John 5:1-14, Luke 13:1-5
A Common Thread

We are reading two about two events in the life of Christ.  To many, the two
passages have nothing in common, but they do. In fact, these two passages share
a common thread with many other events in the life of Jesus.  Both of them
passages show a relationship between sin and repentance.

John 5:14 Afterward Jesus findeth him in the temple, and said unto him,
Behold, thou art made whole: sin no more, lest a worse thing come unto
thee.

     1. In John, Jesus thought the message of repentance important enough, that
         after healing this man, He went and found him to tell him to stay away
         from sin.
     2. Staying away from sin is one of the effects of repentance.

Luke 13:5 I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish.

     1. I often quote the verse from Luke.
     2. In the context, Jesus is telling people that everyone must repent.
         a. That includes the wealthy, the healthy, the religious.
         b. No one is so good as not to need to repent and no one is so bad that
             they cannot repent.
     3. The verse that I often quote plainly states that without repentance,
         every soul will perish.
         a. Believing is an important part of salvation and forgiveness, but it
             is only half of salvation’s formula.
         b. The other half is repentance.

By in large today, sin and repentance have become religion’s missing links.
Few preachers will even preach about sin.  I read an interview (I don’t know how
old it was) of Robert Schuller.  Someone asked him why he didn’t preach on sin.

He answered  honestly, "Because people don’t like it.  They don’t want to hear
it."  The interviewer followed up,

   "Don’t you think it is important?"

   "Yes."

   "Don’t you think you should preach about it?"

   "No.  They won’t listen to that message.  They will turn it off."

So instead, there are a lot of sermons about the love of Christ and the
unity of the body—all very true and beneficial but they will not replace
sermons on repentance and ignoring the topic does not negate its
importance.

You have not preached the message of salvation unless you have preached
repentance!

What can do we need to be remind about concerning sin and repentance?

     I. Sin is what damns the lost.
        A. Sin is the most awful things this world has ever sin!
            1. Sin is worse than the most horrible catastrophe you’ve ever
                encountered.
                a. We remember Katrina, Oklahoma City bombing, 9/11.
                b. We have not forgotten the typhoons in the Philippines, Taiwan,
                    Hong Kong, and China.
                c. We still pray for the victims of Haiti.
                d. Sin is worse than all of these.
            2. Sin is worse than the most wicked act you’ve ever heard.
            3. Sin is worse than the devil.
            4. Sin is worse than the hell itself.
            5. Sin is worse because it caused all of these things.
        B. What is sin?
            1. Sin is anything that displease God.
            2. That is a simple definition but very accurate.
            3. God gives us a list to help us to understand some of what sin  is
                in Exodus 20.
                a. Don’t have other gods before Me.
                b. Make no graven images.
                c. Don’t take God’s name in vain.
                d. Keep the Sabbath.
                e. Honor your parents.
                f. Don’t kill
                g. Don’t commit adultery.
                h. Don’t steal.
                i. Don’t bear false witness.
                j. Don’t covet.
            4. That is not the completed list.
                a. God goes on to add some 400 additional commands.
                b. Someone has said there are 613 commandments in the Old
                    Testament.
            5. But even that would not be a complete list.
                a. Jesus added to the list of sins while He was on the earth.
                    (1) Jesus said lust was as sinful as adultery.

Matthews 5:27  Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt
not commit adultery:
28  But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath
committed adultery with her already in his heart.

                    (2) And He said we must give account for every word that
                         comes out of our mouth.

Matthew 12:36  But I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak,
they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment.
37  For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be
condemned.

                b. I conclude that there is no complete list of sin.
                c. Why?  Because life constantly creates new sin for us to face.
                   (1) Things that are common to us were unheard of in Bible
                        times.
                   (2) Hence, instead of learning a list, we would do better to
                        learn a working definition.
                d. There is a catch!
                   (1) To know what God doesn’t like, you are going to have to
                        get to know God.
                   (2) To get to know God, you are going to have to know His
                        Word.
                   (3) To understand His Word, you are going to have to be lead
                        by the Holy Spirit.
        C. What has sin done for us?
            1. Nothing!
            2. Granted, it gives momentary pleasure but the cost is far too high
                and pleasure is far too fleeting.
        D. What has sin done to us?
            1. Robbed us of purity.
            2. Threw us out of the garden.
            3. Made our bodies to know physical sicknesses, weaknesses,
                and limitations.
            4. Condemned our bodies to age and death.
            5. Seized control of lives and dominated us.
            6. Damned our souls to hell before we were even born.

   II. Sin must be repented of for salvation.
        A. Just as sin is not often mentioned in church, neither is repentance.
        B. How shall we define repentance?
            1. There are many possible definitions.
                a. The word literally means TO CHANGE ONE’S MIND.
                b. About what?  About everything!
            2. The definition that I use most often is it means TO TURN AROUND.
            3. This turn is an about face in actions, attitudes, and even in
                your thought processes.
            4. So basically, to repent is to change your mind about everything
                you think or do.
            5. Maybe you wonder if God is serious about that?  Yes, He is.
        C. The Bible gives many Scriptures to emphasize this point.
            1. Matthew 3:5-8

Matthew 3:5  Then went out to him Jerusalem, and all Judaea, and all the region
round about Jordan,
6  And were baptized of him in Jordan, confessing their sins.
7   But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees come to his baptism, he
said unto them, O generation of vipers, who hath warned you to flee from the
wrath to come?
8  Bring forth therefore fruits meet for repentance:

                a. John the Baptist had the makings of a mega-church.
                b. A city and the entire region around the city had come out.
                c. They were even lining up to be baptized.
                d. Essentially, John sent the religious crowd back, demanding
                    that they repent first.
                e. \\#8\\ Notice John’s point.
                    (1) Bring some works that demonstrate that you have repented
                         then come back.
                    (2) Because of their exceptional and public lives of
                         hypocrisy, John refused to baptize them until they
                         demonstrated Christ.
            2. Luke 3:10-14
                a. Luke picks the story up with John then turning to the people.

Luke 3:10  And the people asked him, saying, What shall we do then?
11  He answereth and saith unto them, He that hath two coats, let him impart to
him that hath none; and he that hath meat, let him do likewise.
12  Then came also publicans to be baptized, and said unto him, Master, what
shall we do?
13  And he said unto them, Exact no more than that which is appointed you.
14  And the soldiers likewise demanded of him, saying, And what shall we do? And
he said unto them, Do violence to no man, neither accuse any falsely; and be
content with your wages.

                b. John systematically turned to each sector of that large crowd,
                    telling each of them that if they were earnest, they would
                    be changed.
                    1. To be people at large, he told them to give.
                    2. To the tax collectors, he told them to be honest.
                    3. To the soldiers, he told them to be just and content.
                c. There are some who think repentance’s effect is limited to
                    the church, but that it is not so.  If repentance does not
                    effect your attitudes at work and in life, it is a bogus
                    repentance.
            3. John 4:13-18

John 4:13  Jesus answered and said unto her, Whosoever drinketh of this water
shall thirst again:
14  But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never
thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water
springing up into everlasting life.
15  The woman saith unto him, Sir, give me this water, that I thirst not,
neither come hither to draw.
16  Jesus saith unto her, Go, call thy husband, and come hither.
17  The woman answered and said, I have no husband. Jesus said unto her, Thou
hast well said, I have no husband:
18  For thou hast had five husbands; and he whom thou now hast is not thy
husband: in that saidst thou truly.

                  a. Here Jesus was dealing with an individual.
                  b. This woman is ready to take the everlasting water, a phrase
                      used to mean salvation.
                  c. However, Jesus told her to go get her husband.
                  d. Why?  Because she had been going through husbands like
                      Kleenex and Jesus wanted her to know that had to change!
            4. Luke 19:5-10

Luke 19:5  And when Jesus came to the place, he looked up, and saw him, and said
unto him, Zacchaeus, make haste, and come down; for to day I must abide at thy
house.
6  And he made haste, and came down, and received him joyfully.
7  And when they saw it, they all murmured, saying, That he was gone to be guest
with a man that is a sinner.
8  And Zacchaeus stood, and said unto the Lord; Behold, Lord, the half of my
goods I give to the poor; and if I have taken any thing from any man by false
accusation, I restore him fourfold.
9  And Jesus said unto him, This day is salvation come to this house, forsomuch
as he also is a son of Abraham.
10  For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.

                  a. Why did Zacchaeus make this statement?
                  b. Because he had repented.  He understood there was to be a
                      change in his life.
                  c. You will notice that it is after Zacchaeus’ display of
                      repentance that Jesus pronounces the blessing of salvation
                      upon him.
        D. Not only does the Bible give us examples of those who did repent, it
            gives us an example of one who did not.
            1. Mark 10:17-22

Mark 10:17  And when he was gone forth into the way, there came one running, and
kneeled to him, and asked him, Good Master, what shall I do that I may inherit
eternal life?
18  And Jesus said unto him, Why callest thou me good? there is none good but
one, that is, God.
19  Thou knowest the commandments, Do not commit adultery, Do not kill, Do not
steal, Do not bear false witness, Defraud not, Honour thy father and mother.
20  And he answered and said unto him, Master, all these have I observed from my
youth.
21  Then Jesus beholding him loved him, and said unto him, One thing thou
lackest: go thy way, sell whatsoever thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou
shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, take up the cross, and follow me.
22  And he was sad at that saying, and went away grieved: for he had great
possessions.

                a. Here was a fine, upstanding, moral young man who desired to go
                    to heaven.
                b. Jesus singled out the one thing that the man was not willing to
                    give and demanded that he do so.
                c. Why?  Because repentance is not giving up what you want.
                    Repentance
            2. Sadly, there are many others who have refused to repent, but
                this man sticks out because he was so close to heaven.
            3. The only missing ingredient was complete and total repentance.
        E. Everyone needs to understand that God can see the heart of those who
            are not sincere.
            1. False or half-hearted repentance does not earn you any merit
                with God.
            2. You may pray a thousands prayers and weep an ocean of tears, but
                if in your heart, you are not turning around, God will not save
                you.
            3. Hence, God’s preachers challenged the people to make certain they
                were truly saved.
                a. Peter:

2Peter 1:10  Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling
 and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall:

                b. Paul:

2 Corinthians 13:5  Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your
own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except
ye be reprobates?

  III. Sin must be abstained from if there is to be holiness after salvation.
        A. In John 5:14, Jesus told the man, "Go and sin no more!"
            1. It is not a matter of repenting once so that you can be saved.
                a. Repentance is not a singular act.
                b. Repentance is not just feeling sorry for your sins.
            2. Repentance is the point where the changed life begins!
                a. From the point you repent, you will never be the same again.
                b. I am not implying that you will be perfect for you surely will
                    not.
                c. However, the direction of your life will be different.
                d. From the moment you repent, God will be in charge of your
                    life.
        B. The multitudes of people who claim a salvation but then live a
            hypocritical or sinful life have missed something.
            1. They missed repentance.
            2. They missed salvation.

Matthew 7:22  Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not
prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name
done many wonderful works?
23  And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that
work iniquity.

Psalms 5:5  The foolish shall not stand in thy sight: thou hatest all workers of
iniquity.

Now, I conclude with a most serious examination.
    Have you ever been impressed with the awfulness of sin? YES
    Have you ever been grieved over your sins? YES
    Who is running your life? JESUS
    Is there anything you will not do or give up for God? NO

If any of your answers were incorrect, would you repent and be saved today?
If all of your answer were correct, do what God tells you to do right now.

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