Mighty Repentance

Jonah began to go into the city, going a day’s journey. And he called out, “Yet forty days, and Nineveh shall be overthrown!” And the people of Nineveh believed God. They called for a fast and put on sackcloth, from the greatest of them to the least of them.

The word reached the king of Nineveh, and he arose from his throne, removed his robe, covered himself with sackcloth, and sat in ashes. And he issued a proclamation and published through Nineveh, “By the decree of the king and his nobles: Let neither man nor beast, herd nor flock, taste anything. Let them not feed or drink water, but let man and beast be covered with sackcloth, and let them call out mightily to God. Let everyone turn from his evil way and from the violence that is in his hands. Who knows? God may turn and relent and turn from His fierce anger, so that we may not perish.”

When God saw what they did, how they turned from their evil way, God relented of the disaster that He had said He would do to them, and He did not do it.

Jonah 3:4-10

I love hearing stories of people coming to faith in Christ—and I will confess, I love the dramatic ones, though I know all believers are interrupted in our lostness by God’s strong and gracious initiative! The record of Jonah’s preaching in Nineveh, and that city’s repentance and belief in God, is a great example.

Another colorful story of new life in God’s power is that of Zacchaeus—a small man who had an eternal experience with Jesus (Luke 19:1-10). Zacchaeus lived in Jericho, where he worked as a tax-collector for the Romans, gathering the empire’s taxes from the Judeans it ruled. Tax collectors were deeply resented, because they were known to overcharge their fellow Jews to make extra money for themselves. Luke’s Gospel comments significantly that Zacchaeus was rich.

Jesus was passing through Jericho, and Zacchaeus “wanted to see who Jesus was.” But there were crowds of people waiting for Jesus. Zacchaeus was not a tall man, but he was innovative and apparently quite fit. He ran ahead of the crowds and climbed a tree to get a good view. But as Jesus approached, He suddenly stopped and looked up. Zacchaeus must have been shocked to hear Jesus call to him, “Zacchaeus, hurry and come down, for I must stay at your house today.”

To provide this hospitality was a great honor in this culture, and for a man as wealthy as Zacchaeus, it was no burden. He quickly scrambled down to lead Jesus to his luxurious home, receiving Him “joyfully.” But watching people were astonished that Jesus would ask to dine with such a sinner—a tax-collector!

Like God sending His prophet to evil Nineveh, Jesus clearly was on a mission in Jericho. He went to have dinner with Zacchaeus, who had gotten rich on his fellow Jews’ money. The story of Zacchaeus is briefly told, like that of Nineveh. As with Nineveh, the Word of God came personally to this sinner, uninvited and certainly undeserved, and the change was just as dramatic. Just as Nineveh had believed God and actively repented, Zacchaeus received Jesus, and, though the word “repentance” is not in the text, in Jesus’ grace and power, the tax collector’s life was radically turned. He told Jesus he would restore fourfold anything he had fraudulently taken. Jesus’ comment was, “Today salvation has come to this house...For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost” (Luke 19:10).

Repentance, like faith, is God’s gift (Acts 11:18), and it is mighty!

Repentance opens the way for deeper knowledge of God’s truth (2 Timothy 2:25).    

Repentance, in God’s power, brings living results.

John the Baptist, anticipating Christ’s coming, called for “fruit” of repentance (Matthew 3:8). Repentance is more than an emotional response or wishing we could do better; authentic repentance demonstrates Christ-created new attitudes and actions.

Repentance continues as we follow Christ.

As we confess specific sins, we are conscious of forgiveness, and we experience cleansing, as well as the Spirit’s power to transform (I John 1:9).

Repentance has influence.

The king of Nineveh led his city in repentance and received God’s mercy. Zacchaeus’ life change would have been evident in Jericho’s community as he humbly restored what he had taken.

What is our real practice of repentance? How evident is God’s merciful change in our lives?

In the words of Peter, we are called to continue to “repent therefore…that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord…” (Acts 3:19-20)