you you We're so glad to welcome each one. This Lord's Day morning I've been in communication even with some of my own family members who are in now what is the snow belt. Isn't it great when people in the southeast are in the snow belt. Well, the last several weeks we've been suffering here and we don't want to encourage any suffering upon them, but it is nice to be in Indiana and have a clear Sunday morning to come together and celebrate the Lord's Day and minister to one another and be involved in the Lord's ministry here in this place. This morning, we're going to be encouraged in song to draw near to God. The invitation of the Lord graciously throughout the pages of his word is exactly that. We can draw near to him. Pastor Keith is going to come I read a passage of scripture for us, and I trust that our hearts will be attentive to what he reads. Then I'm going to ask Scott Griffith to come and lead us in prayer this morning before we sing. But as we sing this morning and focus our attention together, this is the theme that we share among each other, that we would draw near to God. And I trust that that will be our desire today. Pastor Keith, you come, please, and read from God's Word. I will bless the Lord at all times. His praise shall continually be in my mouth. My soul makes her boast in the Lord. The humble shall hear thereof and be glad. Oh, magnify the Lord with me and let us exalt his name together. I sought the Lord and he heard me and delivered me from all my fears. They looked unto him and were lightened and their faces were not ashamed. This poor man cried and the Lord heard him and saved him out of all of his troubles. The angel of the Lord encamps around about them that fear him and delivers them. Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good. Blessed is the man that trusteth in him. Oh, fear the Lord, ye his saints, for there is no want to them that fear him. The young lions do lack and suffer hunger, but they that seek the Lord shall not want any good thing. Come, you children, hearken unto me. I will teach you the fear of the Lord. What man is he that desireth life and loveth many days that he may see good? Keep thy tongue from evil and thy lips from speaking guile. Depart from evil and do good. Seek peace and pursue it. The eyes of the Lord are upon the righteous, and His ears are open to their cry. The face of the Lord is against them that do evil, to cut off the remembrance of them from the earth. The righteous cry, and the Lord heareth, and delivereth them out of all their troubles. The Lord is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart, and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit. Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the Lord delivereth him out of them all. He keepeth all his bones, not one of them is broken. Evil shall slay the wicked, and they that hate the righteous shall be desolate. The Lord redeemeth the soul of his servants, and none of them that trust in him shall be desolate. Amen. Scott comes to lead us in prayer this morning. We'll be praying for the family members of Duard Wyatt. Deward entered the presence of the Lord on Friday afternoon late. His memorial service is still pending. We'll get the announcement to you by email. But Deward's been a faithful servant here for many years, sweet-spirited, faithful to the things of the Lord, trained in the teaching of God's word. He used that in public schools as well as senior citizen ministries for many years. And I know he's rejoicing today. And so we sorrow not as others which have no hope. But as Scott comes to lead us in prayer, let's be praying for the Wyatt family in particular. Scott, if you'd lead us, please. Let's pray. Father, we just thank you so much for this day. We thank you for a good day that we have out there. A cold, but a good day. We pray, Father, for those that are sick and in the hospital and recovering from surgeries. There's so many of those going on right now. We think also of Deward Wyatt and the family that's around him. Just pray, Father, that you would encourage those. doers in heaven with you today. And just pray that you would comfort the family and help them in these days that are coming up. Pray for comfort for them. Pray also, Father, that you would help us. Help us to be hearers of your word. Help us to be doers of your word. Pray, Father, as we look towards a service to follow, that you would help us to be open to your word and to learn those things and to increase knowledge of you and to live lives that are pleasing and honoring to you. In Christ's name I pray, amen. We begin our service by singing number 299. We'll look forward to, a little bit later, the children's choir will be ministering to us. That's up through the fourth grade. So in a moment, as we stand to sing our first hymn, we're gonna dismiss those children that are involved in that children choir. Kindergarten through the fourth grade, they're gonna head to the Taylor Chapel and get organized, and they'll be back in just a little bit later for ministering to us in song. James writes, God resists the proud, but he gives grace to the humble. Then he says, draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Today may we draw humbly close and near to the heart of God. May we arise, our soul arise, and put on, shake off our guilty fears, and rejoice in what Christ has done for us. 299, let's stand. We'll allow the boys and girls fourth grade and down to be dismissed as we sing. ♪ Of thy guilty feet ♪ ♪ For our pleading sacrifice ♪ ♪ May God be ever pleased ♪ ♪ Before the throne thy sure descent ♪ ♪ Before the throne thy sure descent ♪ ♪ Thy name is written ♪ ♪ Redeemer lives above ♪ ♪ Glory to and to sing ♪ ♪ His holy, living blood ♪ ♪ We sing of Calvary ♪ ♪ Made in mortal flesh to bless ♪ ♪ With strong living glory ♪ ♪ Forgive it all, forgive it all ♪ ♪ Forgive it all, forgive it all ♪ ♪ For then at last our sin will die ♪ ♪ His spirit answers to the call ♪ ♪ His spirit answers to the call ♪ ♪ And tells me I am born of God ♪ ♪ I know heaven and earth smile ♪ ♪ His whining voice I hear in freedom's call ♪ Forward in your hymnal, 480, 480. With confidence, we can draw nigh near to the heart of God. We're thankful once again for our Savior, a high priest that gives us access to the throne of grace, we can come near to the heart of God. 480. near to the heart of God. A place where sin cannot molest, near to the heart of God, where Jesus Christ lives. before you, here to the heart of God. There is a place of comfort sweet here to the heart of God, a place where he, our Savior, ♪ Near to the heart of God ♪ O Jesus Christ, Redeemer ♪ Sent from the heart of God ♪ O God, we wait before Thee ♪ Near to the heart of God Sing that last stanza. When we get to the chorus, Just our voices. Instrumentalists, if you'll drop out on the chorus. There is a place of full release. On the last. There is a place of full release. of God. A place where all is joy and peace, near to the heart of God. Oh, Jesus, blessed Redeemer, sent from the heart of God. Beautiful singing. You may be seated. The number of the choir we'll be singing this morning is the setting of Psalm 65. I have to think that the two verses that the author of the lyrics was thinking of have to be verse 2 and verse 4. O thou that hearest prayer, unto thee shall all flesh come. Blessed is the man whom thou choosest and causeth to approach unto thee, that he may dwell in thy courts. We shall be satisfied with the goodness of thy house, even of the holy temple. ♪ God, who dwells in courts of grace ♪ ♪ Let angels of your rightful due ♪ ♪ Still you stood to hear us shiver ♪ ♪ With a broken heart, too ♪ ♪ Hear our cry for full forgiveness ♪ Cover us with cleansing grace. God, who hears your children's voices, this our prayer we raise. God who fortifies the mountains towering high above the land. God who stills the raging waters till they gently brush the sand. Heal my heart, my strength, my shell, as in the tomb of God for days. ♪ The one who gives our children's voices ♪ ♪ Our children's voices ♪ ♪ Is our friendly race ♪ God who crowns our years with goodness, God who hears and loves. God whose words command our wonder, God who brings us to our knees. In our blind hearts, we turn to you, so that on your face we may see. One who hears your child's cries, hears the children's voices. Yes, our pride we raise. We raise. It's our joy to welcome each one to our service this morning. We do know that there are some who are actually in the snow belt this morning who are tuning in via live stream, and we welcome them here with us this morning at Colonial Hills Baptist Church in Indianapolis, even though we tease them a little bit about the snow that they're enjoying. We'd like to welcome those who are here for the first time, or perhaps the first time in a long time. And if that's your situation, our ushers are coming through the aisles right now, carrying with them some materials about this church and the ministries that are here afforded to you and to your family. If you're a first-timer, or it's been the first time you've been here for a while, if you just wave over one of the ushers this morning, they'll very graciously hand you some materials about this church so you can get to know a little bit more about us. together the materials to help you out on your journey to explore this ministry and get to know us better. So if you just wave them over this morning again they'll give you those materials on the way by and you can discover a little bit more about Colonial Hills Baptist Church. If you have children with you this morning who are kindergarten to fourth grade Most of those boys and girls have already gone out of the service. They're gonna be coming back a little bit later on to sing for us. But if you have a child that's not been in our Children's Church before and you'd like them to be today, if you'd stop by the Welcome Center and register them there, I'm sure they'll have a wonderful time learning God's Word right on their level in our Children's Church ministry this morning. And of course, our nursery ministries and preschool ministries are ongoing, even as we meet here in this place. If you receive one of those packets of information, if you'd be so kind as to open that up, you'll find inside that there's a connection card. And if you would fill out that connection card for us this morning, a little bit later on, the ushers are going to come by and gather those from you, and then they can be ready. So if you'd fill them out now, that would be very much appreciated. And following the service, for those from Indianapolis for the first time or second time visitors. If you go out the main doors and look to the right, there's a room there that says Heritage Room. If you stop by there after the service this morning, it will give us an opportunity to thank you for being here. We also have a gift that we'd like to present to you for being here on this Lord's Day. As our ushers come and we prepare for the offering this morning, you may have a prayer request that you'd like this church family to be praying with you about. a burden that is close to your heart that you'd like to bring near to the heart of God as we sang about this morning. We have a wonderful five o'clock prayer hour and if you'd like to participate in that prayer hour we'd invite you to that this afternoon at five. We take the requests that are received this morning We bring that to the prayer room this afternoon and bear one another's burdens. We also have the opportunity to gather those prayer requests and pray for your needs as a church family as we publish a weekly prayer bulletin. So if you have a prayer request you'd like this church family to be praying with you about, if you fill that in and put that in the offering plate, just a little bit later on as it comes by, we'll be praying with you about the burden of your heart as well. Let's ask the Lord to bless as we give this morning. Now, Father, we come into your presence knowing that we've been invited to come boldly. but sensing even this morning the great blessing of being able to have a place that is a solace, a place where the balm of Gilead is dispensed, a place that is near to the heart of God. We thank You, Lord, that You hear us when we cry, that You are a God whose eyes run to and fro throughout this whole earth seeking not in judgment, but having paid for our sins on the cross of Calvary, seeking those who will return, who will come into that gracious acknowledgement of forgiveness through the blood of Jesus Christ, giving to us the promise that if we cast our cares upon you, you will care for us. Thank you, Lord, for your promises. They're new every morning. Great is thy faithfulness. And as we give this Lord's Day morning, help us do so with hearts of gratitude, with hearts of expectation, knowing that as we give, you give to your people good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over. And so Lord, use the offering today for the furtherance of the gospel, for the maintenance of this ministry. And Lord, most of all, use it for the glory of your people in heavenly places that we might in testimony together say our God is good all the time. So bless the offering for it's in Christ's name we pray, amen. Oh you Thank you, Loy. I'm a child of the King. You know it's through Christ that we can cry, Abba, Father. That was a word that meant daddy, a term of endearment and relationship that we have with our Heavenly Father through the Lord Jesus Christ. And it's through Christ that we can approach the throne above. We'll sing a moment together, another hymn that'll be on the screen for us. If you're a guest with us, and you got one of those welcome packets, and you filled out that connection card, in a moment as we sing, the ushers will be making their way through the aisle. We'd like to collect those from you. Just pass it down to the end of the row, and they'll be by to get those from you. The boys and girls will be on their way in to sing for us here in just a moment. But we're gonna stand and sing, before the throne of God above, I have a strong and perfect plea. The great high priest whose name is love, the Lord Jesus Christ. Three stanzas of before the throne of God above. My name is written on his head. My name is written on his heart. he stands, and I can't believe his big heart. And I can't believe his big heart. When Satan tempts me to despair, and tells me I'll find his way, My sinful soul is now set free. Thank you. You may be seated. Listen now as the young people minister in song. I. You're always faithful, you're always true. Alma Mater, you are a song. Though clouds are dark, though nights are long, I cry to you, Alma Mater. ♪ You control me, make me like you ♪ ♪ Guide my footsteps, keep my heart true ♪ ♪ So that no one may see your likeness within me ♪ ♪ Create me, shape me, make me like you ♪ ♪ I rest in you ♪ You're always faithful ♪ You're always true ♪ Alma Mater ♪ You are our song ♪ Though clouds are low ♪ Though nights are long ♪ I cry to you ♪ Alma Mater Thank you, young people. We appreciate you ministering to our hearts that way. He's always faithful. He's always true. We're going to dismiss them back to their special children's church. And if you're a guest with us today and you'd like your young person, fourth grade down, to join in that special class, you can stop by in a moment as we sing number 365 at the Welcome Center and register your young person so they know you know where to pick them up at the conclusion of the service. We're singing a hymn of commitment and consecration. I am thine, O Lord. I've heard thy voice. I desire to be drawn closer, closer to your precious bleeding side. 365 in your hymnal. We'll stand as we sing. If there's any of the young people that would like to head to the class, they're welcome to. The choir's coming down to find a seat as we sing together. ♪ I am fine, O Lord, I am fine ♪ I am fine, O Lord, I am fine ♪ Will be fostered unto thee ♪ ♪ Thou be giv'n, be giv'n, be giv'n once more ♪ ♪ To the foster of thy child ♪ ♪ Thou be giv'n, be giv'n, be giv'n once more ♪ ♪ To thy precious baby's child ♪ ♪ Come to lay me down ♪ ♪ My Father is the Light ♪ ♪ And my Soul the Prince of Peace ♪ ♪ When I'm weary lost in night ♪ ♪ Drawing ne'er where the cradle puts me low ♪ ♪ But watch where love has brought me home ♪ and come to thy catch that's plain inside. On the floor may I not see no one, and before I fall I'll stand when I kneel in prayer. ♪ Where thou hast died ♪ ♪ Only hither, hither, hither must men go ♪ ♪ To thy purge that's waiting inside ♪ ♪ There are depths of love that I cannot know ♪ ♪ Till I cross the narrow sea ♪ Thank you for your singing today. You may be seated. I'm going to invite you with me at this time to take your Bibles, please, and turn to 2 Corinthians 7. We're opening once again to the book of 2 Corinthians. The theme for our study of this wonderful book has been found in the 4th chapter, in the 7th verse, where we discover that we have this treasure in earthen vessels. That the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us. Our focus today in 2 Corinthians 7, beginning in verse 2, where we discover the treasure, the wonderful treasure of repentance. 2 Corinthians 7, beginning in verse 2. Receive us. We have wronged no man. We have corrupted no man. We have defrauded no man. I speak not this to condemn you, for I've said before that you're in our hearts to die and to live with you. Great is my boldness of speech toward you. Great is my glorying of you. I am filled with comfort. I'm exceeding joyful in all of our tribulation. For when we were come into Macedonia, our flesh had no rest. We were troubled on every side. Without were fightings. Within were fears. Nevertheless, God that comforts those that are cast down comforted us by the coming of Titus. and not by His coming only, but by the consolation wherewith He was comforted in you when He told us of your earnest desire, your mourning, your fervent mind toward Me so that I rejoice the more. For though I made you sorry with a letter, I do not repent, though I did repent, for I perceive that the same epistle hath made you sorry. though it were but for a season. And now I rejoice, not that you were made sorry, but that you sorrowed to repentance, for you were made sorry after a godly manner, that you might receive no damage by us, no, not in anything. For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of, but the sorrow of the world worketh death. For behold, this selfsame thing, that you sorrowed after a godly sort, What carefulness it wrought in you! Yea, what clearing of yourselves! Yea, what indignation! Yea, what fear! Yea, what vehement desire! Yea, what zeal! Yea, what revenge! In all things you have approved yourselves to be clear in this matter. Wherefore, though I wrote unto you, I did it not for this cause that had done the wrong, nor for his cause that suffered wrong, but that our care for you in the sight of God might appear unto you. Therefore, we were comforted in your comfort, yea, and exceedingly the more joyed for the joy of Titus, because his spirit was refreshed by you all." For if I have boasted anything about you, I am not ashamed. But as we speak all things to you in truth, even so our boasting, which I made before Titus, is found truth. And his inward affection is more abundant toward you, whilst he remembers the obedience of you all, how with fear and trembling he received Him. I rejoice, therefore, that I have confidence in you in all things." Look this morning at 2 Corinthians 7, a challenging text that references the wonderful treasure of repentance. Let's ask the Lord to bless as we look into His Word. Now, Father, I pray that You give wisdom and understanding And Lord, that the Spirit of God would be our teacher this morning. And for that one who's come here today in need of Christ, that they would understand the need to repent of sin. For that one who's come here this morning wayward from Christ, that they would understand this morning the need of repentance from sin. That we would all lovingly turn and lovingly gaze upon the cross of Calvary once again and see there anew the one who bled in our place, who died that we might live. And Lord, help us with disgust to turn away from our sin and embrace the holiness that's offered through our dear and blessed Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ. Give to us a genuine heart of repentance and may your word be precious to us this morning. For it's in Christ's name we pray, amen. George Whitefield was no doubt considered the great voice of the great awakening. George Whitefield was born in England, educated there. It was there that he was committed to the gospel ministry and there he soon became famous. George Whitefield also had a burden for America. So it would be that George Whitefield seven times would come to America in a time when coming to America was very difficult. Thirteen times George Whitefield would cross the ocean until he would preach for the last time in Exeter, New Hampshire, and be buried in Boston, Massachusetts. George Whitefield, the great voice of the Great Awakening, was touched by a fervor of God that was provided for him through ministries of early American ministers. One such minister was Gilbert Tennant. Gilbert Tennant was Scotch-Irish. Presbyterian in background. And when Gilbert Tennant preached, the room would shake. He focused on the judgment of God. He focused on eternal perdition. He focused his attention on the need of men and women to recognize their sin. He focused his attention on the need for men and women to repent. After hearing Gilbert Tennant preach, George Whitefield said this, He wounds deeply before he heals. He's careful not to confront over much those who are convicted, or not to comfort, rather, over much those who are convicted. I fear, said Whitefield, that I have been too incautious in this respect and often given comfort too soon. The Lord forgive me for my past. Tenet's preaching impacted Whitefield's preaching. And the preaching of the Great Awakening was preaching of conviction. Meant to convict people of sin before they found the comfort of the cross. Meant to expose sin before offering salvation. You see, the Great Awakening preachers preached the need for repentance. We've opened our Bibles this morning to 2 Corinthians 7. We find that the preachers of the great awakening actually preached like Paul. Paul was no stranger to the preaching of repentance. The great apostle to the Gentiles indeed preached repent. Now he comforted the afflicted, but he brought affliction. to the comfortable. He challenged them to look deeply at their sin and to mourn over it. We live in a generation that knows very little of the theology of repentance. We live in a generation where very few messages are preached about repentance. So many within evangelicalism are focused on enlistment, but very few are focused on repentance. So many are willing to share the good news but become somewhat phobic when it comes to the sharing of the bad news. The bad news needs to be shared because the Word of God says, for all have sinned and come short of the glory of God. And the Word of God says there's none righteous. No, not even one. And the Savior commissioned His disciples to preach, repent for the remission of sins to all nations, Luke 24 and verse 47. At Pentecost, Peter preached repentance. Acts 2 and verse 38, repent and be baptized. Every one of you. For the remission of sins, Paul, the great preacher to the Gentiles, stood before the Athenians. And in Acts 17 and verse 30, he said, and of the times of this ignorance God has winked at. But now God commands all men everywhere to repent. So faithful was Paul to that commission of preaching a message of repentance. And when he stood before the Ephesian elders in Acts chapter 20, he said in verse 21, I kept back nothing that was profitable unto you, but I've showed you and have taught you publicly and even from house to house, testifying both to the Jews and to the Greeks, repentance toward God and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ. Repentance is a turning. It is ultimately a U-turn. on the freeway of life as you turn from your sin to God. It happens, this repentance, when the Spirit of God opens our eyes and we come to discover, I'm on the broadway that leads to destruction. We come to discover that my values and my pleasures and my goals and my visions and my desires are contrary to the holiness of my God. When we come to discover that one day I'll give account of the things done in my body before God, every action, every word, even every thought. And I have this holy hunger in my heart to turn from my wicked ways and turn to the forgiveness that only God can give. We come to discover that our sins are horrible and they will keep us from fellowship with our God. Then we discover the grace of God that bringeth salvation through Jesus Christ our Lord so beautifully displayed in the sacrifice for our sins on the cross of Calvary. Repentance happens when we turn from our sin to God and we turn from ourself to the Savior. We've opened our Bibles this morning to 2 Corinthians chapter 7 where we discover the wonderful treasure of repentance. 2 Corinthians is the Apostle Paul's most personal letter to any of the churches. While he would write personally to Titus and to Timothy, he writes ever so personally in 2 Corinthians to the assembly of the Corinthians there. He writes to them opening his heart to those who have caused him a whole lot of hurt. And notice with me in 2 Corinthians 7 and verse 8, the Apostle Paul says, I made you sorry with the letter, I do not repent, though I did repent. It may be better for us to read this with understanding and say it this way. I do not regret the letter, though there was a time that I did regret it. Meta mellomai, regret. I did regret sending that letter, but I no longer regret it. Continuing in that eighth verse, for I perceive that that same epistle or that same letter has made you sorry, though it was but for a season, and now I rejoice, not that ye, speaking of the church in plural, were made sorry, but as you sorrowed to repentance, metanoia, you have repented. Paul is literally saying, I sent you a letter and for a while I regretted sending that letter to you, but I no longer regret sending that letter. In fact, now I rejoice because you received that letter and that letter brought to you as a church the wonderful treasure of repentance you have turned. Oh dear friend, all of us, all of us need to treasure the blessing of repentance. All of us need to embrace the joy that repentance brings personally, corporately as a church. Oh, how nationally we need a spirit of repentance. How our homes need to know the treasure of repentance and our workplaces. I'd like to share with you four truths today about repentance quickly in the text to which we've turned. Let's note first that confrontation, confrontation often provokes true repentance. Confrontation often provokes true repentance. The Apostle Paul was familiar with writing letters that were confronting the church in Corinth. If you've read and studied 1 Corinthians, you know that the Corinthian church had its share of problems. The first four chapters of 1 Corinthians, the Apostle Paul wrote to them about their problem of partiality. They were divided as a congregation. Some were saying, I follow Paul. And some said, I follow Peter. And some said, I follow Apollos. And the truly spiritual among them said, I follow Christ. They were divided. He wrote to them in chapter 5 of 1 Corinthians about their immorality. He was real straight with them. He said, it's reported commonly that there's fornication among you. Such is not even named among the Gentiles that a man would have his own father's wife. And you're puffed up. He dealt with their immorality that a stepson was having an affair with his stepmother and the church had embraced them. He dealt with the matter of Christian taking Christian to court. In 1 Corinthians 6, he says, dare any of you having a matter with a brother go to court and that before the Gentiles? Don't you know that you'll one day judge the angels? Topic after topic comes up bringing tension and more tension. The Apostle Paul wrote to the Corinthians in a confrontive pattern. So he writes in 1 Corinthians 7 and verse 8, "...though I made you sorry with the letter, I don't regret it. For his correspondence of confrontation had led them to turn to true repentance." Let's face it. It's often very difficult for us who are called according to 2 Corinthians chapter 5 and verse 8 to be ambassadors and ministers of reconciliation. It's often very difficult for us to confront others who need to turn. We would rather mind our own business than point out the potholes along the pathway of those who are heading for terrible pain. But Hebrews 10 says, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together as the manner of some is, but exhorting one another. And that means we each have a responsibility to challenge, to confront, and so much the more as we see the day approaching. In fact, the book of Hebrews 3 and verse 13 says, exhort one another daily while it's called today, lest any of you be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin. As I look in this passage and discover a passage filled with a theme of repentance, I discover first of all that confrontation is often used of God to provoke real repentance. But oh, how I tremble as I look at this passage and realize the kind of person that the Spirit of God uses in order to bring confrontation that provokes repentance. Look at the Apostle Paul's testimony in verse 2 as he gives a bit of his autobiography here and tells what kind of person he was when he entered into this ministry of confronting Christians who were walking in a wayward way. He says in verse 2 that he's a person of character. For he says, receive us. We've wronged no man. We've corrupted no man. We've defrauded no man. We've wronged no man. We're not mean. We have corrupted no man. There's no moral failure. We have defrauded no man, we're not living for the money of the ministry. His character is exposed as being pristine. He's a person of compassion, not simply a person of character. For in verse 3 he says, you are in our hearts to live and die for. He truly loved the Corinthian people that he truly confronted. And he was a person of clarity. For he says in verse 4, Great is my boldness of speech toward you. Be careful before you enter into the ministry of confrontation that can lead to repentance. Look in the mirror, for after all, there's nothing that Satan loves more than to discredit the messenger because his character is flawed, his compassion is not real, or his clarity is filled with political doublespeak. Paul says, you can look, this is the kind of person that has confronted you as a church. Years ago as a youth pastor with a young man in the youth group, his name was Derek. He was a fine young man growing in the Lord. He went off to Christian college and at Christian college he heard a message from the chapel platform that caused him to have a burden for his unsaved grandfather. So he went back to his dormitory and he wrote a letter explaining the gospel to his unsaved grandfather, sharing with his grandfather his need to repent and trust Christ as Savior. He put the letter in the mailbox and he went back to his dorm room and he called his father. He said, hey dad, I just wrote a letter to granddad explaining the gospel, telling them that he's a sinner and he needs a Savior. His father on the other end of the phone said, you did what? Did you mail it already? Yeah, Dad, it's in the mail." Oh. Several days later, Derek's father got a phone call from Derek's grandfather. And Derek's grandfather said, I got this letter from Derek and I want you to come over right now. Derek's dad went in the home of Derek's grandfather. Derek's grandfather held up that confronting letter, that letter that shared his grandfather's need for salvation. that confronting letter that was sent from a grandson who loved that grandfather enough to tell him the truth. And with trembling hand he looked at his son and he said, Derek says I need to be saved to go to heaven. I need to do that, can you help me? And his grandfather trusted Christ. You learn along the pathway that often the first step of repentance is confrontation, but be careful. If any man be overtaken in a fault, Galatians 6 says in verse 1, ye which are spiritual restore such a one in a spirit of meekness, considering also yourself. Paul is able to say in 2 Corinthians 7 and verse 12, I wrote to you, why, that our care for you in the sight of God might appear unto you. Just as a parent doesn't truly love, if a parent doesn't truly correct, Even so, a Christian is not truly loving and obedient if that Christian chooses to see someone on their way to hell and not warn them to repent and to turn. That Christian is not truly loving or obedient who doesn't stand forward and confront fellow believers if the pathway that they choose is a pathway that brings pain and disobedience to the Lord. Confrontation then often provokes true repentance. As I go further in this text, I learn a second truth, and that is this. Oh, how true it is. Consternation. Consternation often precedes true repentance. What do you mean, Pastor Phelps? Well, look what the Apostle Paul writes in verse five. So when we were coming to Macedonia, our flesh had no rest. We were troubled on every side, without were fightings, within were fears. Paul had written to the Corinthians and now he had to wait. Waiting's never easy. He had sent them a difficult message. He'd been straight with them about their sin and about their need to repent. He had begun to speak to them about this consternation clear back in 2 Corinthians 2 when he said in verse 12, when I came to Troas to preach Christ's gospel, a door was opened unto me, but I had no rest even in my soul. And now he's sharing again how troubled his heart was as he labored in prayer that the Corinthian people would hear his admonition and truly repent. So he writes in verse 6, sharing with them the reason for his troubled heart. We had no rest, he says in verse 5. Our spirit was troubled. Why, Paul? Why was your spirit troubled? Well, follow now, he says, verse 6, God that comforts those who are cast down comforted us when Titus came, not only by his coming, but by the consolation wherewith he was comforted in you. when he told us your earnest desire and your mourning and your fervent mind toward me. Oh, how I rejoiced. What's he saying? He's saying I genuinely had a broken heart as I persisted in prayer regarding the need of your soul. Confronting those who need to trust Christ is not easy. Confronting Christians who are wayward is not easy. You can almost imagine Peter on the day of Pentecost. Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. And then he waits as he watches those who have gathered from all the nations into Jerusalem. And he asks the Spirit to move in their hearts to bring them to repentance. But that moment of waiting is not easy, having confronted someone that we love and then waiting. When my wife and I were first married, we had the privilege one evening of sitting at the table with my in-laws, who at that time didn't know Christ as Savior, and walking them through the scriptures regarding the plan of salvation. As we came to the end of that plan of salvation, I looked at them and I said, we would so love to see you come to Christ as Savior, to know the forgiveness of sin that we know and know the blessing of heaven and a relationship with Jesus. Would you like to pray right now and trust Jesus Christ as Savior? I can still hear it. The grandfather clock behind my head at that table, click, click, click, as that pendulum moved. and the thought crossed my mind. I wonder if they're going to throw us out. I wonder if our children will know their grandparents. There is consternation that comes. The Apostle Paul was well aware of it. He said, my heart was breaking as I waited. And then Titus came and he shared. And oh, he says at the end of verse 7, what rejoicing that you had turned Have you shared a confrontational message about the gospel or the direction that God wants individuals to go? Have you waited? I think it was 1981 when we had that dinnertime opportunity. I know it was 1991 in January when my in-laws came to Christ as Savior. Oh, how we rejoiced. I look in this text and I realize that when it comes to the matter of repentance, confrontation often provokes true repentance. And consternation often precedes true repentance. Learn a third truth with me this morning. That comfort, comfort always precedes. It always precedes from true repentance. Comfort, after all, is one of the great keys to understanding 2 Corinthians 7. Look at verse 4. I am filled with comfort. Look at verse 6. The God that comforts those that are cast down comforted us. Look at verse 7. Not by His coming only, but by the consolation wherewith He was comforted in you. Look at verse 13. Therefore, we were comforted in Your comfort, yea, exceedingly the more we joyed for the joy of Titus. What a blessing when the wanderer returns. What a blessing when the sinner seeks the Savior and knows the forgiveness of sin and the joy that fills the heart when the account has been cleared by the blood of Jesus Christ our Savior. I am filled with comfort, he said in verse 4. I am exceeding joyful even in all of our tribulations. The great apostle to the Gentiles says, I'm a realist. Out here on the ministry trail, life is difficult, but no one can now steal my joy because the Spirit of God worked in the heart of those for whom I was concerned. I sent you a difficult letter. You have repented. What caused his comfort? It's obvious, verse 7. Titus told us of your earnest desire. Titus told us of your mourning. Titus told us of your fervent mind toward us. Verse 9, what caused his comfort? You sorrowed to repentance. You were made sorry after a godly sort. He is saying in this passage there is a sorrow of the world getting caught in sin, having one's character defamed because of one's actions. There's a sorrow of the world getting caught in sin and now that mark, that blemish, and that enjoyment of opportunity that diminishes. There's a sorrow of the world, but there's a real sorrow of the Spirit that leads, according to this passage, to a repentance not to be repented of, but rather repentance, a turning that brings the comfort and the blessing and the joy of God. D.L. Moody often told the story of his childhood and his prodigal brother. D.L. Moody was four years old when his father, who had been a stonemason, died. His father had never made much money. He left them with a home and a little bit of debt. In fact, the creditors came to the home and cleared out all the furniture and even took the wood from the woodpile when his father died. Betsy, his mother was left with nine children, 13 years old and younger. In fact, twins were born after the death of his father. So life was difficult for the Moody home. We can imagine Mrs. Moody in the winters of Northfield, Massachusetts, trying to care for her nine children. Moody would tell that his 15 year old brother became the delight of his mother. He began to care for the home as the eldest typically would. He went out and made the money that was necessary. And then he ran away. He was 15. Perhaps it was the burden of caring for all these children. Perhaps his mother expected too much. Perhaps he just had a rebel's heart. But he became a wanderer. And for many years, Moody would be sent to the post office by his mother. Perhaps your brother has written today. No letter. As Moody entered into young adulthood, he knew that his brother had a mark on his face that would cause him to be recognizable. In every city that Moody visited, he would be looking for that mark, and he never saw it. Thanksgiving Day would come and go, and every Thanksgiving, Betsy Moody would set a chair at the table hoping that her eldest son would come home. He never came. He totally lost contact with his siblings, but especially with his mother. And then the day came as Mrs. Moody sat in the doorway of her home that she saw a stranger coming up the hill, a bearded, strong, rugged stranger. She didn't recognize him at all. He stood before the door and he folded his arms with his long beard flowing down over his chin and he began to weep. And immediately she knew that was her son. She jumped from her seat. She said, oh my boy, my boy has come home. And she raced toward him. He held his arms crossed and he said, no mother, I cannot enjoy your embrace. I will not enter your home until you first forgive me. Moody would ask the question, and what do you think a mother would do? She ran to him. She embraced him. She whispered forgiveness and he's been welcomed home. The father sent the son to be the savior of the world. There is absolutely no comfort like the comfort that comes in repentance. When we turn from our sin and turn to the Savior, when we know the blessing of forgiveness that God only can give, it might be in your bedroom at night before you go to bed and you say, Lord, forgive me for that today. Clean the account. It might be a service like this today when you say, I can't live under the burden of my sin any longer. There's wonderful comfort that comes in repentance. There's comfort to those who ministered the difficult message. Oh, the rejoicing, in fact, The rejoicing echoes even into heaven over a sinner who's come to the Savior, for the Bible says there's rejoicing in the presence of the angels over one sinner who repents. I often looked at that passage and thought, that means the angels' wings flutter. And the angelic chorus is roused as they sing because someone trusted Christ or someone got right. That's not what it says. It says there's rejoicing in the presence of the angels. It's the Father Himself. It's the Savior. It's the Spirit. The Godhead Three are rejoicing because someone said, I'm a sinner, please forgive me. Lord, I can't live like this any longer. I want to be a better husband. I want to be the father that my children need. I want to be that man that gives a testimony in the community. That's who I want to be. And Lord, if I confess my sin, you're faithful and just to forgive me of my sin and to cleanse me from all unrighteousness. You know what? There's great comfort that proceeds from repentance. Wonderful truths in 2 Corinthians 7. Truths that may need to be applied to someone in this room today. Would you come to Christ? And dear Christian, would you come back? Would you come back? I look in this passage and find one final truth this morning. That is confirmation always proves true repentance. Confirmation always proves true repentance. Look at verse 7. Godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of. The sorrow of the world works death. Sorrow for sin brings repentance. The sorrow of the world for getting caught, that sorrow brings death. Genuine repentance is permanent. Genuine repentance is observable. There are characteristics. There are distinguishing marks, if you will. There is confirmation that will prove when true repentance It's truly happened. In fact, in verse 11, the Apostle Paul writes to the Corinthians, and he lists for us seven distinctive characteristics that always accompany true repentance. Now listen this morning, please. Listen carefully. As the Spirit of God recites for us what real repentance looks like, He says in verse 11, what carefulness it wrought in you. That word carefulness means diligence. It means you immediately responded. You didn't delay in your response. In fact, it's the same word that's used in Romans 12 and verse 11, not slothful in business, but fervent in spirit. So when he says in verse 11 of 2 Corinthians 7, what carefulness it wrought in you, he says you were immediately responding. You weren't thinking about it. You weren't wondering what's the best way to save face and yet get things right with Paul. You were immediately obsessed with this thought, I've got to get this right. Then he continues in verse 11, what cleansing of yourselves. Now that's an interesting word, apologia. Often it's used as an argument. I'm making my apology and it means argument in the Greek, but here that's not what he's saying. He's saying you were providing proofs. Here, I owed you money, I'm paying it back. Here I falsely sign. I'm taking my signature off of that. I used to wonder..." He's saying, these proofs were evident. You were doing everything you could. Nobody had to drag it out of you. You immediately responded by saying, I want everyone to know that God has changed my heart toward this. God has changed my mind toward this. Verse 11, what indignation. In other words, he says, now you had a contempt for your sin. How could I have done that? How could I have spoken that way? How could I have gone there? How could I have enjoyed that? Now I understand how it grieved the heart of God and I have this terrible contempt for what I used to do. I don't want to be that anymore. These are the marks of real repentance. What fear! For you realized that your sin was against the holiness of God. What vehement desire! You were committed to do anything anything that it took to make this account right. Repentance is not about irresponsibility. Now I gave it to God and everybody else is okay. No, no, no. Real repentance says if there's an account that needs to be settled, I want to settle it. I have a vehement desire to that end. What zeal. In fact, that same word for zeal is used up here in verse 7 when the Apostle Paul speaks of it as a fervent mind. And that fervent mind is always used with this thought, others. The real repentant heart is not grasping to hold on to pride, to save face, to be able to enjoy that sin any longer. It's now saying, what I did to my dad, what I did to my mom, what I did to that person down the street, I hate it, Lord. Help me make it right. Let me think of them, not me. It's not about me. Real repentance. What revenge. What does that mean? He's saying there was a willingness in your heart to be punished knowing that you deserve the punishment. That's real repentance. And so Paul applauds them in verse 11, in all things you've appointed yourself to be clear in this matter. And in verse 13 he says, oh, let me just say it again, how comforted I was, how comforted, how encouraged Paul and Titus were. In fact, he says in verse 16, I rejoice therefore that I have confidence now in you in all things. It's just been a wonderful thing to see what real repentance has brought. Now folks, it's not often we have the privilege of sharing what the treasure of repentance means. But in the Christian life it's fundamental. Without repentance, there is no salvation. And without ongoing repentance, there is no Christian power. There needs to be a spirit of humility that comes to the truths of God's Word and through the power of the Spirit, turns from sin over and over and over again. October 31st, 1517, some people know that date. That's the date that Martin Luther tacked his 95 thesis to the castle door in Wittenborg Germany. In Latin, one of his declarations was this, and he was right. When our Lord and Master Jesus Christ said, repent, he willed that the entire life of believers be one of repentance. Did you hear that? You see, biblical salvation begins with repentance. Repent and be baptized, every one of you, turning from your sin. John Bunyan, speaking of repentance, said, you claim that you have Christ. Tell me, where have you come from? God is long suffering, not willing that any should perish, but that all should repent. The sun came up this morning, perhaps to give you the opportunity, dear friend, to come to Jesus Christ and repent and know the blessing of salvation. But the Christian life continues. Oh, it continues with the wonderful treasure of a spirit of repentance. 2 Timothy 2 and verse 5, Paul writes to Timothy and says, hang in there in Ephesus, keep on keeping on, that God may perhaps give to them repentance. It's a gift to have the heart that's humble enough to say, I have sinned, that sins sick enough to say, I need the mercy seat. Friends, we need preaching on repentance. Someone has said there's enough gospel preaching in the world today to heal the sin-sick souls. But where is the preaching that makes souls sick? In a positive, touchy-feely, politically correct environment, may God help us to rejoice when we hear a message on repentance. Because unless we confess our sin, we cannot understand that He's faithful and just to forgive us our sin. And there is no comfort more wonderful than the embrace from the cross when the Savior says, it's on my account. We have an advocate in heaven who right now is waiting for some man, some woman in this room to say, forgive me. I don't want to live like this anymore. I want to know the blessing of forgiveness. True repentance is truly a treasure. Confrontation often provokes true repentance. Consternation often precedes true repentance. Comfort will always precede from true repentance. And confirmation will always prove that repentance is true. Let's stand together, please, as we pray. Heads are bowed and eyes are closed. There's no one looking around in this room this morning. As the Spirit of God discomforts someone. As the Spirit of God says, to the heart of someone here, it's so. I've been laboring with that sin. And Jesus is now saying, come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. I've been burdened by that wrong. I need to get it right. I don't want to live putting my head upon the pillow one more night without the certainty of God's forgiveness. I want to know the comfort of forgiveness. If that's your need this morning, Would you take the time right now to confess before the Lord, now, Lord, I see myself as You see me. He sees the innermost recesses of our hearts. I grieve over the sin that causes You grief. And Lord, I accept, not on merit of my own, but by Your grace, the forgiveness that the blood of Jesus Christ can apply. For if we confess our sins, He's faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all of our unrighteousness. Take advantage of the opportunity that the treasure of repentance provides this morning. The Christian life is a day-by-day journey of repentance. And, old friend, this morning if you've never come to the joy of salvation in Jesus Christ, in a moment the instruments are going to play number 334. Out of my bonded sorrow and strife, Jesus, I come. into thy gladness, and that fullness of life, Jesus, I come. As the instruments play number 334 in a moment, Pastor Ben's gonna be here in the front, and if you need to trust Christ as Savior, we'd invite you to come and grab him by the hand. If there's a Christian who needs to come in on bed to knee today, know the joy and comfort of forgiveness, you come. As the instruments play number 334, Jesus, I come to you. There is perhaps no message more needful in our generation, more misunderstood, more wonderful to the understanding than the message of repentance. God sees us as we are and invites us to turn, first to come to Christ as Savior, turn, and then to come back again and again and again to the mercy seat and know that our sins again and again and again are forgiven and fellowship with God restored. Friend, if there's a need today to come and trust Christ, you come right now. We'll send you to a private place and show you from the Bible how you can know for sure you're going to heaven when you die. And Christian, if you need to come and seal a comforting moment of repentance, we'd invite you to do that as the instruments play. Who among us doesn't need the treasure of repentance every day? How glorious to know what our God does exceedingly abundantly above what we ask or think. It cleanses us through the power of the blood of Jesus Christ that we might live for Him through His Spirit. Christian friend, if you need to come, you come right now. Friend, if you need to trust Christ as Savior, now is the accepted time and today is the day of salvation. Don't leave this room without knowing you've turned and turned into the embrace of Christ. I'll have you be seated for a moment as I invite Joseph and Brandy Kamani to come and join me here. This is Joseph and his dear wife Brandy. They're coming this morning for membership here at Colonial Hills Baptist Church. And I love to share Joseph's testimony, Brandy's as well. But if you don't mind waiting just a moment to get to know this couple and then receiving them in membership by the recommendation of our deacons and your pastor as well. Joseph Kamani grew up in Kenya. He shares that his mother was not a believer, his grandmother was. But he grew up in a very different culture than this culture here. He was involved in politics, involved in some bodyguard servicing and some bouncing. You can kind of see that. And a young friend of his suffered a stroke. Joseph, being a good friend, wanted to go visit the friend that had the stroke. So he traveled many miles to visit a family that he really didn't know, to visit a friend who was convalescing. And arriving in that home, he arrived in a Christian home in Kenya. And the Kenyans said to Joseph, Joseph, you're a good friend. There's something that we as your friends would like to share with you. And they shared the gospel with him. They trusted Christ as Savior. I think 2011? 2011, February. The Lord has provided a way for Joseph to be an American. He was baptized in 2014 here in America. God has blessed Joseph with a wife, Brandy, and a little boy that you've got to meet. He looks a lot like his dad. He's over in the nursery. His name also is Joseph. But Brandy comes this morning, having gone to college up at Lafayette, and a friend there shared the Gospel with her. While on a mission trip as a nurse in Haiti, she was baptized. And both of them have said, we've looked around, we want to be part of Colonial Hills Baptist Church because we want our son to grow up in a place where the Bible is taken seriously and we're not just here as Christians to be entertained. In fact, Joseph said this church reminds him a whole lot of the church that he was in in Kenya. Isn't that exciting? We're glad to have him be part of our church this morning. So all those who would like to receive this dear couple by membership, please signify by saying amen. If you want to come by and give them the right hand of fellowship. I'm going to have them be seated right here in the front row for just a moment. Ben's going to give us a couple of announcements, and you give them the right hand of fellowship before you go this morning. we are glad that you join us today in a moment as we dismiss if you're a first or second time guest from indianapolis would you stop by our guest reception as you exit you look to the right to see our heritage room will be there to greet you in place a gift in your hands a small way of our saying thank you for being with us this morning we invite you back tonight at six o'clock special services be taking place we're going to be enjoying a concert by the sacred music services men's chorus amends group will be here and uh... ten fisher mac lynch and many of their friends will be here singing for us tonight. It's no doubt to be a blessing for you. And so be here. You can enjoy that. And then I think they'll have some music available for you to purchase in the lobby following the service to enjoy that in the days to come. There are tickets at the Welcome Center for the midweek dinner that takes place each Wednesday night, and I believe it's lasagna this week, so stop by and purchase those and be with us on Wednesday evening. Also available at the Welcome Center are the tickets for our upcoming Valentine Banquet. That's Friday, February the 12th. I trust you'll mark your calendar for that. We're looking forward to having the Regiers back in town with us and sharing During that night, it'll be up at the 502 East Event Center in Carmel. So just north of us, we've arranged for child care to be provided here at the church. We're even going to feed the young people so you can drop them here and then head on up the way to enjoy a Jonathan Bird catered buffet and a wonderful evening together. So stop by. The cost is $30 per person. So assuming it's a couple, you've got $60 there for an evening out that Friday, February the 12th. So stop by. And sign up, get those tickets even today. If you're considering church membership with us, there is a prospective members meeting this afternoon at five o'clock in our conference room. That's down this hallway. But if you'll come to the lobby area, we'll make sure that you know where to go. There are classes for the children that are taking place at five along with the hour of prayer that's going on also. So we look forward to having you back with us at both five and then again at six o'clock tonight for the sacred music concert. Let's stand if you would, and we'll be dismissed and then you can come by and greet Joseph and Brandy and welcome them to our church family here at Colonial. Let's pray as we're dismissed today. Father, thank you for the treasure of repentance. Thank you for the fact that whom the Lord loveth, He rebukes and chastens. So may we, as you told us in the book of Revelation, be zealous therefore and be willing to repent. May there be a heart that hates our sin and desires to draw closer and nearer to the very heart of God. And so may we leave here today rejoicing in understanding the forgiveness of sins of the Lord Jesus Christ. For one that may be with us has never trusted Christ as their Savior. Lord, may they allow someone even as they're on their way out today to take a Bible and introduce them to the Lord Jesus Christ, the great high priest whose name is love, whoever lives to intercede on our behalf. Thank you for Joseph and Brandy becoming part of our church family here. May we be a blessing to them as we know they'll be a blessing to us. Dismiss us with your blessing today and bring us back again tonight rejoicing in Jesus' name. Amen. God bless you as you go. Come and greet Joseph and Brandy. Yeah.