Homecoming: The true meaning and purpose of repentance

Homecoming
The true meaning and purpose of repentance

With Rev. Brian Moseley

1. Sin is death: Romans 5:12-21
“Death in Adam, Life in Christ

12 Therefore, just as sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men[a] because all sinned— 13 for sin indeed was in the world before the law was given, but sin is not counted where there is no law. 14 Yet death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over those whose sinning was not like the transgression of Adam, who was a type of the one who was to come.
15 But the free gift is not like the trespass. For if many died through one man’s trespass, much more have the grace of God and the free gift by the grace of that one man Jesus Christ abounded for many. 16 And the free gift is not like the result of that one man’s sin. For the judgment following one trespass brought condemnation, but the free gift following many trespasses brought justification. 17 For if, because of one man’s trespass, death reigned through that one man, much more will those who receive the abundance of grace and the free gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man Jesus Christ.
18 Therefore, as one trespass[b] led to condemnation for all men, so one act of righteousness[c] leads to justification and life for all men. 19 For as by the one man’s disobedience the many were made sinners, so by the one man’s obedience the many will be made righteous. 20 Now the law came in to increase the trespass, but where sin increased, grace abounded all the more, 21 so that, as sin reigned in death, grace also might reign through righteousness leading to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.”
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Sin is the result of lies. How much death are you allowing in your lives? “From the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaks” Matthew 12:34.
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Satan and his minion have no legal place or claim in the lives of believers.
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Those who are not children of God and under the Lordship of Jesus the Messiah, carry the mark of death and are under the lordship of the god of this world.

2. Faith: Hebrews 11
“By Faith

11 Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. 2 For by it the people of old received their commendation. 3 By faith we understand that the universe was created by the word of God, so that what is seen was not made out of things that are visible.
4 By faith Abel offered to God a more acceptable sacrifice than Cain, through which he was commended as righteous, God commending him by accepting his gifts. And through his faith, though he died, he still speaks. 5 By faith Enoch was taken up so that he should not see death, and he was not found, because God had taken him. Now before he was taken he was commended as having pleased God. 6 And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him. 7 By faith Noah, being warned by God concerning events as yet unseen, in reverent fear constructed an ark for the saving of his household. By this he condemned the world and became an heir of the righteousness that comes by faith.
8 By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to a place that he was to receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going. 9 By faith he went to live in the land of promise, as in a foreign land, living in tents with Isaac and Jacob, heirs with him of the same promise. 10 For he was looking forward to the city that has foundations, whose designer and builder is God. 11 By faith Sarah herself received power to conceive, even when she was past the age, since she considered him faithful who had promised. 12 Therefore from one man, and him as good as dead, were born descendants as many as the stars of heaven and as many as the innumerable grains of sand by the seashore.
13 These all died in faith, not having received the things promised, but having seen them and greeted them from afar, and having acknowledged that they were strangers and exiles on the earth. 14 For people who speak thus make it clear that they are seeking a homeland. 15 If they had been thinking of that land from which they had gone out, they would have had opportunity to return. 16 But as it is, they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared for them a city.
17 By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises was in the act of offering up his only son, 18 of whom it was said, “Through Isaac shall your offspring be named.” 19 He considered that God was able even to raise him from the dead, from which, figuratively speaking, he did receive him back. 20 By faith Isaac invoked future blessings on Jacob and Esau. 21 By faith Jacob, when dying, blessed each of the sons of Joseph, bowing in worship over the head of his staff. 22 By faith Joseph, at the end of his life, made mention of the exodus of the Israelites and gave directions concerning his bones.
23 By faith Moses, when he was born, was hidden for three months by his parents, because they saw that the child was beautiful, and they were not afraid of the king’s edict. 24 By faith Moses, when he was grown up, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter, 25 choosing rather to be mistreated with the people of God than to enjoy the fleeting pleasures of sin. 26 He considered the reproach of Christ greater wealth than the treasures of Egypt, for he was looking to the reward. 27 By faith he left Egypt, not being afraid of the anger of the king, for he endured as seeing him who is invisible. 28 By faith he kept the Passover and sprinkled the blood, so that the Destroyer of the firstborn might not touch them.
29 By faith the people crossed the Red Sea as on dry land, but the Egyptians, when they attempted to do the same, were drowned. 30 By faith the walls of Jericho fell down after they had been encircled for seven days. 31 By faith Rahab the prostitute did not perish with those who were disobedient, because she had given a friendly welcome to the spies.
32 And what more shall I say? For time would fail me to tell of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, of David and Samuel and the prophets— 33 who through faith conquered kingdoms, enforced justice, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, 34 quenched the power of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, were made strong out of weakness, became mighty in war, put foreign armies to flight. 35 Women received back their dead by resurrection. Some were tortured, refusing to accept release, so that they might rise again to a better life. 36 Others suffered mocking and flogging, and even chains and imprisonment. 37 They were stoned, they were sawn in two,[a] they were killed with the sword. They went about in skins of sheep and goats, destitute, afflicted, mistreated— 38 of whom the world was not worthy—wandering about in deserts and mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth.
39 And all these, though commended through their faith, did not receive what was promised, 40 since God had provided something better for us, that apart from us they should not be made perfect.
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One can’t have truth without love, nor love without truth Ephesians 4:15.
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Repentance is our response IN faith to truth and love. We are to consider…
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Faith is living each moment in expectation of God’s promises and covenants being revealed, because you have already seen Him work and KNOW His nature and what He will do.

3. Repentance: Mark 7:24-30
“The Syrophoenician Woman’s Faith

24 And from there he arose and went away to the region of Tyre and Sidon.[a] And he entered a house and did not want anyone to know, yet he could not be hidden. 25 But immediately a woman whose little daughter had an unclean spirit heard of him and came and fell down at his feet. 26 Now the woman was a Gentile, a Syrophoenician by birth. And she begged him to cast the demon out of her daughter. 27 And he said to her, “Let the children be fed first, for it is not right to take the children’s bread and throw it to the dogs.” 28 But she answered him, “Yes, Lord; yet even the dogs under the table eat the children’s crumbs.” 29 And he said to her, “For this statement you may go your way; the demon has left your daughter.” 30 And she went home and found the child lying in bed and the demon gone.”
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It isn’t becoming a “better version” of ourselves, relying on our efforts to be “good”. It is becoming and being the “image” of Christ in this world, relying solely on His presence in us from the holy space that repentance creates. This is Lordship!
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It is a prerequisite to accessing the Kingdom of God and the Lordship of Jesus over our lives.
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The world sees it as “giving up or losing” things that we think are good but are meaningless. The Spirit shows us all that is gained. This is the truth!
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Repentance is deliverance. What are we being delivered from? From lies! “You shall know the truth, and the truth will set you free” John 8:32. Only the truth we KNOW (intimate, personal knowledge), is what sets us free. Faith comes from hearing the truth Romans 10:17, and faith is what brings conviction, a heart for God, and repentance John 6:44.
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No one who has a heart against God will repent. Jesus said, “You are either for me or against me” Matthew 12:30.
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Repentance / deliverance happens in the heart. God only “looks upon the heart, not the outward things” of as person 1 Samuel 16:7. Thus, we must preach, testify and speak life to the heart of a person and a people!
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Deliverance isn’t always demonic. Sometimes we are in bondage to traumas that have happened in our lives, that opened the doors of our heart to fear, anger and doubt. Sometimes the traumas are generational. Deliverance is also forgiveness. Bitterness and hate are equivalent to drinking poison, in hopes of hurting the other person. We do not
forgive as if we are conceding that the wrong done against us is justified, we forgive so that
we may be set free, and the chains are broken so that we may MOVE FORWARD on the path that God has laid out for us.
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Humility is necessary in deliverance. It is coming to the end of oneself by realizing the hopelessness of our lives without God, while simultaneously realizing the Love of God for us. This is exemplified in in how Jesus replied to the woman in Mark 7:24-30. He didn’t say this out of spite, he does all things in love. He was testing her heart for humility and teaching that humility is the gateway to faith manifesting in our hearts and lives, thus creating deliverance.
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It is a complete reversal from sins and turning toward Jesus. It is a permanent change. “We shall know them by their fruits” Matthew 7:15-20, and “we shall know them by the love that they show to one another” John 13:35. The chains are either broken, or they aren’t! God is a God of reversal! Jesus is ALWAYS with us by His spirit and available to us by His Word. He follows us into the pits of disobedience and stays with us where we are even when we grieve him, convicts our hearts by His Holy Spirit and waits to embrace us.
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It is a response to Grace, NOT JUDGEMENT! Judgement is for the guilty. Grace, the unmerited favor of God, makes the opportunity to repent possible.
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It is a cleansing of sin/death, not guilt. Romans 5:12

4. The results of repentance: Matthew 3:2 “2 “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”
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Healing, abundance and freedom. It doesn’t result in our bondage to God, but we are set free WITH Him!
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It isn’t a warning to bring dread, but a proclamation to bring joy and encourage participation!
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Repented space is Holy space. We create a Tabernacle in which He will dwell in our hearts.
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We see this repeated throughout scripture. Jesus twice clearing out the temple from the money changers and His promise and plan to cleans the earth for His inhabitance and Kingdom in Revelations.
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It precedes receiving ANY blessing, gift or power of God.
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It makes it possible for God to move and act through us so that he can be glorified. This is LORDSHIP!
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It results in thanksgiving and praise. This is the evident fruit!
Why should we repent? God is calling us all home. He longs for our hearts and our presence! It is exemplified in the story of the prodigal son Luke 15:11-24.

“The Parable of the Prodigal Son
11 And he said, “There was a man who had two sons. 12 And the younger of them said to his father, ‘Father, give me the share of property that is coming to me.’ And he divided his property between them. 13 Not many days later, the younger son gathered all he had and took a journey into a far country, and there he squandered his property in reckless living. 14 And when he had spent everything, a severe famine arose in that country, and he began to be in need. 15 So he went and hired himself out to[a] one of the citizens of that country, who sent him into his fields to feed pigs. 16 And he was longing to be fed with the pods that the pigs ate, and no one gave him anything.
17 “But when he came to himself, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired servants have more than enough bread, but I perish here with hunger! 18 I will arise and go to my father, and I will say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you. 19 I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Treat me as one of your hired servants.”’ 20 And he arose and came to his father. But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and felt compassion, and ran and embraced him and kissed him. 21 And the son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’[b] 22 But the father said to his servants,[c] ‘Bring quickly the best robe, and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet. 23 And bring the fattened calf and kill it, and let us eat and celebrate. 24 For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found.’ And they began to celebrate.”
He awaits us with a cry of joy, a kiss on our face, a deep embrace, a robe and a ring, shoes on our feet and a feast of celebration at his table. “We were made for the pleasure of God”

Revelations 4:11. “Faith is the only thing that pleases God”

Hebrews 11:6. “Anything that is not of faith is sin”

Romans 14:23. We repent because we come to the end of ourselves. We repent because of our love for God, that is greater than our love for sin! We repent so that we are used by God for the Great Commission that He has passed on to us! I pray that everyone who hears this message, will pause in His presence, listen to the convictions of sin in your lives that is placed on your heart by the Holy Spirit, and repent so that you may taste the unimaginable freedom that awaits you when you are walking in the Kingdom of God!