9/27/2020 - Are You Playing a Con Game with God?
GOD WANTS REAL REPENTANCE THAT LEADS TO TRUE OBEDIENCE: September 27, 2020
The first of Martin Luther's infamous 95 these reads thus: "When our Lord and Master Jesus Christ said, 'Repent' (Matthew 4:17), he willed the entire life of believers to be one of repentance."
God's activity throughout history underscores his desire for people to live in continual repentance. He establishes and uproots nations. He sends calamity, disaster, or tragedy to remind us of the frailty of life and the nearness of our meeting with our Maker. Some have argued that the Lord is acting vengefully or vindictively. Today's lesson from Ezekiel contradicts those notions with God's real will: he wants people to repent.
Repentance is more than a matter of lip service. Words of penitence are followed with an appropriate change of heart. Godly behavior should always follow the verbal "I'm sorry." Jesus brilliantly illustrated those points in today's Gospel lesson. One son paid his father lip service. He told his dad what he wanted to hear, but he didn’t follow through with obedience. A second son first refused to work. Later he reconsidered his foolish response, repented and did what his father asked. Which of those two sons does God approve? The vanity of the first boy, or the follow through of the second?
More useful to our faith is to answer Jesus’ question for ourselves. Are you stuck in a rut of lip service to God, telling him what he wants to hear in your worship and prayers? Do you lack follow through, the dutiful obedience of a forgiven heart? True repentance is one of the most valuable practices of daily Christian living. Prayer is important, but repentance is more important. It kills our sinful nature, and enables our heart of faith to obey God’s will.
Let your life be full of repentance - it's God's will for you. God bless your worship.
► Readings:
• Ezekiel 18:1-4, 23-32: God takes no pleasure in the death of anyone
• Philippians 2:1-11: Jesus became man to save us all
• Matthew 21:23-32: God rejoices in those who repent
• Psalm 25
► Sermon theme on Matthew 21:28-32: “Are You Playing a Con Game with God?”
8am & 10:45am services with accommodations are held on campus.
10:45am service live-streamed on our YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/user/RedeemerTucson