Sunday Message, 4/6/2023, 11.45am

 

Life Transformation Begins with Meeting Jesus

<Ac 19:13-15; Mt 13:44-46; Lk 19:1-10; 2 Co 5:16-17>

 

Introduction

·       It is God’s grace that we can come church to worship God

·       Some people want to enter church but do not have the chance

·       Some others used to serve in the church zealously, but later on they distanced from church and even left God

·       Not only do young people gradually leave God after having career, marriage, family

·       But even among the adults, there are also some who start to grow cold toward their faith after believing in the Lord for many years

 

1.    People leave God because they still have not met God!

1)   Seeing and knowing God is not the same as meeting God

·       It is possible for some people to have seen and known Jesus but not believe in Jesus

·       Even the devil knows Jesus. Read <Ac 19:13-15>

·       Even the demons believe there is only one God <Jas 2:19>

 

2)   Believers should truly meet God

·       What is truly meeting God?

·       Meeting God is like falling in love with God at first sight

·       Read <Mt 13:44-46>

 

Read <Lk 19:1-10> Account about Zacchaeus

 

2 After meeting God, what kind of transformation will there be?

1)   Let us look at Zacchaeus’ transformation

  Before he met Jesus, he was already different
  Zacchaeus had a change in his temperament

  Zacchaeus used concrete actions to demonstrate his repentance

 

2)   Why did Zacchaeus have such dramatic transformation?

·       This was God’s guidance and work

·       Read <2 Co 5:16-17>

 

3)   What kind of transformation did apostle Paul have after meeting Jesus?

·       Paul was not merely a Jew but also a Pharisee

·       They were all waiting for the Messiah to come

·       Paul’s transformation started when he accepted Jesus as the Messiah

 

3.    Have we truly met Lord Jesus?

1)   What is our current state of following God?

·       Is a person saved after saying the sinner’s prayer?

·       Is a person considered saved if he attends Sunday church service, reads the Bible, and prays?

 

2)   Why can’t we do things according to God’s instructions sometimes?

  What was the reason you were willing to believe in and accept the Lord in the first place?

  Do you truly believe that besides the LORD God, there is no other god?

  Do you feel that God always opposes you?

 

3)   If you have really drifted far from God, you must not let your situation worsen

·       The Israelites in the Old Testament often angered God because they worshipped idols

·       However, God still did not forget His covenant with Abraham, and forgave His people many times

 

4)   True faith will bring about real and God-pleasing deeds

<Book of James> keeps telling us: True faith will surely bring about God-pleasing deeds