Ashes! Ashes! We all fall down!

Posted on Tuesday 7 March 2006 at 7:38 AM in Bible - Post Comment

This past Sunday our pastor had a powerful sermon on repentance.   This is meant to tie into Ash Wednesday and the 40 days of lent.  Together with sackcloth, ashes in the Bible are a sign of mourning, or a sign of deep repentance and humility.  These are some notes from our pastors sermon:

Repentance is described as "coming to our senses"
To repent literally means to change the way we think...to change our direction...to turn around and go the other way.  The process involved renouncing sin and forsaking our wicked way, and turning to God.

2 Timothy 2:25, 27
People need to be gently instructed, in the hope that God will grant them repentance leading them to knowledge of the truth, and that they will come to their senses and escape from the trap of the devil, who has taken them captive to do his will.

Repentance is more than a feeling
Some people feel sad because they got caught.  Often unpleasant consequences bring sadness.  Simply feeling sad does not prove that one is repentant.

2 Corinthians 7:9-10
I am happy, not because you were made sorry, but because your sorrow led you to repentance...Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regrets, but worldly sorrow brings death.

The evidence of a Godly sorrow (true repentance)
True repentance means feeling bad because we have sinned against God.  It means sincerely regretting the fact that what we did was morally wrong.  It involves a change of heart and a change of behavior.  John the Baptist warned people to "produce fruit in keeping with repentance (Matthew 3:8), 2 Chronicles 7:14 - "humble themselves, pray, seek my face and turn from their wicked ways"

Dare to examine yourself
Using reckless words (Proverbs 12:18)
Grumbling and complaining (Philippians 2:14)
Falsehood (2 Corinthians 4:2)
Gossip (Proverbs 16:28)
Slander (Titus 2:3)
Worthless talk (Ephesians 4:29)
Controling others (2 Timothy 2:24-26)
Breaking our word (Matthew 5:33-37)
Failing to respect authority (Romans 13:1-7)
Serving sinful desires (James 3:14)

The seven A's of confession
Adress everyone involved.
Avoid IF, BUT and MAYBE
Admit specifically
Achnowledge the hurt
Accept the consequences
Alter your behavior (change)
Ask for forgiveness

We can change!
God is eager to help us grow and change.

Philippians 1:6
Be confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.

Philippians 2:13
For it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill His good purpose.

2 Corinthians 5:17
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, He is making them a new creation:  The old patterns have gone and the new is here!

Excellent word!

Posted by wannabeone on Tuesday 7 March 2006 at 11:15 AM - Link

So good to see that someone else writes sermon notes! :-) I take my notes, which are usually a mess, and rewrite them in one of those nice, lined journals. For some reason, they are very comforting to read when I'm sick.

Also, one of these days when the Lord takes me home, my girls will have those notes written out in my own hand, along with my comments and words to my favorites praise songs, quotes, etc.

Blessings from Ohio, Kim Wolf<><