Come to Jesus that you may have life

 2 July 2017 (11.30am service, New Creation Church at The Star Vista)

- Sermon delivered by Pastor Mark Ng 

Sermon Notes (Note: These are personal notes and not a transcription of the sermon.) 

I.            Come to Him

God, through his finished work, is pleased with us.

In our life, we are always very legalistic but God wants us to rest in His love.

We are not here to preach theology but to preach about His son.

John 5:39

You search the Scriptures, for in them you think you have eternal life; and these are they which testify of Me.

 “You search the Scriptures”; “these are they which testify of Me.”

        -      Looking through the scriptures is all about Jesus. It’s all about Him!

John 5:40

But you are not willing to come to Me that you may have life.

       -      Come to Me that you may have life!

Acts 4:13

Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were uneducated and untrained men, they marveled. And they realized that they had been with Jesus.

“uneducated and untrained”

        -          It’s okay if you are uneducated or untrained. You have Jesus to lead you through in life!

II.         Forgiveness Detoxes Our Mind

Church is a place of refuge, the father’s house.  Forgiveness of sins is very important. Without forgiveness, we have unhappy family, and are filled with conflicts and pain.

The house of God- the first entrance is always forgiveness.

Forgiveness detoxes our mind.

Lord Jesus Christ gives us anchor that brings us and our thoughts together.

Pastor Mark was thankful that Pastor Joseph Prince takes complicated theology and break them into right believing and right living for us.

Pastor Mark shared that the more he wanted to forgive a person, the more he hated the person in 1998. For 2 years, Pastor Mark was trying to forgive, but it was so difficult. He thought that he has to forgive before God can forgive him. However, it is not the case.

He then started to serve God without knowing how to serve. He was put to speak to people who have problems. He thought to himself —I have my own set of problems, I don’t know how to answer your questions/issues!

Then he started to remember Pastor Prince’s words— it’s not about you, it’s about the Lord. Pastor Mark then leaned on the Lord and found himself giving wise advice while listening to the problems of others. The wisdom came from the Lord!

Stop trying.

You cannot.

If you can, you don’t need Jesus.

If you can save yourself, you don’t need Jesus.

III.       Receive and Grow

Pastor Mark shared that when he began to receive, he began to grow.

Colossians 2:6

As you have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him,

“So walk in Him”

        -       Your thought must be in Him, not in yourself.

When Pastor Mark knows he is forgiven much, he can love much.

It is He who first loves us. He gives Himself up for me. He first loves me.

Walk in Jesus and receive what He has done for you.

IV.        Be Rooted in Christ

Colossians 2:7

rooted and built up in Him and established in the faith, as you have been taught, abounding in it with thanksgiving.

“rooted”- Once it is rooted, you can fix your mindset and follow him.

When we rooted, we know that we are forgiven and we can grow. We see ourselves leaning on him more and more.

He has paid for all our sins so that we can have a good life.

“Built up in Him”

        -      Thus, it is not about ourselves.

V.           Conclusion

God puts us in Christ, we are thus represented by Christ before God.

Don’t think of it as instant noodles. You need to plant the seed.

Pastor Mark gave an excellent example shared by Pastor Prince— you should not force a child to grow beard; there is a growing process. God wants to walk with you. He knows that you have weaknesses and yet He is with you.

SIN- must take out the I and put in the O, and become the Son.

Pastor Mark shared the following by Pastor Prince (5 Feb 2017):

“Now what is the flesh? The flesh is not your body. But Pastor Prince, flesh, I know. Sarx in Greek. It’s actually the part of you that wants to sin. That part of you that sins. The part of you is not you. The real you is now a new creation in Christ. But the part of you that wants to sin, that part of you that wants to do wrong. Let me tell you this. In our flesh dwells no good thing.”

Psalm 5:12

or You, O Lord, will bless the righteous; With favor You will surround him as with a shield.

Galatians 5:24

And those who are Christ's have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.

Hebrews 4:14

Seeing then that we have a great High Priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession.

Jesus is the “great High Priest”.

Hebrews 4:15

For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin.

Come to the One who understands you— who understands that you are hurt, who understands that you experience pain.

God wants you to breathe. Breathe in Jesus.

Christians are not “good people”. They are forgiven people.

Come to Him, and you will receive.