Repentance: Turning Towards Christ the King

Discipleship as a Change of Kingdom and Direction

Matthew 4:12 - 25

The New Testament is a book about disciples, by disciples, and for disciples of Jesus Christ… All of the assurances and benefits offered to humankind in the gospel evidently presuppose such a life and do not make realistic sense apart from it. – Dallas Willard

Discipleship is not an optional aspect of Christian faith; it is the context in which we experience the Kingdom of God, salvation, and eternal life. As Dallas Willard observes, the promises of the gospel do not make full sense apart from a life lived with Jesus. The disciple is not an advanced or elite version of the Christian, but simply the basic model. To follow Jesus is not a specialization—it is Christianity itself.

If this is true, then repentance is not secondary or occasional. It is foundational to life with Christ. To follow Jesus means more than believing certain truths about Him; it means continually responding to His call—to turn, to realign, and to live under His leadership. Repentance is not a single moment at the beginning of faith, but a lifelong posture that shapes the life of a disciple.

At its heart, repentance is about direction. It is the turning away from all that pulls us from Christ and the steady turning toward Him, so that our lives are conformed to His way and shaped by His reign.

When Royalty Visits

A few years ago, I had the opportunity to visit Muckross House, a Victorian mansion in southern Ireland, now preserved as a national heritage site. Walking through the house and its grounds, I was struck by the care given to every detail—the restored rooms, the carefully arranged furnishings, and the stunning gardens. Everything communicated dignity and honor.

During the tour, I heard a story I will never forget. In 1861, Queen Victoria visited Muckross House as a guest of the Herbert family. Hosting the queen was an extraordinary honor, but it also carried great responsibility. If she were displeased, it would bring public shame and lasting disgrace.

Determined to receive her in a manner worthy of her status, the Herbert family spared no expense. New tapestries, carpets, silverware, china, musical instruments, and servant uniforms were commissioned. The gardens were redesigned for her walks, additional staff were hired and trained, and an entire section of the house was renovated for her use, even requiring the construction of a new fire escape outside her room.

I imagine the atmosphere in those days—the nervous anticipation, the careful preparations, the sense that every detail mattered. The house itself was transformed in readiness for her arrival.

Queen Victoria stayed only two nights. She left no financial reward, no titles or honors—only her appreciation and the lasting prestige of having hosted her. Yet the Herbert family considered every effort worthwhile, simply for the privilege of welcoming their queen.

That story often leads me to ask an uncomfortable question: what if a king or world leader announced they were coming to stay in my home? How much time, energy, and attention would I give to preparing for their arrival?

And more importantly, how do we respond when we realize that the King of the universe has come—not for a brief visit, but to reign? The coming of Christ calls for more than polite acknowledgment. It calls for transformation. To truly receive Him, our hearts must be prepared—and that preparation begins with repentance.

The Kingdom of Heaven has come!

The King has come, and with Him the kingdom of heaven. This is the good news Jesus proclaimed wherever He went.

Yet this announcement only sounds like good news when we understand the desperation of the situation into which Jesus came. Matthew, quoting Isaiah, describes humanity’s condition with two striking images. First, the world is in great darkness—not merely lacking light, but blind to truth, justice, and hope. Second, it is the land of the shadow of death—not a distant threat, but a present reality shaping daily life. People stumble under the weight of sin, injustice, and despair, unable to find a way forward.

This diagnosis is not confined to ancient history. We recognize it easily in our own world. Violence, corruption, deception, and injustice fill the news. The effects of sin are not abstract; they are woven into our relationships, our habits, and our deepest longings.

Against this backdrop, Jesus’ message shines with power. God has not abandoned His broken world. He has come to restore what was lost, to confront evil, and to offer life to those dwelling in darkness. Where despair once ruled, a great light has dawned.

Jesus did not merely announce this kingdom—He demonstrated it. He healed the sick, freed the oppressed, and brought life where death had held sway. His reign is not empty promise, but living reality. The kingdom He brings is one of justice, mercy, and peace—not merely the absence of conflict, but the presence of wholeness. It is life as God intended it to be.

This is why Jesus’ call to repentance is inseparable from His proclamation of the kingdom. If this kingdom is truly good news, then it demands a response.

Repentance: Changing Kingdoms and Directions

In response to the arrival of God’s kingdom, Jesus calls people to repent. Repentance is not an afterthought or a preliminary requirement; it is the essential response to the reign of God. Jesus’ call is urgent and direct. If the kingdom has come, then life cannot continue as before.

When Jesus calls four fishermen in Matthew’s Gospel, their response embodies this urgency. They leave their nets, their livelihood, and their familiar way of life and follow Him. Their obedience is immediate. They recognize in Jesus something greater than everything they are leaving behind. Repentance, for them, is not a feeling—it is a decisive turning.

This helps us see what repentance truly is. It is more than guilt, regret, or remorse, though those emotions may accompany it. Repentance is a change of direction. It is a shift in allegiance. It is the decision to turn away from one way of life and step into another under the leadership of Jesus.

Repentance is active. It involves leaving behind old patterns, loyalties, and securities that no longer belong in God’s kingdom. This can feel costly and uncertain. Yet repentance is not merely a loss; it is also an arrival. It is the movement from kingdoms that lead to death into the kingdom where true life is found.

Imagine setting out on a road trip from Greece to France, only to realize hours later

that you are heading toward Russia. The further you drive, the more wrong the direction becomes. At some point, feeling bad about the mistake is not enough. You must stop, turn around, and begin moving in the right direction.

This is the biblical picture of repentance. Jesus is leading us toward life in His kingdom. Repentance is recognizing that we are headed the wrong way and choosing to turn toward Him. It is fixing our eyes on Jesus and learning to walk in His way—not merely in belief, but in daily obedience.

Repentance, then, is not only leaving behind sin. It is leaving behind anything that keeps us from fully following Jesus. The fishermen did not abandon sinful professions, yet they still left what hindered their response to Christ’s call. Repentance means surrendering every competing allegiance so that Jesus may truly be Lord.

There is no neutral direction. Every day, through our choices and habits, we are moving either toward Jesus or away from Him. The question is not whether we are moving, but where we are headed. The kindness of God leads us to repentance, turning us from destruction and guiding us into life.

If the kingdom of God is truly good news, then repentance is not a burden—it is the doorway into freedom.

A Way of Life

Salvation and grace are found in the kingdom of God, where true life is experienced under His rule. Only in this kingdom do we discover the life we were created for. No other allegiance can satisfy, and no other kingdom can deliver lasting joy. This is why Jesus calls people not merely to belief, but to life under His reign.

When someone moves to a new country, they must learn a new way of living. The customs, values, and instincts shaped by the old place no longer fit. To belong, they must be formed by the rhythms of their new home. In the same way, to follow Jesus is to make the kingdom of God our dwelling place. It is to learn, over time, how to live under His leadership and desire what He desires.

This is why repentance cannot be reduced to a single moment. It is a lifelong posture of turning—again and again—toward Christ. Repentance keeps our hearts open and responsive. It allows Jesus to search us, realign us, and reshape us as we walk with Him. It is not driven by fear or shame, but by trust in His goodness and confidence that His way leads to life.

The kindness of God leads us to repentance, drawing us away from paths that diminish us and into the freedom of His kingdom. As we continue to turn toward Jesus, we find that repentance is not a burden but a gift. It is the way we remain close to the King who has come near.

To repent, then, is to live with our faces turned toward Christ—learning His way, trusting His leadership, and allowing His reign to shape every part of our lives. This is not merely how we begin the Christian life. It is how we live it.

Repentance is not a burden meant to crush us, but a gift that continually turns us toward life under the reign of Jesus.

See the full chapter here.