I didn't mention in my last blog on repentance that Matthew uses the same word in describing the preaching of Jesus. But you knew that any way, right?
From that time on Jesus began to preach, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.” Matthew 4:17
Throughout Jesus' teaching there is a strong sense of "turn around", radical discipleship, paying a price to follow Him. To be true to the message of Jesus we must understand that His real followers have picked up a cross; have died to self and are alive to Jesus; they have different world views, different values, different priorities: they are thinking, talking and acting differently the longer they follow Him. They have made a U-turn.
I rode home from our office on the back of a motorbike yesterday instead of in a taxi. It was just after 5:00 pm, the beginning of rush hour. (My driver was one of our elders, a Canadian, who has been in SE Asia for more than a decade.) A ride in Hanoi's heavy traffic, dominated by motorbikes, (with no white lane lines painted on three lane wide roads), is far more interesting than any amusement park rides for which you have to pay. I won't go into the details since I've often written and talked about traffic here.
Except there is one detail that relates to repentance. In Hanoi traffic, it is common, accepted practice to make what in North America we call a U-turn. At any intersection, or at any place where on a major road there is break in the island that divides traffic moving in different directions, you are allowed to make a U-turn. In fact often there are four motorbikes and two cars making that U-turn at the same time.
What makes this a little more interesting: someone driving a full sized car will normally move to the right at least half a lane before he/she begins to move left to make her U-turn. Then if the car is blocked by traffic, it could be blocking the equivalent of two lanes of traffic from moving. It becomes even more interesting when a large bus is "repenting, turning to go in another direction"; making a U-turn.
In that case traffic travelling in both directions, cars, trucks, bicycles and motor bikes, must slow down or even stop; everyone is fully aware that the bus is definitely changing direction.
In some cultures and countries, a person who repents and becomes a Christ follower is easy to spot. Their change in direction is very evident. This tends to make people hesitate because they know that if they turn to follow Christ, they will easily be identified by family and community. It is a hard decision because they know there may quickly be a price to pay for making this U-turn.
On the other hand, it makes it easier to explain to people that trusting in and following Jesus involves a major life change: in those cultures the traffic pattern is clear; when you choose to follow Jesus you have clearly changed direction.
While we must avoid legalism and an over emphasis on behaviour, we do need to explain to new believers what this new life involves; the implications of their repentance and faith. It will be so helpful to them if they understand from the beginning that "to repent and follow Jesus" is not merely a traffic lane change; they've made a definite U-turn.
From that time on Jesus began to preach, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.” Matthew 4:17
Throughout Jesus' teaching there is a strong sense of "turn around", radical discipleship, paying a price to follow Him. To be true to the message of Jesus we must understand that His real followers have picked up a cross; have died to self and are alive to Jesus; they have different world views, different values, different priorities: they are thinking, talking and acting differently the longer they follow Him. They have made a U-turn.
I rode home from our office on the back of a motorbike yesterday instead of in a taxi. It was just after 5:00 pm, the beginning of rush hour. (My driver was one of our elders, a Canadian, who has been in SE Asia for more than a decade.) A ride in Hanoi's heavy traffic, dominated by motorbikes, (with no white lane lines painted on three lane wide roads), is far more interesting than any amusement park rides for which you have to pay. I won't go into the details since I've often written and talked about traffic here.
Except there is one detail that relates to repentance. In Hanoi traffic, it is common, accepted practice to make what in North America we call a U-turn. At any intersection, or at any place where on a major road there is break in the island that divides traffic moving in different directions, you are allowed to make a U-turn. In fact often there are four motorbikes and two cars making that U-turn at the same time.
What makes this a little more interesting: someone driving a full sized car will normally move to the right at least half a lane before he/she begins to move left to make her U-turn. Then if the car is blocked by traffic, it could be blocking the equivalent of two lanes of traffic from moving. It becomes even more interesting when a large bus is "repenting, turning to go in another direction"; making a U-turn.
In that case traffic travelling in both directions, cars, trucks, bicycles and motor bikes, must slow down or even stop; everyone is fully aware that the bus is definitely changing direction.
In some cultures and countries, a person who repents and becomes a Christ follower is easy to spot. Their change in direction is very evident. This tends to make people hesitate because they know that if they turn to follow Christ, they will easily be identified by family and community. It is a hard decision because they know there may quickly be a price to pay for making this U-turn.
On the other hand, it makes it easier to explain to people that trusting in and following Jesus involves a major life change: in those cultures the traffic pattern is clear; when you choose to follow Jesus you have clearly changed direction.
While we must avoid legalism and an over emphasis on behaviour, we do need to explain to new believers what this new life involves; the implications of their repentance and faith. It will be so helpful to them if they understand from the beginning that "to repent and follow Jesus" is not merely a traffic lane change; they've made a definite U-turn.
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