Principle
Lessons on Repentance
God welcomes us back when we turn from sin.
7 lessons
The Golden CalfExodus 32:1-35; Exodus 34:1-8While Moses was on Mount Sinai with God, the people grew tired of waiting. They made a golden calf and worshiped it. God was angry, but Moses prayed for the people, and God showed mercy. When we sin, we don't make excuses. We repent, turn back to God and tell Him the truth, and He forgives.Old TestamentRepentance
You Are the Man: Nathan’s Story for King David2 Samuel 12:1-13; 2 Samuel 11:1-27; Psalm 51:1-12; 1 John 1:9King David did terrible things. He took another man's wife, Bathsheba, and had her husband, Uriah, killed in battle. Then he tried to hide it. But God saw, and He sent the prophet Nathan to David with a story about a rich man who stole a poor man's only lamb. David was furious – "The man who did this deserves to die!" Nathan said, "You are that man!" David stopped hiding. "I have sinned against the LORD," he said. And Nathan answered, "The LORD has taken away your sin. You will not die." Repentance means agreeing with God about our sin and turning back to Him, because He is ready to forgive.Old TestamentRepentance
The Gates of JerusalemThe Gates of Jerusalem: The Dung GateNehemiah 3:14; Nehemiah 2:13; Nehemiah 12:31; Philippians 3:7-9; 1 John 1:9The Dung Gate was Jerusalem's garbage gate. Every day, trash was carried out through it. A city leader named Malchijah rebuilt it himself. At the wall's big celebration, a choir marched toward the Dung Gate singing thanks to God! Our sins are like trash that piles up inside us. We can't clean ourselves up. When we turn to God and tell Him our sins, He forgives us and takes them away because of Jesus.Old TestamentRepentance
With Building BricksJonah and Nineveh: RepentanceJonah 1–3; Acts 3:19; Matthew 12:41God told Jonah to go to the big, wicked city of Nineveh. But Jonah ran the other way! God sent a storm, and Jonah was thrown into the sea. God sent a huge fish to swallow him. Inside the fish, Jonah prayed and turned back to God. The fish spit him out on dry land. Then God gave Jonah a second chance. Jonah went to Nineveh and gave a very short message. "Forty more days and Nineveh will be overturned!" The whole city believed God. From the king to the cows, they turned from their evil ways, and God showed them mercy. Repentance means turning away from sin and back to God.Old TestamentRepentance
Jesus the KingJesus and ZacchaeusLuke 19:1-10; Exodus 22:1Zacchaeus, a cheating tax collector, climbed a tree to see Jesus. Jesus called him by name and came to his house, and Zacchaeus turned from his sin and made things right.New TestamentRepentance
The Rooster Crows: Peter Denies JesusLuke 22:31-34; Luke 22:54-62At the Last Supper, Peter said he would never leave Jesus. But Jesus said that before the rooster crowed, Peter would say three times that he didn't know Him. Jesus also said, "I have prayed for you." That night, Jesus was arrested. By a fire in the high priest's courtyard, Peter said three times, "I don't know Him!" The rooster crowed, and Jesus turned and looked at Peter. Peter went out and cried hard. But Jesus had already prayed for him. Peter turned back, and Jesus forgave him.New TestamentRepentance
The Church BeginsSaul Meets JesusActs 9:1-22; 2 Corinthians 5:17Saul was trying to hurt Jesus' followers. But on the road to Damascus, the risen Jesus stopped him with a bright light and spoke to him. Saul turned around, followed Jesus, and became one of His greatest messengers.New TestamentRepentance