Notes
In those days John the Baptist came to the Judean wilderness and began preaching. His message was, "Repent of your sins and turn to God, for the Kingdom of Heaven is near." The prophet Isaiah was speaking about John when he said, "He is a voice shouting in the wilderness, 'Prepare the way for the Lord's coming! Clear the road for him!'"
Matthew 3:1-3
Zechariah, a Levite, was chosen to serve in the temple—an opportunity so rare due to the large number of Levites, it may have been his only time. During that moment, the angel Gabriel appeared to him to announce the birth of John the Baptist.
John, like Samuel and Samson before him, was a Nazarite—dedicated to God before birth. These individuals weren't perfect, but they were used by God to deliver difficult and necessary messages. John's message was simple and bold: repentance.
Such love has no fear, because perfect love expels all fear. If we are afraid, it is for fear of punishment, and this shows that we have not fully experienced his perfect love.
1 John 4:18
Many of us misunderstand repentance. We've been taught that it's about shame, guilt, or punishment. But true repentance isn't about being "sorry enough"—it's about turning from sin and toward Jesus. It's not about focusing on the problem, but running to the solution.
Repentance is more about Jesus than sin. It's about mercy, not misery. It begins not with fear of punishment, but with awe and reverence for how big the God we serve is, how tiny we are, and how He still takes time for us.
An honest church is a healthy church. There are three types of Christians: those who openly talk about how they struggle, those who are quiet about it, and those who are liars. The healthiest church is one that can be honest about their imperfections. Some of us struggle with cheating–physically or emotionally–; pornography; idols made out of devices, social media, or bank accounts (by giving ourselves over to making money, or investing our money in anything except God's house). Or our shrine may be ourselves, where we get lost to self-righteousness.
"You have heard the commandment that says, 'You must not commit adultery.' But I say, anyone who even looks at a woman with lust has already committed adultery with her in his heart. So if your eye—even your good eye—causes you to lust, gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to be thrown into hell. And if your hand—even your stronger hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to be thrown into hell."
Matthew 5:27-30
Jesus was using hyperbole here–He didn't want people walking around with eye patches and swimming in circles. The issue is the heart. Jesus said the second greatest commandment is to love your neighbor as yourself–and for many of us, that means we'd treat our neighbors like garbage.
Self-hatred, guilt, and shame is not humility. Fear of the Lord is humility. True humility is found in fearing the Lord, knowing who He is and who you are in Him. God doesn't define you by your mistakes—He calls you His creation, made in His image. His Spirit lives in you because He knew you'd need His help to walk this journey. You can't outrun sin by trying harder. But you can be freed from it by trusting in the One who already overcame it.
"So he returned home to his father. And while he was still a long way off, his father saw him coming. Filled with love and compassion, he ran to his son, embraced him, and kissed him. His son said to him, 'Father, I have sinned against both heaven and you, and I am no longer worthy of being called your son.'
"But his father said to the servants, 'Quick! Bring the finest robe in the house and put it on him. Get a ring for his finger and sandals for his feet.'"
Luke 15:20-22
This is the heart of the gospel. The Father doesn't wait at the door with arms crossed—He runs with open arms. When the son repented, the father didn't say, "Prove it." He clothed him in honor and celebrated his return.
Jesus didn't just cancel the debt—He tore up the contract. You don't need to live trapped in fear, guilt, or shame. That's the enemy's tool, not God's. We don't earn salvation or keep it with our performance. We simply receive what Jesus already paid for. The weight isn't yours to carry. Trade your heavy yoke for Christ's and let the Father call you His own.
Group Questions
- What's your personal understanding of repentance—has it been shaped more by shame or by mercy?
- How do you see guilt, shame, and fear influencing your relationship with God?
- Is there a part of your life you're trying to "fix" yourself instead of turning toward Jesus?
- Why do you think it's so hard for us to accept God's perfect love without feeling we need to earn it?
Prayer
Thank you for running to us, even when we're a long way off. Thank you for your mercy and love that casts out fear and guilt. Help us to repent, to turn toward you, not just away from sin. Teach us to walk free of guilt and shame, and to rest in Your grace.