whatever, fear of what's going on in Gaza, fear the unbelieving world needs to see Christians repenting of fear because it reveals that there's a way of trust and confidence available to those who know Jesus. 00:27:54.480 --> 00:28:03.759 And so if they're if if everybody else is riddled with fear, but there's a group of people that aren't, they may make fun of us and say that we're uninformed, but it's like actually, I just know I am actually more informed. 00:28:03.920 --> 00:28:05.200 I know who runs this. 00:28:05.359 --> 00:28:07.279 Like I don't have to live in fear of this. 00:28:07.519 --> 00:28:09.599 And so this is available to you too. 00:28:09.759 --> 00:28:11.119 And so it reveals something to them. 00:28:11.279 --> 00:28:29.279 The unbelieving world needs to see Christians repenting of materialism because it reveals that there's a way to contentment and fulfillment, not by means of getting more stuff or material gain, but like I can, you can be content with little, you can be content with a lot, and you can be discontent with a little, and you can be discontent with the everything that you've ever wanted in your entire life. 00:28:29.359 --> 00:28:41.039 And so when we repent of materialism, we reveal something to them that's like, hey, what you're actually looking for to find contentment by purchasing all that stuff or getting all that stuff, you can actually have that without going in the death that you're going in. 00:28:41.200 --> 00:28:44.480 You can actually have all of that without being freaked out by the stock markets. 00:28:44.640 --> 00:28:46.480 You can actually experience the contentment there. 00:28:46.559 --> 00:28:47.440 And it's from knowing him. 00:28:47.599 --> 00:28:56.799 The unbelieving world needs to see Christians repenting of grudges and bitterness because it reveals that there's a way to reconcile every relationship, that every relationship can be restored. 00:28:57.119 --> 00:29:21.039 And so to me, when we repent, when we turn from having marriages like everyone else, when we repent in our marriages and start treating our spouse the way that Jesus calls us to, instead of the way that we just naturally want to do or the way that we were raised to do, when we repent and do it his way, what we reveal to the world is like, hey, there's actually a way to go about marriage and to experience marriage that's far better if you do it the way that Jesus calls us to do that. 00:29:21.279 --> 00:29:25.920 When we repent, we turn from worrying like everyone else to experience a peace like no one else. 00:29:26.079 --> 00:29:32.000 When we repent, we turn from unforgiveness and bitterness to forgiveness and freedom rather than bitterness. 00:29:32.160 --> 00:29:39.440