Tag: repentance

We’re not entitled to God’s mercy | Lamentations 5 Sermon

Posted on by Phill Sacre

In this sobering sermon on Lamentations 5, we are reminded that God’s mercy is not something we deserve—it is a gift extended only to the truly penitent. In a world where entitlement often distorts our view of grace, this message calls us back to a biblical understanding of repentance, humility, and gratitude. Discover the two key truths at the heart of this message:

  • Our sin is deeply offensive to God. We are, as the hymn Man of Sorrows declares, “guilty, vile, and helpless.” True sorrow for sin—not presumption—must mark our approach to Him.
  • God graciously forgives the penitent. When we come to Him with genuine repentance, we find not condemnation, but forgiveness, joy, and the strength to live lives of grateful obedience.

If you’re seeking a deeper understanding of God’s mercy, the seriousness of sin, and the transforming power of true repentance, this sermon will challenge and encourage you.

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Lamentations 3: The Path Back to God Through Repentance

Posted on by Phill Sacre

Have you ever done something so bad to someone else that you’ve thought, “there’s no way back from this”? Tragically, some relationships do end with people never speaking to one another again. But if that’s the case with human relationships, how much more so with a holy God? In this passage from Lamentations we’re going to think about the way back called repentance.

Thomas Watson’s book on repentance can be downloaded here (PDF).

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God’s megaphone – Exodus 8:20-9:35 Sermon

Posted on by Phill Sacre

One of the biggest and most common questions in the Christian life is “Why?” Why did this happen to me or us; or why does someone not listen to God? The Bible often doesn’t answer the ‘why’ question specifically, but in this passage we have a rare glimpse into the reason why God acted as he did with Pharaoh.

Sermons are also available on the podcast.

Church with UTB: This is part of Church with UTB. Please do have a look at that page for more information.

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Feeling Sorrow – Practical Guide to Holiness #9

Posted on by Phill Sacre

Being a Christian isn’t a life of unbridled happiness – although we are joyful. There are struggles and sorrows. In this session we think about what it means to feel sorrow in the Christian life with respect to holiness. How should we feel sorrow as Christians?

Find out more about this course by watching the Introduction.

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National Repentance – Joel 2:12-17 Sermon

Posted on by Phill Sacre

Repentance is a word which has been conspicuously absent from our covid response over the last year. It’s one of the most important words in the Christian vocabulary! I believe we need to urgently consider what repentance means for us at this time.

This is a one-off sermon – we will return to the seven signs in John’s Gospel next week.

Enjoyed this sermon? See more on the sermons page.

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Repentance: (4) Hatred of Sin | Psalm 97

Posted on by Phill Sacre

I think many of us feel uncomfortable about saying that we hate anything – but yet the Bible does tell us to hate certain things.

The passage is online here: https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=psalm+97&version=NIVUK

The Doctrine of Repentance is available in lots of places online e.g. as a PDF here: http://www.onthewing.org/user/Watson%20-%20Repentance%20-%20Modern.pdf

Sermon recorded as part of a livestream on the Great Clacton Parish YouTube channel.

Podcast available here.

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Repentance: (2) Confession – 1 John 1:5-10

Posted on by Phill Sacre

This episode is only available on audio – you may listen to it online here.

The second part of the series in repentance (unfortunately I didn’t record the first part!) The passage is 1 John 1:5-10. 

The book I mention is called “The Doctrine of Repentance” by Thomas Watson, a puritan, and – because it is well out of copyright – is available for free online e.g. here. These sermons are based on his section “Ingredients of Repentance” – the first one we looked at was sorrow for sin.

Sermon preached at St Mark’s Church on Wednesday 11th March.

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