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 Sermon 12-29-07
  

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Connecting to God
 
As you've looked through this web page, maybe you have some questions about the Christian faith. Or maybe you've been on a spiritual search and are wanting to know how to connect to God and become a Christian. Well, if that's the case, I hope you will take a few minutes to look at and seriously consider the following material that shares from the Bible how you can connect to God and become a Christian.

(I) What is a Christian?
A Christian is someone who believes in and follows Jesus Christ. A Christian is forgiven of sin and has a personal relationship with God through Christ. He or she is a child of God.

(II) Why should I become a Christian?
We are created to know and relate to God. Something is missing apart from that relationship. We are created to worship and glorify God. We can only do that through Jesus Christ. Also, God loves us and has a wonderful plan for our lives. Life can only be what it is supposed to be through a personal relationship with Christ. There are several benefits that we acquire by giving our lives to Christ:
 
  1. We are forgiven of all of our sins. Ephesians 1:7 says, "In Him [Christ] we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace."
  2. We become a new person. 2 Corinthians 5:17 says, "Anyone who is in Christ is a new creation. Old things have passed away. Behold, all things have become new."
  3. We are blessed with every spiritual blessing. Ephesians 1:3 says, "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus."
  4. We enter into a relationship with God where He becomes our Father and we become His children. Galatians 4:6-7 says, "And because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into your hearts crying out, Abba, Father."
  5. We are given the gift of eternal life and guaranteed a home in heaven when we die. Romans 6:23 says that "the gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord." In John 14:3, Jesus promised that He was going to prepare a place for us that where He is we might be also.
  6. We can have an abundant life right now through Christ. Jesus said, "I have come that you might have life and have it more abundantly." (John 10:10)

(III) What do I need to understand and do in order to connect with God and become a Christian?

  1. God's Nature:
     
    1. God is Creator and we are made in His image. Genesis 1:1 says, "In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth." Genesis 1:26 tells us that we are made in the image of God.
    2. God is Holy. This means He is perfect and must judge sin (1 Peter 1:15).
    3. God is love. This means that He wants what is best for us. (1 John 4:8).
  2. God's Plan:
     
    1. God wants to know us personally and have a relationship with us.
    2. God wants to bless us.
    3. God wants to dwell with us forever.
  3. Our Problem:
    God wants to have a relationship with us and bless us by giving us an abundant life. However we have a big problem, which is our sin.
     
    1. Everyone is a sinner. Romans 3:23 says, "For all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God." Sin means to miss the mark. It is disobedience to God and rebellion against Him. It is anything we do that is wrong.
    2. Our sins separate us from God according to Isaiah 59:2. God's holiness prevents Him from interacting from sin to there is a great gulf between God and sinful man. That is why God does not seem like He is there to some people.
    3. Our sins bring death according to Romans 6:23. This is because life is in God so we cannot have spiritual life in a state of separation from God.
    4. We are incapable of solving our own sin problem. Ephesians 2:8-9 says, "For by grace are you saved through faith, and not of yourselves. It is the gift of God, not of works, lest any man should be boast." Nothing we do can contribute anything to our salvation. Jesus paid the price, and the only way to be saved is by accepting what He did for us.
  4. God's Solution:
    God has graciously provided a solution to our problem through the Lord Jesus Christ, who is the gift of God. Who is Jesus and what has he done for us?
     
    1. Jesus is fully God and fully man. Jesus is the eternal God but he took on humanity so He could be the substitute for our sins. Colossians 2:9 says, "For in Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily."
    2. Jesus is our substitute who died on the cross in our place to pay the price for our sins. He literally died in our place taking the death and punishment that each of us deserve. He paid to God the price of our sin debt. 1 Peter 3:18 says, "For Christ also suffered once for sins, the just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive by the Spirit."
    3. Jesus bodily rose from the dead (1 Corinthians 15:3-4). Jesus conquered death. The cross would mean nothing without the resurrection.
  5. Our Response:
    Jesus made this great sacrifice for us, but we must personally receive Christ in order for us to experience God's solution (John 1:12). How do we receive Christ into our lives?
     
    1. Faith. John 3:16 says, "For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life." Notice that it says believe-not whoever does good deeds, or whoever is baptized, or whoever is a good person, or whoever is confirmed, or whoever is a member of a church. To believe is to entrust our lives fully to Christ.
    2. Repentance. Acts 3:19 says, "Repent and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out." Repentance is doing a u-turn away from sin and towards God.
    3. Confess Christ as Lord. Romans 10:9 tells us to confess that Jesus Christ is Lord. This means that we are to acknowledge Him as God and as the master, or boss, of our lives.
    4. Call on God and ask Christ into your life. Romans 10:13 says, "For whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved."

Do you want to receive Christ as your Savior?

You can do it right now. If you will acknowledge and take responsibility for your sin, realize that you can't contribute anything to your salvation, believe that Jesus is fully God and fully man, believe that He died on the cross for your sins and rose from the dead, personally invite Christ into your life by faith, and confess Jesus as Lord-God will forgive you and become a part of your life.

If you want to receive Christ, in faith and sincerity pray a prayer something like this:

Dear God,

I know that I have sinned and I am sorry. Please forgive me and help me to turn from my sin. I believe that Jesus is the Son of God who died on the cross for me and rose from the dead. I receive His payment for my sins and ask Him to come into my life and be my Savior, and I acknowledge Him as Lord and Master of my life. Thank you for saving me.
In Jesus Name, Amen

If you prayed this prayer to receive Christ, please contact me at Pastor@thetruelifechurch.com so we can send you information about how to live the Christian life to its fullest and grow closer to Christ. Salvation is only the beginning. God has wonderful things in store for the rest of your life.

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