Latest / The Daily Word / May 10 – Remorse Is Not Repentance
Transcript
- Robert Rosales: Hey, good morning, Lakeshore family. Welcome to the Daily Word podcast. I'm Robert Rosales and alongside my wife Yolanda, we have the honor of serving as campus pastors at our Gastonia location. This podcast is a simple space where we share each day to slow down, open up God's word and pay attention to what he's saying. As a church family, we're committed to meeting with God daily. not just out of religious routine, but out of relationship, through the scripture, through prayer, and by capturing what the Holy Spirit is stirring in our hearts and how it connects to our everyday lives. We're walking together through the Life Journal reading plan, and today we'll be focusing on the New Testament portion of that plan. Now, just as a reminder, when I invest time with the Lord, I try to keep things a little uncluttered. I just use my Bible, my journal, something to write with, and a highlighter to mark what stands out. At times, I'll also lean on a couple of trusted study tools to help me go a little deeper and stay grounded in the context. Not to replace God's word, but to help me understand a little more clearly and to listen more closely. We also follow the SOAP method, scripture. observation, application, and prayer. Just remember, it's a simple and practical tool to help us not just read God's word, but to respond to God. So before we jump into today's message, let's take a moment, just let's prepare our hearts before the Lord agree with me as I start our time together with a quick word of prayer. Lord, as we open your word, we ask that you would give us hearts that are open and receptive. We pray that the Holy Spirit would cause your truth to come alive in us. Give us ears to hear. Give us a heart to receive and courage to respond. Speak to us Lord, we are listening. In Jesus' name, amen. Well friends, today's passage for May 10th is Matthew chapter 27, and I journaled from verses three and four. Matthew 27, three or four out of the NIV reads like this. When Judas who had betrayed him saw that Jesus was condemned, he was seized with remorse and returned the 30 pieces of silver to the chief priests and the elders. I have sinned, he said, for I have betrayed innocent blood. Listen to the back half of verse 3 again. It says, was seized with remorse and returned the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and the elders. The common English Bible puts it this way, Judas felt deep regret. The title of my journal entry is, Seized with Remorse, Not Repentance. seized with remorse, not repentance. Look at this word remorse. The word remorse comes from the Greek word metamelomai, which often carries the idea of regret or sorrow over consequences. It's not the word metanoia, which means a true change of mind, heart that turns God. For example, a very common verse that uses the Greek word metanoia, meaning repentance, is in Matthew chapter 3 verse 2. Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near. I know most of us have heard that verse before. This is John the Baptist's message, and the word translated repent is metonyte. It's the verb form of metanoia. And it carries the idea of a change of mind that leads to a change of direction. Not just feeling sorry, but a reorientation of one's whole life toward God. Another foundational example is Acts 2.38. Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ, for the forgiveness of your sins. and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. Here again, repent is used, calling for a decisive turning in response to the gospel. So when we read, Judas was seized with remorse. This means Judas despaired. He returned the money. He confessed his guilt, but he did not turn to God. He didn't seek mercy. He didn't truly believe. Here's my observation. Judas was seized with remorse, not repentance. Even though he knew exactly what he did, I have sinned by betraying innocent blood. Judas was more sorry for the result of his sin than for the sin itself. There's a huge difference in being sorry about sin and being sorry for sin. According to Blue Letter Bible, that's a free online Bible study tool that I use, Matthew Henry says that Judas experienced deep remorse and even confession, but that was not true saving repentance. Instead of turning to God for mercy and faith, like Peter did when he sinned against Jesus, he despaired, tried to undo his actions on his own, and ultimately was destroyed. Think of it like this. Judas is like a man who signs away something precious in a moment of greed, and when he realizes the damage, he's crushed with regret. He tries to fix it by returning what he took and admitting he was wrong, but instead of going back to the one he betrayed to seek forgiveness and mercy, he carries shame alone, spirals into despair, and ends up taking his own life. So friends, how does this apply to my life? How does this apply to our lives? Through this shocking, sad commentary on the end of the life of Judas, I'm reminded that there's always room to repent and seek forgiveness from God for sins that I may fall into. Unlike Judas, I will do my best to remember that remorse is not the same as genuine repentance and turning to God. Godly sorrow leads to repentance, but worldly sorrow only leads to death. As I move forward in life, I will be careful to be on guard for temptations that try to lead me away from devotion to Christ. In addition, if and when I sin, I will not only be sorry, I will repent, turn to God, and seek forgiveness and mercy. Come on, would you just pray? with me as we end our time together. Father God, thank you for speaking to us today through your word. Holy Spirit, help us to live this out. We refuse to allow the temptation of sin to cause us to turn away from Christ. And if we sin, help us to always have a heart of genuine repentance and a willingness to turn to you for forgiveness and mercy. In Jesus name we pray, amen. Lakeshore family, as you go into your day today, my prayer is that you'll develop a hunger for God and His word like you've never had before. As you do, God will open your eyes to the riches of His word, giving you revelation and life-changing insight that will help you become everything God's called you to be, fulfilling your mission, purpose, and plan for our great Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Thanks for joining me today on the Daily Word Podcast. I hope this encourages you to stay faithful in the word and sensitive to the Holy Spirit's leading. God bless you and we'll catch you again tomorrow.