“Practicing Repentance”

We are continuing the series that we have started: “Teach your Children Well,” and the first thing that we want to teach them is how to love God. I'm moving on from loving God; the next thing that we should be teaching our children is to practice repentance.

What is repentance anyway? If you were to ask the world that question; they would not have a clue because they don’t practice it and they probably don't know what it means. But as believers, we understand that we're taking responsibility for our actions, we are confessing our sin to God… it's important to call it “sin”, it's not a faux pas it's not a minor indiscretion - it's sin.

The writer of Psalm 119 describes the essence of “repentance” in vs: 59 “I thought about my ways, and turned my feet to Your testimonies. 60 I made haste, and did not delay to keep Your commandments.”

This verse contains most of the important elements of repentance: a change of mind and heart, I'm confessing my sin; there's an element of Godly sorrow as well and now I'm going in a new direction; I'm getting on the right path. This is the essence of Godly repentance. It's important, because the Bible says that it is essential to entering the kingdom of God.

David, following his adulterous relationship, and murder of Uriah resumes his life like nothing had happened…but then the prophet Nathan shows up with a message from God. It is the work of the Holy Spirit to convict us of sin; of righteousness and of judgment to come. The Holy Spirit wants us to bring us into the process of repentance so that we can be restored to the Father. David would write of his repentance in Psalm 51:vs. 3 For I acknowledge my transgressions, and my sin is always before me.

To acknowledge means to “come clean” for what you've done. We as human beings are prone to justify and rationalize. David had actually said to Joab after Uriah was killed: “Don’t trouble yourself- you know, Uriah was a casualty of war.” But David knows that he will be haunted by his sin - it will always be “in his face” he has to come clean and receive forgiveness. And we, as parents, need to do the same; model a life of keeping short accounts with God so that our children will understand the benefits of repentance.

Join us in person on Sunday at 10:00 a.m. or via livestream by going to https://www.firstbaptistsudbury.com and clicking on livestream for “Practicing Repentance.”     

Blessings,

Kevin