I said in this past Sunday’s sermon that I see people at SWC who were once dead but are now walking around fully alive because of what Christ has done for them. “When we were dead in our sins…God made us alive with Christ” (Col. 2:13). When people ask me questions about my faith in Christ, I usually end up describing how I was once dead but Christ has brought me back to life. I recall the details of my dead life without Christ using descriptive words like empty, lonely, purposeless, hurting, and hopeless. I describe my new life in Christ with words such as joy, love, peace, and purpose.
In Scripture, we run into people who share, in just a few words, the difference that Christ has made in their lives. The blind man in John 9 says “One thing I do know. I was blind but now I see!" The Apostle Paul says 1 Timothy 1:13 “Even though I was once a blasphemer and a persecutor and a violent man, I was shown mercy.”
What would you say to someone who asked you to share your death to life, before and after story? In other words, share in 1-2 sentences what Christ has done for you. The Apostle Peter challenges us in 1 Peter to “be prepared to give a reason for the hope you profess in Christ, but do it with gentleness and respect.” So, here is your chance to be prepared. In 1-2 sentences, share how a relationship with Christ has brought you from death to life.
Looking forward to your resurrection story,
Pastor Lenny
In Scripture, we run into people who share, in just a few words, the difference that Christ has made in their lives. The blind man in John 9 says “One thing I do know. I was blind but now I see!" The Apostle Paul says 1 Timothy 1:13 “Even though I was once a blasphemer and a persecutor and a violent man, I was shown mercy.”
What would you say to someone who asked you to share your death to life, before and after story? In other words, share in 1-2 sentences what Christ has done for you. The Apostle Peter challenges us in 1 Peter to “be prepared to give a reason for the hope you profess in Christ, but do it with gentleness and respect.” So, here is your chance to be prepared. In 1-2 sentences, share how a relationship with Christ has brought you from death to life.
Looking forward to your resurrection story,
Pastor Lenny
9 comments:
Christ took me from a life that was empty lonely, filled with confusion,depression and gave me a life filled with hope and a promise of a future.He changed my life and made me new and whole ( sorry its hard to just write two sentences lol)
When I was a younger man. My life was run on self will only. It was all about the "me"," myself", and "I". I caused so much pain for all who knew and loved me. There was no contact with GOD. But there came a day in Dec. 1989 when my so call life came to an end. My wife at that time decided she had enough of me and took our three year old daughter and moved out. This was all because of my love of self and the bottle. I remember walking late at night and cursing at this so called GOD. I can tell you there was no LOVE for I was living in the darkness of death. GOD saved me, and today I can truely say that my contact with GOD is growing. He has rasied me from the dead so that I can spread the good news he is the way and the light.
Lenny, I'm not really sure why my blog came up anonymous but it did.
Sorry
Steve
Since joining SWC and beginning my walk in victory, my old, dead, angry life filled with self-centeredness, unforgiveness, envy, greed, lust, impatience and materialism, has been made alive with Christ. Although I still stumble, my new life is filled with love, peace, generosity and authentic friendships!
Maria, Steve and Brad, thanks for sharing your resurrection stories with me. It has been a joy for me to read and be apart of your death to life story. I see God-stuff happening in our midst so often I can hardly keep up with it.
Lenny
Here's an odd thing, I just blogged something like this this morning, about a sin I've been battling forever and conquered this week:
"This time I could see nothing but the ugliness, pain and pure misery that came out of me giving into temptation, and when I asked forgiveness, with the intention to repent, I felt VERY different because I ABSOLUTELY knew I was forgiven, wouldn’t try it again (God willing), and it was OVER. Boom."
You can read my whole post:
Yea, it's called grace
never before did i have a peace that surpasses all understanding and an indescribable joy that comes from surrendering all and following Christ
I came to know Jesus as a very little girl. He was my lifeline in a world that was very dark and painful. I didn't know a lot of peace then but I knew I had Jesus and I never let go. (He didn't let go of me either) As the years have passed he has become sweeter and more precious to me. The peace has grown and deepened as he has shown himself to me in very personal powerful ways. I have seen his hand in my life and know that if it was not for him I would be dead or foaming at the mouth. The resurrection for me in some ways has been an ongoing experience. I do not remember ever not knowing him. However, It was a long time before he took me out of the world of darkness and pain into a place of light. I continue to live in this world and confront darkness every day in my work, but the darkness can no longer touch me.
Thanks Gina, Matt and Roberta. I love hearing your stories of how Christ raised you from the dead by heling you conquer sin and fall more deeply in love with Him. God is good!
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