Sermon Tone Analysis

*The Gift of Repentance*

January 11, 2009 \\ /  //                                                                                                                                      /   Scripture: Ezra 9-10; Nehemiah 8- 9

Last week I mentioned to you the scriptural vision God has for Good Shepherd Community Church.

God’s goal for us, for all churches, is found in Matthew 28:19 and 20.

It is called the Great Commission.

The essence of the Great Commission is to go and make disciples.

Without disciple-making there is no real growth.

Before there is growth in the bride of Christ there has to be revival in God’s people.

And, as I mentioned half in jest, last week, you can’t be revived if you’ve never been “vived”, or saved.

And you can’t be saved without recognizing your basic sinfulness, your need for repentance – turning from sin.

So, with the Lord’s help, we will go back to basics this morning, to review the beginning steps after salvation.

It never hurts to review.

So let’s start with confession.

In Experiencing God Day-by-Day, Henry Blackaby writes about *Confession*

/Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, so that you may be healed.

The intense prayer of the righteous is very powerful/.—

James 5:16

Confession is God's provision to clear obstacles that hinder our relationships with God and with others.

Confession is not just for those who don't mind admitting their faults.

Confession is a command, given to every Christian.

James advised that when we sin, it is important for us to confess not only to God, but also to our fellow Christians.

There is a tremendous freedom that comes as we openly acknowledge the sinfulness of our actions to others.

If confession does not come out of repentance, it is merely admission, and not true confession.

It is important to confess your sins specifically and not hide behind generalities.

It is one thing to pray, “O Lord, forgive my sin.”

It's quite another to identify specifically in painful honesty.

Whenever possible, confession ought to be made directly to those whom your sin has hurt.

You are not to confess the sins of others but only your offenses.

Confession is not a sign of weakness; it is evidence of your refusal to allow sin to remain in your life.

Significantly, James linked confession with prayer.

Your prayers will be hindered if you hold on to unconfessed sin.

When James promised that the “effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much,” he did so in the context of confession.

If you wish to have a powerful prayer life, you must regularly confess your sin.

Only when there are no obstacles separating you from God and others will your prayers be effective.

Pride will discourage you from admitting to others the sinfulness of your heart.

A desire to please God will compel you to confess your sin and rid yourself of its oppressive burden./

/

    Repentance is a gift from the Lord.

His desire for us is not that we wallow or perish in our sins, but that we repent of our sins and experience abundant spiritual life.

His kindness leads us toward repentance.

This is true on an individual level and on a corporate level.

Listen to these words on repentance:

/   "…[The Lord] is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance"// /(2 Pet.

3:9).

/    "Or do you show contempt for the riches of His kindness, tolerance and patience, not realizing that God’s kindness leads you toward repentance?"/ (Rom.

2:4).

/    /"Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord…" (Acts 3:19).

I like the promise in this verse: times of refreshing come when you repent.

I have previously had the privilege of sharing several truths from Ezra and Nehemiah.

Today I call your attention once again to these books and some of the truths embedded in them regarding the gift of repentance.

As you listen to this message, I encourage you to consider any personal repentance needed in your own life, as well as in your family, church and nation.

In the first eight chapters of Ezra, good things are happening for God’s people.

The book begins by sharing how God moved the heart of Cyrus king of Persia to issue a proclamation for the Jews in exile to return to Judah and rebuild the temple.

This was in fulfillment of God’s promise of restoration spoken through Jeremiah: /"‘When seventy years are completed for Babylon, I will come to you and fulfill My gracious promise to bring you back to this place.

For I know the plans I have for you,’ declares the Lord, ‘plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future’"/ (Jer.

29:10-11).

The exiles did indeed return, and with the help of the Lord, they overcame opposition and rebuilt the altar and the temple.

Chapter six records the celebration of the dedication of the temple and the celebration of the Passover.

In chapter seven, Ezra enters the story.

He comes full of zeal for the Law of God and with the favor of the king and God upon him: "…Ezra came up from Babylon.

He was a teacher well versed in the Law of Moses, which the Lord, the God of Israel, had given.

The king had granted him everything he asked, for the hand of the Lord his God was upon him.

…Ezra had devoted himself to the study and observance of the Law of the Lord, and to teaching its decrees and laws in Israel" (Ezra 7:6, 10).

He also came full of faith and courage as he had trusted God for a safe passage, without any military escort, for those traveling with him and all of their possessions, including sacred articles for the temple.

Though such good things are happening to this point, an abrupt change occurs in chapter nine.

Ezra learns that "The people of Israel, including the priests and the Levites, have not kept themselves separate from the neighboring peoples with their detestable practices….

They have taken some of their daughters as wives for themselves and their sons, and have mingled the holy race with the peoples around them.

And the leaders and officials have led the way in this unfaithfulness" (Ezra 9:1-2).

Ezra’s reaction was severe: "When I heard this, I tore my tunic and cloak, pulled hair from my head and beard and sat down appalled.

Then everyone who trembled at the words of the God of Israel gathered around me because of this unfaithfulness…" (Ezra 9:3-4).

God had called His people to be separate from the peoples around them.

He did not want the people to intermarry because He knew that the interaction with the foreign peoples would bring corruption and impurity, and would rob the Israelites of the physical and spiritual well-being He desired for them (Ezra 9:10-12).

He also knew that such marriages would turn their hearts to other gods, and decrease their devotion to God (Neh.

13:26-27; 1 Kgs.

11:4, 6).

He also had it on His heart all along for His people to be set apart in order to become a source of light and blessing to other nations.

By intermingling with the neighboring peoples, God’s people were compromising their calling and influence.

Unfortunately, the same can be said for much of the Church today.

We are called to be "in the world" not "of the world" (John 17:14-15), but in too many cases the Church has become "of the world."

For example, many sins (such as greed, materialism, gossip, immorality, pride, etc.) are just as prevalent in the Church as they are in the world.

Much of the Church has lost her distinction as God’s holy people, set apart for His purposes, called to serve as light and salt in the world.

She has become worldly and has allowed worldliness to enter her.

Sin, of course, has great consequences.

Ezra, well aware of this, with his tunic and cloak torn, fell on his knees with his hands spread out to the Lord and prayed, /"O my God, I am too ashamed and disgraced to lift up my face to You, my God, because our sins are higher than our heads and our guilt has reached to the heavens.

From the days of our forefathers until now, our guilt has been great.

Because of our sins, we…have been subjected to the sword and captivity, to pillage and humiliation…"/ (Ezra 9:6-7).

He knew that sin had led God’s people into captivity, and that if now, in this season of return and restoration, God’s people again embraced sin, they could lose everything God had on His heart for them: /"What has happened to us is a result of our evil deeds and our great guilt, and yet, our God, You have punished us less than our sins have deserved and have given us a remnant like this.

Shall we again break Your commands and intermarry with the peoples who commit such detestable practices?

Would You not be angry enough with us to destroy us, leaving us no remnant or survivor?"/

(Ezra 9:13-14).

What compounded the remorse in Ezra’s heart was his awareness of how gracious God had been to His people.

He had punished them less than they deserved, and in His grace He had shown kindness toward them and granted them new life to rebuild (Ezra 9:9).

For the people of God to once again embrace sin would be an affront to the grace of God.

Ezra knew that the well-being of God’s people and His plans and purposes for them were at stake.

Have you ever been as upset as Ezra over sin and its consequences?

Do you grieve over the loss of the influence of the Church (or maybe your own life) because of the impact of sin? Can you identify with this cry to the Church: /"…Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded.

Grieve, mourn and wail.

Change your laughter to mourning and your joy to gloom.

Humble yourselves before the Lord, and He will lift you up"/ (James 4:8-10)?

As Ezra was praying and confessing, weeping and throwing himself down before the house of God, a large crowd of men, women and children gathered around him, and they too wept bitterly (Ezra 10:1).

In the midst of this, something wonderful happened.

A man named Shecaniah said to Ezra, /"We have been unfaithful to our God by marrying foreign women from the peoples around us.

But in spite of this, there is still hope for Israel.

Now let us make a covenant before our God to send away all these women and their children, in accordance with the counsel of my lord and those who fear the commands of our God.

Let it be done according to the Law.