The Missing Link

Key passage: Luke 24:44-49

Introduction

Many of us have found ourselves repeatedly confessing the same sin to God, wondering why we can’t overcome it.

Sermon Points

God forgives the sins we confess, but merely confessing won’t bring us victory. What’s missing? Genuine repentance.

Jesus told His apostles to proclaim repentance for the forgiveness of their sins in His name and to all nations. This was not the first time the message of repentance had been shared.

John the Baptist began his ministry with the words, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”
In Matthew, Jesus repeated the same message. Peter told the people to repent and be baptized.
Paul wrote to the Corinthians: “You were made sorrowful to the point of repentance.”
In Revelation, Christ admonished the church in Ephesus to repent.

What is repentance?

Repentance is heartfelt sorrow for sin followed by the renouncing of sin with sincere commitment to forsake it and walk in obedience to Christ.

Repentance is essential for believers.

God has predestined us to be conformed to His Son’s image. Ignoring or accepting sin not only offends God, but also hurts us.

Repentance is essential for salvation.

God made the way of salvation simple, yet there is so much confusion about it. Salvation is by faith and not works, but we need to clarify this. Saving faith includes an acknowledgement that Jesus is the Son of God who died for our sins, as well as the recognition of our sinfulness.

Repentance results in a changed life.

Although we don’t understand all that’s involved at that moment, the Holy Spirit works within us to convict us of sin, draw us to repentance, and guide us on a new path.

We are not perfect, but we are responsible for what we do.

After our salvation, we should desire to please the Lord and do the good works He has planned for us. If we are genuinely saved, we will never be happy or satisfied living in sin because we now have a new nature through the Holy Spirit who indwells us.

What does confession mean?

Confession means to agree with God that what we did was wrong. But that alone will not keep us from repeating it. That’s why repentance should always be a part of confession.

Summary

When we genuinely and prayerfully repent of our sins, we can overcome them, break the cycle of sin, and begin life anew.

Copy Sermon Outline

Luke 24:44-49

44 Now He said to them, These are My words which I spoke to you while I was still with you, that all things which are written about Me in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms must be fulfilled."

45 Then He opened their minds to understand the Scriptures,

46 and He said to them, Thus it is written, that the Christ would suffer and rise again from the dead the third day,

47 and that repentance for forgiveness of sins would be proclaimed in His name to all the nations, beginning from Jerusalem.

48 You are witnesses of these things.

49 And behold, I am sending forth the promise of My Father upon you; but you are to stay in the city until you are clothed with power from on high."

Isaiah 55:6-7

6 Seek the LORD while He may be found; Call upon Him while He is near.

7 Let the wicked forsake his way And the unrighteous man his thoughts; And let him return to the LORD, And He will have compassion on him, And to our God, For He will abundantly pardon.

Matthew 3:1-2

1 Now in those days John the Baptist came, preaching in the wilderness of Judea, saying,

2 Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand."

Matthew 4:17

17 From that time Jesus began to preach and say, Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand."

Luke 5:32

32 I have not come to call the righteous but sinners to repentance."

John 3:16

16 For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.

Acts 2:38

38 Peter said to them, Repent, and each of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.

Acts 16:25-34

25 But about midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns of praise to God, and the prisoners were listening to them;

26 and suddenly there came a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison house were shaken; and immediately all the doors were opened and everyone's chains were unfastened.

27 When the jailer awoke and saw the prison doors opened, he drew his sword and was about to kill himself, supposing that the prisoners had escaped.

28 But Paul cried out with a loud voice, saying, Do not harm yourself, for we are all here!"

29 And he called for lights and rushed in, and trembling with fear he fell down before Paul and Silas,

30 and after he brought them out, he said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved?"

31 They said, Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household."

32 And they spoke the word of the Lord to him together with all who were in his house.

33 And he took them that very hour of the night and washed their wounds, and immediately he was baptized, he and all his household.

34 And he brought them into his house and set food before them, and rejoiced greatly, having believed in God with his whole household.

Romans 7:15

15 For what I am doing, I do not understand; for I am not practicing what I would like to do, but I am doing the very thing I hate.

Romans 8:29

29 For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brethren;

1 Corinthians 3:1-3

1 And I, brethren, could not speak to you as to spiritual men, but as to men of flesh, as to infants in Christ.

2 I gave you milk to drink, not solid food; for you were not yet able to receive it. Indeed, even now you are not yet able,

3 for you are still fleshly. For since there is jealousy and strife among you, are you not fleshly, and are you not walking like mere men?

2 Corinthians 7:9-10

9 I now rejoice, not that you were made sorrowful, but that you were made sorrowful to the point of repentance; for you were made sorrowful according to the will of God, so that you might not suffer loss in anything through us.

10 For the sorrow that is according to the will of God produces a repentance without regret, leading to salvation, but the sorrow of the world produces death.

Ephesians 2:8-10

8 For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God;

9 not as a result of works, so that no one may boast.

10 For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them.

Colossians 3:8

8 But now you also, put them all aside: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and abusive speech from your mouth.

2 Peter 3:9

9 The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance.

1 John 1:7-9

7 but if we walk in the Light as He Himself is in the Light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin.

8 If we say that we have no sin, we are deceiving ourselves and the truth is not in us.

9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

Revelation 2:5

5 Therefore remember from where you have fallen, and repent and do the deeds you did at first; or else I am coming to you and will remove your lampstand out of its place--unless you repent.

Aired On 16 Oct 2015

The Missing Link

To live victoriously, our sin should result in sorrow and repentance. In this sermon, Dr. Stanley explains what it means to live in the will of God. He also reveals how renouncing sin with heartfelt grief shows sincere commitment to our Savior.

Related Topics: Growth of a Believer | Reading Bible

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Luke 24:44-49

Isaiah 55:6-7

Matthew 3:1-2

Matthew 4:17

Luke 5:32

John 3:16

Acts 2:38

Acts 16:25-34

Romans 7:15

Romans 8:29

1 Corinthians 3:1-3

2 Corinthians 7:9-10

Ephesians 2:8-10

Colossians 3:8

2 Peter 3:9

1 John 1:7-9

Revelation 2:5

The Missing Link

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