Revival Of Repentance

At that time the Lord, the LORD of Heaven’s Armies, called you to weep and mourn. He told you to shave your heads in sorrow for your sins and to wear clothes of burlap to show your remorse. But instead, you dance and play; you slaughter cattle and kill sheep. You feast on meat and drink wine. You say, “Let’s feast and drink, for tomorrow we die!” [Isaiah 22.12-13]

This is part of Isaiah's prophecy against Jerusalem. If we can see it, Jerusalem speaks of God's Kingdom of believers and so, has application even to us today.

God's Word has never been unclear about the need for repentance. Jesus was not unclear about the need for repentance from the very onset of His earthly ministry:

From then on Jesus began to preach, “Repent of your sins and turn to God, for the Kingdom of Heaven is near.” [Matthew 4.17]

Preachers of old were called "hellfire and brimstone preachers" because they warned people of their need to repent with the specific threat of eternal punishment in hell. In contrast, modern preachers mostly laugh off hellfire and brimstone preaching as if Matthew 4.17 was just some sort of misprint of the New Testament. Meanwhile, society (the Church included) continues to slip further into decadence.

Interestingly enough, Jesus made the following statement:

He said to his disciples, “The harvest is great, but the workers are few. So pray to the Lord who is in charge of the harvest; ask him to send more workers into his fields.” [Matthew 9.37-38]

Please, someone, correct me that I am taking Matthew 9.37-38 out of context because it describes Jesus' example of spreading the "Good News" about the Kingdom and NOT hellfire and brimstone preaching about repentance! Remind me of the preceding verses:

Jesus traveled through all the towns and villages of that area, teaching in the synagogues and announcing the Good News about the Kingdom. And he healed every kind of disease and illness. When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them because they were confused and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. [Matthew 9.35-36]

What is the Good News? It's the message of Christ as was foretold and as He lived, right? Yes! But that may not be what modern preachers think! The best source for defining the Good News should be Jesus Himself. So, what did He say it was?

Then he said, “When I was with you before, I told you that everything written about me in the law of Moses and the prophets and in the Psalms must be fulfilled.” Then he opened their minds to understand the Scriptures. And he said, “Yes, it was written long ago that the Messiah would suffer and die and rise from the dead on the third day. It was also written that this message would be proclaimed in the authority of his name to all the nations, beginning in Jerusalem: ‘There is forgiveness of sins for all who repent.’  [Luke 24.44-47] 

What message? ‘There is forgiveness of sins for all who repent.’ 

Oh how we want and need the Good News of forgiveness of sins! But can't we just skip the repentance part? No! There is no way to be forgiven without repentance - without brokenness of heart and spirit (Psalm 51.17). All the faith in the world cannot overcome a proud, unrepentant heart.

We should embrace joyous worship of God, but to do so without repentance is exactly what Isaiah warned against.

Father, help us to have a revival of repentance.