Repentance By Pastor Dan Kennedy © September 2, 2012 www.pastorkennedy.com There are very few subjects more appropriate, and, more uncomfortable than Repentance. Since we are highlighting remarkable passages in the Psalms we must stop at Psalm 51 and review this life-changing subject. King David wrote this plea for God’s forgiveness, in Psalm 51, after his shameful affair with Bathsheba and the murder of her faithful and loyal husband, Uriah. Psalm 51 Create in Me a Clean Heart, O God 51 To the choirmaster. A Psalm of David, when Nathan the prophet went to him, after he had gone in to Bathsheba. 1 Have mercy on me, O God, according to your steadfast love; according to your abundant mercy blot out my transgressions. 2 Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin! 3 For I know my transgressions, and my sin is ever before me. 4 Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight, so that you may be justified in your words and blameless in your judgment. 5 Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, and in sin did my mother conceive me. 6 Behold, you delight in truth in the inward being, and you teach me wisdom in the secret heart. 7 Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow. 8 Let me hear joy and gladness; let the bones that you have broken rejoice. 9 Hide your face from my sins, and blot out all my iniquities. 10 Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me. 11 Cast me not away from your presence, and take not your Holy Spirit from me. 12 Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and uphold me with a willing spirit. 13 Then I will teach transgressors your ways, and sinners will return to you. 14 Deliver me from bloodguiltiness, O God, O God of my salvation, and my tongue will sing aloud of your righteousness. 15 O Lord, open my lips, and my mouth will declare your praise. 16 For you will not delight in sacrifice, or I would give it; you will not be pleased with a burnt offering. 17 The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise. 18 Do good to Zion in your good pleasure; build up the walls of Jerusalem; 19 then will you delight in right sacrifices, in burnt offerings and whole burnt offerings; then bulls will be offered on your altar. (ESV) David was repentant. His sin was great…Because of it the enemies of God easily distained God’s Name. His sin was a reproach upon God and upon himself…to this day. Because of it David suffered great shame, remorse and great trial. Esau illustrates the Opposite of David’s Response. Esau sold his birthright for a bowl of pottage. When he realized he missed the family blessing he “repented”, but God knew his heart. Hebrews 12:15–17 15 See to it that no one fails to obtain the grace of God; that no “root of bitterness” springs up and causes trouble, and by it many become defiled; 16 that no one is sexually immoral or unholy like Esau, who sold his birthright for a single meal. 17 For you know that afterward, when he desired to inherit the blessing, he was rejected, for he found no chance to repent, though he sought it with tears. David was Repentant. God knew Esau was not. King David’s Repentance is Revealed in Honorable Responses Nathan, the Prophet, called David out regarding his reprehensible actions and David repented of his sin. Later, at the end of David’s life, in 1 Kings 1, Adonijah, David’s son, rose to assume the undesignated kingship of Israel. David, by then an old man, responded to Bathsheba as a repentant and honorable man by denying Adonijah the throne and placing Solomon as the appointed heir, as promised. Solomon became the wisest king to ever rule. Repentance is a Theme Throughout the Scripture • Solomon highlighted national repentance when he dedicated the first Temple. 1 Kings 8:46–50 46 “If they sin against you—for there is no one who does not sin—and you are angry with them and give them to an enemy, so that they are carried away captive to the land of the enemy, far off or near, 47 yet if they turn their heart in the land to which they have been carried captive, and repent and plead with you in the land of their captors, saying, ‘We have sinned and have acted perversely and wickedly,’ 48 if they repent with all their mind and with all their heart in the land of their enemies, who carried them captive, and pray to you toward their land, which you gave to their fathers, the city that you have chosen, and the house that I have built for your name, 49 then hear in heaven your dwelling place their prayer and their plea, and maintain their cause 50 and forgive your people who have sinned against you, and all their transgressions that they have committed against you, and grant them compassion in the sight of those who carried them captive, that they may have compassion on them…. God also spoke to Solomon about Repentance in 2 Chronicles 7:14 2 Chronicles 7:14 14 if my people who are called by my name humble themselves, and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land. • God Called for the Repentance of Nineveh through Jonah’s Message, and the wicked city repented and was spared. Jonah 3:1–10 Jonah Goes to Nineveh 3 Then the word of the Lord came to Jonah the second time, saying, 2 “Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and call out against it the message that I tell you.” 3 So Jonah arose and went to Nineveh, according to the word of the Lord. Now Nineveh was an exceedingly great city, three days’ journey in breadth. 4 Jonah began to go into the city, going a day’s journey. And he called out, “Yet forty days, and Nineveh shall be overthrown!” 5 And the people of Nineveh believed God. They called for a fast and put on sackcloth, from the greatest of them to the least of them. The People of Nineveh Repent 6 The word reached the king of Nineveh, and he arose from his throne, removed his robe, covered himself with sackcloth, and sat in ashes. 7 And he issued a proclamation and published through Nineveh, “By the decree of the king and his nobles: Let neither man nor beast, herd nor flock, taste anything. Let them not feed or drink water, 8 but let man and beast be covered with sackcloth, and let them call out mightily to God. Let everyone turn from his evil way and from the violence that is in his hands. 9 Who knows? God may turn and relent and turn from his fierce anger, so that we may not perish.” 10 When God saw what they did, how they turned from their evil way, God relented of the disaster that he had said he would do to them, and he did not do it. Those in Nineveh repented of their sin and God spared them from destruction! • Very Sadly, Israel, the national people of God in that day, did not repent of their sin and were condemned to destruction and dispersion throughout the world. 2 Chronicles 36:12–21 12 He (King Zedekiah) did what was evil in the sight of the Lord his God. He did not humble himself ….. 13 … He stiffened his neck and hardened his heart against turning to the Lord, the God of Israel. 14 All the officers of the priests and the people likewise were exceedingly unfaithful, following all the abominations of the nations. And they polluted the house of the Lord that he had made holy in Jerusalem. 15 The Lord, the God of their fathers, sent persistently to them by his messengers, because he had compassion on his people and on his dwelling place. 16 But they kept mocking the messengers of God, despising his words and scoffing at his prophets, until the wrath of the Lord rose against his people, until there was no remedy. Jerusalem Captured and Burned 17 Therefore he brought up against them the king of the Chaldeans, who killed their young men with the sword in the house of their sanctuary and had no compassion on young man or virgin, old man or aged. He gave them all into his hand. 18 And all the vessels of the house of God, great and small, and the treasures of the house of the Lord, and the treasures of the king and of his princes, all these he brought to Babylon. 19 And they burned the house of God and broke down the wall of Jerusalem and burned all its palaces with fire and destroyed all its precious vessels. 20 He took into exile in Babylon those who had escaped from the sword, and they became servants to him and to his sons until the establishment of the kingdom of Persia, 21 to fulfill the word of the Lord by the mouth of Jeremiah, until the land had enjoyed its Sabbaths. All the days that it lay desolate it kept Sabbath, to fulfill seventy years. Following the destruction of Jerusalem and Solomon’s Temple in 586 B.C., the dispersion of the Jews to Assyria lasted for 70 years to exactly fulfill their known disobedience to God (2 Chron. 36:21). God then let them return to their own land. After rebuilding and experiencing blessing for almost 500 years, the nation continued to experience a second downward spiral into gross spiritual decline, which also included a rejection and crucifixion of Christ as their Messiah. This led to the destruction of Herod’s temple in 70 A.D. The second destruction and dispersion of the Jews did not last for 70 years; instead, it lasted for 2,000 years. Even then the Jewish return to their land was not concluded until after they were humbled yet again in the atrocities and death camps under Hitler in WW2. Two thousand years later, the Jewish people were finally given opportunity to return to Palestine. The nation of Israel was finally reestablished in 1948. This was the first time in the history of the world that a displaced nation was once again established after such a long dispersion! Lack of repentance brings a heavy, heavy toll on everyone. • John the Baptist preached repentance and baptized those who repented with the Baptism of Repentance. Matthew 3:1–12 John the Baptist Prepares the Way 3 In those days John the Baptist came preaching in the wilderness of Judea, 2 “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” 3 For this is he who was spoken of by the prophet Isaiah when he said, “The voice of one crying in the wilderness: ‘Prepare the way of the Lord; make his paths straight.’ ” 4 Now John wore a garment of camel’s hair and a leather belt around his waist, and his food was locusts and wild honey. 5 Then Jerusalem and all Judea and all the region about the Jordan were going out to him, 6 and they were baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins. 7 But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to his baptism, he said to them, “You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? 8 Bear fruit in keeping with repentance. 9 And do not presume to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father,’ for I tell you, God is able from these stones to raise up children for Abraham. 10 Even now the axe is laid to the root of the trees. Every tree therefore that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 11 “I baptize you with water for repentance, but he who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. 12 His winnowing fork is in his hand, and he will clear his threshing floor and gather his wheat into the barn, but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire.” The Three Realities of Sin Our Problems with Sin, from which we need repentance before a Holy God… • The Curse of Sin Plagues the Whole world through “the Fall” of Adam. Romans 5:12 12 Therefore, just as sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men because all sinned— • If we know that what we are doing is wrong and we do it anyway, we sin. Romans 3:23 23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, In Romans 7:7- 8:2 Paul reveals to us the struggle between our sinful flesh and the ministry of the Holy Spirit in our life. • If you know what to do and do not do it, it is sin to you. James 4:17 17 So whoever knows the right thing to do and fails to do it, for him it is sin. How Does Repentance Change the Dynamic of Sin? 1. God: True Repentance is first Initiated toward God Salvation and Redemption is a free gift from God, through Jesus Christ, because of His Grace. Repentance is on the man or woman’s side of the equation. Repentance is admitting that we have sinned against God. It is the confession and admission of honesty about our need for God’s Salvation… We confess to God who we actually are and what we have done wrong before God and others. The “Religious” Man, and the “Sinner” – in Church Luke 18:10–14 10 “Two men went up into the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. 11 The Pharisee, standing by himself, prayed thus: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other men, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. 12 I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I get.’ 13 But the tax collector, standing far off, would not even lift up his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me, a sinner!’ 14 I tell you, this man went down to his house justified, rather than the other. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted.” God’s Promise to the Repentant 1 John 1:9 9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 2. Others: True Repentance is Initiated with Others When we sin against our brother or sister, God holds us accountable to make that right with them. Matthew 5:21–24 21 “You have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not murder; and whoever murders will be liable to judgment.’ 22 But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother will be liable to judgment; whoever insults his brother will be liable to the council; and whoever says, ‘You fool!’ will be liable to the hell of fire. 23 So if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, 24 leave your gift there before the altar and go. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift. 3. Ourselves: Repentance allows us to have a clear conscience and deal with guilt that our sin has brought upon ourselves. We confess our sin and we turn from our sin! Acts 24:16 16 So I always take pains to have a clear conscience toward both God and man. Hebrews 10:22 22 let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. 1 Peter 3:15–17 15 but in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect, 16 having a good conscience, so that, when you are slandered, those who revile your good behavior in Christ may be put to shame. 17 For it is better to suffer for doing good, if that should be God’s will, than for doing evil. “The Process of following Christ is a long obedience in the same direction. Every resolution to begin to obey must be followed by many decisions to continue.” – Eugene Peterson Highlights from Psalm 51 regarding Repentance Psalm 51 Only God can Cleanse Our Sin 1 Have mercy on me, O God, according to your steadfast love; according to your abundant mercy blot out my transgressions. 2 Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin! We are fully aware of our Sin…unless we allow our Conscience to become Seared or Defiled. (1 Timothy 4:2; Titus 1:15) 3 For I know my transgressions, and my sin is ever before me. Sin, in any shape or form is ultimately Against God. 4 Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight, so that you may be justified in your words and blameless in your judgment. God wants us to personally Acknowledge the Truth about our Sinfulness 6 Behold, you delight in truth in the inward being, and you teach me wisdom in the secret heart. David wrote this Psalm before Christ came, but we, who now live after Christ’s death and resurrection, can understand that the Lamb of God’s Blood Sacrifice on the Cross - the Purging of the Blood of Christ is the only way we can be Cleansed of our Sin 7 Purge me with hyssop (the plant used to sprinkle the blood of the sacrificed lamb at the Passover), and I shall be clean; wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow. The Problem of Sin, Creates our Need for a Clean Heart before God 10 Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me. The Guilt of our Sin takes away the Joy of our Salvation 12 Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and uphold me with a willing spirit. We cannot earn (through our gifts or sacrifices) absolution from our sin. We must begin with a broken and contrite heart. (Remember Esau? God saw his lack of repentance, though he sought it with tears.) 16 For you will not delight in sacrifice, or I would give it; you will not be pleased with a burnt offering. My Part is Repentance 17 The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise. When we one day stand before God at the Final Judgment, Godly Repentance before God and others, will not make us ashamed. 1 John 2:28–29 28 And now, little children, abide in him, so that when he appears we may have confidence and not shrink from him in shame at his coming. 29 If you know that he is righteous, you may be sure that everyone who practices righteousness has been born of him. “Repentance is being so sorry for sin that you are willing to give it up!”