Psalm 51:10

“Seeking God Through Repentance”

1) INTRO • Were here today continuing to seek God’s heart for our own personal revival • We wanna be a people and a church family that cries out to God for revival in our hearts and lives and families and relationships so that we can glorify God and shine brightly for him • And, we’ve already covered the topics of humility and honesty • Humility – we’ve seen that we’re to fight the pride that naturally rises up in us from birth to think that we’re pretty special • Honesty – we’ve seen that we’re to confess our need for God and for him to wash away our sins and to openly confess them to him for forgiveness • Today we’re looking at repentance…we’re looking at what repentance is and what the steps are for genuine repentance • And, we’re given Psalm 51 as the passage of Scripture to look at for the form/for the guideline of repentance • And, so we’ll walk through that chapter together as we learn and grown and seek God together this morning 2) REPENTANCE DEFINED • But, in order to begin with looking at the topic of repentance, it’s probably helpful for all of us to look at the definition • Even if we’ve heard the definitions of repentance before, it’s good to be reminded so that we’re all on the same page as we move forward today • There are two Hebrew words for “repent” in the OT and they’re translated two ways • 1) “be sorry, change one’s mind” • 2) “turn back, return” • There are two Greek words for “repent” in the NT and they’re translated as • 1) “to change one’s mind” • 2) “to regret, to feel remorse” • 3) “to think differently about something” • The commonality here’s change…change • Repentance means change • The story’s told of a doctor’s warning to his patient. “You’re in terrible shape,” the doctor said. “You gotta do something about it. Tell your wife to start cooking three nutritious meals a day. You need to stop working like a dog. Tell your wife you’re then making a budget for her to stick to. Have her take care of the kids so you can rest and relax. B/c if you don’t make some changes like that you’ll probably be dead in a month.” The patient replied, “Doc, I don’t know that my wife would make these changes…this would sound more official coming from you. Could you give her a call to tell her of these changes that need to be made?” The doctor agreed to make the call and when the man arrived back at home, his wife rushed up to him and threw her arms around him and wailed, “I talked to your doctor. You poor man, you’ve only got 30 days to live.” • Change…it’s difficult isn’t it? • While change is difficult – for all of us – it’s necessary isn’t it? • Especially as we look at our walk with the Lord • Especially as we look at the impact of what JC did for us in his death and resurrection • Especially as we evaluate how we’re living to the glory of God • Repentance is necessary…continual change/continual turning to God is necessary for our walks • RC Sproul – “repentance means to undergo a change of one’s mind. This is to change the entire direction of one’s life; it involves a radical turning from sin and to Christ.” 1

• Repentance is a changing/turning from our sin…it’s a heart that no longer seeks to cling to our sin, but to rather cling to Jesus/to delight in Jesus rather than our sin • This can only happen in the life of the believer • Repentance is the fruit/the result of regeneration • Only those who’re regenerated/those who’re changed and transformed by the Gospel of JC can live lives of genuine repentance • And, repentance is an attitude and action that’s to be repeated throughout our Christian life • It’s not just a one and done kind of deal • As we’re followers of Christ who continue to struggle with our own sin and the sin around us, we’re called upon to repent as we’re convicted of our sin by the HS • As followers of Christ/disciples of Christ/saved sinners, the HS will continuously reveal our sin to us • John MacArthur explains that “one of the signs of true conversion is sensitivity to sin…and that can only happen when we’re growing in holiness.” • So, if we’re growing in holiness in our walks with the Lord, we’re gonna be more sensitive to sin – our own sin, the sin of others, sin in the world, etc • As our affections for God and for the things of God grow, our sensitivity to sin and the things that don’t please God are gonna be heightened as well • And, so as regenerate people – people who now know life and salvation b/c of the work of JC in dying for our sins, we’re gonna be different from the way we were…the way we live’s gonna be different • And, one big difference in us now as children of God who’re living for God is that our lives are gonna be characterized by repentance • Our lives are gonna be filled with the desire to see the remaining sin in our lives and repent of that to God so that we can live for him • Our lives will now be characterized by continual change/continual turning from sin and turning to God/to JC our Savior and Lord • So, what does this look like? • How do we live lives of repentance? • What are some simple steps for us to take in this? • Dr. Kerry Skinner – a doctoral colleague of Pastor Leland’s – lays out 5 steps in the process of repentance in his book, “The Heart of the Problem” • We’ll use these 5 steps as some of the body – the bare bones – of our outline this morning • They’re helpful and they come straight from Scripture • From Psalm 51 – which is one of the main texts in Scripture to look at on the topic of repentance…the text where David cries out to God for mercy and forgiveness for his sin with Bathsheba and for the murder of her husband 3) STEP 1 • Saying to God, “God, I am wrong.” • Psalm 51:3-4 • The 1st step’s saying that we’re wrong…we’re wrong in our hearts and our actions when we sin • And, it’s hard to say we’re wrong, if we’re honest • But, we need to be willing to reject the pride of our hearts and then say we’re wrong • Guys, when we get lost on that family outing, just admit you took the wrong turn, right? • And, don’t blame it on the gps…just admit you missed your turn • We’re often quick to blame other people or other circumstances • It’s like bowling with that guy who constantly blames his poor score on the ball…you know what I mean? 2

• This 1st step’s a response of self-awareness in being honest before God of our rebellion and sin against him • We must realize that, yes our sin hurts those around us and we’re to ask them for forgiveness • But, ultimately/in the end our sin’s against God’s law and against God himself…the holy and righteous God of the Universe • Unless we’re willing to say to God that we’re wrong – that we’ve wronged him, we’ve disobeyed him and his laws, we’ve not sought to please him and live for him – then we’re not yet on the path to repentance • If that’s the case, we’re not yet going to make a change/a turn from sin and to Christ • And, it’s not always easy to admit we’re wrong • But, we praise God for when the HS does convict us of our sin • We praise the HS for convicting and making us humble and honest enough to admit we’re wrong b/c we’re then able to work out our salvation with fear and trembling • Phil 2:12-13…we should know this by now! • Working out our salvation’s a dual effort…when God’s at work in us/when the HS’s working in our hearts and lives, we’ll be able to work out our salvation in order to bring pleasure to God • Praise God for when we know we’re wrong! • Praise God that he helps us to see that! • That’s a sign of the HS at work in us! • May God work in us in that way every day! 4) STEP 2 • Saying to God, “God, I am sorry for my sin.” • Psalm 51:1,17 • The 2nd step here shows a heart and attitude that’s broken and in sorrow over our sin. • Our sin should bother us • Our sin should hurt us • We should be disgusted by the remaining sin in our lives • We should hurt/ache knowing that we’ve sinned against the God who created us and loves us and saves us • We have a God who shows his steadfast love to us…who’s mercifully and graciously saved us in JC • Who sent JC to come and to die in our place • To pay the penalty of death that we should pay • And, the fact that he’s a merciful and gracious God should cause us to mourn over our sin • We don’t deserve God’s love • We never will deserve God’s love • But, that’s how great our God is – he loves us in spite of ourselves • He loves us out of his good character and he saves us so that we’ll point to him • Our God’s a God who shows steadfast love for us – continuously in spite of our sin and in spite of who we are • But, that shouldn’t ever make us think that sin’s not a big deal • We should’t ever sin with the thought that it’s not a big deal b/c God’ll forgive us anyway • Dietrich Bonhoeffer makes the distinction between cheap grace and costly grace • “Cheap grace is the preaching of forgiveness without requiring repentance…[it says] of course you have sinned, but now everything is forgiven, so you can stay as you are and enjoy the consolations of forgiveness.” • “Costly grace confronts us as a gracious call to follow Jesus, it comes as a word of forgiveness to the broken spirit and the contrite heart.” • Costly grace says we’re sorry for our sin…we’re broken over our sin 3

• It says that we’re gonna run to Jesus rather than stay where we are and not let our sin bother us • Costly grace recognizes that running to Jesus and knowing forgiveness in Jesus means changing the way we live so that we’re able to flee sin by the power of the HS • And, he’ll help us, won’t he? • The HS will help us…prod us on to holy living…the HS will help us to be sorry for our sin 5) STEP 3 • Saying to God, “God, forgive me of my sin.” • Psalm 51:11,14 • This part of the process is where we beg God for forgiveness and humbly and honestly admit how desperately we need him • This is where we cry out to God asking that he remove the guilt and shame of our sin • We plead with God that he’ll not hold our sin against us • This is a recognition that we’re an unholy people who’s sin keeps us from communion/relationship with God/from the very presence of God • This is an acknowledgment… •That we need to be forgiven for giving into temptation • That our hearts and our actions have not pleased God • That we’ve not obeyed God and we’ve not sought to live for his glory • That we’re guilty before God b/c of our sin • This is what David cries out to God here in Psalm 51 when he asks God to deliver him from his bloodguiltiness 6) STEP 4 • Saying to God, “God, cleanse me of my sin.” • Psalm 51:2,7,9-10 • This step’s a forsaking of our sin • This is where we say that we’re tired of our sin/we’re sick of it • This is where God responds to us and cleanses us/purifies us b/c of our Savior, JC • This is where we ask that Jesus wash us clean • In my countertop work before and after seminary, I was at times put to work in the cultured marble department • The cultured marble process is a dirty process • It involves mixing the cultured marble in a huge mixer, then (with your hands) scooping the cultured marble onto the forms so that they can dry and turn into the nice vanities that go into washrooms • Every step of this process is messy – and every step involves cultured marble splashing onto your clothes • Similar to concrete work, it leaves your clothes pretty filthy • We’ve all probably had jobs that have made our clothes filthy/gross/nasty • This is our sin before God – it’s nasty/gross and needs to be washed away • And, he does that for us in JC! • Through the work of Jesus, we’re washed clean! • We’re purified/washed clean b/c of the work of JC on the cross • This step of repentance asks God to wash us of our sins and the filth that they bring • And, this step rejoices that JC alone purifies us before our holy God 7) STEP 5 4

• Saying to God “God, empower me to turn away from my sin.” • Psalm 51:8,12 • This is a humble recognition that we can't get right w/ God on our own • This is a recognition that we’re weak and we need help • We need supernatural help…God’s help, don’t we? • And, praise God that he empowers us to be able to turn away from our sin! • B/c of God’s help in turning from our sin and turning toward him, we’re able to have joy • Knowing that God’s merciful, gracious, and generous, willing, and eager to uphold us, we’ll have joy in God! • Our hearts are gonna rejoice in the God of our salvation…that the same God who gives salvation also sustains us • He leads us and guides and fills us with himself/with the HS so that we’re able to turn from sin • When we come before God, broken, contrite, genuine, and crying out to him to help us…he’s gonna gladly help us, isn’t he? • And, Amen for that! • Thank you, Lord! • Let’s focus on God’s working in us • Let’s not try to move through our day on our own power, we’re gonna fall flat, aren’t we? • Let’s not try to resist sin on our own strength, b/c it’s really not strength at all, is it? • Let’s instead lean on the sovereign, all-powerful, mighty, gracious, good, and merciful God who holds all things in his hands • And, he’s more than willing to hold us in his hands • We just need to humbly come before him, crying out to him for his help…to change us…to turn the way we live…to now live for him in all things • We need him to chart the course for our lives • 8) CONCLUSION • Nancy Leigh DeMoss & Tim Grissom – “Repentance involves returning to the Lord, forsaking sin, and obeying God.” • What are the sins we need to turn from? • We’re to honestly think about this • And, we’re to ask God to reveal them to us • We see here in Psalm 51 that essentially we have two needs – reconciliation (vv1-9) and transformation (vv10-19) • B/c of our sin, we need to be reconciled back to God • Our sin count before God needs to be brought back to zero • And, praise God we have that in the work of JC • In his going to the cross and dying for our sins • In his victory over sin and death • B/c we’re sinful people, we need to be transformed…every part of who we are • We need to be made new • And, praise God that he does that work in us • Through the HS – b/c of the HS we’re able to live for God and obey God • Were now able to turn from our sin and turn to Christ every day • May the HS show us the sin (and sins) in our lives that need to be weeded out 2016-01-24

Pastor Eric Botzet

Arrowsmith Baptist Church 5