September 18, 2011 Repentance I
9.18.11
step one
2:2-4
In 1999 lightning struck the cross on this church and it burned up. Rebuilt.
But this morning there is a fire burning in this church, a fire of discord and division.
We are not one in spirit and purpose.
We are divided.
each one of You has separated yourself from other Christians.
You criticize and resent other Christians in your mind.
You bicker and squabble and scrap
I know this because I know you are sinners.
Your motivation for much of what you do (even church work) is selfish ambition and vain conceit. look at 1:15, 17
You are not humble considering others above yourself, but instead drag others down in your mind or in your speech.
You rate yourself far above many fellow Christians.
You look to your own interests first and fail to think about the interest of your brothers and sisters.
A fire is burning and it will destroy the church because God will not put up with it.
Jesus says to the church in Ephesus “If you do not repent, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place.”
2:14
You complain about much in your life. In public, to those close to you, and even just in your own heart.
You argue with situations and people either to their face or in your heart.
4:4-7
You have not rejoiced but instead complained and complained.
You have not been gentle to others but instead harsh and bullying and critical.
You have not been gracious to others but condemning and judgmental.
You have been anxious about many things.
You have not unloaded your cares on God and found peace. You have not prayed to God throughout every day.
You have not given thanks to God in everything.
don’t ignore your sin or downplay it
every one of you need to repent right now
truly repent, judge yourself,
see your sin, turn from and reject it
step two
2:6-11
We have disobeyed.
Christ has obeyed. He obeyed for us.
He has taken our sin and condemnation to the cross and it was put to death.
Salvation is offered to you in your sin as a free gift. Take salvation for nothing you have done.
your sin (these very sins) is what you bring to Jesus to give him to exchange for salvation, if you don’t bring your sin (repenting it, judging it) then you are not coming to Jesus!
you can’t believe in Jesus until you repent
The law is stern and denounces you.
The gospel is gentle and welcomes you.
Jesus has been exalted to the highest place and we are to repent and believe in him.
Worship him and confess that he is Lord.
3:7-9
We must judge our sin but we must also judge our good as well.
all our good works are also rubbish
none of it can bring you salvation
receive the righteous standing that comes from God through the work of Jesus
no righteous position/status can come from our attempts to obey the laws
you have been a Christian for many years?
you are a sinner and your only hope is the
righteousness that comes from God
A man off the street can walk in here and believe and be righteous equal with anyone in here no matter how long he has been a Christians. Does this offend you? This is the gospel!!!
are you standing here righteous in Christ alone bringing nothing you have done,
not a single asset or accomplishment or action?
step three
1:6
you can believe that God is working in you
You are a sinner
God is not finished with you yet
he has more work to do
and he will continue to work in you
and will finish the work when Jesus returns
2:1
Believing the gospel of Jesus
will result in encouragement and comfort and fellowship with the Spirit
and a sense of God’s tenderness and compassion for you
such an experience is what you must have first before you can OBEY the LAW as described in verses 2-5
1.REPENT (law)
2.BELIEVE (gospel)
3.OBEY (law)
these are not stages of your life, every day you must pass through all three
some try to do only 3
and some try to do 2 and 3
example: you can obey and be one in spirit and purpose with other Christians
if you repent and believe you stand together with everyone as sinners with the righteousness of God given freely
Paul says sacrifice and service comes from faith (2:17)
2:12-13
you have been given salvation free
you are called to work it out into your life
to take steps of obedience forward
to “live up to what you have already attained” 3:16
but you can only do this
because God works in you “to will and to act according to his good purpose”
never take credit for a single good act
don’t think: 1.every thing you do is good
2.that what God works in you which saves you!!!
3:12-14
obedience is a goal out ahead of us
we are to be striving toward it
not there yet
it is not something we have attained
we must never believe we have gotten there yet
law shows us our goal: where we are going and gospel says: God will take us there
3:20-21
we are already citizens of that future kingdom, he will bring it here one day
when Jesus returns he will transform everything including you and me
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