The Sweetest Joys Are From the Sourest Tears
True repentance is a sorrowing for sin because it offends God, and turning from all sin without reservation, leading to spiritual joy.
Thomas Brooks emphasizes that true repentance involves turning away from sin and towards God, highlighting the difference between Peter's sorrow for offending Christ and Judas's regret for his punishment. He illustrates that genuine repentance requires a complete rejection of sin, likening it to a flood that drowns even our dearest attachments. Brooks asserts that every sin must be viewed as toxic and repulsive, leading to a heartfelt sorrow for having grieved God. He concludes that the deepest joys arise from the most profound tears of repentance, as they ultimately lead to spiritual joy and restoration.
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Sin is a turning the back upon God--and the face
towards hell. Repentance is a turning the back
upon sin--and a setting the face towards God!
True repentance is a sorrowing for sin because it
is offensive to God. Peter was sorry for his sin;
Judas was sorry his for punishment. Peter grieves
because Christ was grieved; Judas grieved because
he would be damned.
As Noah's flood drowned his nearest and his dearest
friends, so the flood of penitent tears drowns men's
nearest and their dearest lusts! Be they Isaacs or
Benjamins, be they right eyes or right hands, true
repentance puts all to the sword; it spares neither
father nor mother, neither Agag nor Achan.
Repentance is a turning from all sin, without any
reservation or exception. One stab at the heart kills,
one hole in the ship sinks her, one act of treason
makes a traitor. Just so, one sin not forsaken, not
turned from, will undo a soul forever.
A true penitent looks upon every sin as poison, as
the vomit of a dog, as the mire of the street, as the
menstruous cloth, which of all things in the law was
most unclean, defiling, and polluting. He looks thus
upon every sin, turns his heart against every sin,
and makes him not only to refrain from sin--but
to forsake it, and to loathe it more than hell.
True repentance breaks the heart with sighs,
sobs, and groans--that . . .
a loving Father is offended,
a blessed Savior crucified, and
the sweet Comforter grieved.
Penitent Mary Magdalene weeps much, as well as loves
much. Tears, instead of jewels, were the ornaments of
penitent David's bed. Surely that sweet singer never
sang more melodiously, than when his heart was broken
most penitentially.
The sweetest joys are from the sourest tears;
penitent tears are the breeders of spiritual joy. The
bee gathers the best honey off the bitterest herbs.
Christ made the best wine of water; the strongest,
the purest, the truest, the most permanent, and the
most excellent joy is made of the waters of repentance.
"Those who sow in tears will reap with songs of joy."
Psalm 126:5
Sermon Outline
- I. The Nature of Sin
- A. Sin is a turning away from God
- B. Sin is offensive to God
- II. True Repentance
- A. Sorrow for sin because it offends God
- B. Turning from all sin without reservation
- III. The Power of Repentance
- A. Repentance breaks the heart with sorrow
- B. Repentance leads to spiritual joy
Key Quotes
“Repentance is a turning from all sin, without any reservation or exception.” — Thomas Brooks
“The sweetest joys are from the sourest tears; penitent tears are the breeders of spiritual joy.” — Thomas Brooks
“Those who sow in tears will reap with songs of joy.” — Thomas Brooks
Application Points
- We must turn from all sin without reservation, sparing neither ourselves nor others.
- True repentance breaks the heart with sorrow, but leads to spiritual joy.
- Penitent tears are the breeders of spiritual joy.