1 00:00:03,840 --> 00:00:08,119 This is Living Waters of Grace, the teaching ministry of Clark 2 00:00:08,119 --> 00:00:12,240 Wofford, senior pastor of Calvary Chapel of Westmoreland, 3 00:00:12,240 --> 00:00:16,400 County of Greensburg, PA. Now here's Pastor Clark as he 4 00:00:16,400 --> 00:00:18,720 continues teaching through God's Word. 5 00:00:37,160 --> 00:00:40,360 Keep Dirtbag, you need to stay down there because you're scum 6 00:00:40,360 --> 00:00:43,000 and you're no good and you're, you're totally depraved. 7 00:00:43,000 --> 00:00:45,880 How dare you think you even have a right to be in my presence? 8 00:00:46,720 --> 00:00:50,640 He isn't that way, is he? He reaches down and he puts his 9 00:00:50,640 --> 00:00:53,960 hands on his servant and he says do not be afraid. 10 00:00:56,160 --> 00:00:59,080 Even though all of us will be on our faces before the throne of 11 00:00:59,080 --> 00:01:05,080 God, those who truly are His, He will touch and say, do not be 12 00:01:05,080 --> 00:01:08,640 afraid. Bowing face down on the ground 13 00:01:08,640 --> 00:01:12,080 is an out of date practice that many of us in the United States 14 00:01:12,400 --> 00:01:16,360 are entirely unfamiliar with. We don't have a king, we don't 15 00:01:16,360 --> 00:01:20,280 have royalty that we bow to, so the thought of having our face 16 00:01:20,280 --> 00:01:23,360 so close to the ground is wholly foreign to us. 17 00:01:23,840 --> 00:01:29,320 But make no mistake, Jesus absolutely deserves this level 18 00:01:29,320 --> 00:01:33,520 of worship from everyone. Pastor Clark explains in today's 19 00:01:33,520 --> 00:01:37,800 passage that despite Jesus having every right to keep us 20 00:01:37,800 --> 00:01:43,040 down in the dirt, he has already paid the price and has justified 21 00:01:43,040 --> 00:01:46,600 us before God. Now here's Pastor Clark in The 22 00:01:46,600 --> 00:01:50,960 Book of Daniel, chapter 10, with today's edition of Living Waters 23 00:01:50,960 --> 00:01:53,760 of Grace. Who knows what occurred in the 24 00:01:53,760 --> 00:01:57,240 lives of the people in this church this week and the secret 25 00:01:57,360 --> 00:02:01,800 places where only God could see? What type of sin might we have 26 00:02:01,800 --> 00:02:05,760 carried into this place that I trust was laid at the feet of 27 00:02:05,760 --> 00:02:09,880 Jesus at the Lord's Supper? Christ wants his church to be 28 00:02:09,880 --> 00:02:12,640 purified. He wants it to be whole and the 29 00:02:12,640 --> 00:02:17,200 holy be holy. He said, be holy, for I am holy. 30 00:02:17,920 --> 00:02:20,720 Be perfect as your heavenly Father who's in heaven is 31 00:02:20,720 --> 00:02:22,080 perfect. And that's not in our own 32 00:02:22,080 --> 00:02:24,880 strength. This is an impartation of God's 33 00:02:24,880 --> 00:02:28,600 gift to you and me, His grace, that as we yield to Christ, 34 00:02:29,120 --> 00:02:32,640 Christ will fulfill His will in our lives and He'll conform us 35 00:02:32,640 --> 00:02:35,080 to the image of His Son. That's what He promises every 36 00:02:35,080 --> 00:02:39,120 one of us, right? That he will transform us and 37 00:02:39,120 --> 00:02:43,600 make us into His likeness. So John is laying at his feet as 38 00:02:43,600 --> 00:02:47,520 a dead man. Daniel chapter 10, verse 8, he 39 00:02:47,520 --> 00:02:52,400 says I saw this great vision. Whenever Daniel saw this vision, 40 00:02:52,400 --> 00:02:53,960 this is what he said about himself. 41 00:02:54,280 --> 00:02:58,960 He said no strength remained in me, for my vigor was turned to 42 00:02:58,960 --> 00:03:02,760 frailty in me. I retain no strength. 43 00:03:04,000 --> 00:03:07,440 His face was to the ground and he heard this voice, and the 44 00:03:07,440 --> 00:03:11,280 voice told him to stand upright. And when Daniel stood upright, 45 00:03:11,280 --> 00:03:16,800 it says he stood trembling. We need that same experience 46 00:03:16,800 --> 00:03:19,240 that John has had in our own life. 47 00:03:19,240 --> 00:03:23,400 We need that experience that Daniel had, Isaiah had, Peter 48 00:03:23,400 --> 00:03:27,160 had whenever he recognized when Jesus spoke to him after the 49 00:03:27,160 --> 00:03:30,880 miracle and Peter's words were Lord get away from me. 50 00:03:30,880 --> 00:03:35,160 I am a sinful man and these are the servants of God 51 00:03:35,160 --> 00:03:40,040 understanding what they are apart from the grace of God. 52 00:03:41,320 --> 00:03:46,640 And this is the wonder of God's grace where he says to him after 53 00:03:46,640 --> 00:03:49,960 he's on his face, He didn't say you dirtbag, you need to stay 54 00:03:49,960 --> 00:03:52,760 down there because you're scum and you're no good and you're 55 00:03:53,040 --> 00:03:55,400 you're totally depraved. How dare you think you even have 56 00:03:55,400 --> 00:03:58,840 a right to be in my presence. He isn't that way, is he? 57 00:03:59,480 --> 00:04:03,320 He reaches down and he puts his hands on his servant and he 58 00:04:03,320 --> 00:04:08,200 says, do not be afraid. Even though all of us will be on 59 00:04:08,200 --> 00:04:12,520 our faces before the throne of God, those who truly are His, He 60 00:04:12,520 --> 00:04:16,079 will touch and say do not be afraid. 61 00:04:17,320 --> 00:04:23,520 His grace is so manifests His mercy that His right hand is 62 00:04:23,520 --> 00:04:26,200 upon us. So this is the way things are. 63 00:04:26,840 --> 00:04:29,560 He says now I am the 1st and the last. 64 00:04:30,440 --> 00:04:34,000 I am he who lives and was dead, the declaration of the 65 00:04:34,000 --> 00:04:37,560 resurrection. Christ died for our sins. 66 00:04:38,360 --> 00:04:40,920 The Gnostics and the false teachers back then and even of 67 00:04:40,920 --> 00:04:42,880 the day say he really didn't die. 68 00:04:42,880 --> 00:04:45,960 He was just sort of unconscious. Here's a declaration of Christ 69 00:04:45,960 --> 00:04:49,920 himself, he who lives and was dead. 70 00:04:49,920 --> 00:04:51,800 And behold, I'm alive forevermore. 71 00:04:51,800 --> 00:04:55,160 Amen. And I have the keys of Hades and 72 00:04:55,160 --> 00:04:59,280 death, of hell and death. He tells him to begin to write. 73 00:05:00,040 --> 00:05:03,240 You know, I read this and as I study this and prepare to teach 74 00:05:03,240 --> 00:05:07,680 it and I realize my own life, how I need to pray to see Him 75 00:05:07,680 --> 00:05:12,520 this way, that my heart would be full of awe when I'm in His 76 00:05:12,520 --> 00:05:15,840 presence when we were worshipping today. 77 00:05:15,840 --> 00:05:19,040 I don't know about you guys, but sometimes I just get a intense 78 00:05:19,040 --> 00:05:21,440 sense of His presence that I feel like my knees are going to 79 00:05:21,440 --> 00:05:25,120 buckle. This not an emotion, it's a 80 00:05:25,120 --> 00:05:29,640 sense of the reality of who He is and who am I to come up here 81 00:05:29,640 --> 00:05:33,920 and stand before you and talk about this holy God? 82 00:05:35,240 --> 00:05:40,880 It strikes terror in my heart, but I know His hand is on my 83 00:05:40,880 --> 00:05:42,800 shoulder saying do not be afraid. 84 00:05:43,600 --> 00:05:47,720 And he's saying that to each of you as you come and understand 85 00:05:47,720 --> 00:05:52,200 His greatness and His Holiness and you know your own sin, your 86 00:05:52,200 --> 00:05:55,840 weakness, and he touches each of you today and says, do not be 87 00:05:55,840 --> 00:05:59,080 afraid. Where do we need to be? 88 00:05:59,840 --> 00:06:04,920 Someone told me Psalm 51 is a good Psalm to pray every day. 89 00:06:06,040 --> 00:06:12,320 David's lament, he said my sin is ever before me and against 90 00:06:12,320 --> 00:06:16,160 you only have I sinned and done this evil in your sight. 91 00:06:17,360 --> 00:06:20,520 The places of humility is where God wants all of us to be. 92 00:06:20,720 --> 00:06:24,440 This is what he also says the sacrifices of God are a broken 93 00:06:24,440 --> 00:06:27,360 spirit, a broken and a contrite heart. 94 00:06:27,360 --> 00:06:29,400 These, O God, you will not despise. 95 00:06:29,800 --> 00:06:32,440 That's where God wants us to be, guys, is to be real. 96 00:06:33,000 --> 00:06:35,560 As we come in here as brothers and sisters, God gives us his 97 00:06:35,560 --> 00:06:39,080 joy, his peace, his presence. But we all need to be contrite, 98 00:06:39,080 --> 00:06:41,400 right? And this admitting what we are 99 00:06:41,760 --> 00:06:44,360 not, trying to be some way that we're not, or trying to impress 100 00:06:44,360 --> 00:06:46,280 some and they think we're something we're not. 101 00:06:46,440 --> 00:06:51,200 God knows all of us, even on our best day, we're the worst in 102 00:06:51,200 --> 00:06:54,840 light of who he is, right? There's not one of us in here. 103 00:06:54,840 --> 00:06:56,560 They're better than the other or worse than the other. 104 00:06:56,560 --> 00:06:57,920 We're all in the same boat, right? 105 00:06:59,240 --> 00:07:02,120 To be able to know what we are and to see our hearts in light 106 00:07:02,120 --> 00:07:07,080 of God's word. Repent, repent, repent. 107 00:07:07,080 --> 00:07:10,040 I remember that old song by the birds. 108 00:07:10,040 --> 00:07:13,160 Turn, turn, turn. That's what repentance is. 109 00:07:13,480 --> 00:07:17,320 I'm going this way and I come to the realization of my mind. 110 00:07:17,680 --> 00:07:20,720 I'm living the wrong way, going the wrong way, and I need to 111 00:07:20,720 --> 00:07:24,120 turn and go in the direction of the will of God. 112 00:07:24,120 --> 00:07:29,080 That's repent, repent, repent. The modern understanding of 113 00:07:29,080 --> 00:07:34,280 repentance is the actions or process of repenting for 114 00:07:34,920 --> 00:07:38,200 misdeeds or moral shortcomings. Yeah, I did this. 115 00:07:38,200 --> 00:07:39,720 I shouldn't have done it. That was wrong. 116 00:07:39,720 --> 00:07:43,120 But, you know, hey, we're all human, You know, it's, you know, 117 00:07:44,320 --> 00:07:46,440 I'm not perfect. You know, we make excuses. 118 00:07:46,440 --> 00:07:49,280 And that's the modern concept of repentance. 119 00:07:49,960 --> 00:07:54,440 The modern concept of repentance is I'm driving down the road and 120 00:07:54,440 --> 00:07:59,640 I get a speeding ticket. I no I'm wrong, I paid a fine 121 00:08:00,720 --> 00:08:04,160 but instead of going by the speed limit I go out and buy a 122 00:08:04,160 --> 00:08:08,120 speed detector. I really wasn't repenting. 123 00:08:08,280 --> 00:08:11,280 All I'm hoping is that next time I'm speeding I won't get caught. 124 00:08:11,880 --> 00:08:13,920 That's the modern understanding of repentance. 125 00:08:14,280 --> 00:08:18,000 In the Greek understanding, it means a change of mind which 126 00:08:18,000 --> 00:08:22,480 results in a change of actions and awareness of our utter 127 00:08:22,480 --> 00:08:25,320 insufficiency to be holy in and of ourselves. 128 00:08:25,960 --> 00:08:29,680 I need a Savior, a sin bearer, one to lift my guilt and to 129 00:08:29,680 --> 00:08:33,640 transform me, to see my thoughts and actions change, and to 130 00:08:33,640 --> 00:08:35,880 receive God's mercy and forgiveness. 131 00:08:35,880 --> 00:08:38,440 I'm walking this way. The Spirit is convicting me 132 00:08:38,799 --> 00:08:41,520 before I know Christ and all of a sudden I realize that no 133 00:08:41,520 --> 00:08:44,159 matter what I do, what kind of promises I make, what kind of 134 00:08:44,680 --> 00:08:48,320 self help book I read or what I try to do, I'm not going to be 135 00:08:48,320 --> 00:08:52,720 able to change my wicked ways. The self help gurus say we'll 136 00:08:52,720 --> 00:08:55,240 read this book and this will help you understand why you are 137 00:08:55,240 --> 00:08:57,560 the way you are. And it always points back to 138 00:08:57,560 --> 00:08:58,960 your parents. It's their fault. 139 00:08:59,480 --> 00:09:01,720 So the kids have these arguments with their adult parents. 140 00:09:01,720 --> 00:09:03,920 I am the way I am because of you, how you raised me. 141 00:09:05,080 --> 00:09:08,480 A lot of guilt to throw in your parents, you know, parents would 142 00:09:08,480 --> 00:09:10,520 then say, well, it was my parents who did it. 143 00:09:10,520 --> 00:09:12,240 And then we go all the way back to the garden. 144 00:09:12,240 --> 00:09:15,680 And sure, there is some reality that Adam and Eve were the ones 145 00:09:15,680 --> 00:09:18,640 that began this insanity. But if it was you or me, we 146 00:09:18,640 --> 00:09:19,960 would have done the same thing there. 147 00:09:20,320 --> 00:09:23,120 But the point is, is that instead of looking and trying to 148 00:09:23,120 --> 00:09:26,960 cast blame to someone who is, I think responsible for my own 149 00:09:26,960 --> 00:09:31,880 sin, I need to say I'm a Sinner and I need help. 150 00:09:32,480 --> 00:09:40,040 I need a Savior, I need Jesus, I need his mercy to forgive me and 151 00:09:40,040 --> 00:09:44,680 to change me from what I am and who I am and to give me a spirit 152 00:09:45,160 --> 00:09:47,560 so that I can become a new creation in Christ, so I can 153 00:09:47,560 --> 00:09:52,280 become a new person, the child of God instead of the child of 154 00:09:52,280 --> 00:09:55,080 the devil. That's what repentance is. 155 00:09:55,720 --> 00:09:58,520 Repentance starts, and it's very important because the whole Book 156 00:09:58,520 --> 00:10:01,400 of Revelation is a message of repentance. 157 00:10:02,440 --> 00:10:06,640 He tells the book the the church in Ephesus repent and go do your 158 00:10:06,640 --> 00:10:10,840 first works. Someone visited the church one 159 00:10:10,840 --> 00:10:12,520 time. They said I don't like your 160 00:10:12,520 --> 00:10:13,240 church. Why? 161 00:10:13,240 --> 00:10:16,080 Because you guys have too much emphasis on repentance and 162 00:10:16,080 --> 00:10:18,880 humility. Well, that's all there is. 163 00:10:18,880 --> 00:10:22,760 That's the church. That's the message of Christ to 164 00:10:22,760 --> 00:10:25,840 repent. David says in Psalm 51 three, 165 00:10:26,480 --> 00:10:29,640 and this is a picture of the beginning of the act of 166 00:10:29,640 --> 00:10:32,080 repentance. He confessed to God. 167 00:10:32,080 --> 00:10:35,440 He says I acknowledge my transgressions and my sin is 168 00:10:35,440 --> 00:10:39,160 always before me against you. You only have I sinned and done 169 00:10:39,160 --> 00:10:42,480 this evil in your sight, that you may be found just when you 170 00:10:42,480 --> 00:10:44,600 speak and blame this when you judge. 171 00:10:44,920 --> 00:10:48,840 If I don't realize that what God is speaking to me about is 172 00:10:50,000 --> 00:10:54,000 honest and true and just, then I'm living in delusion. 173 00:10:54,280 --> 00:10:57,640 The first step of repentance is acknowledge the sin and 174 00:10:57,640 --> 00:11:00,200 understand what I've done, then I'm guilty. 175 00:11:01,440 --> 00:11:05,880 The second step in repentance is then to begin to cease the sin 176 00:11:05,880 --> 00:11:10,800 against God and resolved by his grace, as Jesus said to the 177 00:11:10,800 --> 00:11:14,760 woman, go and sin no more. Jesus doesn't forgive this and 178 00:11:14,760 --> 00:11:16,880 say go ahead and go, go, go sin again. 179 00:11:16,880 --> 00:11:19,600 We'll we'll talk 5 minutes later, an hour later or two 180 00:11:19,600 --> 00:11:21,800 weeks ago, we'll, we'll go through this process again. 181 00:11:21,800 --> 00:11:24,920 This Yeah, you're forgiven. OK, Go and have a nice day. 182 00:11:24,920 --> 00:11:27,920 And you know a million times during the day asking 183 00:11:27,920 --> 00:11:30,360 forgiveness for the same thing, That's not repentance. 184 00:11:31,040 --> 00:11:35,480 It's turning from our sin and resolving to sin no more. 185 00:11:35,720 --> 00:11:38,480 Our resolve means to not repeat the offense. 186 00:11:40,320 --> 00:11:43,440 That's why Paul tells us in Ephesians and Colossians we're 187 00:11:43,440 --> 00:11:47,320 to put off the old man, which is corrupt according to deceitful 188 00:11:47,320 --> 00:11:50,760 lust, and put on the new man, which is after God created in 189 00:11:50,760 --> 00:11:55,240 righteousness and true holiness. Take the old coat off, burn it 190 00:11:55,880 --> 00:11:58,800 and put the new coat the cloak of His righteousness. 191 00:11:59,600 --> 00:12:04,400 And then as God is merciful, working in my heart, I want to 192 00:12:04,400 --> 00:12:07,080 make amends for the things I've done wrong in my life. 193 00:12:07,640 --> 00:12:10,160 Not that I'm trying to get points, but I need to go to some 194 00:12:10,160 --> 00:12:12,880 people maybe and say I've offended you, I've hurt you, 195 00:12:12,880 --> 00:12:15,080 I've sinned against you. I've done this, I've done that, 196 00:12:15,320 --> 00:12:17,240 please forgive me. Sometimes it's in the home with 197 00:12:17,240 --> 00:12:19,920 the husband or the wife. I've been this way towards you 198 00:12:20,320 --> 00:12:23,160 or your children or your children, to your parents or 199 00:12:23,160 --> 00:12:26,000 your workers, your coworkers, your families, your neighbors. 200 00:12:26,360 --> 00:12:29,520 You go and you make amends and you say, you know, I did this, I 201 00:12:29,520 --> 00:12:31,040 acted this way. I was wrong. 202 00:12:31,360 --> 00:12:34,800 Please forgive me for the harmful effects that my wrong 203 00:12:34,800 --> 00:12:37,840 has caused upon you. And you do this wherever it is 204 00:12:37,840 --> 00:12:41,600 possible, wherever it hits your own heart. 205 00:12:42,080 --> 00:12:45,600 In the biblical Hebrew, the idea of repentance is represented by 206 00:12:45,600 --> 00:12:50,560 two verbs, SHUV. Shuv, that means to return and 207 00:12:50,560 --> 00:12:56,600 Nikon NICH AM to feel sorrow. It means to lead, to think 208 00:12:56,600 --> 00:13:02,480 differently after the fact. The Greek word metanoia and this 209 00:13:02,480 --> 00:13:05,880 is the gospel. Jesus said repent for the 210 00:13:05,880 --> 00:13:09,400 Kingdom of heaven is at hand. Metanoia means it's an 211 00:13:09,400 --> 00:13:11,600 afterthought. It's different from the former 212 00:13:11,600 --> 00:13:13,080 thought. In other words, the way I'm 213 00:13:13,080 --> 00:13:17,360 thinking now after I repent, is different than the way I thought 214 00:13:17,360 --> 00:13:20,040 before I repented. Because before I repented I 215 00:13:20,040 --> 00:13:22,920 wanted to do what I wanted to do because I wanted to do it even 216 00:13:22,920 --> 00:13:26,760 though it was bad and evil and ungodly and impure and immoral, 217 00:13:26,760 --> 00:13:30,880 whatever unjust. Now my thought is, I don't want 218 00:13:30,880 --> 00:13:33,200 to think that way anymore. I don't want to do that anyway. 219 00:13:33,400 --> 00:13:37,480 So my afterthought now is different than the way I used to 220 00:13:37,480 --> 00:13:38,440 think. Think. 221 00:13:38,800 --> 00:13:43,680 It's a change of mind accompanied by regret, a change 222 00:13:43,680 --> 00:13:48,320 of conduct, a change of mind of heart, a change of my own inner 223 00:13:48,320 --> 00:13:51,520 consciousness. That's why David prays my sin is 224 00:13:51,520 --> 00:13:54,120 ever before me. I know the Lord has forgiven me 225 00:13:54,120 --> 00:13:58,120 of my sin, but it doesn't change the fact that my sin is ever 226 00:13:58,120 --> 00:14:01,320 before me. God chooses to forget. 227 00:14:02,400 --> 00:14:08,440 I can't, and my forgetfulness isn't, unless I get Alzheimer's 228 00:14:08,440 --> 00:14:11,520 or something is there to humble me. 229 00:14:12,880 --> 00:14:18,560 God does not 'cause me to be reminded of my sin, to condemn 230 00:14:18,560 --> 00:14:20,720 me. It's to make me realize every 231 00:14:20,720 --> 00:14:25,440 day where I've come from and what His grace is accomplished 232 00:14:25,440 --> 00:14:27,880 for me. His blood never to take it 233 00:14:27,880 --> 00:14:29,840 lightly. And when I look at another 234 00:14:29,840 --> 00:14:34,240 Sinner, someone whose life is so messed up and so unbelievably 235 00:14:34,240 --> 00:14:37,600 distorted because of their own rebellion and sin, I can tell 236 00:14:37,600 --> 00:14:41,400 them I understand where they're coming from because I walked in 237 00:14:41,400 --> 00:14:44,000 the very same places that they have. 238 00:14:44,440 --> 00:14:46,120 We see the picture of the prodigal son. 239 00:14:46,120 --> 00:14:49,280 That's the perfect illustration in the Scriptures of one who is 240 00:14:49,280 --> 00:14:52,560 in the process of repentance. He's out there in the mire, in 241 00:14:52,560 --> 00:14:54,280 the muck and eating with the pigs. 242 00:14:54,640 --> 00:14:57,800 Finally he comes to his senses and he says, I'm going to go 243 00:14:57,800 --> 00:15:00,520 home and maybe I can be a servant in my father's home. 244 00:15:00,520 --> 00:15:03,280 He gets up out of that pen. He had to make that decision 245 00:15:03,280 --> 00:15:05,880 himself. Prayers of the Father, who knows 246 00:15:05,880 --> 00:15:07,920 for how long, going out on behalf of his Son. 247 00:15:08,240 --> 00:15:10,880 The Father can't change a son's heart, right? 248 00:15:11,040 --> 00:15:13,360 Any more than you or I can change each other's hearts. 249 00:15:13,640 --> 00:15:15,640 It's through prayer that hearts are changed. 250 00:15:15,840 --> 00:15:19,440 And sometimes we have to pray for a long time and we get 251 00:15:19,440 --> 00:15:22,000 weary. But God is at work when we're 252 00:15:22,000 --> 00:15:24,760 praying, be encouraged. And so we're praying. 253 00:15:24,960 --> 00:15:28,240 And then finally one day he's out there and he says, I'm 254 00:15:28,240 --> 00:15:30,520 getting out of this. So it's no longer going to live 255 00:15:30,520 --> 00:15:33,320 this way. He turns, he repents and he goes 256 00:15:33,680 --> 00:15:36,960 towards home. The picture of the Sinner moving 257 00:15:36,960 --> 00:15:42,400 back towards the heavenly Father in Matthew 417 from the time 258 00:15:42,400 --> 00:15:46,360 Jesus began to preach, he said repent for the Kingdom of heaven 259 00:15:46,360 --> 00:15:49,080 is at hand. When he first began, the first 260 00:15:49,080 --> 00:15:52,840 words out of his mouth when he began to proclaim the Kingdom of 261 00:15:52,840 --> 00:15:56,080 God was repent for the Kingdom of heaven is at hand. 262 00:15:56,280 --> 00:15:59,120 That message of repentance is still here today, right? 263 00:15:59,280 --> 00:16:01,720 We still preach it. We're still told to proclaim it 264 00:16:01,720 --> 00:16:04,680 in the church. This is Peter at Pentecost. 265 00:16:04,680 --> 00:16:07,800 Acts chapter 2. At Pentecost Peter preaches and 266 00:16:07,800 --> 00:16:12,760 commands repentance. Luke 2447 Jesus sends his 267 00:16:12,760 --> 00:16:14,840 followers out. That's what he says, that 268 00:16:14,840 --> 00:16:18,280 repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name 269 00:16:18,640 --> 00:16:21,600 to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. 270 00:16:21,840 --> 00:16:26,000 Paul in Acts 2021. Paul's preaching from house to 271 00:16:26,000 --> 00:16:30,560 house, testifying to Jews and Greeks, repentance toward God, 272 00:16:30,840 --> 00:16:33,760 and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ. 273 00:16:33,880 --> 00:16:37,240 Second, Peter 39. The Lord is not slack concerning 274 00:16:37,240 --> 00:16:40,880 His promise is some kind of slackness, but is long-suffering 275 00:16:40,880 --> 00:16:44,360 toward us, not willing that any should perish, but that all 276 00:16:44,360 --> 00:16:47,600 should come to repentance. Luke 13. 277 00:16:47,600 --> 00:16:50,840 Three, I tell you, but unless you repent, you will all 278 00:16:50,840 --> 00:16:55,640 likewise perish. An old Syrian Christian said he 279 00:16:55,640 --> 00:16:58,680 once preached, this life has been given to you for 280 00:16:58,680 --> 00:17:01,400 repentance. Do not waste it in vain 281 00:17:01,400 --> 00:17:04,880 pursuits. There's two types of repentance. 282 00:17:06,200 --> 00:17:08,680 Second Corinthians Chapter 7, verse 10. 283 00:17:09,240 --> 00:17:11,760 Think about where your repentance might be. 284 00:17:12,079 --> 00:17:16,079 Second Corinthians 7, verse 10 For godly sorrow produces 285 00:17:16,079 --> 00:17:19,760 repentance leading to salvation not to be regretted, but the 286 00:17:19,760 --> 00:17:21,640 sorrow of the world produces death. 287 00:17:22,280 --> 00:17:25,000 The worldly sorrow is Pharaoh picture. 288 00:17:25,000 --> 00:17:29,320 We read it this past week. All these problems not ever, 289 00:17:29,320 --> 00:17:32,840 ever come into the understanding he's offending the creator God. 290 00:17:33,600 --> 00:17:36,520 All he wants is get these frogs out of here, get these gnats out 291 00:17:36,520 --> 00:17:38,800 of here, get the water, you know, just take care of the 292 00:17:38,800 --> 00:17:40,920 problem and I'll let the people go. 293 00:17:40,920 --> 00:17:46,200 He's lying through his teeth. He's not truly repenting and he 294 00:17:46,200 --> 00:17:50,760 continually lives a sinful way and and it has no intention of 295 00:17:50,760 --> 00:17:54,000 repenting. Now some people think, well, 296 00:17:54,160 --> 00:17:57,240 I'll repent this in this in time to get to heaven. 297 00:17:58,720 --> 00:18:00,640 Well, you, none of you, none of you know, none of us know when 298 00:18:00,640 --> 00:18:04,160 our last breath will be. And that's why Paul says today 299 00:18:04,160 --> 00:18:09,400 is the day of salvation. Now some people, drug addicts, 300 00:18:09,400 --> 00:18:12,600 Alcoholics, whatever they, they turn and discuss from their 301 00:18:12,600 --> 00:18:16,120 consequences of sin. I lost my job, my marriage, my 302 00:18:16,120 --> 00:18:17,840 kids, blah, blah, this, blah, blah that. 303 00:18:18,160 --> 00:18:20,120 I'm sick and tired of this kind of life. 304 00:18:20,760 --> 00:18:23,520 I'm just going to stop it. So they're disgusted over their 305 00:18:23,520 --> 00:18:27,080 behavior, but they stopped short of coming to a savior. 306 00:18:27,760 --> 00:18:31,040 That's why the 12 step program talks about a higher power lets 307 00:18:31,040 --> 00:18:34,280 you offend someone to make them realize they need a savior. 308 00:18:34,280 --> 00:18:37,160 You can't do that, so you tell them about a higher power. 309 00:18:37,560 --> 00:18:40,360 Higher power can't save. Only Christ can save. 310 00:18:41,240 --> 00:18:44,160 That's the worldly sorrow. The worldly sorrow is the guy 311 00:18:44,160 --> 00:18:46,240 with the B control device, right? 312 00:18:46,800 --> 00:18:48,960 The detector. What do you call those things? 313 00:18:50,280 --> 00:18:52,160 I used to have one. I still have, but I don't plug 314 00:18:52,160 --> 00:18:54,360 it in anymore. It doesn't mean I still don't 315 00:18:54,360 --> 00:18:56,720 speed, though. But I get reminded every once in 316 00:18:56,720 --> 00:18:58,560 a while when I see someone else is pulled over. 317 00:18:59,560 --> 00:19:01,680 Then I got to take it easy. I'm just glad I wasn't that 318 00:19:01,680 --> 00:19:05,120 person. But you know, it's just endemic 319 00:19:05,120 --> 00:19:07,760 in US, isn't it? The, the, the, the tendency to 320 00:19:08,560 --> 00:19:10,560 not not see things as God sees them. 321 00:19:10,760 --> 00:19:13,480 He says that the worldly sorrow, that's what leads to hell. 322 00:19:14,080 --> 00:19:18,520 It stops short of salvation. That's like the teenager gets in 323 00:19:18,520 --> 00:19:20,960 trouble for something. Oh, man, I can't believe. 324 00:19:20,960 --> 00:19:24,320 How did they find talking to friends on the phone, texting? 325 00:19:24,360 --> 00:19:27,000 You know, man, they're like my daughter Jessica used to say, 326 00:19:27,280 --> 00:19:29,400 Dad's like the watchdog of heaven. 327 00:19:29,760 --> 00:19:32,240 Like, wherever we go, whatever he does, he sees what we're 328 00:19:32,240 --> 00:19:33,840 doing. The Holy Spirit. 329 00:19:34,280 --> 00:19:36,520 There was a lot that I missed, but boy, the Holy Spirit had 330 00:19:36,520 --> 00:19:40,200 Cindy and I clued in on a lot of things for their sake. 331 00:19:41,120 --> 00:19:44,360 But their sorrow wasn't godly sorrow. 332 00:19:44,360 --> 00:19:46,040 At times, it was a worldly sorrow. 333 00:19:47,040 --> 00:19:49,000 They were just upset that they got caught. 334 00:19:49,640 --> 00:19:51,640 A godly sorrow. This is godly sorrow. 335 00:19:51,640 --> 00:19:56,720 It's David against you. Only have I sinned, O Lord, and 336 00:19:56,720 --> 00:20:00,600 done this evil in your sight. Godly sorrow brings true 337 00:20:00,600 --> 00:20:03,480 repentance. It's turning from the root of 338 00:20:03,480 --> 00:20:06,800 sin. Against you only have I sinned. 339 00:20:07,440 --> 00:20:10,120 Godly sorrow leads to trusting in Christ. 340 00:20:11,080 --> 00:20:14,440 Being born again, a changed heart, a changed mind, a changed 341 00:20:14,440 --> 00:20:18,400 life, new desires. So Jesus says in Ephesians, 342 00:20:18,400 --> 00:20:20,360 we'll get into regarding Ephesus. 343 00:20:20,360 --> 00:20:23,240 We'll get into this next week and chapter 2. 344 00:20:23,240 --> 00:20:26,400 We'll just conclude now Revelation chapter 2. 345 00:20:27,320 --> 00:20:29,840 This is what he says to the church in Ephesus, the first 346 00:20:29,840 --> 00:20:32,080 church. And he says this to us this 347 00:20:32,080 --> 00:20:33,800 morning. Guys, don't think we're reading 348 00:20:33,800 --> 00:20:37,120 about some church way back then or some churches other than us. 349 00:20:37,400 --> 00:20:39,320 He's speaking this to you and me today. 350 00:20:39,760 --> 00:20:43,040 Nevertheless, I have this against you, that you have left 351 00:20:43,040 --> 00:20:45,960 your first love. Remember, therefore, from where 352 00:20:45,960 --> 00:20:49,320 you have fallen, repent and do the first works, or else I will 353 00:20:49,320 --> 00:20:52,960 come to you and quickly remove your lampstand from its place 354 00:20:53,480 --> 00:20:56,880 unless you repent. Have you left your first love? 355 00:20:56,880 --> 00:20:59,240 Think about that as we study the Book of Revelation. 356 00:20:59,520 --> 00:21:02,360 It isn't all about the signs and wonders and the history and the 357 00:21:02,360 --> 00:21:07,320 insights and that all the beautiful symbolism and the 358 00:21:07,720 --> 00:21:10,320 realities of God's judgement, His second coming. 359 00:21:10,560 --> 00:21:13,960 We can get all excited about all that and not be living in 360 00:21:13,960 --> 00:21:16,680 repentance, right? Some of the people who are 361 00:21:16,680 --> 00:21:20,640 prophecy addicts sometimes are the worst people in regard to 362 00:21:20,640 --> 00:21:24,800 their own personal holiness. One of the people that wrote one 363 00:21:24,800 --> 00:21:27,720 of the most profound books on the end times has been married 364 00:21:27,720 --> 00:21:31,520 three Times Now. How can we read this book and 365 00:21:31,520 --> 00:21:35,440 not take it to our own heart? Meaning that I need to repent. 366 00:21:35,600 --> 00:21:37,520 It's not. I used to read this years ago. 367 00:21:37,520 --> 00:21:39,360 Boy, Ephesus, they were really messed up, weren't they? 368 00:21:39,960 --> 00:21:42,280 You believe those people? What kind of man? 369 00:21:42,280 --> 00:21:45,200 I was such a fool. Now I realize this is talking 370 00:21:45,200 --> 00:21:48,800 about us. We need to repent and do the 371 00:21:48,800 --> 00:21:50,520 first works. I was thinking this morning in 372 00:21:50,520 --> 00:21:52,800 the shower, what are the 1st works? 373 00:21:52,800 --> 00:21:55,280 Whenever I first came to Christ, and I'm sure this is the case 374 00:21:55,280 --> 00:21:57,400 with you too. What did you want to do? 375 00:21:57,400 --> 00:22:00,560 All you wanted to do is read your Bible, tell people about 376 00:22:00,560 --> 00:22:05,960 Jesus, pray, be in church, and this praise God all the time, 377 00:22:05,960 --> 00:22:07,320 right? That's all you wanted to do. 378 00:22:07,760 --> 00:22:10,360 So why is it that we think after we've been a Christian a long 379 00:22:10,360 --> 00:22:11,840 time? That was nice those days, but 380 00:22:12,040 --> 00:22:13,760 I'm on the bigger and better things now. 381 00:22:13,880 --> 00:22:17,120 I'm building my own Kingdom and trying to become a millionaire 382 00:22:17,120 --> 00:22:20,760 so I can give money away to help churches or whatever. 383 00:22:20,760 --> 00:22:24,360 You know, all these justify justifying things we say, no, 384 00:22:24,520 --> 00:22:26,880 let's get back all of us. And that starts with me. 385 00:22:27,040 --> 00:22:29,560 And I think the three through to your Bible is a wonderful 386 00:22:29,880 --> 00:22:33,560 exercise in helping us to get back to the place we need to be 387 00:22:33,920 --> 00:22:37,760 because it says with the word, the reading of the word comes 388 00:22:37,760 --> 00:22:40,200 faith. And so as we read the word 389 00:22:40,200 --> 00:22:45,360 together and as we apply it and live it in our lives, and then 390 00:22:45,360 --> 00:22:47,800 we start wanting to talk about what we're reading and we want 391 00:22:47,800 --> 00:22:52,480 to tell people about Jesus and evangelize and, and then we want 392 00:22:52,480 --> 00:22:54,400 to be in church. It's not like Sunday. 393 00:22:54,400 --> 00:22:57,320 Oh man, I got to be in church. Like I can't wait to get to 394 00:22:57,320 --> 00:23:00,000 church. I can't wait to see my brothers 395 00:23:00,000 --> 00:23:01,920 and sisters. I can't wait to hear the word. 396 00:23:02,880 --> 00:23:05,240 I can't wait to spend time when I get up with God in the 397 00:23:05,240 --> 00:23:07,760 morning, doesn't tell him how great he is and how much I love 398 00:23:07,760 --> 00:23:09,400 him. And before I go to bed at night, 399 00:23:09,400 --> 00:23:12,440 I want to tell him how grateful I am for him watching over me 400 00:23:12,440 --> 00:23:15,760 today and taking care of me and my family and my kids and, and 401 00:23:15,760 --> 00:23:19,240 just watching out for me. First love. 402 00:23:19,960 --> 00:23:21,560 We all need that rekindle, don't we? 403 00:23:22,160 --> 00:23:24,560 So in the quietness of your hearts, as all of us sit here 404 00:23:24,560 --> 00:23:29,360 this morning, let's pray that we heed the words of Jesus this 405 00:23:29,360 --> 00:23:34,800 morning and allow him by His grace to restore to each of us 406 00:23:35,280 --> 00:23:38,160 that place of first love again. And you might think you're, it's 407 00:23:38,160 --> 00:23:40,120 impossible. No, it isn't. 408 00:23:40,720 --> 00:23:43,280 If you pray and you have your heart open and you're desperate, 409 00:23:43,920 --> 00:23:47,440 God will restore unto you the joy of your salvation. 410 00:23:49,120 --> 00:23:52,840 We are digging into the Book of Revelation here on Living Waters 411 00:23:52,840 --> 00:23:55,600 of Grace. Pastor Clark is tackling this 412 00:23:55,600 --> 00:23:59,520 challenging book as we try to discern the messages that are 413 00:23:59,520 --> 00:24:03,120 within its pages. There's so much imagery, and at 414 00:24:03,120 --> 00:24:06,600 times you're not always sure what's literal and what's 415 00:24:06,600 --> 00:24:08,960 metaphorical. At one point, there's a 416 00:24:08,960 --> 00:24:12,760 reference to an adulterous woman riding on a beast. 417 00:24:13,080 --> 00:24:16,160 And as someone else mentioned, at one point it almost sounds 418 00:24:16,160 --> 00:24:20,640 like a rodeo from hell. And in actuality it kind of is. 419 00:24:21,080 --> 00:24:25,000 You learn about the downfall and demise of a sinful and 420 00:24:25,000 --> 00:24:29,280 rebellious world, falling down in worship to someone who is the 421 00:24:29,400 --> 00:24:36,200 anti hero, the enemy, Satan working his insidious ways into 422 00:24:36,200 --> 00:24:40,880 the minds of fallen people. It's sad and it's heartbreaking, 423 00:24:40,880 --> 00:24:44,600 but it's a classic story of good versus evil. 424 00:24:45,240 --> 00:24:48,080 Thankfully, we know how this story ends. 425 00:24:48,480 --> 00:24:55,320 Jesus wins, Jesus reigns, and evil is conquered once and for 426 00:24:55,320 --> 00:24:57,880 all. We pray and trust you've 427 00:24:57,880 --> 00:25:02,880 received Jesus as your Savior. But if you haven't, don't wait 428 00:25:02,880 --> 00:25:06,120 until the events and revelation become what's happening on the 429 00:25:06,120 --> 00:25:09,640 streets. None of us wants you to be there 430 00:25:09,640 --> 00:25:12,960 at that time. Instead, we'd love for you to be 431 00:25:12,960 --> 00:25:17,760 with us in heaven as we celebrate the marriage supper 432 00:25:17,760 --> 00:25:23,240 with Jesus as his bridegroom. To get a better understanding of 433 00:25:23,240 --> 00:25:26,400 where we are in the Book of Revelation, to listen to any 434 00:25:26,400 --> 00:25:31,080 messages before or after this one, you can find them at our 435 00:25:31,080 --> 00:25:34,640 website, calvarychapelonline.com. 436 00:25:35,160 --> 00:25:38,360 That's it for today's edition, but we hope you'll want to hear 437 00:25:38,360 --> 00:25:41,880 Pastor Clark teach more from the Book of Revelation. 438 00:25:42,360 --> 00:25:46,240 It can be exciting to think about the future for believers, 439 00:25:46,680 --> 00:25:49,280 but it can feel a bit harrowing for those who don't believe. 440 00:25:49,680 --> 00:25:53,480 Come here more next time on Living Waters of Grace.