The Power of Repentance

Worshiping God today. My wife asked me if I wanted to get up and exhort at the start of service, and I held back because I didn’t really have anything. And then all of a sudden, we started singing that song, and I started singing the bridge: “I praise because you’re sovereign. I praise because you reign. Praise because you rose and defeated the grave.” And we just kept repeating that. And those words just started bringing life to my soul. It was such a remarkable moment. And it is such a great part of why we come to church. You know, it is the most important reason: us tapping into the love of our father, us encountering his goodness for us, and bringing a sense of hope and resurrection to our circumstances. That is such a great part of why you’re here today. And if you didn’t know that, that’s why you’re here today. Now you know, church is supposed to resurrect you. Sometimes it might put you to sleep. God knew you needed some rest. Okay, so you don’t have to beat yourself up if you’re the type that does a lot of sleeping at church. But it should resurrect our souls. And that is a big part of what we are studying, looking at these days. So we’re continuing a series, The Overcoming Church, and today’s message is repentance. Yeah, yeah, look at that. That response is already carrying the weight with it. We’ve been looking at Revelation quite a bit. And the main gist of what we’ve looked at has really captured this lordship of Jesus Christ.

It’s really captured who He is. And as you continue on in Revelation, in the chapters of Revelation 2 and 3, you start to read about the seven churches of Asia. In that, there is a declaration of who God is with each of them, there’s some promises given with each of them, and there’s this call to repentance that is given to each of these churches. That call to repentance is what we want to understand today.

When you read Acts 2:38, it says, “Then Peter said to them, repent, and that every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. For the promise is to you and to your children, and to all who are afar off, as many as the Lord our God will call.” And with many other words he testified and exhorted them, saying, “Be saved from this perverse generation.” Then those who gladly received this word were baptized, and that day about 3,000 souls were added to them. The church begins with repentance. The church must continue with repentance because it is the response to the call of God.

Father, today I pray that your word would come alive in our hearts, God, that we would recognize your beckoning to us, that we would clearly see, Father, Lord, your finger pointing in our heart, and that we would be able to respond. Father, Lord, let your word bring revelation. We praise you and we thank you in Jesus’ name. The overcoming church loves repentance.

All right, you saw that title. It is because repentance is a good thing. And so when we hear that word repentance and go, “It’s because we don’t understand repentance.” Repentance is not a negative thing that is being asked from us. Repentance is a principle of God that He has made possible for us to engage in so that we can be changed.

Repentance is a biblical concept. We’ve heard the word repent from Peter preaching in Acts 2:38, which we just read. We’ve been reading Revelation. Right? So in the New Testament, it’s all through the books of that part of the Bible. But it’s also a principle that existed in the Old Testament. Right? We read about it in Ezekiel 18:30, where it says, “Therefore I will judge you, O house of Israel. Every one according to his ways, says the Lord God, repent and turn from your transgressions so that iniquity will not be your ruin.” And then it says in 2 Chronicles 7:14, “If my people who are called by my name will humble themselves and pray and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land.”

See, the world has repentance all twisted up. It’s twisted in the church. It’s twisted in the world. Repentance is seen as a negative thing. It’s a message that people resist. It’s a message that people shy away from, thinking that it’s a threat to who they are. It’s a threat to your identity. It’s a threat to your independence. It’s a threat to you being you.

Which means there’s something missing. Because when God brings it to our attention in each situation, it has this blessing. In Ezekiel 18:30, it’s so that iniquity will not be your ruin. Now, for anyone that’s made a mistake in their life, that mistake usually came with a cost. That mistake usually broke a relationship, maybe, or cost you your job. Maybe that mistake brought you embarrassment or pain. Right? Maybe physical pain. Iniquity here is identified as something that will bring ruin to your life. So the call to repentance from God has this direct correlation with being saved. The word repent actually means to change one’s life based on a complete change of attitude and thought concerning sin and righteousness.

Now, if you grew up in this church, it’s always been taught repentance, and it’s been taught that it literally means you’re going one direction, you’re recognizing error, and you need to turn and go another direction, right? That reversal of direction is a big part of how repentance has always been taught here. So this isn’t a rocket science kind of message, but it is a timely message, and it is a message connected with this overcoming church.

Because what we have to wrap our heads around is why you and I want to do it more, why we are looking for the opportunity to say, “Man, Lord, I am sorry I am going the wrong direction. Can you please help me change this up?”

It is a message of revelation and of God’s love. It’s really about a new understanding of who God is that compels us to change the direction we’re going. It does not just mean you’re sorry for something you did. You’re not just remorseful. That man, you know, I stole from somebody today. You know, I shouldn’t have done that. Or you’re not just remorseful for the actions that you walked out.You know, people do bad things to each other, and it causes anger and a lot of pain, right? It causes a lot of frustration. So just feeling sorry about it doesn’t really change us from continuing to do it. What is it about this word repentance that God wants us to understand? It’s more about a process for God. It’s more about us falling in line with this opportunity that He has put in front of us so that things can change. He wants transformation for you and me. Transformation means the world is going to become a better place, right? Because right now, you and I need to become better people for this world to improve.

Right? I need to be a better person, too. Okay, yeah, come on, give it up. Jonathan’s going to change. There is hope. When a call to repentance is given from God, there is always a revelation of God and His sovereignty. This is the key to why repentance becomes so good. When Peter gives his shout out to repent, it comes from a revelation of who God is. It comes from an encounter with God. That encounter for Peter was witnessing a man crucified, watching the spear go into His side, and His life coming to an end. Peter mourned for three days with great grief.

This wasn’t just wondering if it happened, like it might be for some of us. “I wonder if this is real,” is a question every kid growing up in a church has to answer for themselves. It’s a question anyone hearing about Jesus has to answer for themselves. But for Peter, it came from a place of certainty. He saw Jesus rise from the grave and witnessed the power of the cross. He delivered the message of repentance from a place of revelation, not wonder or curiosity.

There’s this idea out there that if you believe in Jesus, your life will get better. Some people might try the “church thing,” and it works for them, but others don’t see it working for them and lose interest. That’s a real position people take today. Not in this church, of course. I know everyone here loves coming to church, recognizes its blessings, and looks forward to it every Sunday morning. But when there’s a revelation of God, your motives and reasons change. Your embrace of life looks different.

For me, I had a monumental shift in my life. I was preparing to go to college and got to go to Europe to play soccer with a Christian soccer team. I sat in a schoolroom listening to other players talk about their excitement for God, but I wasn’t there because I was excited about God. I was there to play soccer and enjoy Europe. Yet, I was a Christian and filled with the Holy Spirit, but I wasn’t excited about God. That’s when God hit me—”These guys are so excited about You, but they aren’t even filled with the Holy Spirit. Lord, what’s my problem?” That was the conversation in my head.

It was at that moment I said, “Lord, I’m sorry.” I came home from Europe, started college soccer, and decided people would know I was a follower of Jesus. In high school, I tried to hide it, to blend in and be acceptable among friends. But in college, I changed direction. I repented, and the result of that was monumental for the rest of my life. It has been the best decision I’ve ever made.

When you’re ready to repent, it’s because God revealed Himself to you. You’re not going to repent because someone says it’s a good idea. I can press on you and say, “Look, God’s coming back. You don’t want to stand before Him in rebellion.” That is true, but it’s not God’s desire. He wants you to repent because you discover that He is Lord, even if He hasn’t been Lord in your life.

We’ve been talking about lordship and the authority of God, but just because He is Lord doesn’t mean He’s Lord in your life. That’s where revelation leads us to say, “I’m so sorry. I’ve been only thinking about myself and what I wanted in life. Here You were all along, waiting for me to have that revelation.” That’s the goodness of God. Rather than punishing us for ignorance or rebellion, He prepares an opportunity. All we have to do to rectify the situation is acknowledge Him as Lord and say, “I’m sorry, Lord. I want to go in a different direction.”

God created this process of repentance so that, at any moment in our lives, even when we are at our worst, we can recognize, “Wow, I need to change.”I need to change the direction I’m going. Lord, forgive me. How many of you love repentance all of a sudden? That opportunity changes everything. It doesn’t matter how many times you have to humble yourself before God and ask His forgiveness. Just keep embracing the process. Repentance is a good thing. It’s how we bring alignment of our souls and minds under His authority and lordship. It’s how we tap into life forevermore, rather than being ruined by iniquity.

Repentance is about incorrect mindsets that must change. Changing a mindset is the purpose of repentance. With Peter, there was a clear realigning statement: “Be saved from this perverse generation.” That generation Peter spoke of was literally trying to hide the truth. Jesus had died on the cross, risen from the grave, and yet from that moment, there was an effort to conceal the truth.

That concealment, which began at the crucifixion, continues today because people do not believe they need Jesus. They fail to understand that they were created and that they will stand before Him, where their lives will be judged based on belief. Everyone will be without excuse because creation itself testifies. This confrontation with our lives and His return is a major dilemma for those who don’t understand it. A perverse generation hides truth. If that resonates with today’s cultural scenario, we should listen. There is a constant hiding of truth in our world today.

You may be hiding your sins. Think about what you don’t want people to know about you. We deal with people covering for one another to avoid embarrassment or accountability. While it might feel beneficial in the moment, living in deceit will ruin you. We cannot align ourselves with a perverse generation where truth is not valued. Truth is essential—it creates either blessing or ruin.

What is true? We see it in media stories, in debates over science, creation versus evolution. Honest assessments of information lead to strong conclusions, such as the realization that evolution is not real. That itself is evidence of a crooked and perverse generation. Peter’s call is clear: “Save yourself from this generation. Repent.” And repentance simply says, “Lord, You’re right. This is a lie, and You are true. I’m going to start living my life as though You are true.”

This means accepting the Bible as true, understanding why you trust it, and learning what it says about right and wrong. Repentance follows revelation.

True repentance will always acknowledge error or sin. There will be remorse. Jonah’s story illustrates this—he didn’t want to preach to Nineveh because he knew God would forgive their sins. People may hold grudges and demand others pay the penalty for their sins, but that’s not God’s way. God rejoices over a sinner who repents, more than the 99 who remain righteous. That’s the heart of God and a crucial aspect of repentance.

True repentance makes amends where needed and commits to change.

There was a moment in my life when God brought revelation involving a dear friend and mentor. At the time, I was six years into my career, feeling like the low man on the totem pole, and I hated correction—especially when I didn’t agree with it. One day, I was working on insulation, a task I detested, and as I finished, my boss pointed out mistakes: “You’ve got holes here, holes over there.”And I’m like, mad. This doesn’t seem like a big deal, right? Because it shouldn’t be. This shouldn’t be a big deal. But I’m so irritated. It’s such a small, minor detail. Does it really matter? His response was, “5% gaps reduce efficiency by 90%.” And I’m just like, “Oh, I don’t even believe that. That’s not true. I’m not buying it. This doesn’t matter. It’s insulation. It’s better than it was before I put the insulation in.”

In my head, this whole scenario is playing out. But we can all recognize that I had an authority issue, didn’t I? All I had to do was walk a couple of steps, grab some insulation, plug the holes, and be done. It would have taken another 20 minutes of my time.

But I had an issue, and that issue caused me pain. It caused drama. I went to my boss and said, “I’m quitting.” It just went on and on. What could’ve been a 20-minute moment where I just said, “Okay, you’re the boss, whatever,” and taken care of it, turned into a situation where I had to be the boss.

The revelation for me came when I got a glimpse of true authority and who I was. Everything about that moment required humility. I had to acknowledge that he was paid to make those calls, not me. I was paid to help him accomplish the job. When I came to that realization, it changed my life.

Literally, from that day forward, I realized that my job wasn’t to be right. My job was to help bring the process to completion and to support the environment I was in. I carry that with me as a soccer coach today. I carried it with me from that moment forward with Mike. Sure, we still had run-ins here and there, but my attitude changed from that day on. I do it now in my current work. I did it as a referee director.

The result of that revelation is that every atmosphere I’m in performs stronger. In every group I’ve been a part of, we reach our goals without drama. I’m able to diffuse drama because I help people focus on the point of what we’re doing, not the hang-ups or personality conflicts.

That kind of revelation changes circumstances for everyone. That’s the goodness of God. If I had held on to my pride, I would’ve quit my job. I don’t know what my family would’ve done next. I would’ve figured it out somehow, but people are walking out of situations ruined because of this dilemma.

They fear repentance. They fear what it might cost them. They fear the challenge of making an adjustment and acknowledging error in their lives. But if we fail to see the heart of God in this, we miss His desire for us to be blessed, to know His goodness and love. He is God, and He determines what is right and wrong. If we have a problem with that, we have to walk away from that relationship and settle for our time on earth. From that point on, we’ll regret digging in our heels just to be right. People will laugh at the absurdity of standing up to God. Who are we to do that?

Recognizing the goodness of God is key. Life is an open display of consequences and accomplishments. It clarifies intentions and reminds us of the decisions we’ve made. Some may be proud of their lives, while others may feel ashamed. But that’s not God’s heart. His heart is to make a way for repentance so we can acknowledge our guilt, embrace His truth, and walk in His righteousness and love.

It’s a simple process, but He is Lord, and we are not. He is the boss, not us. That revelation is crucial, not because He’s a tyrant, but because He is all-knowing, our Creator, and the source of life. Why would we see it any other way?

Repentance can be hard, but it brings change.

Luke 15:7 says, “I say to you that likewise there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine just persons who need no repentance.” Within that chapter, Jesus uses three parables to drive this point home. He doesn’t just breeze over it. He emphasizes it to assure us that, unlike people who won’t forgive us for our wrongs, God will. He is ready to bring change to our lives and mindsets.

So the question is, why don’t we repent?

We see this theme in Revelation 2 and 3. One church was told, “You left your first love.” The song of the Lord by Jenny today was so beautiful. Here is a woman who has given her life since college to serve. I know no greater servant. To hear her heart cry today was the loudest declaration of someone saying, “I will not leave my first love. I will come to You and sing to You because You are Lord.” We’re talking 55 years of steadfast declaration that I have witnessed and experienced.That is a beautiful thing, and I hope our kids are inspired by it—that they can give their whole lives. But they still need a revelation of who God is before they say yes. They may walk in obedience and avoid serious heartache because they were willing not to make the poor decisions their parents advised them against. But they will still need to come to that revelation of who Jesus is.

That is the beauty of repentance—it is not to embarrass you. It is so that you can know God.

Wrong teachings impacted the churches of Pergamum and Thyatira, and that error continues today. This is a reason some people resist repentance—they’re being taught that it’s okay to follow Jesus on their own terms. That’s a problem. It’s not okay to have idol worship and still follow Jesus. It’s not okay to indulge in sexual sin and still follow Jesus. These teachings lead to ruin. God wants you to walk in His righteousness. That is truth.

We must understand His righteousness, but we don’t need to fear it—we simply need to embrace it. It’s His love saying, “I want to bring you to a better place of knowing Me—a higher, deeper, and more fulfilling place.”

Being unaware—spiritually asleep—prevents us from walking in repentance. When we’re not paying attention to God, we go in the wrong direction or stop doing what He truly wants us to do. There is unfinished business in your life, and God wants you to complete the work He began in you. Don’t draw back.

Pride also hinders repentance. But if we recognize that repentance is good, we’ll see it as the way to say we’re sorry and be forgiven, without having to earn that forgiveness. God is ready to pour out everything we need, but we must be ready to respond to His call. That is the goodness of God.

As we move forward with this message, let’s embrace a love for repentance and overcoming. Repentance allows us to conquer every problem in our lives. Nothing can hinder us from the fullness of what God has for us—and that is worth celebrating!

If you need change in your life today, don’t hesitate. If the Holy Spirit is stirring your heart, don’t wait. It’s simple, but don’t try to do this alone.

That was the message on repentance.

If you came to church today seeking wisdom, I hope this brought it to you.

Father, I thank You for Your Word. I thank You for the opportunity to hear what You have to say. Help us to receive every word. Lord, we want to align with You. We want You to be Lord of our lives, and we are willing. Help us to see Your call and respond.

In Jesus’ name, Amen.