Repentance is More than Words

Joel 2:1-17

You could see it coming – the sky turned an eerily bright orange over the city of St. Louis. I got caught hiding in a stadium open-air store while a tornado went overhead. I certainly wasn’t in the most dangerous spot of the shelter seeking group, but it was an intense moment; one of those times that make you realize a thing or two about the fragility of life. Are you ready to die? Is it my time? Am I prepared to meet with God? As a Christian, I trusted that I’d be ok, but the deep truth of that moment was that I wasn’t really living for Him at that time, which made the moment just a bit more intense, which maybe it should be – walking on to white, puffy clouds doesn’t seem to fit with scripture.

Last week we talked about how Joel used references from the past to shock the Israelites to alertness. They could see the storm approaching on the horizon, but the reality is that what’s coming now is much worse than what’s come before. The future looks bleak as Joel paints this picture of coming destruction – the day of the Lord. Why does this day of the Lord always seem to be so dreadful when described? If you, like me, have spent much time in the church over the years, the day of the Lord is often imagined as the respite that everyone calls for – come, Jesus, come! But that’s certainly not what Joel is proclaiming – and yet he is talking to Israelites – the chosen people – the people of God before Christ – shouldn’t they be the ones who are receiving the prophecies of hope? Maybe – or maybe not. Just because they are in Israel doesn’t mean they are in God’s family (spiritual children of Abraham).

Sin Hides Well in a Church

Henry Lee Porter, a 72yr old self-described bishop from Sarasota was charged with sexual battery in 2020 after authorities interviewed 10 victims. Police stated that the abuse occurred for decades at his church, Westcoast Center for Human Development, as well as on church-sponsored trips (Google). Jesus warns us about wolves in sheep’s clothing (Matt 7:15); this can be especially true in churches that are overly focused on mission or other things and forget about holiness. In places where rules are lenient or oversight is a tad lax, people take advantage, and others can get seriously hurt. I would consider us to be a very open church and know most of you well enough to trust that nothing major is being hidden, yet we should be smart enough to know that sin is always crouching at the door. This is what Joel is trying to get them to see as he shocks them with the coming of God’s army (v11).

This is why we do background checks on all people who work with kids, why we require relationship and official partnership with the church before putting anyone in leadership positions and even still like to take our time before elevating anyone into leadership. It’s not about holding up the discipleship pipeline, but about making sure the culture continues to move towards Christ and Christ alone. Everyone has the capacity for sin – even dark sin and can all choose to walk a path that will get us there. Only by choosing to live in daily submission in a life devoted to God in holiness will we overcome the temptations of the enemy and live truly repentant lives. We cannot allow sin to get a foothold in our church family. We don’t want this threat coming after us like it did the Israelites!

Leaders Must Lead the Way

To keep that from happening, our leaders must lead. How can I expect you to live a deeper life in Christ if I am allowing sin to bloom in mine? That’s why I watch myself; whether it’s making sure as best as I can to not be in the church alone with anyone, or to have accountability software on my computer, and to also have my own accountability partner. While there is no history of danger in my life, I am also a man who was born in sin just like we all were. I know my weaknesses and temptations and work hard to cut myself off from them and keep them far away. I do this for two reasons: 1) Christ is my top priority and I want a deep relationship with Him more than anything else, and 2) I’m called to be your spiritual leader, which requires I lead by example. You can see Joel turn his attention towards the leadership starting in v15 and that is echoed in 1 Cor 11, where Paul tells his readers to imitate him as he imitates Christ. And truly imitating Christ is way more than just words.

Next Steps

True repentance is action. Read v12. We repent by turning from our sinful desires and turning to Jesus. An alcoholic can say they’ve repented, but if they are still going to bars every night and putting themselves in those tempting situations, have they truly repented? We must actually walk away from our sins.

1. Walk towards Jesus by incorporating daily prayer, scripture study, and journaling – foster an open, communicative relationship with God.
2. Prioritize Transparency – be open and honest with church family to live in corporately in holiness and righteousness.
3. Follow your Godly leaders as they submit to Christ (1 Cor 11:1)

All Christians should be aware of the blessings of heaven that await us, but we can’t be caught in a lull. The day of the Lord is a dangerous moment. Make sure you’re ready to face it by living a fully repentant life.