Sermon Tone Analysis

*Genuine Repentance*

*1 John 1:9*

*December 7, 2008* \\ \\

Today we’re going to study one of those big biblical words which often goes misunderstood, but before we start let me read a passage from “Experiencing God Day-by-Day.”

The reading for October 13 was entitled, “No Secrets” and the key Scripture Luke 8:17, says: /For nothing is concealed that won’t be revealed, and nothing hidden that won’t be made known and come to light/.

Blackaby goes on to say: One of Satan's subtle deceptions is that you can do things in secret that will never be revealed.

This is simply not so.

The Bible stresses that /everything /done in darkness will one day be brought to light.

So before you commit yourself to do anything questionable, seriously ask yourself, “Am I willing for those around me to know what I am about to do? Am I willing for God to watch me participate in this activity?”

The knowledge that God sees what we do, the certainty that we are accountable for every word and action, ought to dissuade us from sin (2 Cor.

5:10).

But we can become so alienated from God that even this knowledge does not deter us.

God promises that He will publicly expose our sin so that we must give an account to others for our actions.

Ultimately, everything we do will be exposed on judgment day.

Still, some people believe they can sin against God, their families, their employers, or their friends and never be discovered.

God has provided a safeguard against sin: the certainty of disclosure.

Scripture commands us to expose the deeds of darkness as we become aware of them (Eph.

5:11).

As Christians we are to be the light that dispels darkness in our world.

Sin cannot continue in the Christian's experience, for light cannot dwell with darkness.

The only insurance against having your sins exposed is living a blameless life.

At one point in my life, I had a dream that God used in my life.

At the time I was having a dry place spiritually.

I started praying for something and I got to where it became begging God.

Beware of begging God for things, or sending the message to God that there is something you need more than Him, or that He is HeHnot enough.

I know about the promises of Scripture, and about /"…whatever you ask in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours" /(Mark 11:24).

I was claiming it, and when it didn’t happen I was disappointed.

And then came the dream that God used.

In the dream I saw God working in a powerful way that we only dream about.

I saw God moving like a river washing across our land.

I stood there watching and was filled with so much joy, real joy, soul satisfaction.

It eclipsed everything that I might have previously called joy.

When I got out of bed, I had a sermon outline in my mind.

It had the following five points:

The first one is *"God on the throne: a picture of holiness."

*We have to come back to that.

We have lost the high and exalted view of God.

God is indescribable glory.

He dwells in unapproachable light.

No one can see God and live.

Our God is a consuming fire (Heb.

12:29).

It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God (Heb.

10:31).

We have to come back to God on the throne: a picture of holiness.

Is God on the throne in your life?

Is He Lord of all?

Remember: Either He is Lord of all, or He is not Lord at all!

The second thing my dream showed me is *"Sin in the mirror: a picture of brokenness."

*In the evangelical church we relegate sin to the newspaper or the neighborhood, and we spot sin everywhere but in the mirror where we look at ourselves.

Most Christians are poor at seeing their own sin.

You ask the average Christian, "What’s next on God’s agenda for sanctification in your life?

What is God working on in your life right now?"

They answer: "I don’t know."

Sin in the mirror: a picture of brokenness.

Ask yourself now, “What is God working on in me right now?” God is always either disciplining or pruning.

He disciplines if you are doing something wrong; He prunes if you are doing something right.

In “Secrets of the Vine”, Wilkinson gives a little chart~/checklist which you will find interesting if you’re willing to look hard in the mirror!

Are you?

The third point is *"Self in the dirt: a picture of repentance."

*We want to go higher with God, but we don’t want to go lower.

So we never get to the heart of the matter.

Isaiah called our gifts to God, /"vain oblations"/, meaning worthless,(1:13).

Self in the dirt is getting down to earth.

How about your own self?

Self in the dirt: a picture of repentance.

Repentance is always turning away from sin and self, and turning to God.

It is always the cry of the prophets: repent, the day of the Lord is near.

Nearer now than ever!

Humble yourself in the sight of the Lord, and He will life you up (James 4:10).

Those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted (Luke 18:14).

Number four in my dream is *"Christ on the cross: a picture of grace."

*Grace, undeserved merit, is awesome as the remedy for a problem that we see and acknowledge.

Grace is the remedy for sin.

It is a remedy for disease.

When you see sin in the mirror and self in the dirt, grace is amazing, and grace is only through the cross.

That Christ my God shouldst die for me!! God’s Riches at Christ’s Expense – that’s grace!

The final point which came out of God’s nighttime vision to me is *"Spirit in control: a picture of power."/

/*The Lord gave Hosea 6:1-3 as a theme for this teaching: /"Come, let us return to the Lord; for He has torn us, that He may heal us; He has struck us down, and He will bind us up.

After two days He will revive us; on the third day He will raise us up, that we may live before Him.

Let us know; let us press on to know the Lord;" /and I love this promise: /"His going out is sure as the dawn."//

/Did the sun come up this morning?

God is going forth to work in the world everyday, isn’t He?

He is in control.

He has the power of these five pictures.

The one I want to go back to and delve into this morning is: "Self in the dirt: a picture of repentance."

The Biblical definition of repentance is turning away from sin, turning to God, and resolving to remain turned toward God.

Although the dictionary may throw a heaping helping of regret and reform into its definition, according to God, as we will see this morning, regret and reform are results nor definitions of repentance.

Repentance is the funnel through which all revival flows.

You want your heart stirred?

You want to get to a better place with God? Start with repentance.

The word revival is not in the Bible but verb revive is.

/"Revive us, and we will call upon Your name"/ (Psalm 80:18)./

"Turn away my eyes from looking at vanity, and revive me in Your ways" /(Psalm 119:37).

/"I am exceedingly afflicted; revive me, O Lord, according to Your word" /(Psalm 119:107.

Repentance is the first step in revival.

So today we will discover what genuine repentance is, repentance that leads to revival and restoration.

Second Corinthians 7 is a classic New Testament passage on repentance.

The main theme of verses 8-11 is: repentance is good.

The Corinthian church was a problem church in the New Testament.

They were worldly; they were divisive; they were carnal.

Paul wrote letters to the Corinthians, two of which we have, and he made multiple visits to them.

They were breaking Paul’s heart.

Here in 2 Corinthians 7:8 Paul is talking about a letter that he had written: /"For even if I made you grieve with my letter, I do not regret it – though I did regret it, for I see that that letter grieved you, though only for a while."/