MAY 15

OUR PERSONAL PROMISES

2 Corinthians 7:10

“For godly sorrow produces repentance leading to salvation, not to be regretted; but the sorrow of the world produces death.”

Matthew 4:17

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

Matthew 3:11

“I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance, but He who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.”

Mark 6:12

“So they went out and preached that people should repent.”

Luke 5:32

“I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance.”

1 Corinthians 15:17

“And if Christ is not risen, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins!”

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We will be reading from a book by Erwin Lutzer, President of Moody Bible Institute.  It’s a short book about Christ’s sacrifice for us.  It’s called simply, “For Us.”

Matthew 27:3-10

“Then Judas, His betrayer, seeing that He had been condemned, was remorseful and brought back the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and elders,  saying, ‘I have sinned by betraying innocent blood.’  And they said, ‘What is that to us? You see to it!’  Then he threw down the pieces of silver in the temple and departed, and went and hanged himself.

But the chief priests took the silver pieces and said, ‘It is not lawful to put them into the treasury, because they are the price of blood.’  And they consulted together and bought with them the potter’s field, to bury strangers in.  Therefore that field has been called the Field of Blood to this day.   Then was fulfilled what was spoken by Jeremiah the prophet, saying, ‘And they took the thirty pieces of silver, the value of Him who was priced, whom they of the children of Israel priced,  and gave them for the potter’s field, as the Lord directed me.’”

Judas knew he’s done wrong – we always do, don’t we?  So out of guilt, he took the silver back to the chief priests and elders.  Notice that these men, who were so friendly when Judas could be of use to them, now said “What’s that to us?” and sent him away still full of remorse.

Judas responded to his sorrow in the wrong way.  If all we do with our sin is grieve about it and try to make amends in our own way, we’ll end up in despair just as Judas did.  Right now inside you, worldly sorrow may be eating away and keeping you from taking your sin to Christ, where it belongs.

Regret will keep you looking backward forever and cheat you into thinking there’s no hope.  It may not kill you physically, but it can paralyze and kill you spiritually.  Only repentance before Christ can free you from the past and bring you eternal life.  

Only knowing that He paid the price for your sins, repenting of them and living for Him,  will give you eternal life instead of eternal punishment.

Published by liveinthelightofourlord

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