Severns Valley Baptist Church
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Luke 13:1-5 NLT
What repentance is not:
1. Repentance is not just being convicted of your sin.
A few days later Felix came back with his wife, Drusilla, who was Jewish. Sending for Paul, they listened as he told them about faith in Christ Jesus. 25 As he reasoned with them about righteousness and self-control and the coming day of judgment, Felix became frightened. “Go away for now,” he replied. “When it is more convenient, I’ll call for you again.” (Acts 24:24-25 NLT)
2. Repentance is not just confessing your sin.
22 Then the Lord said to Moses, “Lift your hand toward the sky so hail may fall on the people, the livestock, and all the plants throughout the land of Egypt.”
23 So Moses lifted his staff toward the sky, and the Lord sent thunder and hail, and lightning flashed toward the earth. The Lord sent a tremendous hailstorm against all the land of Egypt. 24 Never in all the history of Egypt had there been a storm like that, with such devastating hail and continuous lightning. 25 It left all of Egypt in ruins. The hail struck down everything in the open field—people, animals, and plants alike. Even the trees were destroyed. 26 The only place without hail was the region of Goshen, where the people of Israel lived.
27 Then Pharaoh quickly summoned Moses and Aaron. “This time I have sinned,” he confessed. “The Lord is the righteous one, and my people and I are wrong. 28 Please beg the Lord to end this terrifying thunder and hail. We’ve had enough. I will let you go; you don’t need to stay any longer.”
29 “All right,” Moses replied. “As soon as I leave the city, I will lift my hands and pray to the Lord. Then the thunder and hail will stop, and you will know that the earth belongs to the Lord. 30 But I know that you and your officials still do not fear the Lord God.”
31 (All the flax and barley were ruined by the hail, because the barley had formed heads and the flax was budding. 32 But the wheat and the emmer wheat were spared, because they had not yet sprouted from the ground.)
33 So Moses left Pharaoh’s court and went out of the city. When he lifted his hands to the Lord, the thunder and hail stopped, and the downpour ceased. 34 But when Pharaoh saw that the rain, hail, and thunder had stopped, he and his officials sinned again, and Pharaoh again became stubborn. 35 Because his heart was hard, Pharaoh refused to let the people leave, just as the Lord had predicted through Moses. (Exodus 9:22-34 NLT)
3. Repentance is not just feeling sorry for your sin.
“Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret, but worldly sorrow brings death.” (2 Corinthians 7:10 NIV)
What is repentance?
- Repentance means to change your mind or purpose for the better.
- Repentance is turning away from sin and turning to Christ.
“You turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God.” (1 Thessalonians 1:9 NKJV)
- Repentance is not only a heart change ... it is a whole-hearted change.
Thus says the Lord God: “Repent and turn away from your idols, and turn away your faces from all your abominations.” (Ezekiel 14:6 ESV)
Why should I repent?
1. God commands it.
“God commands everyone everywhere to repent of their sins and turn to Him.” (Acts 17:30 NLT)
2. Your conscience understands it.
“I always try to maintain a clear conscience before God and all people.” (Acts 24:16 NLT)
3. The cross demands it.
“Now repent of your sins and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped away.” (Acts 3:19 NLT)
Luke 13:6-9 NLT