The Bible with Nicky and Pippa Gumbel, Classic Version, 2015Sample

Genuine Repentance

In A Christmas Carol, by Charles Dickens, the central character, Ebenezer Scrooge, was a miserable, mean, miserly old businessman who is shown his past, present and future. He eventually repents and starts to give generously.

Dickens captures the transformation in his character: ‘He went to church, and walked about the streets, and watched the people hurrying to and fro, and patted children on the head, and questioned beggars, and looked down into the kitchens of houses, and up to the windows, and found that everything could yield him pleasure. He had never dreamed that any walk – that any thing – could give him so much happiness.’

‘Repentance’ is a very positive word in the Bible. The Greek word, ‘metanoia’ means ‘change of mind’. That means, first, turning away from the bad stuff. This is the stuff that spoils our lives and breaks our relationship with God. Repentance means to be sorry enough to quit. Getting rid of the bad stuff only enhances our lives. But, that is only the first part.

The change of heart and mind means not only turning away from the bad things, but also turning towards God and good. The word ‘repent’ rarely appears on its own in the Bible. Genuine repentance is shown by its fruit. Remorse is not enough. A change of mind, heart and life is required. It is nearly always, ‘repent and …’. We are to repent and believe. We are to repent and put our faith in Jesus Christ. It is not just a case of looking back, but also looking forward. In each of today’s passages, the need for repentance is accompanied by something else.

Psalm 147:1-11

1. Repent and rejoice

Genuine repentance starts with being ‘broken-hearted’ (v.3). The wonderful news is that God heals the broken-hearted and binds up their wounds (v.3, see also Isaiah 61:1).

‘Repentance’ involves humbling ourselves before God. Whereas he ‘casts the wicked to the ground’ (Psalm 147:6b), ‘the Lord sustains the humble’ (v.6a). But God does not leave us there. He wants us not only to look back with repentance, but also to look forward with rejoicing.

The context of Psalm 147 may well be the rebuilding of the temple under Nehemiah: ‘God’s the one who rebuilds Jerusalem, who re-gathers Israel’s scattered exiles’ (v.2, MSG). This started (as we see today in Nehemiah 1–2) with a genuine repentance by Nehemiah on behalf of himself and all the people.

The passage finishes by reminding us that God is not reliant on (or impressed by) physical strength (v.10): ‘He’s not impressed with horsepower; the size of our muscles means little to him’ (v.10, MSG). Instead, ‘the Lord delights in those who fear him, who put their hope in his unfailing love’ (v.11)

The whole psalm is about rejoicing in the Lord. It starts with a call to ‘Praise the Lord’ and a reminder of how ‘good … pleasant and fitting’ (v.1) it is to do so. Worship brings joy and pleasure to us, and it is an appropriate response to such an amazing God.

Lord, today we want not only to repent but also to rejoice in you. We want to offer you our thanks and praise and worship. Thank you that if we fear you, we need not fear anything else.

Revelation 16:1-21

2. Repent and respond

This must be one of the most terrifying chapters in the entire Bible. It describes God’s final judgment. These are the seven last plagues (similar to those described in Exodus 7–10). It all ends in ‘Armageddon’. In the midst of the awful judgment there are four things that should bring us comfort:

• Jesus is coming back
  ‘Keep watch! I come unannounced, like a thief. You’re blessed if, awake and dressed, you’re ready for me’ (Revelation 16:15, MSG). Later on in Revelation, we will see all the blessings that the second coming of Jesus will bring to us and to the whole creation.
• Jesus took our judgment
  The words, ‘It is done!’ (v.17) tell us that once this final judgment has taken place ‘It is finished’ – the last words of Jesus on the cross (John 19:30). They remind us that Jesus bore God’s wrath upon himself on the cross for us. God so loved the world that he sent his one and only Son to die for us so that we might not come under God’s final judgment, but rather receive all the blessings of eternal life (see for example John 3:16,17).
• Judgment is delayed
  The judgment only falls on those who ‘refused to repent and glorify him’ (Revelation 16:9). God gives them, like Pharaoh, so many opportunities to repent ‘but they refused to repent of what they had done’ (v.11). God’s desire is that everyone should come to repentance (2 Peter 3:9). He gives us many, many opportunities. It is only those who absolutely refuse to repent that come under his judgment.
• Judgment will be totally just
  Many people worry, understandably, about passages like this in the Bible. However, God’s judgments are going to be absolutely true and just (v.7). As the former vicar of HTB, John Collins always says, ‘We will all say on that day, “That is absolutely right.” ’

Lord, help us all to get our lives sorted out now. May there be no refusal to repent in our own hearts. May we glorify you in everything we do in this life and into eternity. May we respond in the right way to these warnings and help everyone else to do the same. Thank you that on the cross you bore our sins for us so that we need never face the judgment described here. Thank you that you are coming back and that you will put everything right.

Nehemiah 1:1-2:20 

3. Repent and rebuild

Nehemiah’s situation was not dissimilar to our own. The church in this country is in great ‘trouble and disgrace’ (v.3). It seems to have been devastated and is regarded either as irrelevant or as an object of scorn.

In 445 BC, Nehemiah was devastated by the fact that God’s name was not being honoured. God’s people were in ‘bad shape. Conditions [were] appalling’ (v.3,MSG). ‘The wall of Jerusalem is still rubble; the city gates are still cinders’ (v.3, MSG).

Nehemiah was a government worker who had risen to high office in the Persian administration. He was cupbearer to the king (1:11b). This was an important office involving responsibility for tasting the king’s wine and for guarding the royal apartment.

Nehemiah was a man of action, but he began with prayer. His response was to weep, mourn, fast and pray (v.4). His prayer begins with reminding God of his love (v.5). He goes on to repent of his sins and the sins of the people: ‘I confess the sins we Israelites, including myself and my family, have committed against you. We have acted very wickedly towards you’ (v.6b).

He ends the prayer by asking God to give him success (v.11). The answer to his prayer involved something he himself was going to do. He saw the problem and he acted. He gave up a brilliant career for a life of danger, struggle and self-sacrifice.

Artaxerxes noticed his ‘sadness of heart’ (2:2). When he asked, ‘What is it you want?’ (v.4), Nehemiah prayed a classic, ‘arrow’ prayer (‘Praying under my breath’ MSG): ‘Then I prayed to the God of heaven, and I answered the king’ (vv.4–5). He had already done the serious length of prayer. Now he only has time to glance upwards before he has to give an answer.

His request is granted, and he is allowed to go to Jerusalem to rebuild (v.8). After inspecting the walls in secret (wisely keeping his plans confidential while he assesses the situation), he gathers the people and announces his plans (vv.11–18). He follows up his prayer with action.

Throughout the whole process he retains his focus on God, and again and again acknowledges that it is God who has inspired and enabled him to do this – ‘Because the gracious hand of my God was upon me, the king granted my requests’ (v.8, see also vv.12,18). It can be so easy to pray about something, but then forget to remember or acknowledge God when things start to go well. Whether in prayer or action, Nehemiah was always conscious of his reliance on God, and quick to attribute his success to God.

This trust in God is what gives him the confidence to continue with his plans when they encounter opposition. He looked to God when all was going well, and he looks to God again in difficulty. ‘[He] answered them by saying, “The God of heaven will give us success. We his servants will start rebuilding’ (v.20). He doesn’t allow opposition to deflect him from his task – he trusts God and gets on with the job.

Lord, help us to repent and rebuild. We want to confess our own sin and the sins of your church. ‘We have acted very wickedly … we have not obeyed.’  Lord, have mercy on us. Forgive us our sins.

Lord, you call us to rebuild. Give us success. Your church lies in ruins. Your people are in great trouble and disgrace. The walls are broken down. May the church in this country rise up again and say, ‘Come, let us rebuild’. Help us not to be put off by all the opposition, mocking and ridicule. But rather to say, ‘The God of heaven will give us success. We his servants will start rebuilding.’ 

Pippa Adds

Nehemiah 2:2

‘So the king asked me, “Why does your face look so sad when you are not ill? This can be nothing but sadness of heart.” I was very much afraid.’

When given the opportunity Nehemiah took it, despite being afraid. Speaking up for what is right requires courage. It wasn’t that Nehemiah felt no fear at that moment; it was that despite his fear he spoke up.

Notes:

Charles Dickens, A Christmas Carol, (Puffin Classics, 2008).

Unless otherwise stated, Scripture quotations taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version Anglicised, Copyright © 1979, 1984, 2011 Biblica, formerly International Bible Society. Used by permission of Hodder & Stoughton Publishers, an Hachette UK company. All rights reserved. ‘NIV’ is a registered trademark of Biblica. UK trademark number 1448790.

Scripture quotations marked (AMP) taken from the Amplified® Bible, Copyright © 1954, 1958, 1962, 1964, 1965, 1987 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. (www.Lockman.org)

Scripture marked (MSG) taken from The Message. Copyright © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002. Used by permission of NavPress Publishing Group.