Tear Your Hearts, Not Your Garments

We love outward shows of piety and righteousness. We like people to know when we do something right. We also like people to know that we have repented when we do something wrong. We like visible shows of piety. But Joel 2:13 reminds us that the goal is a change of heart, not a change of clothes. You can make all sorts of signs of repentance. You can weep, moan, kneel, do penance, pray, and yet your heart remain untouched. Outward signs of repentance do not mean there has been inward change. 

We like shallow repentance. We like easy answers, with little digging and little pain. We want to be forgiven and yet keep our sins. But Jesus tells us to pull out our eyes if they cause us to sin.  Joel tells us that tearing our coats are easy. Giving a little extra money is easy.  Kneeling is easy. Tearing your hearts? Not so easy. Gouging out your eyes? Not so easy. Cutting off a hand? Not so easy.

The good news is that Jesus is kind. He will grant us repentance if we seek for it. The real question this morning isn't, "Will Christ grant us a heart to repent, forgive us, and help us turn from sins?" The real question is, "Do we want a repentance that deep?" Or do we just want to look repentant? 

Exhortation before the confession of sin: March 15th, 2015. 

Idols Kill Joy

We know idol worshipers will eventually pay, but they sure have fun in the mean time. We often think of sin as a wicked thing, but a wicked thing that brings us pleasure and joy. Yes, sex can be an idol, but it is a fun idol. Yes, worshiping money is a sin, but having money is so much fun. Yes power and control can be a idol, but it it is so much fun to run the lives of other people.  I know coveting is idol worship, but boy it is such to joy to look at those things I want and long for them.

However, Hosea paints a different picture.  In Hosea 2 God accuses Israel of giving silver and gold to the Baals, the idols of the day. Israel is running around worshiping idols. This involved theft, sexual immorality, and power plays. But this does not lead to fun. Instead God says he will put an end to all Israel’s mirth (Hosea 2:11). Mirth is an old word meaning laughter, joy, cheer and merrymaking.  We look out at sin and we think, I know it is wrong, but wouldn’t it be fun. But the reality is that idol worship leads to joy evaporating. When we worship idols, feasting, merrymaking, wine, laughter are all destroyed. Two things I want to remind you of this morning as we prepare to confess our sins.

First, have you lost your joy? If so, then there is an idol somewhere that is eating at you. Find it, repent of it, and kill it.

Second, as a church one way we know we are worshiping God is the presence of joy, laughter, and mirth. Sundays are not easy days, but they are joyful days. Do you like to feast? Do you like to fellowship? It is odd, but when we laugh together and fellowship together and eat together, we are putting idols to death. 

Exhortation Before Confession of Sin: March 8th, 2015