Repentance

Sunday we heard Jesus say some of his most unpopular words to a crowd of many thousands in Luke chapter 12.

Luke 12 · chapter mention

!

So as Jesus speaks to the crowd of many thousands, there were some people there.

And these people bring up in the conversation something that had happened.

There were some men from Galilee and Pilate, the Roman governor in Judea, had mixed the blood of these Galileans with the sacrifices that they were offering.

And ever since Luke recorded this, many have wondered about this incident.

We want to know the details.

What did these Galileans do that Pilate decided to kill them?

And many have proposed and suggested all sorts of different scenarios.

Even Josephus, the famous Jewish historian who lived in the late first century, proposed five different events which these people might have been referring to in the crowd.

And truth be told, we don't know just what happened between Pilate and these Galileans.

But one thing that digging around in the history books does reveal is that there was no shortage of violence between the Roman government and the Jewish people living in that region.

The tensions were very high and many Jews lost their lives to the Romans.

So all we have for certain is what we read here in Luke.

It would seem that some men from Galilee were offering sacrifices or about to offer sacrifices.

And most likely this would have been at the temple or on the way to the temple in Jerusalem.

And Pilate mixed their blood with the blood of the animals that they were offering.

At the very least, this obviously means that Pilate killed them.

We don't know if they were executed in the usual way by crucifixion.

Or whether they were just sort of cut down by soldiers where they were.

The part that really stands out is that their own blood was added to the blood of the sacrifices.

On a spiritual and religious level, this is shocking.

It seems to be an especially heinous act, profaning and desecrating the temple sacrifices.

And so Jesus responds to these guys telling about this in the crowd.

Jesus answered,

Do you think that these Galileans were worse sinners than all the other Galileans?

Because they suffered this way.

So Jesus' response here is kind of telling.

You know, after hearing about the shocking death of these Galileans,

many people didn't know what to think.

Some came to the conclusion that these Galileans must have been especially wicked

that God brought this judgment on them.

Maybe they thought God used Pilate to kill them

because of how bad of sinners they were.

Perhaps they had done something especially evil,

and that's why God brought about this especially dishonorable death for them.

Do you think that these Galileans were worse sinners than all the other Galileans

because they suffered this way?

Says Jesus.

I tell you, no.

But unless you repent,

you too will all perish.

So Jesus basically says that the death of these Galileans in this shocking way

was not because they were worse sinners than the average person.

And he turns it right back to the people in the crowd.

He says,

All of you will also perish

unless you repent.

Sometimes we look at tragic things that happen in the news,

and we're quick to assume that God is bringing judgment

on the people of that place

because they are especially sinful.

When we read the news articles,

maybe we're even looking for some glaring sin

that those people committed.

Were they known for being sexually immoral?

Or for their hypocrisy?

Or were they known in that place for persecuting Christians?

And the assumption we sometimes carry when we do this

is that God usually only brings disaster

on people because of their sins.

But Jesus says,

No.

No.

No.

All of you.

And remember,

He's speaking to a crowd of many thousands.

All of you are guilty enough to deserve

what happened to them.

And if you do not repent of your sins,

what happened to them will happen to you.

You too will perish.

Let this be a warning to us

not to assume

we are better or more righteous

than others

who are struck with disaster.

We are not.

Well, Jesus reinforces this

with another example,

a second example in the next couple verses.

Verse 4.

He says,

Or those 18 who died

when the tower in Siloam fell on them?

Do you think they were more guilty

than all the others living in Jerusalem?

I tell you,

no.

But unless you repent,

you too will all perish.

So this was another tragedy of the times.

18 people were killed in this accident

when the tower of Siloam fell on them.

And just like with the first example,

historians haven't found any additional info

by digging into things

about this incident.

Perhaps one of the reasons is

work-related accidents happen all the time.

Even more so in the ancient world

where safety was often a secondary concern.

But people sort of came to the same conclusion,

some of them anyway,

when this accident happened.

Oh, those guys who were killed in this tragedy,

they must have been especially guilty of some sin.

God was punishing them

since they died in this very tragic and public way.

And Jesus again says,

No.

Those guys weren't any more guilty of sin

than the rest of the people living in Jerusalem.

They weren't any more guilty of sin

than all of you are.

Unless you repent,

you too will perish.

So Jesus confronts the crowd and us

with this uncomfortable truth

that we are all,

every one of us,

sinners,

deserving of death.

Other places in the Bible

state it really clearly.

One that we're very familiar with,

Romans 3.23,

For all have sinned

and fall short of the glory of God.

And then there's Romans 6.23,

which is often quoted with it.

And it states clearly,

just as Jesus did,

that what we deserve for being sinners

is to perish.

For the wages of sin

is death.

That's what we all deserve.

That's what we all will get,

says Jesus,

unless

you repent.

repent.

Well,

what does it mean

to repent?

If you've been a Christian

a long time,

which I know

there are definitely

some in this room

who have,

you're super familiar with this.

You know what this means.

But if you're just

exploring Christianity

or you're younger,

maybe you're not as familiar

with this.

The word repent

means to turn.

And the way it's used

in the Bible

includes two elements.

We are called

by God

to turn

from

and we are called

to turn

to.

Let's just see this,

a couple examples of this

for ourselves.

Let's look at a few passages

from the prophet Ezekiel.

Ezekiel 14.6.

God is speaking

through Ezekiel.

He says,

Therefore say to the people

of Israel,

this is what the

sovereign Lord says,

repent.

Turn from

your idols

and renounce

all your detestable

practices.

As God calls them

to repent,

He calls them

to turn

from

the sinful things

they have been doing.

The worshipping

of the idols.

Stop worshipping

the idols.

And we see

in this passage

along with that

part of repentance

is

renouncing

the detestable

practices.

So repentance

includes

giving up

our sinful ways.

It includes

confessing

or declaring

with our mouths

that those ways

are wrong

and rejecting them.

another passage

just a few

chapters later

in Ezekiel.

Ezekiel 18

Ezekiel 18:30

verse 30.

This is God

speaking through

Ezekiel again.

Therefore,

you Israelites,

I will judge

each of you

according to

your own ways,

declares

the sovereign

Lord.

Repent.

Turn away

from all

your offenses.

Then sin

will not be

your downfall.

Here we see

it again.

Repentance is a

turning from,

turn from

all your

offenses,

all your

sins.

And one more

in Ezekiel as

well,

33 verse 10.

We saw this

passage last

Sunday.

Son of man,

say to the

Israelites,

this is what

you are saying.

Our offenses

and sin

weigh us down

and we are

wasting away

because of them.

How then

can we live?

Say to them,

as surely as

I live,

declares the

sovereign Lord,

I take no

pleasure in the

death of the

wicked,

but rather

that they

turn from

their ways

and live.

Turn.

Turn from

your evil

ways.

Why will

you die,

people of

Israel?

There it is

again.

Turn from

your evil

ways.

So that's

the first

element of

repentance.

When Jesus

says,

unless you

too repent,

or unless

you repent,

you too

will all

perish.

He means

unless you

turn from

your sins,

from your

wicked ways,

renouncing

them,

you will

perish.

but we

also see

in the

Bible

another

element

of

repentance,

that it

doesn't

just mean

turning away

from,

it also

includes

turning to.

Look at

what the

apostle Peter

said to his

fellow Israelites

in Jerusalem

in Acts

Acts 3:19

chapter 3

verse 19.

He said,

repent then

and turn

to God

so that

your sins

may be

wiped out,

that times

of refreshing

may come

from the

Lord.

Actually,

the word

used here,

turn to

God,

not just

implies

turning to,

but turning

back to

God,

or returning

to God.

Here we

see that

repentance is

not just

about us

stopping

the bad

things that

we've been

doing,

and renouncing

them.

It is that,

but it's

also a

relational

thing,

where we

come back

to relationship

with God,

and we

seek to be

reconciled

to Him.

Another

example of

this element

of turning

to is

Acts 26

Acts 26:20

verse 20.

This is

the Apostle

Paul,

explaining in

court what

he has been

up to.

He says,

first to

those in

Damascus,

then to

those in

Jerusalem,

and in

all Judea,

and then to

the Gentiles,

I preached

that they

should repent

and turn

to God,

and demonstrate

their repentance

by their deeds.

here we

kind of see

both elements

of repentance

in one

verse.

Paul says

they should

repent,

meaning turn

to God.

That's the

relational part.

And he

says they

should demonstrate

the genuineness

of that,

that change

of heart

by their

deeds,

by turning

away from

their sinful

actions,

and replacing

them with

the right

actions,

the things

God has

commanded.

And so

all of this

is what is

meant by

Jesus when

he says,

unless you

repent,

you too

will all

perish.

Unless you

turn from

your sinful

ways,

renouncing

them,

and turn

back to

God,

you will

perish.

And I

emphasize both

of these

elements of

repentance

because so

often we

just think of

repentance as

being about

turning away

from sins.

And it

is that.

But God

calls us to

repent not

just because he

wants us to

stop sinning.

That's not

the main or

the only goal.

He calls us to

repent because he

wants a restored

relationship with

us.

us.

He wants to

fix that

broken

relationship

between him

and us.

We talk

often about how

God is eager

to forgive us

of our sins.

Well, it's not

just because he

has to or

because he's

merciful, but

he actually

desires a

restored

relationship

with us.

And just

like with

human

relationships,

a relationship

that is

broken cannot

be restored

just by

changing the

behavior that

broke it.

You must

also go to

that person

and admit

the things

that you've

done wrong

and say

sorry and

ask for

forgiveness.

This is what

Jesus has

come to

call all

people to

do, to

repent, to

turn away from

sins and to

turn back to

God.

And he's

calling us to

this so that we

might know

God and have

a relationship

with him and

enjoy him.

Well that

brings us to

another, I'm

going to call

it dimension

of repentance

that we see

in the Bible.

Really two

dimensions.

We could

call it

initial

repentance

or first

repentance

and we could

call the other

dimension ongoing

repentance.

When the

Bible speaks

about us

receiving

God's

salvation, we're

called to

repent and

like we've

been talking

about, turn

back to

God and

there is

sort of a

first moment

in which we

do that.

For the

first time

we acknowledge

to God

in prayer

that we've

sinned against

him.

And we say

we're sorry,

we ask for

his forgiveness,

we admit that

his ways are

good and right

and that the

way that we've

been living is

wrong, we

believe, we

accept his

offer of

salvation and

for the first

time we

trust that

what God

has done

through

Jesus is

what we

need.

And when

we do that

for the first

time we are

then baptized

just as the

people were in

Jesus' day,

that's the

outward thing

that's done

to express

the heart

of repentance

repentance.

And we

notice in the

Bible

that to

those who

have already

done this

for the first

time, to

those who have

repented,

Jesus speaks

differently.

And God

speaks differently.

Look at what

Jesus said just

in the previous

chapter to his

disciples.

Luke 12,

Luke 12:32

verse 32,

he said,

do not be

afraid,

little flock,

for the

Father has

been pleased

to give you

the kingdom.

In that one

verse alone,

there is so

much comfort

and reassurance.

Jesus is not

warning about

fiery punishment

or about

perishing,

but he's

calling his

true followers

children of

God.

Your Father,

he says.

And he's

promising them

that as

children,

they will

inherit the

very kingdom

of God.

And he

says that

God is

pleased to

give it

to them.

And so

when we

truly repent,

when we

turn back

to God

for the

first time,

it changes

our relationship

to God

forever.

We're

reconciled

to him.

That

relationship

is restored

and there

is no

longer a

fear of

perishing

or of

fire or

of judgment.

The stuff

that we

heard about

last week.

We confess

our sins

to him.

We ask

for his

forgiveness.

We believe

in Jesus,

the chosen

one.

And the

Bible tells

us that we

are forgiven

of all of

our sins

and we

are welcomed

into God's

family.

Our

relationship

status with

God goes

from enemy

to son

or daughter

of God.

And right

here at this

point in the

story,

Luke 13,

this is

something that

all of the

true followers

of Jesus

have had

to do.

They have

had to

repent

for the

first time.

John the

baptizer was

the one that

first called

them to it.

And each

one of them

had a moment

of confessing

their sins

and then

being baptized.

baptized.

And then

after John,

Jesus and

his disciples,

they've been

going around

and they've

been calling

people to

repent everywhere

they go.

And baptizing

people.

And it kind

of brings us

to this

question.

Have you

had that

moment of

first repentance?

of turning

back to

God,

acknowledging

your sins

to him,

asking for

his forgiveness,

being baptized

in Jesus'

name.

And if

you haven't

and you'd

like guidance

in this

or to talk

through it,

you can come

find me after

the service

or someone

else here

who you

know has

done these

things,

would be glad

to talk with

you about it.

It's a big

step to take.

And Jesus

always encouraged

people to sit

down and

to count the

cost before

making this

decision.

Have you

had your

moment of

first repentance?

Now,

for many of

us here,

we've done

this.

Some of

us not

too long

ago,

others of

us decades

ago.

And if

you've already

had that

moment of

first repentance,

then these

words of

Jesus ring

differently.

We don't

worry about

ourselves,

but our

hearts are

on those

we love

around us

who have

not yet

repented.

we don't

fear that

we will

perish

because we

know that

there's now

no condemnation

awaiting.

Jesus has

already taken

the punishment

that we

deserve on

himself.

Instead,

we have our

hearts and

our eyes

set on the

glory that

Jesus has

promised to

us.

we're

looking

forward to

being raised

from the

dead by

Jesus when

he returns

and to

eternity with

him in

his kingdom.

When we

read these

words,

unless you

repent,

you too

will all

perish,

we say,

yes,

Jesus,

I know

I'm a

sinner.

I know

I'm guilty.

Thank you,

Lord,

that you have

provided the

way for

us to be

spared what

we deserve.

Thank you

that because

of you,

we're no

longer guilty

or counted

as guilty.

And so

for us who

have already

repented for

the first

time,

we now

practice what

I'm going

to call

ongoing

repentance.

We only

needed to

truly repent

once and

to believe

once in

order to

be saved.

but now

that we've

been

reconciled

to God,

there is

still need

for ongoing

repentance

because we

haven't been

made perfect

yet.

We're still

tempted

and we

still sin.

And so

we still

regularly

must humble

ourselves

before God

when we

do those

things and

admit that

we've done

them and

ask for

his forgiveness.

forgiveness.

And God

has promised

that as

many times

as we

do that,

he will

forgive

because he's

provided the

full atonement

that we need

in Jesus'

blood and

because his

love is so

great.

God

and so

I want

to just

say a

word to

you who

are

children of

God here

today.

Is there

some hidden

sin or

struggle with

sin that

you've been

holding on

to for

which you

need to

repent

today?

Jesus'

command to

us now is

to be

holy as

I am

holy.

As we

heard earlier,

there is need

after our

initial repenting

to show our

repentance in

our actions

by turning

away from

the evil

things that

we have

been doing

or thinking

or desiring

or planning.

Is there

any sin you

know that

God wants

you to

repent of

today?

We're just

going to take

a minute right

now in the

middle of the

service to

just pray.

And I

invite you to

talk to God

and if

something comes

to mind,

talk to

him.

may may

follows up his teaching on repentance with a parable.

Verse 6.

Then he told this parable.

A man had a fig tree growing in his vineyard,

and he went to look for fruit on it, but did not find any.

So he said to the man who took care of the vineyard,

For three years now I've been coming to look for fruit on this fig tree

and haven't found any.

Cut it down.

Why should it use up the soil?

Sir, the man replied, leave it alone for one more year,

and I'll dig around it and fertilize it.

If it bears fruit next year, fine.

If not, then cut it down.

So Jesus tells a little parable.

He gives an analogy of a fig tree,

and of course here in Saskatchewan we don't really think too much about fig trees.

So maybe if it helps, imagine an apple tree in an orchard instead.

But one thing we need to catch here is that this tree is growing in his vineyard,

not in his backyard.

We might keep an unproductive tree in the backyard

simply because the tree is beautiful to look at.

But a vineyard, just like a farmer's field,

is land for the business and not for the beauty.

The whole point of the vineyard or the orchard

is to get the fruit from what is planted in it.

And considerable work is put into making the plants as productive as possible.

And so if there's a tree in the row that's not producing any good fruit,

then what should be done with it?

It is, as Jesus said, just sort of using up the soil.

It's taking up the space with no return,

and it's using up the nutrients that could go to another tree.

The logical, sensible thing to do is to cut it down.

And it's not like it's the first year that this tree was planted either,

but it's been three years.

There should be some fruit by now.

In the parable, the caretaker intercedes for the tree.

Let's not cut it down just yet.

Give it one more year.

I'll take special care of it.

I'll dig around it.

I'll fertilize it.

Digging around it would be to loosen up the soil

so that the moisture can get down to the roots more easily.

And if this next year we get fruit out of it, good.

Problem solved.

And if not, then you're right.

Let's cut it down.

That's the sensible thing to do.

This is an analogy.

And it suggests that God is patient.

He's not eager just to cut us down at the first sign of trouble,

but he is patient and willing to bear with people the extra year,

even though there should be fruit by now.

This parable reminds us that God is watching us.

He had checked on this tree, the owner, three years in a row.

And its fruitlessness didn't escape his notice.

But even still, he is willing to let it go one year more

and give it every chance with special care.

Think of this from the tree's perspective, if we could.

This tree has gone three years with nothing for fruit on it.

The time is short.

The stakes are high.

And if with this extra time and special care,

there is still no good fruit,

then we can be sure that the tree is rotten,

diseased, or dead.

And the only right thing

is to cut it down

and give its place to another.

Would you find fault

in the owner of the vineyard

for cutting down a tree

that bore no fruit

in four consecutive years?

Would you find fault

in the farmer

for burning the field

that had sprouted late

and was sickly

with no heads of grain

once the time for harvest had come?

Would you find fault

with God

for purging the wicked

from his world

when they continue year after year

to be unresponsive

to his kindness and grace?

This parable is a reminder to us

that if we truly repent,

we will be changed

on the inside.

There will be life in us

by God's Spirit

and it will lead to good fruit

coming from us.

Repentance leads

to love

coming from our lives

to good works

to good thoughts

and desires

and decisions

and plans.

This parable

is a reminder to us

that if we have not yet

responded

to God's call

to repent,

there will be a day

when he will cut us down

and give us what we're due.

I believe this is a warning

to the unrepentant

and a reminder

to those

who maybe have repented

but are thinking that,

you know,

I can kind of get away with

sinning right now.

It's no biggie.

God will just forgive me.

God is watching

for the fruit.

And if we

profess faith in Jesus,

we dare not

try to play games

with his grace.

We dare not

try to use

his forgiveness

as a license

to sin more.

So have you come back

to God

for the first time?

And if you have,

are you keeping

that relationship

with God well?

By walking daily

in repentance.

Let's pray.

Lord Jesus,

we thank you

that you are merciful,

that you are quick

to forgive.

And I pray

that you would stir

in all of our hearts,

that we would confess

any sins to you

that we have been

hanging on to

and turn from them

and walk with you.

Thank you that you

desire a close

relationship with us

and that you love us.

Our hearts can't help

but go to those

in our lives

that we love

who have not yet

turned back to you,

Lord.

Or who maybe

seem like they did

at one time,

but right now

are not walking

with you.

And we ask

for your grace

and mercy

in their lives

right now.

You know the very

people we're thinking

of, Lord.

We also ask

for boldness

and graciousness

not to be ashamed

of these truths

that you taught,

but that we too

would call people

in our lives

to this same thing,

to repent.

That's the path

that you've laid

before us.

Pray this in your name.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.