You guys, do you know what it is
to have a heartache for holiness?
To have a heartache for holiness?
When you get a glimpse of the King,
when you get a glimpse of the King
Jesus, does he ever have an experience where
your heart burned and ached, and you say,
oh God, make me a holy man, make
me a holy woman.
God, I must be, I must be, I
must be conformed to the image of your
Son.
God, set me free from these things that
are binding me and hold me back.
Have you ever had that?
That is normal Christianity, you guys.
If you don't have a heartache to be
conformed to the image of Christ, if something
doesn't break in you and cry out and
long, reach up to heaven to be changed,
you guys, that's not the way it's supposed
to be.
You want to read an awesome book about
this?
There's the testimony of David Brainerd, a wonderful
man of God, missionary that went to the
Indians of North America, sold out for Jesus,
so much more sold out than anybody that
I've ever met, but this man's constantly had
a heartache, a longing to be conformed to
the image of Christ.
Read about it, it's right over there.
The diary of David Brainerd, wonderful stuff.
You guys, we have got to, this is
a clear, clear part of our Christian experience.
Is your heart hurting?
Is it longing to be conformed to the
image of Christ?
It's a good sign that repentance is at
work, that you're a man or woman that
knows how to walk out repentance.
So we see the majesty, the glory of
the King demands that there be a repentance,
demands that there be a turning away from
anything having dominion over your life.
But you guys, repentance does not always involve
what we would call normal sensual sins.
Did you know that?
Sometimes when we think, well, I've turned away
from sin.
You know all the bad junk, all the
drinking and drugging and immorality, all the ugly
stuff, the dark stuff that we wouldn't like
to admit to.
But you guys, repentance involves a lot more
than just turning away from the shameful things.
Did you know that?
Let's look at another passage here.
Let me read this.
Repentance is turning away from our old identity.
It is the willingness to allow the King
to redefine our present self-image and all
our future dreams.
Repentance.
Did you catch that?
Repentance is not just turning away from the
ugly stuff.
It's actually saying, God, I will turn to
You as King.
I will submit to You as King.
I am willing to let You rule and
reign in my life by Your grace, by
Your power, through faith in what Jesus did
on the cross.
I'm willing to totally let that happen in
every area of my life, not just the
shameful areas.
Isn't this what Paul was talking about in
Philippians 3?
Let's look at that passage just real quickly.
Philippians 3.
This is not a sin list that Paul
gives us when he's talking about turning away
from everything.
Rejoice in Christ and have no confidence in
the flesh.
Verse 4, chapter 3, Though I also might
have confidence in the flesh, if anyone else
think he may have confidence in the flesh,
I more so.
Circumcise the eighth day.
He's a good church kid is what he's
saying right here.
Of the stock of Israel.
Of the tribe of Benjamin.
A Hebrew of Hebrews.
Concerning the law.
A Pharisee.
Very religious.
Concerning zeal.
Persecuting the church.
Concerning righteousness, which is in the law.
Blameless.
Can any of us say that?
I don't think so.
But what things were gained to me, these
I have counted lost for Christ.
Yet indeed I also count all things lost
for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ
Jesus, my Lord, for whom I have suffered
the loss of all things.
Not just the dirty, ugly things, you guys.
He surrenders all things and counts them as
rubbish that I may gain Christ.
He's just talking about a lot of things.
Good things.
Religious things that most people would be proud
to boast in.
He says, I count it all as rubbish.
Repentance is turning away from our old identity.
This is Paul's old identity, even though it
was very religious.
Repentance is turning away from our old identity
and a willingness to allow the King to
redefine our present self-image and all our
future dreams.
Mark 1, 14-22.
Let's read a story about Jesus.
Now, after John was put in prison, we're
talking about John the Baptist, Jesus came to
Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of
God.
Now, how does Jesus prepare the people to
receive this gospel of the kingdom?
That the King has come.
That He's on His way.
He wants access to His people again.
This is how He does it.
Saying, the time is fulfilled and the kingdom
of God is at hand.
Repent and believe in the gospel.
Jesus preached repentance.
And as He walked by the Sea of
Galilee, He saw Simon and Andrew, His brother,
casting a net into the sea, and they
were fishermen.
These men were fishermen.
This is what they did well.
This was the family business.
This is all they knew.
This is how they identified themselves.
Guys, don't you know what I'm talking about?
The things that we do are a lot
of times the things that we gain our
significance from.
This is what they took merit in.
This is what they trusted in, to feel
good about themselves.
This wasn't a bad thing.
This wasn't a sinful thing.
They were good, hardworking men.
They were fishermen.
But this repentance that prepares the way for
God's kingdom to come in their life would
also touch this good thing in their life.
And Jesus said to them, Come after Me,
and I will make you become fishers of
men.
He'll do it, not us.
Come after Me.
Follow Me explicitly, without question, without reserve.
And I will make you become fishers of
men.
And immediately they left their nets and followed
Him.
Is that awesome or what, you guys?
The audacity of Jesus to barge into these
good, hardworking men's lives and walk right up
to them and say, Hey, I want to
change everything about you.
I know you're doing a good job at
this.
I know you gain your significance from these
acts, good acts.
But I'm wanting to change it.
I'll make you fishers of men.
Leave all this and follow Me.
They immediately dropped their nets and let Jesus,
in one fell swoop, radically redefine everything about
them.
That is repentance.
Is that wild or what, you guys?
Repentance isn't just turning for some ugly thing.
Repentance is turning away from anything that we
trust in.
What you're trusting in is what is king
in your life.
These hardworking men trusted in the fact that
they were hardworking men, diligent, responsible.
That's a good thing, isn't it?
Don't we need men that are...
The Scripture says that if a man does
not provide for his own household, he's worse
than an infidel.
Jesus isn't discouraging sloth or negligence or irresponsibility.
But He's saying, Hey, I'm going to be
king first and foremost in your life.
Let's read on.
These weren't the only two guys He picked
on.
Then Jesus said to them, Come after Me,
and I will make you fishers of men.
And immediately they left their nets and followed
Him.
Read on.
When He had gone a little farther, just
a little farther down the road, when He
had gone a little farther from there, He
saw James the son of Zebedee and John
his brother, who also were in a boat
mending nets.
And immediately He called them, and they left
their father Zebedee in the boat with the
hired servants and went after Him.
These two fishermen have a whole family business
going.
Dad's there that no doubt has handed the
business down to them.
He's got some other servants working here.
They're working hard.
These two brothers, you know, it was probably
what?
Zebedee and son's fishing business right there on
the Sea of Galilee.
You know what I'm saying?
But Jesus again barges into their life.
Says, Follow Me.
Follow Me.
Leave everything and follow Me.
Let Me be king of your life.
Have you guys thought about repentance in this
way?
And immediately He called them, and they left
their father Zebedee in the boat with their
hired servants and went after Him.
Am I encouraging to disregard?
You guys, do you know what it is
to have a heartache for holiness?
To have a heartache for holiness?
When you get a glimpse of the King,
when you get a glimpse of the King
Jesus, did you ever have an experience where
your heart burned and ached, and you say,
Oh God, make me a holy man.
Make me a holy woman.
God, I must be, I must be, I
must be conformed to the image of Your
Son.
God, set me free from these things that
are binding me and hold me back.
Have you ever had that?
That is normal Christianity, you guys.
If you don't have a heartache to be
conformed to the image of Christ, if something
doesn't break in you, and cry out and
long, reach up to heaven to be changed,
you guys, that's not the way it's supposed
to be.
You want to read an awesome book about
this?
There's the Testimony of David Brainerd, a wonderful
man of God, missionary that went to the
Indians of North America.
Sold out for Jesus.
So much more sold out than anybody that
I've ever met.
But this man is constantly at a heartache,
a longing to be conformed to the image
of Christ.
Read about it.
It's right over there.
The Diary of David Brainerd.
Wonderful stuff.
You guys, we have got to, this is
a clear, clear part of our Christian experience.
Is your heart hurting?
Is it longing to be conformed to the
image of Christ?
It's a good sign that repentance is at
work.
That you're a man or woman that knows
how to walk out repentance.
So we see the majesty, the glory of
the King demands that there be a repentance.
Demands that there be a turning away from
anything having dominion over your life.
But you guys, repentance does not always involve
what we would call normal, sensual sins.
Did you know that?
Sometimes when we think, well, I've turned away
from sin.
You know all the bad junk.
All the drinking and drugging and immorality.
All the ugly stuff, the dark stuff that
we wouldn't like to admit to.
But you guys, repentance involves a lot more
than just turning away from the shameful things.
Did you know that?
Let's look at another passage here.
Let me read this.
Repentance is turning away from our old identity.
It is the willingness to allow the King
to redefine our present self-image and all
our future dreams.
Did you catch that?
Repentance is not just turning away from the
ugly stuff.
It's actually saying, God, I will turn to
You as King.
I will submit to You as King.
I am willing to let You rule and
reign in my life by Your grace, by
Your power, through faith in what Jesus did
on the cross.
I'm willing to totally let that happen in
every area of my life, not just the
shameful areas.
Isn't this what Paul was talking about in
Philippians 3?
Let's look at that passage just real quickly.
Philippians 3.
This is not a sin list that Paul
gives us when he's talking about turning away
from everything.
Rejoice in Christ and have no confidence in
the flesh.
Verse 4, chapter 3.
Though I also might have confidence in the
flesh, if anyone else think he may have
confidence in the flesh, I more so.
Circumcise the eighth day.
He's a good church kid is what he's
saying right here.
Of the stock of Israel, of the tribe
of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews, concerning the
law of Pharisee, very religious.
Concerning zeal, persecuting the church.
Concerning righteousness, which is in the law, blameless.
Can any of us say that?
I don't think so.
But what things were gained to me, these
I have counted lost for Christ.
Yet indeed I also count all things lost
for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ
Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered
the loss of all things.
Not just the dirty, ugly things, you guys.
He surrenders all things and counts them as
rubbish that I may gain Christ.
He's just talking about a lot of things,
good things, religious things, that most people would
be proud to boast in.
He says, I count it all as rubbish.
Repentance is turning away from our old identity.
This is Paul's old identity, even though it
was very religious.
Repentance is turning away from our old identity
and a willingness to allow the King to
redefine our present self image and all our
future dreams.
Mark 1, 14-22.
Let's read a story about Jesus.
Now after John was put in prison, we're
talking about John the Baptist, Jesus came to
Galilee preaching the gospel of the kingdom of
God.
Okay, now how does Jesus prepare the people
to receive this gospel of the kingdom?
That the King has come, that He's on
His way, He wants access to His people
again.
This is how He does it.
Saying, the time is fulfilled and the kingdom
of God is at hand.
Repent and believe in the gospel.
Jesus preached repentance.
And as He walked by the Sea of
Galilee, He saw Simon and Andrew, His brother,
casting a net into the sea, and they
were fishermen.
These men were fishermen.
This is what they did well.
This was the family business.
This is all they knew.
This is how they identified themselves.
Guys, don't you know what I'm talking about?
The things that we do are a lot
of times the things that we gain our
significance from.
This is what they took merit in.
This is what they trusted in, to feel
good about themselves.
This wasn't a bad thing.
This wasn't a sinful thing.
They were good, hardworking men.
They were fishermen.
But this repentance that prepares the way for
God's kingdom to come in their life, would
also touch this good thing in their life.
And Jesus said to them, Come after Me
and I will make you become fishers of
men.
He'll do it, not us.
Come after Me.
Follow Me explicitly, without question, without reserve.
And I will make you become fishers of
men.
And immediately they left their nets and followed
Him.
Is that awesome or what, you guys?
The audacity of Jesus to barge into these
good, hardworking men's lives, and walk right up
to them and say, Hey, I want to
change everything about you.
I know you're doing a good job at
this.
I know you gain your significance from these
acts, good acts.
But I'm wanting to change it.
I'll make you fishers of men.
Leave all this and follow Me.
They immediately dropped their nets and let Jesus
in one fell swoop radically redefine everything about
them.
That is repentance.
Is that wild or what, you guys?
Repentance isn't just turning for some ugly thing.
Repentance is turning away from anything that we
trust in.
What you're trusting in is what is king
in your life.
These hardworking men trusted in the fact that
they were hardworking men, diligent, responsible.
And that's a good thing, isn't it?
Don't we need men that are...
You know, the Scripture says if a man
does not provide for his own household, he's
worse than an infidel.
Jesus isn't discouraging sloth or negligence or irresponsibility.
But He's saying, Hey, I'm going to be
king first and foremost in your life.
Let's read on.
These weren't the only two guys He picked
on.
Then Jesus said to them, Come after Me
and I will make you fishers of men.
And immediately they left their nets and followed
Him.
Read on.
When He had gone a little farther, just
a little farther down the road, when He
had gone a little farther from there, He
saw James the son of Zebedee and John
his brother, who also were in a boat
mending nets, and immediately He called them, and
they left their father Zebedee in the boat
with the hired servants and went after Him.
These two fishermen have a whole family business
going.
Dad's there that no doubt has handed the
business down to them.
He's got some other servants working here.
They're working hard.
These two brothers, you know, it was probably
what?
Zebedee and son's fishing business right there on
the Sea of Galilee.
You know what I'm saying?
But Jesus again barges into their life and
says, Follow Me.
Follow Me.
Leave everything and follow Me.
Let Me be King of your life.
Have you guys thought about repentance in this
way?
And immediately He called them, and they left
their father Zebedee in the boat with their
hired servants and went after Him.
Am I encouraging to disregard or dishonor your
fathers?
By no means.
Anybody that knows me very well knows I'm
a huge advocate of the Fifth Commandment.
If you want a blessing in your life,
you better obey and honor your parents.
But, you guys, there's only one King.
Let's read on.
In Matthew 9.9, Jesus just had a
habit of doing this, to walking into people's
lives and saying, Hey, follow Me, and they
left everything.
Matthew 9.9, and Jesus went on from
there.
He saw a man named Matthew sitting at
a tax office, and He said to him,
Follow Me.
So he arose and followed Him.
Oh, to God.
Lord, I wish we were these kind of
people that could just do this.
It just seems they do it so easily,
doesn't it?
Doesn't it seem that way?
My, repentance is turning away from anything that
you're putting your trust in more than the
Lord Jesus Christ.
Number three, repentance is turning away from the
esteem and approval of men.
It is the willingness to be the King's
fool.
Repentance is finding our complete and absolute approval
in Christ.
Jesus is going deeper, isn't He?
First, the message of the Kingdom just touches
their external life, their sin, the ugly stuff.
Then Jesus even touches the good stuff that
they serve as King.
Now Jesus reaches in a little farther and
wants to define repentance as the thing, how
we even recognize ourselves as just being a
man or a woman, just how we view
ourselves on a deeper, inner core level.
You'll see what I'm talking about right here.
At that time, in Matthew 18, 1 through
4, at that time the disciples came to
Jesus saying, Who is the greatest in the
Kingdom of Heaven?
They're wanting to know how this Kingdom works.
Who's the people that really make this Kingdom
work?
Then Jesus called a little child to Him,
set Him in the midst of them, and
said, Assuredly, I say to you, unless you
repent and become as a little child, you
will by no means enter the Kingdom of
Heaven.
Therefore, whoever humbles himself as a little child
is the greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven.
Wow, Jesus, I thought, you know, I could
be a rough and tumble strong man, you
know, as a fisherman first.
Now you take that away from me.
Surely I can be a macho man in
the Kingdom of God, can't I?
Can't I strut around and, you know, stick
out my chest in the Kingdom and be
a mighty man of God?
He says, No, I don't need that.
I need a bunch of little children.
I want you to take the posture of
a servant and humble yourself.
Humble yourself.
Become little in your own sight.
Recognize that I'm everything, everything.
Do you see where this is going?
Do you see the deeper level?
Jesus is penetrating to a different place.
Guys, have you ever let Jesus go there?
Maybe you've let God redefine your values, your
morals.
Maybe you've let Jesus even redefine what you're
going to do with the rest of your
life.
But if you let Jesus redefine how you
carry yourself, how you present yourself, how you
walk, the approval that you want from other
people, for them to think that you're something
special, something neat.
Have you come to the place of repentance
where you don't care if people notice you,
if they see you, if they hear you?
Do you hear what I'm talking about, you
guys?
Every place of ministry that I have ever
understood or known comes after on the heels
of a place where you say, Jesus, I
don't care if anybody ever sees me.
I don't care if anybody ever hears me.
I am willing to be hidden in you,
Lord.
I will bow and get out of the
way.
I will be little.
That's the place where God can use you.
It's not your ability that He needs.
It's not your cuteness.
It's not your good looks.
It's not your education.
It's your availability.
He needs humble little children.
Have you ever went there?
Do you see how God is going deeper?
In Mark 10, verse 13, it says, Then
they brought young children to Him that He
might touch them, but the disciples rebuked those
who brought them.
You know, disciples are clueless, aren't they?
They're always getting in the way.
Jesus wants to bless people, heal people, touch
people, and they're always trying to keep the
ones that Christ came to touch away from
Jesus.
He's always having to rebuke them, you know?
The church still does that, doesn't it?
But when Jesus saw it, He was greatly
displeased and said to them, Let the little
children come.
Stop it.
Let them come to Me.
And do not forbid them, for such is
the kingdom of God.
Do not forbid them.
Assuredly, I say to you, whoever does not
receive the kingdom of God as a little
child will by no means enter it.
My buddy Frank Kelsey, always preaching on this
message.
Some of you guys have heard this.
He always uses the illustration of, you know,
you ever been to McDonald's or Burger King?
They got the thing out there in the
playground.
It's got all the balls in it and
the nets.
It's got a little doorway about this high.
It says if you're any taller than this,
you can't get in here.
You ever seen that?
That's the kingdom of God.
No big kids allowed inside.
You got to be little to get in,
and you got to be little to play
in God's kingdom, to walk in God's kingdom.
Some of us are too big for God's
kingdom, too full of ourselves.
We got an itch to be heard.
Hey, I know all about it.
I know all about it.
Man, it seems like pride is the thing
that we have to repent of more than
anything, isn't it?