Memorise: Bring forth therefore fruits meet for repentance: Matthew 3:8
Read: Luke 15:11-22 (KJV)
11 And he said, A certain man had two sons:
12 And the younger of them said to his father, Father, give me the portion of goods that falleth to me. And he divided unto them his living.
13 And not many days after the younger son gathered all together, and took his journey into a far country, and there wasted his substance with riotous living.
14 And when he had spent all, there arose a mighty famine in that land; and he began to be in want.
15 And he went and joined himself to a citizen of that country; and he sent him into his fields to feed swine.
16 And he would fain have filled his belly with the husks that the swine did eat: and no man gave unto him.
17 And when he came to himself, he said, How many hired servants of my father's have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger!
18 I will arise and go to my father, and will say unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and before thee,
19 And am no more worthy to be called thy son: make me as one of thy hired servants.
20 And he arose, and came to his father. But when he was yet a great way off, his father saw him, and had compassion, and ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed him.
21 And the son said unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in thy sight, and am no more worthy to be called thy son.
22 But the father said to his servants, Bring forth the best robe, and put it on him; and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet:
Bible in one year:
Isaiah 1-3,
Mark 12:28-13:2,
Hymnal:
Sing hymn 12
Message:
The proof of genuine repentance is doing those things you promised God at the altar when you gave your life to Christ. In Luke 15:18, the prodigal son repented of his ways and said:
“I will arise and go to my father, and will say unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and before thee,”
“The fruit of his repentance is manifested here in Luke 15:20a and 21:
“And he arose, and came to his father….And the son said unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in thy sight, and am no more worthy to be called thy son.”
Many times we see people confessing their sins to God and promising Him never to go back to them again, but as soon as they leave the altar of repentance, they begin to live their lives as before. This suggests that their repentance was not genuine. 2nd Corinthians 5:17 says:
“Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.”
Beloved, can you sincerely say that old things have passed away in your life? The truth of the matter is that it takes conscious and determined effort to bear the fruits of repentance. 2nd Corinthians 6:14-18 and Ephesians 4:24-32 contain some practical guidance for bearing fruits of repentance; please take time out to read through these passages.
When a fellow who was stealing before his confession of faith in Christ stops stealing, we can say he or she is bearing fruits of repentance. An adulterous woman who for the sake of Christ sacks all her sin partners, thereby losing all the “fringe benefits” of her extramarital wanderings, can be said to be bearing fruits of repentance. When an alcoholic scraps the drinking bar in his or her expansive living room to begin hosting Christian gatherings in that space, sharing the word of God over cups of tea, we can say that such a fellow is bearing the fruits of repentance. This indeed was the first thing my friends noticed in me after I became born again. Any time they came to my house and asked for brandy, I offered them soft drinks.
They would laugh at me and tell and tell me to admit that I was just broke. I would tell them that although the money was there to buy brandy, my Lord Jesus Christ would not want me to drink alcohol or serve it to others. One by one they stopped visiting my house, which served my best interest as a growing child of God. Beloved, the whole world must recognise that you have actually given your life to Christ when they see undeniable proof of the fruits of repentance in you. A street fighter who is -now a peace-maker in the neighbourhood is the pride of the Master. God bless you as you bear fruits worthy of repentance in Jesus’ Name.
Prayer Point
Father, help me forthwith to bear fruits that reflect the transformation inside me in Jesus’ Name.
Open Heavens Daily Devotional Lessons was written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye, the General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, one of the largest evangelical Churches in the world and also the President of Christ the Redeemer's Ministries.
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