Refreshing Repentance
Rev. Canon Dr. Rebecca Margret Nyegenye
Repentance is that sincere connection helping us to turn away from sin and walk righ with God.
In our text today, Acts 3:11-23, the commnunication flowing from earlier verses reveal that, people were surprised after Peter healed the beggar. This gave him the ground to preach and call them to a genuine turn around from sin to a righteous life.
…17 “Now, fellow Israelites, I know that you acted in ignorance, as did
your leaders. 18 But this is how God fulfilled what he had foretold through all the prophets, saying that his Messiah would suffer. 19 . Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord, 20. and that he may send the Messiah, who has been appointed for you—even Jesus.
R.C Spraul emphasises that repentance is a regret and turning away from sin.
He also adds that is “to change one’s mind.” it will result in a change of actions (Luke 3:8–14; Acts 3:19 and Acts 26:20). Repentance therefore involves a “a change of mind that results in a change of action.”
The most encouraging truth is that when we repent we shall be re-reshed.
Many times we get saturated with problems originating from a sinful life but changing our minds and thoughts, in alignment with God’s will can cause us to have a new experience of his presence that will serve as fresh water to purify and make our life progress. We shall have the Holy Spirit not only as a one time experience a continous filling us daily.
Our lives will long to preach christ also in words and action, so that others can have this experience the refreshed life.
Also in John 4, when the confused Samaritan woman met with Jesus, she was ministered to and she ran to tell others about Christ and Jesus emphasised that out of your belly shall flow streams of living water.
In a discussion with some children and a christian leader, it was discovered the that Christ will not always come physically to do the work of God on earth; like ministring to the needy; in terms of spiritual and material things but he will use people. This then is a reminder that if we do not live Holy then we limit Christ from reaching to many.
Christ is calling each one of us to genuine repentance so that we can continually live in the fresh atmosphere of his presence. The world as the Bible reminds us in Romans 8:19-24 has been eagerly waiting for the manifestation of the Children of God, so our righteous life can cause all the earth to experience God’s dominion through us. Freedom from the devils plan will be evident because of God’s power and authority we carry.
What are those sinful things we are holding onto? Is it witchcarft, fornication, cheating on spouses, corruption and embezzlement of funds, drug abuse, addictions, too much time for technology and social media at the expense of prayer and bible reading, is it a family bondage that we praise and do not want tto break away from? Is it Homosexuality? God tells us to come to Him and no matter how dirty we are he will cleanse us from the filth and we sin no more.
(Isaiah 1:18, 1 John 1:9, John 8:11)
The Very Rev. Canon Dr. Rebecca
Nyegenye, Provost.