Well, good afternoon. Meet me in your Bibles please.
I trust you have a copy of God's word in your hands and if you if
you don't own a Bible please come see us.
We would love to help you get a Bible. and it's a Mark chapter
1, where we were gathering teeth together today, and inverse,
Verse 14. Mark 114.
Two verses for meditation today. Now after John was arrested,
Jesus came into Galilee, proclaiming the gospel of God
and saying, the time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of
God is at hand, repent, and believe in the gospel.
Lord, we ask you with such awareness of our neediness of
your help. Lord please.
It could be that. These two verses providentially
have come to us this day for it to be the moment that someone
would come to know you personally and we asked O Lord
that as your word Goes Forth, that people would hear your
voice and we asked O Lord, that the authority and the power that
this that the scripture here wasn't To convey may be known,
we want to know your power, we know that you've given us the
Blessed Holy Spirit and we know that he's been given to make us
powerful Witnesses and as your word is testified of today May
that power accompany it. We trust in you Lord Jesus Lord
we are very weak and we know Lord that weakness is all that
you need for your power to be made known and Perfection and so
Lord may your perfect power bi Known in this Sanctuary.
More importantly, in our hearts in Jesus name, we pray.
Amen. The two verses before us today,
Mark, the beginning of Jesus public Ministry more
specifically, his preaching Ministry and up to this point.
The Lord Jesus has been walking in perfect obedience, and he
will continue to do. So, by honoring the father, and
two, great, and tremendous Feats.
The first one was by willing to Humble himself.
By being baptized by the Baptist, the First Baptist, John
the Baptist. And the second was that great
victory, that great Conquest over Satan while being tempted
for 40 days in the wilderness. Now that first accomplishment by
going into the Waters of repentance is Jesus, symbolic
statement of identifying with sinners And the second one as he
traveled in isolation through the Wilderness, was his way of
identifying with our Temptation and early on.
In Mark, we have not even covered the first chapter.
Yet we learned something about the master so significant so
Sublime. The first is this that he is our
substitute for sin. He identifies with our sin in
that water and he is foreshadowing.
What he will do. You on our behalf and not just
the, the savior of our sin. But he's also the sympathizing
Savior that even for the redeemed, as we walk with him,
you heard it. He loves us to the end.
He knows what it's like to be tempted, and he's there ready to
hear us as we cry out to him, and he's ready to supply his
strength when we need it. So that stride by stride Christ,
would shine through us. And we would know the joy of
holiness. And now we come to this moment
here. We've learned so much.
I hope up to this point and we will continue to learn even
though, Mark seems to really enjoy being brief with his
explanation of these events. And that pace doesn't change
here. When we come to these two verses
because he seems to really summarize something here, this
transitional moment and what we want to know is what can we
learn from this transition between Jesus being in solitude
in that desert, to now, coming into the public scene and
speaking and Preaching the gospel of God and there are two
main observation that will help us organize our thoughts.
And they are very simple to remember the two categories that
we will look into. Number one, is the timing of
Jesus public Ministry. The timing of it, he chose to do
it at a certain point. Why and what does that teach us?
Not just the timing of Jesus public Ministry but the focus of
Jesus public Ministry. What was his purpose?
- what was the core reason why he did what he did, why did he
come? What did he what did he do
there? Why didn't he just come into the
world? Just to die in and then just go
back. Well there were these things
were going to consider. Look at this verse with me again
in verse 14 and realized something about the timing of
Jesus ministry. His public Ministry now after
John was arrested, Jesus came into Galilee.
It's very simple. John was apprehended and that
was the signal for Jesus to go in and to begin to preach to the
crowds a more comprehensive study of John's arrest will be
in Mark chapter 6. It's very detailed we know their
why he was arrested and we know the result of his apprehension.
But for now we look at this and all we are told is that after he
was arrested, Jesus began to make his way to go.
These so that he could proclaim the word of God.
And the question that comes to mind is why now why this point
and I have other questions following this one, why was it
when John was arrested you go? But why do you go the opposite
direction of where John is he's going to the North of Israel?
You would think that Jesus knowing this man and knowing the
great sacrifices, he made would make his way to John.
And maybe at least visit him physically.
Or maybe do something to help his servant Escape.
Nothing of the sort. If anything we see him go into
the opposite direction and what's amazing about that one
just meditating on it. If you've read the gospels, and
you're honest with yourself, you will come to this conclusion.
Jesus does many things that are perplexing He makes the
decisions his timing on things seems to challenge us and our
reasoning. And for us, when we look at how
Jesus does things, we sometimes ask these questions out of
innocent curiosity. But if we're really, really
honest, a lot of the times Jesus ways.
They conflict with our human understanding.
They make us uncomfortable. They they actually tempt us to
think that perhaps, if Jesus really listened to my advice, he
would have better results. It sounds Blasphemous, but if
we're honest, that is a common contemplation among Christians.
Especially this is true, right? Especially when you, and I try
to study his interventions in our own lives We really try to
figure him out and we go beyond that.
We tend to give him some Council.
But time and time again, the Lord Jesus proves that his his
ways outshine, our Notions, and our Solutions every time, not
sometimes not a majority of time every single time.
And there are so many examples, so many illustrations, May
provide, you one that has been at the peak of my meditation
this week and I pray that it would be a blessing to you.
Go with me to the book of Acts very quickly to a common place
in chapter 3, verse 1. And notice something here that
ties into Jesus. Perhaps not directly because
Jesus has already ascended into Glory, but it is in relation to
him and consider something of the mystery of the Masters ways.
And actually, 1 & 2. We read now, Peter and John were
going up to the temple at The Hour of Prayer.
The ninth hour. And a man lame from birth was
being carried whom they laid daily at the Gate of the temple
that is called the beautiful gate to ask alms of those
entering the temple. What's interesting to note here
is that we're told that this meant unnamed, all we know is
his condition from birth, he was lame and he was being positioned
before a certain gate. Surely a very important gate
that brought in a lot of traffic so that he can beg and receive
some kind of alms. And we need to be careful with
this text because there is no mention of how long he was doing
this for. We don't know how long he was
brought by his friends to bring him to this place.
We don't really understand that the time frame but We do have
the impression that it was a regular occurrence Before Peter
and John came on the scene. In fact, if you look at verse
10, what do you see here? We learn here in Acts 3, 10 that
the crowd, recognize them after his healing, recognized him as
the, one who sat at the beautiful gate of the temple.
What does that mean? He had a reputation?
The general public knew about him, especially attendees of the
house of worship. They knew this is the guy that
comes here every single day and he asks, for money.
And so that's what we know that this man was known people
understood him why he was there? I'm sure, they even knew his
name, and when you consider all of that, This is this is the
beauty of knowing the entirety of scripture, you put things
together and conclusions are made or at least questions are
asked that can bring about greater Revelation.
If this lame man was at the Temple Gate regularly.
If you were sitting there day after day, and you and I know
from the gospels that Jesus throughout his ministry, at
least a few times, went to the temple.
Have you ever wonder if he passed by him?
Have you ever wondered if he heard his cry?
For alms for help. Think about it.
And if there's any doubt about that, let me just read this to
you. From one gospel account, you
don't have to turn there. But listen to what I'm about to
read in Matthew 21, verse 12, and Jesus entered the temple.
And drove out all who sold and bought in the temple and he
overturned the tables of the money changers and the seats of
those who sold pigeons, he said to them, it is written.
My house shall be called a House of Prayer, but you make it a den
of robbers. Now look at this verse 14 and
the Blind. And the lame came to him in the
temple and he healed them. That's significant.
Jesus was a faithful Israelite and part of being a faithful
Israelite is that he would honor the feast, which would call him
and the other men to make, pilgrimage to the temple, to
honor the feasts. So, we know with that, that he
at least throughout history years.
When a few times into the table, that is very probable, very,
very possible. And so because of that
probability and makes you wonder even if this lame man was placed
at that gate, Just a few months before Peter and John came.
There must have been some kind of some kind of Knowledge from
the Lord's part either passing by direct them or being among
the crowd who knew of him generally they recognized him.
if we walk with Jesus during his ministry, would we be tempted to
look at this man and look at Jesus and advise him to heal
him. Lord, you have the power.
And Lord, what a testimony. This would be of your
messiahship. This man has been lame from
birth. Everybody knows who this guy guy
is. If you do this, this will be
additional evidence undeniable concrete proof that you are.
In fact, the one that Isaiah spoke about Lord do it?
You're able you can do it like that.
Yet we see nowhere in the gospels.
Clearly that Jesus comes out of his way to find this man
directly to heal him. Nor does he answer him for his
unconfessed need the same way that Peter and John does Jesus
through his ministry does not heal this man and even though it
was very likely that he walked by him on different occasions.
He didn't do it. Why?
If it is true, that Jesus had some knowledge of this man or at
least even just walked by him. Why, didn't you do it?
Lord, and I believe the conclusion is this because
Christ knew that he would know a greater exaltation if he had
healed this man after his Ascension.
Think about him. There is no question that the
Lord would have received great, great, honor and praise.
If he had dealt with this man during his three-year itinerant,
but he had something else in mind and it would require this
man to remain as he was a little bit longer before realizing it.
Considerate. How would this men's delayed
Miracle bring about A peculiar glory?
And it is this healing him through the faith of Peter and
John would not only declare to that people that Jesus is.
In fact, the Messiah. It would also add to and sing
Jesus is Alive. Oh yeah, you crucified him not
too long ago, but faith and Power in his name brought about
this miracle in this man because he is in the heavens seated in
Authority. Able to answer the cries of his
people in his name to bring about such a great work.
And that is what this man could offer.
That is the platform that his delay so to speak, brought about
for the glory of Jesus Christ, that is the great privilege that
he was able to share in. And his story would be one of
the most Explosive statements of the reality of Jesus Christ.
Conquering. The grave of Jesus Christ.
Being able to hear people pleading with him, operating in
his name because he is alive today sitting at the right hand
of God, I find that to be a fascinating reality and that is
why you and I should never, ever, ever, ever be disappointed
in any kind of delay. And he kind of postponement, and
he kind of sense that the Lord is not really providing.
Am I suffering? My inquiries in my pain.
There's something he has in mind when he interacts and intervenes
in our lives. His, his providential means are
so precise. There's so precise.
And that is the invitation you have.
When you come to the word of God, to see how Jesus worked in
people's lives. Not so that you can have a
better Bible study so that you can understand how he works in
your lives, how he works. In mind, he makes everything
beautiful in its time at the right time.
The the very second of it. He has it all there, it's
ordained and we're called to trust them.
Would you keep this in your heart and Ponder on it like Mary
did, would you just meditate upon that truth?
How that is just one snippet of so many other Snippets of how
the Lord knows I me? It's everywhere when Lazarus was
sick. He says he loving Lazarus.
What does he do? He delays.
If you loved Lazarus, you drop everything and you go towards
him so that you can heal him. No, loving Lazarus, he delays.
We come to John, do you think Jesus loved John?
He loved them. He gave him such a wonderful
tribute while he was in prison. And there is no record of Jesus
ever visiting him. There is no plan or scheme that
Jesus has with his disciples or John's.
All right. Here's the Escape Plan.
We're going to do this. We're going to get John out.
He was faithful. He doesn't deserve this.
This is a right. We don't want to give Victory to
Satan. Nothing of the sort.
Here's John is arrested. Time to go to Galilee.
And he begins his public Ministry.
I wonder why is it because something greater is going to
happen and the near future? Just like the lame, man.
No one fact. This is the end for John. this
is it he's not coming out actually he will come up but
without his head How? This is this is a strange ending
to a faithful Men's Ministry. And the reason is because Jesus
goes public because it all is coming to an end for this man
and his service to the Lord, you're still in acts, right?
Go to acts 13:25 look at the language that the holy spirit
gives about John's Ministry. You want to know why Jesus went
to Galilee because the Baton has been passed.
And look how Paul speaks about the ministry of the Baptist acts
1325. And as John was finishing his
course. He said, what do you suppose
that I am? I am not.
He know, but behold after me, one is coming, the sandals of
whose feet. I am not worthy to untie.
Did you catch the phrase in the beginning?
And as John was finishing his course.
What language? Describe someone's life?
Christian, listen, hey, you don't go to church once a week.
That's not your Christian existence.
That's not the ceiling of what you do.
You are on a race. You have a lane and it has a
Finish Line. You're laying doesn't look the
same as the next person Lane, but you all are in a race whose
your competitor yourself. You're not trying to beat the
next Christian. Next, to you, you've been given
a responsibility, a call a gift, and there is a reward on the
other side of that finish line. That will be granted dependent
upon the faithfulness of how you ran that race.
Did you honor the rules? Did you give up?
Did you turn around and you go to the sidelines?
And we come to John and we were told that he was finishing his
course it was all now coming to an end and what's so incredible
is we're told he's finishing it and then we get a call from him
that that is at the peak of his ministry.
You remember that people were asking him?
Are you the Messiah? And he says, no he makes it very
clear. I'm not the one.
I'm the one that was coming before him.
And so here's what you learn from this that while we're told
it was coming to an end, it comes to an end almost when it
just really starts. His ministry was so brief and
his arrest and his death is so abrupt that just happened.
So suddenly and in the human perspective, we look at John,
six months older than Jesus. He was arrested at 30, he died
at 30. And even good-hearted Christians
would look of that. I mean think about a 30 year old
Minister dying. Any think how, how can God allow
this to happen? The prime of his life?
Look what John did in such, a short amount of time, how much
more could have John have done? If you had just lived another
decade and yet in God's perspective, he was finishing
his course. All that John needed to do was
coming to an end. He fulfilled it faithfully, and
Jesus knew that Jesus was the one before.
Eternity, who had ordained that this John would be the
Forerunner for the Messiah. And so when he hears that John
was arrested by Herod, it came to mind, it's time for John to
go home. It's time for John to go home
and it's time for me now, to run the race that my father has set
before me. And I think that is a beautiful
thing. Death for a servant of God, even
in the prime of life is not a waste.
It's not even a tragedy. John here was fulfilling what
God had told him to do. Even if his ministry was just a
few months and he will receive a full reward.
And when I look at this I don't you just notice the timing of
John's Ministry. I look at how he finished his
course, how it was all coming to an end?
What are we told? As he was finishing his course.
What was he doing? He was pointing people to Jesus
still maybe so viewing me. That is you and I come to the
final strides of life. That what would be said of us
was he was still, she was still pointing people to Jesus.
Still taking attention off self and bringing glory to Jesus
Christ. Still sacrificing.
In the Name of Christ, still proclaiming Christ still serving
in the name of Jesus Christ, as they were finishing their
course. Who cares about being known as a
wealthy persons, who cares about being known as this or knowing
who cares? All to be known that Jesus was
on that men's lips. Jesus is what he was all about.
She was all about. This was true of John.
What is Here in John Rather, Mark 114 Jesus moves on because
John is done. It was coming to an end for him
and it was the beginning for Jesus public Ministry.
I love to know this truth as well.
That though, John was imprisoned.
The word of God was not bound. God's work does not finish with
men. God's work is not paralyzed
because of the failures of men. You cannot bound the word of
God. You cannot arrest it.
You cannot apprehend it. You cannot do anything to it.
It will move on and fulfill the purpose that God has for it.
That is the timing of Jesus ministry.
But consider with me the focus of Jesus ministry and verse 15.
now that we know that John's arrest would serve as a
transition between the 4Runner and the one that was predicted
to come. Let us consider the purpose of
Jesus public Ministry. What do we see here?
Jesus came into Galilee, proclaiming the gospel of God.
Now, you've heard so many times up to this point, you're going
to hear it more and more. That Mark in his desire through
his account, is to depict Jesus as a servant to show Jesus as
the perfect servant of God, who in lowliness came with Zeal and
promptness and dedication to honor, God, and practical ways,
that is why in Mark there is less Parables.
That is why I'm Mark there unless teachings and what you
see more and more as Jesus serving with his hands.
Jesus serving with a certain mode of an attitude.
Jesus touching people alleviating suffering and
bringing about good to show him in that light.
And why do I bring that up? Because as you come here to the
entrance of Jesus public Ministry, what you and I see him
doing is preaching. Jesus is preaching.
He is, proclaiming. He is telling people about
something and now that may seem to contradict marks purpose and
that is not a contradiction. The reason why we are seeing
this and it is so important to understand.
Is that all those Supernatural service will cover these
chapters Mark wants us to know and to not forget that at the
core of Jesus, ministry on the Earth was a message.
It was not miracles. It was that great acts of
kindness, it was not just being compassionate to crowds and two
little children. The very reason the core of the
heartbeat of Jesus. Ministry on the Earth was to
proclaim the gospel. Was to tell people and to bring
revelation of the father and who he was.
See, this is important because you have many people outside of
our faith, who would even come to Jesus and admire him and say
Jesus is the Pinnacle. He is the greatest example of
kindness and mutual, respect no matter what you believe.
Hey, Jesus didn't, come to just show how to be nice.
Jesus didn't come to just do good things and doesn't matter
what you believe. Jesus didn't come just to offer
us the Golden Rule. I've heard heathens quote, the
Golden Rule, Yes, he is the utmost example of morality but
Jesus came to Proclaim an exclusive message.
That would determine your Eternal Faith, depending on how
you answer to it. And when meditating upon us, I
could not help. But realize, what an important
reminder? Listen.
For Servants of God, not for lazy Christians, Servants of
God. Servants of God, have to
understand this principle here, especially as they serve in the
attempt to reach those who are unchurched, who don't know, the
gospel who don't know, Christ what is it, many Ministries in
the Evangelical. World are doing an incredible
job. Bringing about good in their
communities, helping provide serving people giving without
receiving anything in return. But here's the problem.
Many of Those do that thinking that such service alone is
sufficient. Such service alone is sufficient
whether or not people know the motive behind it.
And it's a concept that suggest if we just if we just help
people's immediate needs, if we just kind of just provide for
them and put a sandwich in their hands or give them backpacks
when they go back to school. If we just do that then we have
done our part as Christians to serve our world.
But the example of the perfect servant here tells us something
else, such a different standard and this is what he is.
Informing us that that all that we do.
All that we do is with the aim of letting them, know the
message of the Gospel. Because if we don't have that
motive that we're no different than the community Charities
here, we're no different than secular services that offer help
to people if they need help. Why we do.
What we do is not just to represent the kingdom but to
give people the way to know how to get a citizenship into it.
And that's what Jesus is doing here.
He's not just showing what the father is.
Like he's not just demonstrating what love incarnate as like he
wants them to know how they can be saved.
He has a message behind his miracles.
And now some might say that our service does has a message, what
we do, we go to people, and we tell them as we serve them.
That Jesus loves them, Jesus loves them, Jesus loves them.
Yes, that's part of it. But that's not what Jesus,
preached. Jesus didn't go around telling
people. I love you.
I love you.
Repent. And believe in the gospel.
That's what Jesus preached. Jesus preached, repent.
And believe it was his first cry as you see in Mark 1.
And it is the very message that he gives to his Apostles before
he ascends into heaven. In fact, it is this beautiful
transition from John, to the apostles, John preached,
repentance. And now we come here to the
transition, the Baton comes into Jesus hands, he preaches
repentance. And as he's about to leave the
scene, he brings out baton and puts it in the hands of the
Apostles, go and preach repentance.
And forgiveness of sins and the apostles.
What do you think it ended with them?
Where is the message of repentance in 2022?
What happened to the word repent?
What happened to calling people to repent?
There's a lot of believe. A lot of believe believe believe
believe, but where is repent? You know, there's a camp among
evangelicals called cessationist and cessation is what they
adhered to is that the miraculous gifts of the Spirit
have ceased at the completion of the Canon of scripture.
Once the Bible was completed, we don't need these certain
miracles to be an operation. So they go under the name of
cessationist or cessationism. That's a different topic for a
different sermon. Okay.
I believe there's another cessationism Among evangelicals
they probably wouldn't call himself cessationist and they
probably wouldn't even understand what I'm about to
say. But I'm going to clarify in a
moment. There are those who are
cessationist unknowingly because for some reason, apparently the
message of repentance ceased at some point.
At some point, we don't need to tell people to repent anymore.
Apparently, And I am much more concerned about that sensation
is. And then the one about the gifts
or any other one. Where did this message go?
I remember when I first got saved, I jokingly with tell my
fellow believer friends, the r word, I would use as a the
r-word repents almost like it's a bad word now.
We don't want to offend people like yes, but if we understood
what repentance really was we would say it a lot more often.
And if it's not a word that is altogether ignored, it is a word
that is by many been attempted to be redefined, not by the
unbelieving, but by those who would even call themselves
evangelicals so much so that it is created a camp with in
evangelicalism. And what is that camp all about?
Well, it is a camp that adheres to the idea that to to tell
people to repent from their sins is not right.
You cannot tell people to repent from their sins because the word
repent in the original. Greek means to change your mind,
metanoia change your way of thinking and so here's the
argument to tell people to repent.
To be saved. By saying You must turn from
your sin is false. It's a false gospel.
And the argument continues and is expanded to say that because
salvation is by faith, that is by grace alone.
To suggest that someone would stop to do something in order to
be saved, what would suggest that they are innocence working
for their salvation. And so with their Zeal that
would say, this is an assault on Grace.
This is an assault on God, receiving all glory for his
redeeming power in someone's life.
And so what we need to say is that belief and if we're going
to use the word repent, because it's there, you got to deal with
it in their minds, their word repent is synonymous with faith.
They mean the same thing. Repent and Faith are the same
thing. So we see, repent, and believe
it's change your mind and believe the right thing about
God, you believe the wrong thing about God, you believe the wrong
thing about what it means to be saved, change that and believe
in Jesus Christ. So, what is sin play in all of
this? Where does turning from
iniquity? Well, it happens after you
believe. And it's something that we don't
tell people to do something that the holy spirit will tell them
to do. But to say that you must turn
from sin is to present a false gospel to those who hold to this
view. Do you know what's at stake
here? I'm sure you already know.
But here's what's at stake, Jesus said, repent and believe.
And if we're only telling people to believe, we're only giving
people half the call, and if we're only giving people half
the call, you know what, the fruit of that is in my
estimation you have churches filled with half converted
Christians. That's what you have and the
church in, the west is plagued with half, converted Christians.
Because they were told believe but they were not told to
repent. And so I remember this coming to
me early on in the ministry. Even meeting people.
Meeting people who really believe that that would, that
would call me right now, a false teacher.
Because we proclaim a gospel of repentance.
And here's the idea. To say that repent simply means
to change one's mind, without the implication that it will
change the direction of your ways is completely foreign to
those who preached repentance in the New Testament.
To Simply say, change your mind, no matter how you live because
that is the fruit of it. Just it doesn't matter how you
live if you just believe that's fine, doesn't matter what
happens. Afterwards doesn't matter if
you're the same carnal, worldly devilish person It's a message
of Grace and Faith. These people would have great
trouble and coming before John Jesus.
And the apostles because when they preach repentance, there is
no arguing that. It means change of thinking but
they knew what that would bring about in someone's life if it
was sincere. Okay, let me prove that to you.
Luke chapter 1 verse 77 may we be equipped to help those who
would hold to this View. Actually, Luke 176.
This is John, the Baptist's. Father in the spirit prophesying
about his son and here is one of the facets of John.
The Baptist's Ministry that is extremely insightful.
Remember here's what we're trying to do The idea is to say,
repent means to Simply change your mind, which is synonymous
with believing the right thing about God has nothing to do with
sin as nothing to do with bearing.
Fruit has nothing to do with cutting off the flesh.
It has everything to do with just believing in your heart,
keep that in mind. So when John preached repent,
just disbelief when Jesus preached repent just belief when
the apostles just have faith. Look what the father of John.
By the spirit says about his son, and Luke 176.
And you child will be called the prophet of the most high for you
will go before the Lord, to prepare his ways.
Look at verse 77 to give knowledge of Salvation to his
people. And just in case there's any
confusion. This is not talking about a
political salvation for the nation of Israel.
A much more needed salvation in the Forgiveness of their sins.
When you, my son will be raised up the right time.
You will preach and you will teach the nation of Israel, how
they can acquire salvation forgiveness for their sins.
Now, that is incredible. Here's why it's incredible.
If that is The revelation of John's preaching.
And you go to John's preaching, it makes an incredible
connection. Remember, John will teach and
preach the people, how they can be, what saved, how they can be
forgiven. For their sins.
And then you come to Luke 38 and what do you see John saying with
that? As the backdrop?
What do you see? John saying to people Luke 38
bear fruits and keeping with repentance.
Bear fruits. And keeping with repentance.
What does Luke 1? Tell us and 77 to give knowledge
of salvation? And what is John and the
preaching? Yeah, repent.
But that repentance is going to bring about some fruit.
True salvation will bring about a change.
There will be a transformation. It will be noticeable.
It will be observable. It will be seen.
There will be a fragrance to suggest that somebody just
repents and in your thinking changes.
But you continue to do what you do.
Before you met Christ is alien. It makes no sense with John,
because he said, your repentance your change of mind.
About Christ, your sin, your need For savior would produce
fruit. So Jonah, false teacher now, Or
perhaps you would argue with John.
Okay, fine. Let's now come before the Lord
himself, what did Jesus mean? When he said repent, What did
Jesus have in mind when he called people to repent?
What connection was there? When he used that word or were
still in Luke Wright? Go to Luke 11 and look at verse
32. And notice how he teaches about
repentance and indirect way, what he is conveying when he
uses the word. Luke 11:32 he says the men of
Nineveh will rise up at the Judgment with this generation
and condemn it for they what? Repented at the preaching of
Jonah and behold something greater than Jonah is here.
If you've read that short book in the Old Testament, the Book
of Jonah. Then a light bulb should have
gone off. when Jesus says they repented, According to the
argument that we are trying to defend against that means when
Jonah came in and they repented, he said, oh yeah this is send,
this is wrong. Thanks Jonah.
Thanks for coming by take care and they go right back into what
they were doing before. Is that what you see in Jonah?
Or did you see a visible Brokenness?
Did you see a fasting that you see, Ash, even to the greedy, to
the degree where they invited their animals too fast?
That's what Jesus had in mind. When he, when he sought
repentance, when he declared repentance In fact, if there's
any confusion when you go to Jonah, let me just read you the
reference and it will seal the deal in my opinion, and Jonah
3:10. We are told, when God saw, what
they did, how they turned from their evil way, God relented of
the disaster. They had said he would do to
them and he did not do it. How can you argue against that?
Like where's where's the loophole?
When Jesus said they repented you go back to Jonah and what
did we're told In Jonah, when they turned from their evil way,
now they saw, thank you. I didn't know adultery was
wrong, I guess it's wrong. Now, let me go back to my
adultery. That doesn't make sense.
The actually turn from their way because in the mind of Jesus,
that's what repentance means. And so in that famous him, we
have a beautiful definition quote repentance is to leave the
sins We Loved Before and show that we in Earnest grieve by
doing so no more. Let me challenge our view
repentance because when you hear repentance, the first thing that
comes to mind, if you have a sound understanding of the
scriptures as turn from your evil ways turn from your sin,
turn from the vileness that you enjoyed at one point, but
repentance is much deeper than that.
To repent also means to repent, not just of your evil, but of
your good. To repent means not just to let
go of your sin. It also is a call to let go of
any of your own righteousness. So you see it's much broader
than how we would understand it and this was particularly
difficult for the Jews and Paul gives us an understanding of why
many of the Jews were not saved and are not saved to this day
and Romans 10:3 just listen to these words for being ignorant
of the righteousness of God and seeking to establish their own,
they did not submit to God's righteousness.
Repentance is not just for the prostitute and the drug dealer
and the gang. Banger repentance is just as
much for the Pharisee. And for the lovely church lady,
who doesn't do harm in society but has never really repented
because she trusts in her good works to get into heaven.
When you put these things together, when you really
understand that all the things that pertain to repentance,
here's a beautiful way of understanding it to repent,
means to just give up. Just stop just fall at his feet.
Bring before, I'm your sin and bring the form your
self-righteousness and just submit to his righteousness.
And that's why Jesus could say, repent and believe, you can't
separate those things. They're twins conjoined twins.
See when you understand what true repentance is not just stop
doing that. It stop it.
And then now receive the faith that brings about forgiveness
surrender to what he has done for you.
Not just in the ugliness of sin, but even in whatever Beauty you
thought you had in your own Holiness, stop all of it and
just come to Christ fall at his feet and receive his Mercy.
Just give up. Stop and surrender.
You can't have true repentance without believing you can't.
And you can't have true believing without repentance you
need both you need both. And the reason why I'm hammering
on repentance is because what we are struggling with today.
Is that we emphasize belief and not repent.
And so you have a lot of people here.
Have no different of a faith than demons.
Who acknowledged that there is a God but are still workers of
iniquity. I got saved at 20.
Why? Because up to that point, you
asked me, do you believe? I would say yes.
But at 20, I repented, It was not a repentant faith.
It was just an acknowledgement of the reality of God.
Perhaps that someone in this place today.
You're not a menace to the culture.
You don't break laws, you have, nice Christian parents.
You believe that there is a Jesus you believe that there is
a heaven but you have not repented And if you do not
honor, the directives, you will not know the blessing and the
reward that is on the other side.
Only, listen, only. When I came to the point Where I
said this isn't the way it should be based on my study of
scripture. The verse that prick my heart
was they honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far
from me. I'm like, that's me.
And I knew it and only then listen, only.
Then when I said, I don't want my sin, this sin put Christ on
the cross. I don't want.
When my iniquity I want Christ. I want to turn from this.
I want to embrace his love. I want to know his forgiveness.
No relation. With only then, the spirit from
above flood, my heart and change it.
Some of you here. Perhaps you've been riding on
believe, believe, believe and nothing has changed.
You love the world. You love your sin.
You have no victory over it. No strength over it.
Your desire is no different than the appetite of the carnal
neighbor or your carnal school friends, or your carnal
employees. Because you have not repented
and he's waiting for you to repent.
And again, repentance is not you trying to do better, remember
you have to repent of you trying to do better?
Saying, I don't want my sin, I don't want righteousness of my
own, I want Christ. Give up.
Why do you repent? Why do we repent?
I'll tell you why, Romans 2:4 Or do you presume on the riches of
his kindness and forbearance and patience, not knowing that God's
kindness is meant to lead you to repentance.
God's kindness. Is meant to lead you to
repentance. So only when, you know something
of his goodness, will you be the most motivated to actually
repent? We cannot misinterpret this to
say that we should not proclaim the warnings, repent or perish.
That is still appropriate. Because the goodness here of
Jesus, the forbearance of our God is that with one hand, he
stays the wrath of God and with the other hand, he extends us to
us to be forgiven. And there is a Time coming as
one preacher said, we're both hands will come down.
But it is not yet the forbearance, the willingness to
wait is enough kindness for us to say, I Repent, but all the
other kindnesses that you and I have experience in God, whether
you are a direct recipient of it or an indirect, the sun today,
kissing your skin on your way into here is God's.
Kindness. Your full belly or the belly.
You will be filling after this is God's kindness.
All these things should, woo, you to say.
Oh, how can I Repent. How can I hold on to the things
that grieve him? He's been so good to me.
How can I sit there and watch this filth?
When I know that, the one that breaks his heart has been so
wonderful to me? And you repent. if you repent
solely out of fear, That fear will will not be enough for you
to know sustaining relationship with Jesus Christ.
No, his kindness and the ultimate climactic expression of
his kindness. Is that Christ died for you.
For you, he wants you, he wants you, he wants you to be saved.
He wants you to be washed with his blood so that you would have
right standing with God forever and ever and ever.
And when you do repent, don't expect a perfect repentance.
Don't be frustrated with, you know, you meet some people too
because they don't become a saint immediately, they question
their salvation, there's the Other Extreme now.
Not the believing part where there were pattern of I repented
enough. I don't know if I've given up
and I don't know if I have enough Victory.
How much Victory should I had before?
I know, I really repent. Just take a breath.
The measure of your repentance being sincere, is not the amount
of Victor you have over certain since it is your attitude
towards that sin. So, let me ask you this, you
want to know if you have truly repented.
Do you want your sin? Do you love your sin?
Do you enjoy your sin? Do you wish that you can have
Jesus, and your send, you feel like Jesus and intrusive person
with your lifestyle with your desires?
Or is there something in your eyes says, I wish he can clothe
me with that resurrected body. Now, I never want to hurt him.
I never want to misrepresent him, I hate the sin.
Do I feel the Temptation towards it sometimes?
And though I may even slip into at times, I abhor it, I want to
be free from this. Do you see?
It's the attitude because the change of mind, right?
Repent means change your perspective on this and then it
will translate in the way you interact with it.
That's what I'm calling you today.
So don't get up here and with a your shoulders now and your head
low and say, I must not really repented because I'm still
struggling. I'm not asking if you struggle
or not. I'm asking if you have the same
desire for it, And if you can say and your hard and honestly,
looking the eyes of a fellow brother, I don't want this, I
want to be free, I love the Lord.
This this breaks my heart. Oh brother, you have repented
and you are walking and repentance.
Don't doubt that for a moment. I will doubt your repentance if
you can come in here week after week, sing and preach and play.
And have not one ounce of concern with the sin that seems
to be dominating your life. There, I'm concerned.
But I have more confidence. When I see a bruised up brother
with spiritual crutches, sometime who's able to come into
this place and say it's been a war, but I'm still fighting by
the power of the spirit. Oh, brother, you have repented,
and you are, walking and repentance.
How do you repent? Two simple words that came to
mind, there may be more, I'm not as clever as other preachers.
Rethink. Rethink about your sin rethink
about what your send it to Christ.
What sin is in God's eyes rethink about his righteousness
and your righteousness, how yours will fail to the standard
of his. And once you re think once you
acknowledge, he is Holy, I am not, I'm in debt, he has the
payment that is the first step into repentance and then you
follow with not rethinking but rejecting.
And now you look at that and you say, I don't want That anymore.
I renounce it. I confess it and I will daily
deny it. And turn my back to it and that
repentance can be against a disgusting sin or even what you
think is righteousness that will secure your salvation, you
reject both day by day by day and you grow in that repentance
and the holy spirit gives you greater strength over those
sins. And you go to war with it.
Repentance is not a one-time thing.
It is a lifestyle, it is a lifestyle.
I've been repenting for 10 years, I've been repenting, you
have been repeated repenting, the moment that you've made that
decision, but here's the call that I want to make in this
simple message. Hey listen, you can't fool me.
Okay, I know what it's like to sit in a pew.
And think that I am fine when in fact.
I have never repented my question to you today is not
just if you believe Did you repent?
Jesus, preached repentance and those who would occupy the place
of representing him as I do today from this Pulpit must
preach it as well. Are you convinced of the
kindness of God to the degree that you would say?
I renounce this world. Mon young person.
Be honest with yourself. Don't fall asleep.
Just. Yeah, we're almost there.
Your soul is at stake. Have you come to the place that
you are convinced that this world has nothing to offer you?
And even if it did, you would gladly turn your back on it
because Jesus bids you to come and die.
So that you may live. Have you done that?
One preacher said something so powerful and I've never
forgotten it since. He said it, he's long gone now.
He says, I don't even look at people and ask them if they're
saved anymore. he's a I look at them straight in the eyes and I
say this Christ live in you Get much of different answers from
that this Christ live in you. And that's what I want to look
out to this group of people today and ask thus Christ live
in. You has he taken up residence in
your heart. Does he live here?
How do you know if he lives here?
Well, you can't do what you want to do.
You're not the owner anymore. You've given him the keys and
how did you give him the keys? How did you and the deed of your
soul? I repent and believe I'm done.
You take it. This Christ live in.
You all my Mom and Dad loved. That's fine.
That's beautiful, great. Okay, I did vbi is fine.
I wanna great. I wanna is not salvation.
All right? Missions trips is not salvation.
Okay, preaching doesn't get you into the kingdom.
Repent, repent and believe if you want to know.
If you've truly repented the passes are here.
We want to help you. We want to be there with you.
Because I believe that there are people on different levels.
Remember that man, where Jesus says, you are not far from the
kingdom. I love that.
Jesus is so realistic with people's Journeys.
But I would say today, if you even have a doubt about whether
you've truly repented, not talking about you very
introspective people, you question you whether you repent
that every second of the day I'm not talking about you.
I'm talking about those four for the first time hearing a message
like this, you've actually questioned the authenticity of
your faith because you've been confronted with the reality of
what it means to be saved. Don't brush it off.
Jesus calls you to repent and he's waiting with his kindness
for you to make that decision. Oh maybe so in his name let's
pray. Lord.
Your word has taught us today that the primary purpose of your
ministry. Even in a book that seeks to
display. You as a wonderful servant is
that people would hear loud and clear.
To repent and believe. Lord, if there's even one who
has not done that. Only your Holy Spirit.
Can convince us of sin. And for those who have repented
and are repenting and are believing, Lord give us greater
strength to continue to walk, not for us to attain anything.
Lord we have been accepted in the Beloved but look to walk out
in a way that would bring joy to you.
Joy To Us. Lord, would you revive the
message of repentance in America?
Would you bring a Revival of the message that John the Baptist
preached that your son preached, that the apostles preached?
Lord baptized as a fresh with a revelation of the need to
repent. And Lord we just glory in your
name or God that you have given us access into the kingdom.
Lord that you've made it so simple.
Did you just give up? To submit to your righteousness,
to reject unrighteousness. To receive the payment and to
allow that love to so changes that we walk out bearing fruit,
keeping with repentance, Thank You O Lord, that the moment we
confess and believe and repent we are saved and that is not
vacillate based on our performance we thank you for
that and we pray O Lord that for those who doubt the sincerity of
their salvation that even a message like this would seal the
deal and they would know that they are secure in your love.
We bless you now as we worship you in song in Jesus name, we
pray. Amen.