1 00:00:11,867 --> 00:00:13,768 If you have someone who 2 00:00:13,768 --> 00:00:16,279 for months has been saying 3 00:00:16,279 --> 00:00:19,363 "I just feel dead," 4 00:00:19,363 --> 00:00:21,682 "No, I can't repent," 5 00:00:21,682 --> 00:00:23,240 Or, "I'm trying to repent," 6 00:00:23,240 --> 00:00:25,290 Do you know what I'm talking about? 7 00:00:25,290 --> 00:00:29,003 Is it ok to tell them - 8 00:00:29,003 --> 00:00:31,702 I don't know if what I'm telling someone is 9 00:00:31,702 --> 00:00:34,100 like pray for a regenerated heart? 10 00:00:34,100 --> 00:00:37,091 But I tell them if you feel dead 11 00:00:37,091 --> 00:00:40,006 go to the life giver who 12 00:00:40,006 --> 00:00:42,511 raises the dead. 13 00:00:42,511 --> 00:00:43,698 Is that the same thing 14 00:00:43,698 --> 00:00:47,305 as saying, well, go pray to God that you'll be alive? 15 00:00:47,305 --> 00:00:49,327 Tim: Well, see the problem with the people 16 00:00:49,327 --> 00:00:51,033 that say that they can't repent, 17 00:00:51,033 --> 00:00:54,010 is that the real issue is they won't repent. 18 00:00:54,010 --> 00:00:56,299 Again, you know what? 19 00:00:56,299 --> 00:01:01,084 Don't even cater and coddle 20 00:01:01,084 --> 00:01:04,839 people that say I can't repent. 21 00:01:04,839 --> 00:01:06,840 Because again, you know what they've done? 22 00:01:06,840 --> 00:01:08,637 They've shifted the blame. 23 00:01:08,637 --> 00:01:11,573 You know what they're effectually saying? 24 00:01:11,573 --> 00:01:15,266 "I want to repent, if I could, 25 00:01:15,266 --> 00:01:17,273 I have a will to repent, 26 00:01:17,273 --> 00:01:19,344 I have a desire to repent, 27 00:01:19,344 --> 00:01:21,501 and I would if God would let me. 28 00:01:21,501 --> 00:01:22,917 He's the problem. 29 00:01:22,917 --> 00:01:25,063 He's not letting me repent. 30 00:01:25,063 --> 00:01:28,110 I would. My intention is good. 31 00:01:28,110 --> 00:01:29,379 God is bad." 32 00:01:29,379 --> 00:01:31,222 Now they won't say it that way, 33 00:01:31,222 --> 00:01:33,198 but that's really what they mean. 34 00:01:33,198 --> 00:01:34,814 That's really what they're saying. 35 00:01:34,814 --> 00:01:35,814 Listen, the Bible says repent. 36 00:01:35,814 --> 00:01:37,494 (from the room - inaudible) 37 00:01:37,494 --> 00:01:41,660 That's what it is. Guarantee it. 38 00:01:41,660 --> 00:01:43,954 What they're saying is, 39 00:01:43,954 --> 00:01:47,773 God won't take me on my terms. 40 00:01:47,773 --> 00:01:50,071 They're saying I want to 41 00:01:50,071 --> 00:01:54,702 manufacture repentance of my own making. 42 00:01:54,702 --> 00:01:57,048 I'm not willing to turn from everything. 43 00:01:57,048 --> 00:01:58,407 And in fact, a lot of times, 44 00:01:58,407 --> 00:01:59,860 it's just a self-righteousness 45 00:01:59,860 --> 00:02:02,404 where they're trying to work out a repentance, 46 00:02:02,404 --> 00:02:05,507 they're trying to make God save them. 47 00:02:05,507 --> 00:02:07,242 Rather than when Peter is sinking, 48 00:02:07,242 --> 00:02:10,269 it's just, "Lord, help!" 49 00:02:10,269 --> 00:02:12,761 Rather than just in utter helplessness 50 00:02:12,761 --> 00:02:14,638 crying out to Christ, 51 00:02:14,638 --> 00:02:16,464 they don't feel utterly helpless. 52 00:02:16,464 --> 00:02:19,760 They're like, ok, I'm going to clean my life up. 53 00:02:19,760 --> 00:02:21,301 Look Lord. Look what I've done. 54 00:02:21,301 --> 00:02:22,927 I've tried to make myself pretty. 55 00:02:22,927 --> 00:02:24,340 And He's not saving me. 56 00:02:24,340 --> 00:02:26,408 Look at these things I've given up. 57 00:02:26,408 --> 00:02:28,207 Sometimes what they're not giving up 58 00:02:28,207 --> 00:02:29,974 is their own self-righteousness. 59 00:02:29,974 --> 00:02:32,994 They want to manipulate God. 60 00:02:32,994 --> 00:02:35,732 They want to make God their debtor. 61 00:02:35,732 --> 00:02:37,753 In other words, they want to put God in a place 62 00:02:37,753 --> 00:02:39,378 where He has to save them, 63 00:02:39,378 --> 00:02:41,573 rather than coming absolutely helpless, 64 00:02:41,573 --> 00:02:43,210 absolutely hopeless, 65 00:02:43,210 --> 00:02:44,641 and just crying out for help, 66 00:02:44,641 --> 00:02:49,039 falling totally incapacitated into His hands. 67 00:02:49,039 --> 00:02:52,676 Man is bent on offering something. 68 00:02:52,676 --> 00:02:54,098 And don't you believe it - 69 00:02:54,098 --> 00:02:55,339 I know it's hard. 70 00:02:55,339 --> 00:02:56,937 It's hard as a pastor. 71 00:02:56,937 --> 00:02:58,701 You get the people coming to you. 72 00:02:58,701 --> 00:03:00,312 You were one of them. 73 00:03:00,312 --> 00:03:02,034 You get these people coming to you, 74 00:03:02,034 --> 00:03:03,550 and they're all distressed and 75 00:03:03,550 --> 00:03:04,803 sometimes they're in tears 76 00:03:04,803 --> 00:03:06,569 and they're so frustrated. 77 00:03:06,569 --> 00:03:08,553 "I'm trying to repent, but I can't." 78 00:03:08,553 --> 00:03:13,480 It can get the person that's trying to 79 00:03:13,480 --> 00:03:15,049 minister to the person 80 00:03:15,049 --> 00:03:17,559 feeling frustrated with God. 81 00:03:17,559 --> 00:03:22,324 Like, Lord, they want to and You're not doing this. 82 00:03:22,324 --> 00:03:28,263 And see you don't want to let the sinner turn... 83 00:03:28,263 --> 00:03:30,286 because I'll tell you this, 84 00:03:30,286 --> 00:03:35,384 look, this does not conflict with God's sovereignty at all. 85 00:03:35,384 --> 00:03:38,204 Is it God's desire that men repent? 86 00:03:38,204 --> 00:03:39,652 Yes. 87 00:03:39,652 --> 00:03:40,508 How do I know? 88 00:03:40,508 --> 00:03:42,054 Because He commanded all men 89 00:03:42,054 --> 00:03:43,235 everywhere to repent. 90 00:03:43,235 --> 00:03:45,165 If He commanded them everywhere to repent, 91 00:03:45,165 --> 00:03:47,761 then it's His desire that they repent. 92 00:03:47,761 --> 00:03:49,173 And the fact is, 93 00:03:49,173 --> 00:03:52,899 what can I say to the sinner? 94 00:03:52,899 --> 00:03:54,827 I repented. 95 00:03:54,827 --> 00:03:57,681 So, it's possible. 96 00:03:57,681 --> 00:03:59,541 I want you to repent. 97 00:03:59,541 --> 00:04:00,855 God commands you to repent. 98 00:04:00,855 --> 00:04:02,327 He wants you to repent. 99 00:04:02,327 --> 00:04:05,209 Jesus Christ came preaching, "Repent." 100 00:04:05,209 --> 00:04:07,474 He wants you to repent. 101 00:04:07,474 --> 00:04:09,643 And the Spirit of God inspired the Word. 102 00:04:09,643 --> 00:04:11,417 Over and over it says to repent. 103 00:04:11,417 --> 00:04:13,631 Certainly, He wants you to repent. 104 00:04:13,631 --> 00:04:17,634 The fact is the Trinity calls upon man to repent. 105 00:04:17,634 --> 00:04:19,500 I'm calling upon you to repent. 106 00:04:19,500 --> 00:04:22,332 Many people here have repented. 107 00:04:22,332 --> 00:04:24,548 And you're telling me you can't. 108 00:04:24,548 --> 00:04:26,880 What I'm telling you is you won't. 109 00:04:26,880 --> 00:04:30,358 The real problem is the sinner won't. 110 00:04:30,358 --> 00:04:34,363 And I guarantee you every single time, 111 00:04:34,363 --> 00:04:37,087 you can trace it back to self-righteousness. 112 00:04:37,087 --> 00:04:41,132 Always.