REPENTANCE – LIFE’S ‘U’ TURN

During a visit to family in Oxford, one English summer’s day, we set off for Cambridge to meet Dr Martyn Lloyd-Jones, whose inspiring books always encouraged us..

We drove for many miles until we noticed a road-sign ‘ To Coventry’. ‘Hey’, I said, ‘We are travelling in the wrong direction’. On consulting the map we discovered our mistake. Immediately we made a U-turn, and without detour drove to Cambridge for a delightful time with the good doctor and with his wife, Bethan.

Repentance requires a definite U-turn towards God. Strong’s Greek Concordance describes this change: to think differently; to reconsider; to exercise the mind with understanding; to think and perceive; to feel compunction.

This old-fashioned word ‘compunction’ well explains repentance as regret for sins, self-reproof, confession, apology, reclaimed, turning from sin, to be humbled, to deplore one’s actions, and acknowledgment of wrong.

The Bible contains vivid expressions of repentance as in the story of the woman at the well.1 Constrained by necessity the Lord Jesus went to Sychar in Samaria where He met a woman as He sat beside the well. He knew this sensual lady required a change of mind, heart, and life. And as she conversed and offered fresh well-water to this thirsty man, she realised He was aware of her life. She could have been embarrassed and left Him to draw His own water. However, she stayed and perceived His godly character. He knew her marital state, but without any condemnation, He offered her limitless water. Living water!

This lady considered Jesus’ offer of the water of everlasting life. And when Jesus revealed that He knew of her five husbands, in amazement, she longed for this water of life, as she ran off in repentance to her village to call ‘Come and see a Man who told me everything I ever did. Is not this the Christ. ‘

True repentance always demands the cleansing power of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Her change of mind, the acknowledgment of Christ, saw many of the Samaritans, believing because of her testimony. Later, more people believed, affirming Christ as Messiah, as they heard of the witness of this lady.

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A long time passed before the Prodigal Son repented. 2 He left home, squandered his inheritance in wild living, experienced loneliness, a famine, and even considered eating the food which he fed to the pigs.

Then one glorious day, he came to his senses, and pondered his empty, selfish, insecure, rebellious life. Although fainting with hunger, he craved his father’s forgiveness more than food. As his dissolute life haunted him, he felt a holy pull as he thought of his father. He acted quickly and ran home, determined to confess , ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and you. I am more worthy to be a servant than a son’

That penitent son ran straight into the arms of his waiting, compassionate, loving, forgiving, merciful, expressive father. No wonder they made merry at the welcome-home celebration. The lost son was found. .

As always, God initiates forgiveness and salvation. He allows mankind a choice, but His fatherly grace works in human hearts to bring willingness to repent of sin, and faith to believe in our Lord Jesus Christ.

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Zacchaeus climbed a tree outside Jericho and waited to see Jesus pass by, without realising that Jesus already knew of this wealthy tax-cheat. 3

However, when Jesus arrived the menacing crowd questioned why He chose to bypass them and actually invite Himself home to lunch at Zacchaeus’ home.

Probably, Mrs Zacchaeus provided a tasty meal of bread, cheese, grapes, figs and honey. We have no record of the conversation, except that the outcome overwhelmed the crowd. But the evidence of the considered and humble repentance of the tree-climber surprised them.

Zacchaeus promised a four-fold repayment to those whom he had cheated, together with a generous gift of half his goods to the poor, Exuberant expression of a miserly man, who was known for his dishonest gain of wealth.

Obviously, Jesus’ earnest entreaties to Zacchaeus elicited this repentance, a complete U-turn from his past life, with humble apology, confession, and forgiveness as explained by Jesus, ‘ This day salvation has come to this house… .for the Son of Man came to seek and save what was lost.’

Later John wrote, He ( Jesus ) is the atoning sacrifice for our sins …

……….. and the sins of the whole world.’ 4

REPENT AND TURN TO GOD SO YOUR SINS MAY BE WIPED OUT. 5

John 4 : 1-26

Luke 15 : 11-24

Luke 19: 1-10

1 John 2 : 2

Acts 3 : 19