Grace Wrought Repentance by Jeff Noblit
Repentance is never out of season.
Repentance is granted by the Lord it is not a work of our own.
Acts 5:31 God exalted him at his right hand as Leader and Savior, to give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins. ESV
Agents of repentance
Acts 2:37 Now when they heard this they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, “Brothers, what shall we do?” ESV
Acts 16:14 One who heard us was a woman named Lydia, from the city of Thyatira, a seller of purple goods, who was a worshiper of God. The Lord opened her heart to pay attention to what was said by Paul. ESV
Flesh Wrought Repentance
A. Trouble over sin
2 Cor 7:10 For godly grief produces a repentance that leads to salvation without regret, whereas worldly grief produces death. ESV
Examples: Ahab, Judas, Saul (1 Samuel 24:16-17) and Esau
Tears without Repentance
Fades Away – Lasts for a season
B. Pragmatic Commitment Against Sin
Motivated by the pain of sin
Preserving self
Found in the storm of sin but flees in the calm
C. Parting / Giving Up Some Sins
God is the cosmic power source to help you have your Best Life Now.
Giving up one sin for another milder sin.
Grace Wrought Repentance
Luke 15:17 “But when he came to himself, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired servants have more than enough bread, but I perish here with hunger!’ ESV
Satan is like the Falconer – he covers your head (blinds you) and takes you where he wants you.
A. It’s Roots – Sorrow for Sin
Zech 12:10 “And I will pour out on the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem a spirit of grace and pleas for mercy, so that, when they look on me, on him whom they have pierced, they shall mourn for him, as one mourns for an only child, and weep bitterly over him, as one weeps over a firstborn. ESV
Repent of wrong fleshly repentance.
Luke 7:38 … and standing behind him at his feet, weeping, she began to wet his feet with her tears and wiped them with the hair of her head and kissed his feet and anointed them with the ointment. ESV
Ps 51:17 The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, God, you will not despise. ESV
1. Of The Heart
Matt 6:16 “And when you fast, do not look gloomy like the hypocrites, for they disfigure their faces that their fasting may be seen by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. ESV
2. God-ward Sorrow
Sorrow for the offense rather than the consequences.
Ps 51:3-4
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. ESV
3. Sorrow Accompanied by Faith
4. Great Sorrow
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.” ESV
5. Sorrow that Abides
Not just a spring shower
6. Sorrow that embraces Christ
Matt 11:28-30
28 Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.
29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.
30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” ESV
B. Fruits of Repentance
Acts 26:20 … but declared first to those in Damascus, then in Jerusalem and throughout all the region of Judea, and also to the Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to God, performing deeds in keeping with their repentance. ESV
1. Confession
Neh 9:2 And the Israelites separated themselves from all foreigners and stood and confessed their sins and the iniquities of their fathers. ESV
Hos 5:15 I will return again to my place, until they acknowledge their guilt and seek my face, and in their distress earnestly seek me. ESV
1 John 1:9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. ESV
Self-accusing
Chief of sinners
Specific sins confessed not just general sins
Confession to others
a. Public Sin
b. Extra burden of the sin
c. When another is slandered
2. Hatred of Sin
Loathing
Abhor
Ps 119:104 Through your precepts I get understanding; therefore I hate every false way. ESV
Rom 7:22-25
22 For I delight in the law of God, in my inner being,
23 but I see in my members another law waging war against the law of my mind and making me captive to the law of sin that dwells in my members.
24 Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from G this body of death?
25 Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, I myself serve the law of God with my mind, but with my flesh I serve the law of sin. ESV
3. Turning from Sin
Ezek 14:6 “Therefore say to the house of Israel, Thus says the Lord God: Repent and turn away from your idols, and turn away your faces from all your abominations. ESV
Isa 55:6-7
6 “Seek the Lord while he may be found; call upon him while he is near;
7 let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts; let him return to the Lord, that he may have compassion on him, and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon. ESV
Job 11:14 If iniquity is in your hand, put it far away, and let not injustice dwell in your tents. ESV
New Heart = New Life
Not turning to heaven, not turning from Hell, but turning to God
Too many are half turned
