Loving God more than Sin...yes, Repentance.

-CoNnEcT- Welcome to Wabush. This is a town in a remote portion of Labrador, Canada that has been isolated for some time. Recently a road was cut through the wilderness to reach it. Officially, Wabush now has one road; and that is the only road that leads you in to Wabush and the only way out. Imagine walking 6 to 8 hours on this road only to realize that the only way to get out of here, to get off this long, dusty trail, away from the endless journey, is to turn around and go back.

-ReFlEcT- Read Matthew Chapter 3
Matthew Chapter 3:3
“Prepare the way for the Lord, make straight paths for him”

John the Baptist was the guy who was making the announcements of Jesus’ arrival. In this chapter, the prophet Isaiah is quoted as calling people to “Prepare the way of the Lord.” The path he describes is one that Jesus will walk hour after hour, day after day just so that he can reach us in our town of sin. This path requires a great sacrifice from Jesus and calls us to a life of repentance.

Matthew Chapter 3:8
“Produce fruit in keeping with repentance”

For us to prepare for Jesus to walk that Road, we must live that life of repentance. Repentance is turning away from sin and turning to God. Turning away from everything that keeps us from what God wants for us and Jesus asks of us. Repentance is turning around from Wabush (Sin) and walking down the road that leads us back God. It’s al about making the tough decision to say “I’m sorry”, change our ways, and get back to where we need to be. Somewhere along the way, Jesus will be walking that path of sin, just looking for us to be coming towards him.

-DiReCt- Everybody lives in a city called Wabush (Sin) where there is only one way out. While we find ourselves sucked farther and farther into sin in our lives, we have to stop and turn around (repent) so that the path is prepared for Jesus to meet us. One of the hardest parts about turning around is thinking about the pain of having to go back through some hard times. Or maybe we feel like we have gone too far on this journey--- that repentance is too much because we have been too “bad.” But it is not so. Jesus still walks the path and waits for our turn around, and He leaves the choice up to us --choose a life of sin or a life of repentance. What life will you choose?

-Have you ever felt like you were going down a wrong path?
-Do you feel that way now?
-When was the last time you just stopped everything and thought about turning around?
-What makes changing so hard? What is the negative consequence?
-List some things that would be hard for you to change.
-Take one thing from your list and work on turning that part of your life around this week. (maybe a bad habit, maybe being hateful to people, etc.)

God, we are sorry for the things we do that keep us running from you. Forgive us for walking down a path of sin: with our words, with our actions, with our attitudes and with our lives. We need you to help us stop and think about where we are on this one-way road of sin, and to help us turn around and allow you to meet us. Thank you for forgiveness in our lives, even when we have done some terrible things. We trust you to help us change whatever needs to be changed. Amen.