Repentenace
Notes
Transcript
We continue this series Repent and rebuild by diving deeper into repentance.
We continue this series Repent and rebuild by diving deeper into repentance.
Luke 15
The Parable of the Lost Son
11 He also said: “A man had two sons. 12 The younger of them said to his father, ‘Father, give me the share of the estate I have coming to me.’ So he distributed the assets to them. 13 Not many days later, the younger son gathered together all he had and traveled to a distant country, where he squandered his estate in foolish living. 14 After he had spent everything, a severe famine struck that country, and he had nothing. 15 Then he went to work for one of the citizens of that country, who sent him into his fields to feed pigs. 16 He longed to eat his fill from the carob pods the pigs were eating, but no one would give him any. 17 When he came to his senses, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired hands have more than enough food, and here I am dying of hunger! 18 I’ll get up, go to my father, and say to him, Father, I have sinned against heaven and in your sight. 19 I’m no longer worthy to be called your son. Make me like one of your hired hands.’ 20 So he got up and went to his father. But while the son was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion. He ran, threw his arms around his neck, and kissed him. 21 The son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and in your sight. I’m no longer worthy to be called your son.’
22 “But the father told his slaves, ‘Quick! Bring out the best robe and put it on him; put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. 23 Then bring the fattened calf and slaughter it, and let’s celebrate with a feast, 24 because this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found!’ So they began to celebrate.
25 “Now his older son was in the field; as he came near the house, he heard music and dancing. 26 So he summoned one of the servants and asked what these things meant. 27 ‘Your brother is here,’ he told him, ‘and your father has slaughtered the fattened calf because he has him back safe and sound.’
28 “Then he became angry and didn’t want to go in. So his father came out and pleaded with him. 29 But he replied to his father, ‘Look, I have been slaving many years for you, and I have never disobeyed your orders, yet you never gave me a young goat so I could celebrate with my friends. 30 But when this son of yours came, who has devoured your assets with prostitutes, you slaughtered the fattened calf for him.’
31 “ ‘Son,’ he said to him, ‘you are always with me, and everything I have is yours. 32 But we had to celebrate and rejoice, because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ ”
Repentenace is an important thing in the Bible. One of Jesus’ most known messages is “Repent, for the Kingdom is near.” You see repentenace is actually an action word. The Anchor Yale Bible Dictionary Repentance
REPENTANCE. The notion of repentance follows from the notion of sin. It suggests that sin is an act or attitude which can be corrected by some change in the person.
Holman Illustrated Bible Dictionary Repentance
In its biblical sense repentance refers to a deeply seated and thorough turning from self to God.
Holman Treasury of Key Bible Words: 200 Greek and 200 Hebrew Words Defined and Explained Repentance
The Greek word for “repentance” is a compound word derived from meta, meaning “after,” and suggesting “some type of change,” and nous, meaning “mind.” Thus, metanoia strictly denotes “a change of mind”—a rejection of past sinful ways. But it also connotes remorse for sin, accompanied by a desire to turn away from one’s sin and to God for salvation. Such repentance accompanies faith in Christ (Acts 20:21).
Holman Treasury of Key Bible Words: 200 Greek and 200 Hebrew Words Defined and Explained Repentance
Repentance
Greek expression: metanoia
Pronunciation: meht AH noy ah
Strong’s Number: 3341
This brings us to the first point. Repentance is an action. It is the action know knowing what was wrong and turning from it. It is more than just confessing from your sins. It is turning around in your lives and running toward God. In the parable that we just read, the Father didn’t bring up the failures of the Son. You see when you truly repented you know that you have failed. The part of repentenace is the acknolwedge of the failures. The Father didn’t want to shove the failures back into the Son’s face. The Father could see this in the Son and he was more proud that the Son has returned home. This was more valuable than the wealth of the Father, because it reunited the family. It made the family whole again and the Father was proud that the Son knew what was right and that was to be by his Father’s side.
Our second point is repentenace starts on the inside. Repetenace is a change of heart and that is the most important part that needs to change. Galatians 2:19-20 “I have been crucified with Christ 20 and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me.” If we are to repent then that change has to come the depths of our hearts. We have to see that our hearts are dying and that Jesus needs to fill our hearts first. When this growth of life starts in our hearts then it moves outwardly. Once this change has changed our hearts then the start realizing that our actions need to change, our thoughts need to change, and our lives need to change. Once this inner change has happened that is when the turning point happens.
Lastly, repentance is a continual walk away from the world and maintaining that constant walk toward God. Once you have found the sin in your lives and when Jesus is on your heart, the walk toward God starts. However, just because you confess and repent doesn’t mean that the journey is over. It is constantly remembering that the turning point has happened and growing in God’s word. It is taking that everyday confession, surrendering yourselves to God, and remembering that we are in God’s presence.
A man was praying with his pastor at the altar. He prayed a prayer the pastor had heard many times before. “Lord, take the cobwebs out of my life.” Just as he said this the pastor interrupted, “Kill the spider, Lord.”
Many times we ask the Lord to forgive us of some sin, yet we leave the source of temptation in our life.