Living with Repentance: Avoiding Temptation and Seeking the Lost

Devotional

Day 1: Do All You Can to Avoid Sin

Jesus calls His followers to take sin seriously, using vivid language to emphasize the drastic measures we should be willing to take to avoid temptation and sin in our lives. Temptation is a reality for everyone, but we are not to be passive or careless about it; instead, we are to be vigilant, recognizing that the world is full of stumbling blocks and that our actions can impact not only ourselves but also others. The call is not to blame others or external circumstances, but to take personal responsibility for the ways we might stumble or cause others to stumble, and to pursue holiness with intentionality and urgency. [29:50]

Matthew 18:7-9 (ESV)
"Woe to the world for temptations to sin! For it is necessary that temptations come, but woe to the one by whom the temptation comes! And if your hand or your foot causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life crippled or lame than with two hands or two feet to be thrown into the eternal fire. And if your eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life with one eye than with two eyes to be thrown into the hell of fire."

Reflection: What is one area of temptation in your life that you have been minimizing or making excuses for, and what drastic step could you take today to remove or avoid it?

Day 2: The Heart is the Source of Sin

The true root of sin is not our hands, feet, or eyes, but our hearts. Outward actions are only symptoms of what is going on inside, and Jesus wants to radically transform us from the inside out. No amount of external change can cure the problem if the heart remains unchanged; it is from the heart that evil thoughts, desires, and actions flow. The call is to examine what is feeding your heart, to allow God to give you a new heart, and to continually fight against the old patterns that try to resurface, trusting that in Christ you are a new creation. [37:42]

Matthew 15:17-19 (ESV)
"Do you not see that whatever goes into the mouth passes into the stomach and is expelled? But what comes out of the mouth proceeds from the heart, and this defiles a person. For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false witness, slander."

Reflection: What is one thing you are allowing into your heart—through what you watch, listen to, or dwell on—that you need to surrender to God for a heart change?

Day 3: Confession and Repentance Bring Healing

Trying to hide or ignore sin only leads to inner turmoil and spiritual dryness, but confession and repentance open the door to forgiveness, healing, and renewed joy. When we acknowledge our sin before God and stop making excuses, He is faithful to forgive and restore us. Bringing sin into the light—both before God and within trusted biblical community—breaks its power and allows the light of Christ to bring freedom and hope. The remedy for the chaos and death that sin brings is not to cover it up, but to out it, confess it, and trust in God’s mercy. [43:23]

Psalm 32:3-5 (ESV)
"For when I kept silent, my bones wasted away through my groaning all day long. For day and night your hand was heavy upon me; my strength was dried up as by the heat of summer. I acknowledged my sin to you, and I did not cover my iniquity; I said, 'I will confess my transgressions to the Lord,' and you forgave the iniquity of my sin."

Reflection: Is there a sin or struggle you have been hiding or excusing? Who is one trusted believer you can confess it to this week so you can walk in the light and find healing?

Day 4: Pursue and Restore Those Who Have Gone Astray

God’s heart is for every lost or straying person, and He calls His people to share in His seeking, patient, and rejoicing love. Rather than judging or giving up on those who have wandered, we are to actively pursue them, reaching out with compassion and hope, knowing that heaven rejoices when even one returns. The mission is not just for church leaders, but for the whole body of Christ—to notice, pray for, and lovingly pursue those who are missing, hurting, or drifting, trusting that God’s love is powerful to restore. [48:45]

Matthew 18:12-14 (ESV)
"What do you think? If a man has a hundred sheep, and one of them has gone astray, does he not leave the ninety-nine on the mountains and go in search of the one that went astray? And if he finds it, truly, I say to you, he rejoices over it more than over the ninety-nine that never went astray. So it is not the will of my Father who is in heaven that one of these little ones should perish."

Reflection: Who is one person in your life—maybe a friend, family member, or church member—who has drifted away from faith or community, and how can you reach out to them this week with love and encouragement?

Day 5: God’s Kindness Leads Us to Repentance

God’s patience and kindness are not excuses to remain in sin, but invitations to turn back to Him. When we see His goodness, it should move us to repentance, not complacency or comparison with others. The enemy wants us to play the game of comparative Christianity, focusing on others’ faults instead of our own need for grace, but God calls us to own our sin and return to Him. Repentance is not a one-time event but a continual turning back to God, realigning our hearts with His truth and love, and experiencing the joy and freedom that come from walking closely with Him. [01:05:42]

Romans 2:3-5 (ESV)
"Do you suppose, O man—you who judge those who practice such things and yet do them yourself—that you will escape the judgment of God? Or do you presume on the riches of his kindness and forbearance and patience, not knowing that God's kindness is meant to lead you to repentance? But because of your hard and impenitent heart you are storing up wrath for yourself on the day of wrath when God's righteous judgment will be revealed."

Reflection: In what area of your life have you been relying on God’s kindness as an excuse to avoid repentance, and how can you respond to His kindness today by turning back to Him with a sincere heart?

Sermon Summary

As we gather in this season of gratitude and anticipation, we are reminded of the rhythms of church life—of gathering, serving, and pausing to be with family. But even more, we are called to examine our hearts as we move from Thanksgiving into Advent, a season marked by hope and expectation. Jesus’ words in Matthew 18 challenge us deeply: He warns us not only against leading others into sin, but also against the subtle ways we ourselves are drawn into temptation. The vivid language Jesus uses—cutting off a hand or plucking out an eye—serves to awaken us to the seriousness of sin, but also to the reality that the true battleground is our hearts.

Temptation is inevitable in a broken world, but Jesus calls us to radical self-examination. It is not enough to blame others or our circumstances; we must recognize that our own desires, left unchecked, can lead us astray. The heart, not the hand or the eye, is the source of our struggles. We are reminded that confession and repentance are not one-time events, but ongoing practices. Like David in the Psalms, we find healing and freedom when we stop hiding, stop making excuses, and bring our sin into the light—both before God and within trusted community.

The call does not end with personal holiness. Jesus’ parable of the sheep that goes astray reveals the heart of the Father: a love that seeks, that leaves comfort to pursue the one who has wandered. We are not to despise or judge those who have drifted, but to pursue them with the same patient, seeking, rejoicing love that God has shown us. The mission of the church is not to sit and wait, but to go—to reach out, to restore, to celebrate every return.

Yet, we are warned against the trap of comparative Christianity—measuring ourselves against others to avoid facing our own need for repentance. God’s kindness is meant to lead us to repentance, not to complacency. Whether we have wandered far or just a few degrees off course, the invitation is the same: own your sin, turn back, and experience the joy and restoration that only God can give. As we enter this season, may we be a people who confess, who pursue, and who rejoice in the relentless love of our Shepherd.

Key Takeaways

1. Radical Heart Examination Over Outward Blame It is easy to blame others or external circumstances for our struggles with sin, but Jesus calls us to look inward. The true source of temptation is not our hands, eyes, or environment, but the desires of our own hearts. Lasting transformation begins when we honestly examine what is feeding our hearts and bring those hidden places into the light of Christ. [36:33]
2. Confession and Repentance Bring True Freedom Hiding sin or making excuses only leads to spiritual decay and heaviness. Like David, we are invited to acknowledge our sin, confess it openly to God, and trust in His forgiveness. True freedom and healing come when we stop covering up and allow the light of Christ and the support of biblical community to bring restoration. [44:13]
3. Pursue the Straying with Patient, Rejoicing Love God’s love is not passive or judgmental toward those who wander; it is active, seeking, and full of joy at every return. We are called to reflect this love by pursuing those who have drifted from faith—not with condemnation, but with the same patience and rejoicing that marks the heart of the Shepherd. Restoration is a communal mission, not just a pastoral one. [49:23]
4. Resist the Trap of Comparative Christianity Measuring our spiritual health by comparing ourselves to others blinds us to our own need for repentance. God’s kindness is not a license for complacency, but an invitation to continual transformation. Each encounter with His grace should draw us back to Him, not into self-justification or judgment of others. [65:42]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[06:55] - Announcements and Upcoming Events
[08:25] - Thanksgiving Reflections and Prayer
[10:05] - Praying for the Grieving and Burdened
[26:31] - Invitation to Advent and Hope
[27:20] - Becoming Like Children: Recap
[29:06] - Reading Matthew 18:7-9
[30:45] - Followers: Avoiding Sin at All Costs
[31:54] - The Reality of Temptation
[33:29] - Personal Responsibility in Temptation
[36:33] - The Heart as the Source of Sin
[41:01] - The Cycle: Temptation, Desire, Sin, Death
[44:13] - Confession, Light, and Community
[47:53] - Pursuing the Straying Sheep
[49:23] - The Shepherd’s Rejoicing Love
[54:53] - Who Is Your One?
[59:21] - The Nature of God’s Love
[60:54] - Repentance: Turning Back to God
[65:42] - The Danger of Comparative Christianity
[69:09] - Closing Prayer and Encouragement

Bible Study Guide

Bible Reading

Matthew 18:7-14 (ESV) —
> 7 “Woe to the world for temptations to sin! For it is necessary that temptations come, but woe to the one by whom the temptation comes!
> 8 And if your hand or your foot causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life crippled or lame than with two hands or two feet to be thrown into the eternal fire.
> 9 And if your eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life with one eye than with two eyes to be thrown into the hell of fire.
> 10 “See that you do not despise one of these little ones. For I tell you that in heaven their angels always see the face of my Father who is in heaven.
> 12 What do you think? If a man has a hundred sheep, and one of them has gone astray, does he not leave the ninety-nine on the mountains and go in search of the one that went astray?
> 13 And if he finds it, truly, I say to you, he rejoices over it more than over the ninety-nine that never went astray.
> 14 So it is not the will of my Father who is in heaven that one of these little ones should perish.

Observation Questions

In Matthew 18:7-9, what kind of language does Jesus use to describe how seriously we should take temptation and sin? What does this tell us about his attitude toward sin?
According to the sermon, what is the real source of our struggle with sin—our hands, eyes, or something else? ([36:33])
In the parable of the sheep that goes astray (Matthew 18:12-14), what actions does the shepherd take when one sheep wanders off?
How does the Father respond when the lost or straying sheep is found, according to Jesus’ words in this passage?

Interpretation Questions

Why do you think Jesus uses such vivid and extreme imagery (cutting off a hand, plucking out an eye) when talking about dealing with sin? What is he trying to communicate about the seriousness of sin? ([34:03])
The sermon says, “The problem really comes is what’s going on in our heart.” Why is it important to focus on the heart rather than just outward actions when it comes to temptation and sin? ([36:33])
What does the shepherd’s pursuit of the one lost sheep reveal about God’s character and his attitude toward those who have wandered away? ([49:23])
The sermon warns against “comparative Christianity.” How can comparing ourselves to others keep us from true repentance and transformation? ([01:05:42])

Application Questions

The sermon challenges us to “check your heart” instead of blaming others or circumstances for our struggles. What is one area in your life where you tend to blame others or your environment for your sin? How could you take personal responsibility this week? ([36:33])
Confession and repentance are described as ongoing practices, not one-time events. Is there a sin or struggle you’ve been hiding or making excuses for? What would it look like to bring it into the light—either before God or with a trusted friend? ([44:13])
The parable of the straying sheep shows the Father’s patient, seeking love. Is there someone in your life who has drifted from faith or community? What is one practical step you could take to reach out to them with love and patience this week? ([49:23])
The sermon says, “Restoration is a communal mission, not just a pastoral one.” How can our small group be more intentional about pursuing and welcoming those who have wandered away? ([54:31])
The message warns against “comparative Christianity”—measuring our spiritual health by looking at others. When are you most tempted to compare yourself to others spiritually? How does this affect your relationship with God and your willingness to repent? ([01:05:42])
God’s kindness is meant to lead us to repentance, not complacency. Can you think of a recent way God has shown you kindness? How could you let that kindness move you toward repentance and deeper trust in Him? ([01:05:42])
The sermon describes the joy and celebration that happens when someone returns to God. How can we as a group or as individuals create a culture of rejoicing and welcome for those who are coming back to faith or community? ([56:22])

Sermon Clips

We are not perfect after salvation. And Jesus knows this because he says it. Listen, temptations come. It’s necessary that they come. We also know trials grow us spiritually. So we know that we grow from these things that we are attacked with. And so we grow to be better and be stronger than them. But we still, nonetheless, encounter temptations that lead to sin. And the fact that you get this on the front end, woe to the world. So you don’t need any help on temptations and sin, but the world is doing it in front of you. [00:31:23] (38 seconds) #StrengthInTemptation

If you play around with sin and the temptations that lead to sin, then do not be surprised when you are harmed and hurt. And then number two. Don’t think it’s just somebody else doing it to you. Right. We’re in that culture where we blame everybody else. It’s somebody else did it to us. Somebody else pulled me to it. And it’s almost to the point to where like Jesus is like, hey, you probably won’t blame your hands. My hands did it. No, my eyes did it. My feet did it. Well, then Jesus says, cut them off because it’s better for you to be crippled or blind than go to hell. [00:35:50] (38 seconds) #OwnYourSin

This is what we do with sin. And this is what sin happens to us in our life. James points it out. He says, let no one say when he is tempted that I’m being tempted by God. All right? So you can’t play God. Well, God’s tempting me. No, no, no, no. Well, don’t try to say something. Somebody else is tempting me. Possibly. But really, we know the problem. He says, for God cannot be tempted with evil. And he himself tempts no one. But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by what? His own desire. Where’s that coming from? Your heart. Your heart. That’s why we’re telling you to check it often. [00:40:57] (39 seconds) #TemptationStartsInTheHeart

Confession is shining light on your sin. Which is, if we get in deeply here, It would be a whole other sermon. But in order to fully put sin to death, You have to trust biblical accountability. You couldn’t defeat the gremlins by yourself. What killed them? Light. I just told you the whole plot of the movie. Light killed them. What kills sin? Shining the light of Jesus Christ on it. Confessing it out and getting it before Him. John 1, 5 says, In Him was life, And the life was the light of men. And the light shines in the what? Darkness. And the darkness has not overcome it. That’s praise God stuff right there. [00:45:42] (50 seconds) #PursueTheLost

There’s a remedy. There’s a hope. There’s something that can clear it up. Like, right if you’re sick, Don’t you want to go get the remedy? Don’t you want to go get the antidote? Don’t you want help in taking care of what’s killing you on the inside? And Jesus says that sin can be taken care of. Why? Because not one time in history has darkness defeated light. Light conquers. He says, Be light bearers who bring hope to those in darkness. Not once, as I just said, When you open the door of your house at night, Does the darkness invade? But the light goes out. Why do we play a game where we try to hide everything? [00:46:33] (58 seconds) #ShepherdsRejoice

He says, I’ll leave the 99. It’s not reckless or careless to leave them. I’ll leave them on the mountain. And I will go search for the one. I will go search for the one who has gone astray. And so hear me, do not despise those who are followers, but yet they have drifted away. Like this part of Scripture convicted my own heart. Because it’s easy to sit back and try to, in your righteous judgment, right, and go, oh, so and so knows better. They sure do. They should. If they know the gospel, they see and know and have tasted how good the gospel is. [00:49:09] (43 seconds) #PatientKindLove

And you’re like, that’s us. Jesus comes along, finds us, grabs us out of the miry pit, puts us on beautiful foundational ground. And we go, la, la, la, la, la, boom. Because we are like sheep. We don’t know how good we have it. And so the good, good father, the good, good shepherd comes for us and after us. And then he commends to us the same idea. Listen, I want you to go for the lost. I want you to go for those ones who should be in your church, who have gone astray, who have moved away from the beauty of Jesus. [00:50:57] (45 seconds) #StopComparativeChristianity

No one walks the perfect, straightest line towards Jesus. We all vary, and we all have to look at the mark, and repent to get back to it. Not in salvation, but in right relationship with the Lord. And so it’s a continual repentance. Why? Because we continually see God’s patience to us, that’s leading us to repentance. We see God’s kindness, and it leads us to repentance. It’s a beautiful picture, over and over, that we get to see. You get to see His beautiful blessings to you this season, in life, and you go, God, you’re so good. I don’t deserve it. Let me move closer to you. Do you hear me? That’s repenting. [01:02:01] (47 seconds)

Some of you need to repent. Trust Jesus for salvation. That’s turn 180 all the way around for Him and in some of you you’re off by about 10 degrees or 20 or 30. You know what I’m saying? Like you’ve listened to your own you’ve made your own truth for about the last three months and you just followed yourself and you just need to trust the Lord and go you know what I need to get rid of that thought and just come right back to you right in the middle. Tune that tune it up man tune it up and so this morning is that encouragement to you guys. [01:07:50] (39 seconds)

None of those things are going to give you any joy or fulfillment or happiness but if you can find and see God’s kindness pent and turn closer to Him could you imagine what that’s going to do for your family? Could you imagine what that’s going to do for you as you leave out of here and go I got one on my heart I’m going to go seek them I’m going to go encourage them I’m going to go love them I’m going to go share with them I’m going to just be after them like a shepherd would be after a lost or a stray sheep. [01:08:37] (38 seconds)

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