This morning I want to let you know that I have listened to Jesus. I found a passage in the Bible in which Jesus has spoken to me. I will tell you that he not only spoke to me, but, as I will show, he spoke to Peter and Paul as well. There may be more that he spoke to, but this morning, I can only give you those three names.

For those of you who are visiting this church, we have a high view of the Bible. We believe that it is God’s word. Though God used different human authors with all their personality and idiosyncrasies, the words they wrote were the very words of God. These words or teachings of God were translated from Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek into the English language. They are here for our benefit so we can know what God says.

Mockers and scoffers will tell us that we are arrogant and self-righteous for even suggesting that we, of all people, can tell anyone else about God. We reply to those people that God, by an act of grace, has not kept it a secret how he wants us to live. He loves us enough that he came from a place we cannot see and spoke to people in a way that they could hear what he wanted all of us to know. He went one step further and came Himself as the Christ-child, God in the flesh, so that by looking at Jesus we can see what God thought and what God would do. Jesus said, “If you have seen me, you have seen the Father.”

When Jesus speaks, God is speaking. When I hear God speak, what choice do I have but to respond?

If God has truly spoken to me, and the jury is out for you until I tell you what he said, then what choice do you have but to respond to the message that comes from God, through Jesus and through Jesus to me and to you?

This is God’s message.

46 He told them, “This is what is written: The Christ will suffer and rise from the dead on the third day, 47 and repentance and forgiveness of sins will be preached in his name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. 48 You are witnesses of these things. (Luke 24:46-48, NIV).

God’s message to me is this: “Ed, preach that Christ will suffer and rise from the dead on the third day and proclaim repentance and forgiveness of sin in Jesus’ name in America.” For Jesus said to his disciples, “The Christ will suffer and rise from the dead on the third day, 47 and repentance and forgiveness of sins will be preached in his name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. “

So let me give you this message today. Christ suffered on the cross for your sins. He rose again on the third day. If you will repent and trust in Jesus, you will receive forgiveness of sin. That is my message for you today.

This is the message that Peter spoke. We turn to Acts 5:29. The book of Acts starts with the founding of the church on the day of Pentecost. Peter preaches on the day of Pentecost and the church experience the baptism of the Holy Spirit. According to Paul in 1 Corinthians 12:13, this baptism of the Holy Spirit brings us into one body, the one body being the church. Peter is thrown into jail. He is brought out through a miracle. He stands and preaches Jesus. Here is a part of his message. Notice that Peter is obedient to what his Lord told him.

29 Peter and the other apostles replied: “We must obey God rather than men! 30 The God of our fathers raised Jesus from the dead--whom you had killed by hanging him on a tree. 31 God exalted him to his own right hand as Prince and Saviour that he might give repentance and forgiveness of sins to Israel. 32 We are witnesses of these things, and so is the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to those who obey him.” (Acts 5:29-32, NIV).

What a wonderful message for Israel. Repentance and forgiveness of sins are available to Israel.

But it doesn’t end there for Peter. He is called to go to Samaria. There the Samaritans receive the Holy Spirit, a sign that they had not been part of the church. We now come to Acts 11:15. Peter has preached to the Gentiles. He comes back to his Jewish friends and shares what happened.

15 “As I began to speak, the Holy Spirit came on them as he had come on us at the beginning. 16 Then I remembered what the Lord had said: ‘John baptised with water, but you will be baptised with the Holy Spirit.’ 17 So if God gave them the same gift as he gave us, who believed in the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I to think that I could oppose God?” 18 When they heard this, they had no further objections and praised God, saying, “So then, God has granted even the Gentiles repentance unto life.” (Acts 11:15-18, NIV).

Now the Gentiles have been baptized by the Holy Spirit and are part of the church. But of greater importance to our message is what the Jews in Jerusalem say in verse 18.

18 When they heard this, they had no further objections and praised God, saying, “So then, God has granted even the Gentiles repentance unto life.”

When Jesus said, “repentance and forgiveness of sins will be preached in his name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem” he meant it. It went from Jerusalem to Samaria and to the uttermost parts of the world.

Later in life, Peter is giving the same message.

9 The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance. (2 Peter 3:9, NIV).

Who is the everyone? It is the everyone that Jesus spoke about. Peter is still preaching in response to the command of Jesus to preach repentance and forgiveness of sins to all nations.

I now bring you the apostle Paul. If we return to the book of Acts, we find two passages that summarize Paul’s teaching. The first is on Mars Hill in Athens, Greece. He is speaking to them about their ignorance of ignorance, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent. (Acts 17:30, NIV).

Does God command all people everywhere to repent? That is what Jesus said. So Paul, in obedience to Jesus, takes the message to Athens, Greece.

Paul makes on last stop in Ephesus. He gathers the leaders of the church and he tells them about his ministry.

21 I have declared to both Jews and Greeks that they must turn to God in repentance and have faith in our Lord Jesus. (Acts 20:21, NIV).

Whether Paul was with Jews or Gentiles, he preached the same message. They must turn to God in repentance and have faith in our Lord Jesus Christ.

I want to add my name to the mix. I want to make my appeal to you. I want to tell you this morning that you must turn to God in repentance and have faith in our Lord Jesus Christ. If so, you will receive forgiveness of your sins.

What do I mean by repent? Repent means to turn. It means to make a change. It’s a recognition that you do not believe in Jesus and need to turn to him. It’s a recognition that sin has ruined your life and you turn to Jesus.

Some people think repentance means that we need to clean up our lives before we can come to Jesus. In the Bible that was the basic message that John the Baptist preached. He preached a message of repentance or change for people to prepare themselves for the Christ who would come. But He has come. He wants repentance, but that repentance is more of a decision that things in your life need to change.

Trying to change your life before you come to Christ is like trying to fix your car before you bring it to a mechanic. Trying to change your life before you come to Christ is like trying to get over an illness before you visit the doctor. Trying to change your life before you come to Christ is like paying off all your debt before you go to see a financial advisor. All of these are crazy ideas.

But you have worked on cars before and gotten to the point where you realized that you could not fix it yourself and you repented. You changed your mind about who would work on your car. You were out, the mechanic was in. You have been sick before and have gotten to the point where you realized that you were not getting better, so you repented and went to the doctor for help.

We are at a danger point here. Repentance, the knowledge that you need help and the decision to get it, will not save you. You are at a dangerous point here. Many people realize their sinfulness, realize something is broken in their life and needs fixing, realize their powerlessness to overcome sin or temptation and repent. They make the decision to turn from their sin and get help.

You may be at that point today. You are visiting or have been coming to church for a while. You have listened and taken things in. You know you need a change and that is why you are here today. But, and here is the danger, you can turn to the wrong thing.

God’s message to you today is that forgiveness of sin is found in the name of Jesus. That’s what Jesus said. That is what Peter said. That is what Paul said. I have declared to both Jews and Greeks that they must turn to God in repentance and have faith in our Lord Jesus.

Let’s say your family is going through a hard time. You recognize it and see the need for change. So you go to a family counselor. Not a bad idea except for one thing. The family counselor may help your family come back together, but they cannot forgive your sins. They cannot make you right with God. Only Jesus can do that.

Let’s say that you are struggling with an addiction. You see the need for change and you take it. You go to AA or to a private counselor or to your friend. They help you and you stop drinking and start getting your life together. That’s great. But though you have had help with the alcohol, you will only find forgiveness of sins in Jesus Christ. AA cannot make you right with God. Only Jesus can do that.

Jesus said, “What does it profit a man if he were to gain the whole world and lose his own soul?” I ask, “What value is there for you if you turn to new age, a cult, a therapist and start to feel better if you never get right with God?”

This is why faith and repentance go together. It’s like two sides of the same coin. You turn, you seek help and you seek help from Jesus.

I guarantee you this. If you turn from your sin to Jesus, God will forgive your sins.

Some people believe that they can never be forgiven. You need to repent of that belief. You need to change your mind. Jesus died on the cross to forgive your sin.

What do you think you deserve from God for punishment for what you have done? Do you think that if real justice was to be done that you should be exposed before all? Do you spend a lot of time and energy trying to hide the sin that you have done? I want to tell you that Jesus was exposed for you. He took your sin on himself and God saw all of it. The shame, the punishment was all borne by Jesus Christ. For you! God loves you and wants you to come back home to Him. Turn away from your sin and come to Jesus. He will forgive.

Or may be you think that there is nothing you can do to make up for the wrong you have done. I will tell you that you are absolutely right. You are closer to the truth than the person beside you who thinks they are ok. For what the gospel tells us is that we can never make up for wrongs we have done. Jesus has to do it for us if it will be done at all. And Jesus is telling you that if you repent, if you turn to him, he will forgive your sins.

What a great new beginning it can be for you. When we have sinned, we always wonder what others think of us, how they receive us. God, who knows everything you have thought and everything you have done, is waiting with open arms for you to say, “I need help. I am coming to Jesus because I trust him to forgive me and help me with my life.” When you come, he receives you. He did me. He did many of the people who are here. He will receive you.

Jesus spoke to me in the Bible. Peter and Paul confirmed the message. I now give it to you once again.

God’s message to me is this: “Ed, preach that Christ will suffer and rise from the dead on the third day and proclaim repentance and forgiveness of sin in Jesus’ name in America.” For Jesus said to his disciples, “The Christ will suffer and rise from the dead on the third day, 47 and repentance and forgiveness of sins will be preached in his name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. “

What’s your response?

The New Testament response was for people to acknowledge that they had repented and put their faith in Jesus by coming for baptism. We will have a service next Sunday. If you say to me, “Today I put my trust in Jesus,” then trust him and do what he says. He tells you, “Be baptized. It is the next step for you.”

I have done what Jesus asked this morning. Will you?