Key Bible Passage(s):

Eph.4:20-24

Tier 1:

One of the key questions we can ask about a service is actually not about what happens in the service itself – though this is how we often ‘judge’ a service – but about what happens after the service.  How am I able to live as a Christian in a way that I wasn’t able to before?  Did the service simply give me respite – a kind of spiritual escapism – or was God at work in it and through it to enable me to live more faithfully as a disciple? That process of transformation starts with repentance. This is given expression in the liturgy of Confession.

Tier 2:

There are seasons in the Church’s history when the Holy Spirit has drawn close to the people of God. This has brought an increased sense of the presence of God. In such seasons (known as revivals) repentance has taken on a renewed significance. The experience of conviction of sin and the desperation to be made right with God has at times been overwhelming. This is a critical part of authentic Christian experience and worship, and it remains a prominent part of the Church’s liturgy.

Tier 3:

We can often struggle with how to reconcile the fact that we are forgiven and that our sin is dealt with, to the fact that our ongoing experience of sin affects our relationship with our Heavenly Father. But it is as Father that He disciplines us, desiring to conform us to the image of His Son, and so disentangling the reality of sin from our character. This gives us the freedom to be like Christ. It begins and ends with our vision of Him!

In this session I talk about seasons in the history of the Church when the Spirit seems to draw especially near. There are many accounts of Revivals, but the best introduction I’ve come across over the years is this one. Brian Edwards, Revival: A people saturated with God. It’s a great way to see what the Bible teaches, what has happened in history, and what lessons we can learn for our own discipleship! You can get a sense of what he saying in the videos below.

Repentance means a change of mind. Formerly, I thought sin as a pleasant thing, but now I have changed my mind about it. Formerly, I thought the world an attractive place, but now I know better. Formerly I regarded it miserable business to be a Christian, but now I think differently. Once I thought certain things delightful, now I think them vile. Once I thought other things utterly worthless, now I think them most precious. That is a change of mind, and that is repentance.

Watchman Nee

Discussion Questions:

Why do you think that God doesn’t remove sin from us as soon as we become Christians?

Does an emphasis on our ongoing experience of sin threaten our sense of self-worth and self-esteem?  …or our sense of being loved and valued by God? Why / why not?

and later in the session

Read II Cor.7:8-13

How do you feel about Paul’s willingness to rebuke the Corinthian Church (v.8)?  Do you think this is an example that pastors should follow today? …or was it something that only Apostles should think about doing?

Do you think that repentance is essential to becoming and living as a Christian?  Is repentance always accompanied by ‘sorrow’ (v.9)?

How would you describe the difference between ‘worldly sorrow’ and ‘godly sorrow’ (v.10)?  Why do you think ‘worldly sorrow brings death’?

Do you think repentance is genuine if you again commit the sin that you have repented of?

Can you share your own experience of repentance?  Does it match the description of repentance listed here?  Do you think it should? How has repentance lead to a change in the way you live?

Homework

Over this half-term we have been working to memorise Matthew 7:21-28. You will have to keep refreshing Matt.5:1-26, Matt.6:5-15 and Matt.7:7-12 whilst you do this.

(we’ll memorise the whole of the Sermon on the Mount over the 3 years of DTP

Ask someone you know who isn’t a Christian what they think the Church should offer their community?

Pick a pattern of sin that recurs.

(If you are struggling to identify one, take a look at Gal.5:19-21; Eph.4:25-31; Col.3:5-8…)

start to populate this cycle… just thoughts and observations. Spend some time praying about this. What gets revealed about what you’re doing and why are you doing it?

at this stage, no agenda - just whatever occurs to you en route!