Repent? That's Hard!
Time has passed.
The baby Jesus has grown up. So has John the Baptist. These two met for the first time while in the womb. John leaped for joy in his mother’s womb when Mary entered the room. (Read Luke 1:44)
Three verses in Matthew 3 introduce John the Baptist as a man. Matthew gives us only what John the Baptist was doing: preaching. In these verses Matthew gives us the subject of John the Baptist’s preaching: it was repentance.
“In those days John the Baptist came, preaching in the wilderness of Judea and saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.” This is he who was spoken of through the prophet Isaiah: “A voice of one calling in the wilderness, ‘Prepare the way for the Lord, make straight paths for him.’”
Matthew 3:1-3
Now two questions:
What is repentance?
Why is it hard?
And the bonus question: Is repentance necessary?
Repentance is “reviewing one’s actions and feeling contrition or regret for past wrongs. With this review comes a commitment to and actual actions that show and prove a change for the better.” (source: I-Phone Look up) John the Baptist preached a repentance which brought people face to face with God. John called people to “turn” to repent of their sins. His message still rings true.
So, why is repentance so hard?
The quick answer-we have trouble admitting we are wrong. Repentance requires humility. We have difficulty being humble. To repent is to submit. Neither or us like having anyone with authority over us. There are two words we often just can’t say: “I’m sorry.”
The final thing which makes repentance so hard is acknowledging that God exists.
Those past wrongs? All of them are against God. Either we deny God or we believe our wrongs are so serious and awful God could never forgive us. To repent is to tell God you’re sorry. We’ve said-repentance can be hard. Now we’ll confirm it. To repent is difficult for any human.
If it’s so hard, is it necessary? Perhaps repentance was needed only during the ministry of John the Baptist? Maybe repentance is an antiquated idea now that we have modern technology? Perhaps our cultural and societal advancements make repentance unnecessary? Why repent-we can’t even see to whom we are to say “I’m sorry.”
We both know better.
The I-phone definition of repentance used the word “wrongs” which we have done.
The Bible calls them sin. John the Baptist called people to repent of their sins-it was for then and it still applies now. The Bible is God’s word. Since there has been no memo from God to nullify the Bible-it still applies today. No matter what the culture or the “experts” tell us about the Bible’s antiquity and its being out of touch with contemporary culture-God has not changed. Does God exist? Look at the sky, feel the wind on your skin, watch a sunrise, glory in a full moon. Do not be deceived. God is everywhere present. And God will not tolerate sin.
God’s word, the Bible is for today.
In it, John the Baptist calls to us: “repent.”
We are to review our lives. Consider our past actions and words. As we do, our past will reveal things we regret. There are things in our past we are deeply sorry for.
To repent is to tell God we are in sorrow over our past behavior. To repent is to tell God about every regret. Remember He already knows. He was present in our past when we did those things we are not proud of. He knows.
But unlike a human we may have wronged-God will forgive us when we repent. No exceptions…forgiveness is given every time.
Yes, repentance is difficult for a human. But repentance is necessary.
There is a best part in this-
Jesus, the One John the Baptist spoke of, died on a cross in order that sinners like you and me will be forgiven for every sinful wrong we’ve ever done. Want the truth? To repent is our most important choice in life.
Only Jesus makes it possible. He’s the way out of the wreck sin makes in our lives. This is what John the Baptist taught. And Jesus gives us strength to turn away from the temptation to continue those wrong things.