Embracing Repentance: A Call to Transformation

1. "As we enter into the next chapter, Jesus ascended to heaven and the promised Holy Spirit has come and his presence in the disciples was undeniable. And this left many in awe as supernatural events unfolded. You know, people were filled with curiosity and amazement. Some were even perplexed, even others we are told mocked what was happening. Now Peter, the Apostle Peter, now the de facto leader, stands up to share the gospel for the very first time. And he's reminding the crowd of what was written. He speaks about the life, the death, and the resurrection of Jesus. And he boldly declared that God had raised Jesus to life and that they, the disciples, were witnesses of this. The one they had crucified was now made both Lord and Messiah. Peter's words were powerful. You know, he's rebuking the people for their actions and prompting a response even from the crowd." [00:00:57] (57 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)


2. "This question was the cry of hearts that were deeply moved. They were overwhelmed by the realization of their sin, you know, experiencing a moment of deep conviction. And when you read the phrase, cut to the heart, this is such a vivid description of what happens when the Holy Spirit is cut to the heart. And it's such a vivid description of what happens when the Spirit convicts us. It's like a sharp piercing awareness that we are in the wrong and that something must change. You know, they realized that they were responsible for the death of Jesus. And that's the truth for each one of us. Even you listening to me, we are all responsible. Our sin, my sin put Jesus on the cross. And when that truth hits home, it demands a response." [00:02:10] (40 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)


3. "Repentance is at the heart of the gospel. Repentance is a deliberate choice to turn away from sin and turn back to God. You know, you're going in one direction and now you need to change course and go in the opposite direction. It is the doorway through which we enter a new life with Jesus. And when I read that, that makes it a word that is full of hope. It means we don't have to keep going the way we've been going. Instead, of condemnation because of your sin, there is an invitation to turn back to God. You know, the consequences of your actions deserve death, but God extends his grace towards you. And this is the good news. This is the gospel." [00:03:03] (41 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)


4. "When we give our lives to Christ, that old self still wants to gratify its desires. But now we have the Holy Spirit who helps us to focus on the things of God. And so the more we entertain the rhythms of this world, the more our flesh gets stronger. The more we engage with the rhythms of faith, the more we die to the flesh and live in the spirit and do the things of the spirit." [00:06:27] (25 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)


5. "Choosing between two kingdoms, there's life and death, there's light and darkness, there's truth and lies. You know, at times we may consciously or unconsciously allow Satan to have authority or position in our lives. That is a stronghold. You see, a stronghold could be defined as things that Satan uses to hold us back from knowing and fully following God. You know, these are patterns of sin, these are false beliefs or deceptive thinking that even block God's truth from taking root in our lives." [00:09:13] (31 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)


6. "You know, because the enemy takes this thought or this desire in us and he brings it into our life or he allows this to happen. You know, and so even when God tells you to run, you know, there are these things that are happening in our lives. There are opportunities granted the enemy. When God tells us to run, we cannot run. When God tells you to give, you cannot give. You cannot fully live for God or even obey God because you're being held back by the things and the stuff in your life. And that's what I mean by stronghold." [00:10:44] (32 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)


7. "And how I pray for us, how I pray for godly sorrow to overcome us about the state of sin in our lives. In 2 Corinthians 7, Paul says, Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation. You see, this type of sorrow comes from an awareness of how our sin, my sin has broken my relationship with God. You see, sorrow without change is self -pity. But sorrow that leads to action is the beginning of transformation." [00:19:29] (28 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)


8. "Repentance is a deliberate choice to turn away from your sin and turn back to God, the starting point of a completely transformed life. It's about a complete change in how we think, in how we love and even how we act. Repentance is both an invitation and a challenge. It's an invitation to experience God's grace, but it's also a challenge because it requires something from us, a deliberate, often difficult change in direction. Repentance is not just a feeling that we feel, you know, it's a decision, it's a you turn back to God." [00:20:47] (36 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)


9. "Repentance isn't simply an acknowledgement of failure. It's the act of turning back to God and saying, I want to come home. I want to come home. It's this deliberate choice to turn away from sin and turn back to God. So how can you do this? You begin with confession. What behaviors or patterns in your life do you need to confess today? Some you already know and others you might need to dig deep, even ask God for help in revealing those truths." [00:22:00] (33 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)


10. "Guys, this is a powerful promise from God. And he's highlighting both his mercy and justice, because when we confess our sins, God remains faithful to his promise of forgiveness. He doesn't just forgive. He also cleanses us from all unrighteousness, meaning that he's purifying your heart and restores us to right standing with him. He transforms us from the inside out, allowing us to live in freedom and righteousness. The act of confession, it brings us into the light of God's grace and starts the process of spiritual healing and renewal." [00:23:18] (35 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)