THE MAIN IDEA
Repentance is the entryway into the kingdom of Christ. 

REPENTANCE INSPIRES COMMUNITY
The Israelites gathered together as a community  to repent! Repentance involves a personal response of remorse for our sins, but it also involves a  response of remorse from the entire community. But community repentance is becoming more  and more challenging, because a healthy sense of community is rapidly dying in our society. The  sense of community has been eroding in this country, and that erosion has led to greater distrust  and political division, less civic engagement, social isolation, and loneliness, and as a result  “increased risks of depression, anxiety, hypertension and even cognitive decline.” Therefore, one  thing we need to repent of is our excessive individualism along with a general disregard for  church community! Fighting against that trend starts with small, intentional actions—attending  faithfully, engaging purposefully, and serving Christ to build up His church. 

REPENTANCE INSPIRES HUMILITY
Fasting, wearing sackcloth, and putting dust on  their heads are all acts of self-humiliation—that is, humbling oneself before God. Every act of  repentance is an act of humility, because we remember that God is God and we are not. We  remember that we are not actually self-sufficient, but that we are all deeply dependent on Jesus  Christ. An attitude of self-sufficiency breaks God’s heart, because a self-sufficient heart is a  heart full of pride, and a proud, self-sufficient heart is one that chooses a path of eternal death,  when God is offering to us eternal life instead. A proud heart cannot lead us to repentance, which  is the entryway into the kingdom of Christ. Lent fasting provides an opportunity to check our  pride and humble our hearts before God and confess to Him, “I need You, Lord.” 

REPENTANCE INSPIRES CONFESSION
The community confessed not only their own  sins, but the sins of their ancestors too! Repentance must always include confession of our sins. Because true repentance acknowledges that we have sinned against God. God is the Author of  whatever is right and wrong. God is the Author of all morality, because He created this world  and everything in it. And the definition of right and wrong, the definition of all morality is given  to us in the word of God. And even though Jesus has died for all of ours—past, present, and  future—we confess our sins for three reasons. (1) We continue to sin, so we should confess our  sins. (2) The word of God tells us to confess our sins (1 John 1:8-9). (3) Confessing our sins is an  integral part of our spiritual growth. When we confess our sins, we express our desire to be more  like Jesus Christ. And our Father in heaven will most certainly answer those prayers. (4)  Confessing our sins is good for our health and the key to happiness and joy (Psalm 32:1-5). 

REPENTANCE INSPIRES WORSHIP
Repentance takes us out of the prison of isolation  and loneliness and draws us into the community of Christ. Repentance protects us from the  devastation of self-sufficiency and pride and draws us into humility and our life-giving dependence on Christ. Repentance is the cure for our spiritual immaturity and the heavy burden  of guilt and shame and draws us into the blessing and joy of our confession and salvation in  Christ Jesus. What else is there left to do except to bow down our hearts in worship to Him? 

DISCUSSION QUESTION
Will you participate in the media fast for Lent? What else is God stirring your heart to give up  for Lent? How can your house church help to keep you accountable during Lent?