Grace through Repentance – Coming to Our Senses

Luke 15:11-32 (NIV) 

    Jesus continued: "There was a man who had two sons. [12] The younger one said to his father, 'Father, give me my share of the estate.' So he divided his property between them.

    [13] "Not long after that, the younger son got together all he had, set off for a distant country and there squandered his wealth in wild living. [14] After he had spent everything, there was a severe famine in that whole country, and he began to be in need. [15] So he went and hired himself out to a citizen of that country, who sent him to his fields to feed pigs. [16] He longed to fill his stomach with the pods that the pigs were eating, but no one gave him anything.

    [17] "When he came to his senses, he said, 'How many of my father's hired men have food to spare, and here I am starving to death! [18] I will set out and go back to my father and say to him: Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. [19] I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me like one of your hired men.' [20] So he got up and went to his father.

    "But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him.

    [21] "The son said to him, 'Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.'

    [22] "But the father said to his servants, 'Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. [23] Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let's have a feast and celebrate. [24] For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.' So they began to celebrate.

    [25] "Meanwhile, the older son was in the field. When he came near the house, he heard music and dancing. [26] So he called one of the servants and asked him what was going on. [27] 'Your brother has come,' he replied, 'and your father has killed the fattened calf because he has him back safe and sound.'

    [28] "The older brother became angry and refused to go in. So his father went out and pleaded with him. [29] But he answered his father, 'Look! All these years I've been slaving for you and never disobeyed your orders. Yet you never gave me even a young goat so I could celebrate with my friends. [30] But when this son of yours who has squandered your property with prostitutes comes home, you kill the fattened calf for him!'

    [31] " 'My son,' the father said, 'you are always with me, and everything I have is yours. [32] But we had to celebrate and be glad, because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.' "

If there are a thousand steps between us and God, he will take all but one. He will leave the final one for us. The choice is ours.

When our Lord and Master, Jesus Christ, said "Repent", He called for the entire life of believers to be one of repentance. (Luther, Thesis 1 of 95 Theses)

1. Repentance starts by coming to our senses, it is a realization that God initiates and is therefore something we cannot control – all we can do is respond          

2 Cor. 7:10 (NIV) 

     Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret, but worldly sorrow brings death.

Worldly repentance focuses on painful consequences and self-pity

Genuine repentance focuses on the damage that our sin does to our relationship with the One who loves us deeply – and we begin to hate our sin for doing that

Genuine repentance takes full responsibility without blame-shifting or making excuses

2. Religion focuses on our own ability to maintain a good record or approval rating while grace focuses on the finished work of Jesus on the cross

False repentance focuses on earning my way back to God, atoning for my own sins, and beating myself up in misery

3. It is not that our repentance gets God’s love – it is God’s love that enables our repentance 

False repentance focuses on what we can do while genuine repentance through grace focuses on what Jesus has done

Application:

We need to be committed to, and accountable to a community or group of believers for God to use them to “bring us to our senses”

All of life is repentance because God’s grace not only leads us towards conversion but continues to keep us close to Jesus and maturing in Him