Might call it the benefits of being a
Christian . . . What has God done for you?
Why am I a Christian?
1 Peter
[be] ready always to [give] an answer = we should be prepared ahead of time to give a good answer – God will send people into our lives to ask those questions.
I want to make sure we are all thinking about the same question.
Because if I ask you this question and you say well I’m a Christian
“Because I asked Jesus Christ to become my Lord & Savior.” That’s the wrong answer - That’s the answer to the question “How did you get saved?”
the question is - Why are you a Christian?
Analyze the question: Why did you (not your parents or family – some cultures believe that the whole family is whatever religion the parents are) personally (because God gives you your own personal makeup) voluntarily choose (because God gives you free will) to become a Christian? And why do you choose each day to follow a Christian lifestyle? Society gives us rights and privileges – why on earth give them up (meaning – everything society holds dear) to follow this person named Jesus, whom you’ve never met?
What has Christ ever done for you that would cause you to want to make Him your Lord & Savoir and follow Him each and every day – that is the question we are asking when we say, Why am I a Christian? – What has God done for you in your life?
We have tremendous needs in our life (besides the basic needs) – need to be loved, need to be accepted, need to be affirmed & encouraged
How many of you need those things?
The world searches everywhere to get their needs meet – the deepest needs of your soul will only be filled by Jesus – He is the only one who will give your life meaning
Want to share 4 things Jesus has done for me and for you as a Christian & if you’re not a Christian He would do for you if you would ask Him.
4 miraculous things Jesus did on our behalf on the cross:
1st need Jesus
meets is for- Acceptance:
If you talk to social workers & psychologist they will all tell you that One of life’s most prevalent needs is to feel accepted.
When a man & woman get married the man gives his wife his name as a sign of acceptance. When parents have children & children grow up their identity becomes I am the child of these parents – they are the ones that have accepted me and brought me into this world. All you parents know if you don’t properly give your children that sense of acceptance – what will happen? They will go somewhere else & get it - & usually to the wrong place. That is inside of them and God has created marriages & families to be that place where children can find a loving acceptance.
We need to be accepted.
But so often instead of acceptance we see the tears of divorce,
the abusive parents,
the unfaithful spouse,
the friend that betrays us,
the business partner that cheats us – it happens all the time –
I think we would all agree that rejection hurts.
People are rejected by their peers.
In our life there is acceptance & rejection in life – we are all going to be rejected – you can go to every counselor in the world & it will not work
That Sense of Rejection will not leave you, unless you accept Christ.
Worst rejection in history – Adam & Eve chose to sin against God and forced God to brake His acceptance of mankind. God can not accept sin – we were created in the image of God & we lost our identity in God.
But it all changed on the cross - Matthew 27:46: And about the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani? that is to say, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? This is Jesus that was guilty of nothing, what did he do – He took your sin & mine and at that moment God turned His head from Jesus because of the sin he took for us. We are talking about the most dark, lonely, frightening moment of Jesus’ life & He was abandoned. Jesus Christ knows what it is like to be rejected – but He was rejected on our behalf! V. 51 - And, behold, the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom; and the earth did quake, and the rocks rent; the curtain was torn in 2, at the very moment Jesus died! So by taking our rejection, God accepts us into heaven.
(Explain the room and the curtain – God is there, Holiest of holy places, High Priest only allowed in there and he only goes once a year,
curtain = our sin /our separation from God
Curtain was 4” thick / 40 ft tall – not a sheer curtain one might find in their living room.)
The way to God is now open.
If you’re a Christian – please understand that you have been accepted by the God of the universe – you do not have to do anything else to be accepted – God is never going to love you anymore than He is going to love you at this very moment –
you say you don’t know what is going on in my life - God does & He loves you anyway – because Jesus Christ open the door for you to be accepted.
That’s why I am a Christian - no one could ever fill your need like this for acceptance.
Romans 15:7 Wherefore receive/accept ye one another, as Christ also received us to the glory of God. Let Jesus look into your eyes today. Let Him say to you, "I love you. I accept you. I don't love you because you're valuable; you're valuable because I love you." God has accepted you. Now, you accept yourself.
1st He meets our deep need for acceptance
2nd He meets our
need for --Forgiveness:
Most people know that they need forgiveness. We all, at one time, regret something we did at some point in life. Guilt is a major factor in most forms of psychological disturbance and a primary factor in most forms of interpersonal alienation.
We can’t make it right, so we need forgiveness. If you have offended someone you should go seek forgiveness
If there is somebody you need to go and ask forgiveness of or if someone you need to forgive yourself - do it today because unforgiveness is a cancer & it will destroy you.
Also, God will not forgive you unless you for forgive others. Mat 6:15 But
if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive
your trespasses.
But there are going to be people that you will not be able to get forgiveness from.
That is about the forgiveness of man – there is no way we can go back to every single person & make it alright but that’s okay because the important thing is forgiveness from God.
David committed adultery with Bathsheba Psalm 51:4 - Against thee, thee only, have I sinned, and
done [this] evil in thy sight: All
sin is offensive to God. You might sin against a person & they never even
caught it – so they have no offense against you but God always knows.
So even if a man forgives you we still need God’s forgiveness – and if a man even refuses to forgive you God’s forgiveness if sufficient
Isaiah 53:5 - But he [was] wounded for our transgressions, [he was] bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace [was] upon him; and with his stripes we are healed. We have forgiveness & peace from God because Jesus died – He took our punishment for us. And when God forgives, it’s done & forgotten.
People remember, God forgets. Psa 103:12 As far as the east
is from the west, [so] far hath he removed our
transgressions from us.
Psa 32:1 Blessed/happy [is he whose] transgression [is] forgiven, [whose] sin [is]
covered.
At Jesus birth the angel announced, "I bring you good
news of great joy" (Luke
The lost world knows
they are sinners and they are eaten away with guilt – the only thing that
will rectify their problem is confessing to Jesus that they are a sinner &
receiving His forgiveness!
1st point: Jesus endured our rejection by the Father so we could be acceptance
The Acceptance Need
2nd Jesus was punished so we could be forgiven
meeting our need for forgiveness – that is why I am a Christian – no one else could take the pain away – He did it voluntarily
3rd we have a
need for --Wealth:
Not to be a millionaire, but emotional wealth.
We live in a world that is running around looking for wealth
Physical wealth: health clubs, health foods, vitamins, plastic surgery
Wealth in our souls: schools, books, self-help stuff
Spiritual wealth: new age, cults, yoga, channeling, spirit guides
Material wealth: money, clothes, cares, houses, gadgets
Problems are we are searching for wealth in a bankrupt world.
So many people every day filing for bankruptcy,
millions going to bed hungry every night,
1000’s taking their own lives – that’s a bankrupt world – we search in vain for wealth & we don’t find it because it is a dead end streets because all wealth belongs to God – He created it all & owns it all.
Were should we turn for our wealth as Christians? – God our Father!
2 Corinthians 8:9 - For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that ye through his poverty might be rich. The poverty of Jesus earned us the wealth of God.
Phl
If you don’t feel rich in life, how generous are you
in life? The Bible teaches over & over – “Give & you shall
receive.” Acts
We need to be giving people because that is what Christ is!
Speaking of wealth –How
about emotional wealth -how does God see you as a Christian?
Our identity is found in Jesus Christ. We are declared Saints –
Eph 2:6 And hath raised [us] up
together, and made [us] sit together in heavenly [places] in Christ Jesus:
Jesus gives me wealth
of PURPOSE AND MEANING for my LIFE!
This is so huge! What motivates you to get out of bed every
morning?
Do you know why you are on planet earth?
What's your purpose in life!
Those are HUGE questions!
And as a Christian-God answers EVERYONE OF THEM AND MORE!
I know that I was created in the image of God (Gen. 1:26-28).
I know that God has good plans for my life (Jer. 29:11).
I know that God has good works for ME to perform (Eph.
I know that God will reward my efforts for Him
I know that God has gifted ME for ministry (1 Pet. 4:10 As every man hath received the gift, [even so] minister the same one to another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.)… and on and on!
I get of bed each day eager to see what God has in store for me that day!
I have observed that some of the saddest people are those
who do not have a purpose for their lives. In some ways, they are not living,
just existing.
I am a Christian
because through me, God gives life to others while taking care of my need for
emotional wealth!
4.) Meets my need for --Eternal life:
all of us have a desire to live longer
1 Thessalonians
We will all live forever – Christians and non-Christians alike – it just depends on where – Heaven or Hell – with God or without
People ask if God is love how can He send anyone to Hell
God doesn’t send people to Hell, they chose to go there.
Jesus died our death so we could live His eternal life --that is why I am a Christian.
Conclusion:
He meets our needs for:
Acceptance
Forgiveness
Wealth
& Eternal life!
Why am I a Christian? I get to
have a relationship with my creator & Jesus 1st loved me
As Christians He loves us. No matter what. He loves you, and will never love you any more (or less) than He does right now. You can become more useful for Him, you can receive rewards for doing the right things but He will never love you any more than He loves you right now because His Son has died on the cross for you and He accepts you,
He forgives me,
He provides for me,
He gives my life meaning & dignity & destiny &
He gives me eternal life
And what does He ask in return?
That we believe in Him and follow Him. – I gladly chose to do that!
Christian-- Are you looking for opportunities to tell others what Jesus has done for you?
Are you ready and prepared to give an answer? What would you say?
If your not a Christian, all the wonderful things I told you about today can be yours - & God wants them to be yours – all you have to do is ask – believe - & start to follow!