JOYFUL CHANGE - ALBERT ELISHA OBERDORFER - SAMPLE
God’s goodness leads to true repentance. In scripture, we always see the same picture. People follow Jesus gladly because they have experienced His goodness. Zacchaeus is a prime example. So are many more. The blind man who received a miraculous healing of his eyes, in Luke 18, for example. How did he react once he had received his sight? He followed Jesus. (Luke 18:43) We see the same picture on the day of Pentecost. Peter preached the good news of Jesus Christ. Then the people were touched in their hearts and asked, “What shall we do?” Peter replied, “Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.” (Acts 2:38). And how did the people respond? “Then those who gladly received his word got baptized ...” (Acts 2:41) The point is: they got baptized because they received Peter’s word “gladly.’ This is the biblical way of repentance. It’s a joyful change.
God’s goodness leads to true repentance.
In scripture, we always see the same picture.
People follow Jesus gladly because they have experienced His goodness.
Zacchaeus is a prime example.
So are many more.
The blind man who received a miraculous healing of his eyes, in Luke 18, for example.
How did he react once he had received his sight?
He followed Jesus. (Luke 18:43)
We see the same picture on the day of Pentecost.
Peter preached the good news of Jesus Christ.
Then the people were touched in their hearts and asked, “What shall we do?”
Peter replied, “Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.” (Acts 2:38).
And how did the people respond?
“Then those who gladly received his word got baptized ...” (Acts 2:41)
The point is: they got baptized because they received Peter’s word “gladly.’
This is the biblical way of repentance.
It’s a joyful change.
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6 WHAT JESUS IS TO<br />
US, HE IS THROUGH US.<br />
WHAT JESUS is to us, He is through us.<br />
In other words, what we experience will<br />
flow through us.<br />
If we experience a lot of judgment<br />
coming towards us, we will be naturally<br />
judgmental towards the people around us.<br />
If we experience love, we will be loving.<br />
If we are harboring hurt and<br />
unforgiveness, hurt and unforgiveness will<br />
flow through us as well.<br />
But is it really scriptural that we preach<br />
and demonstrate to people that God is<br />
good?<br />
That God does not hold their sins against<br />
them?<br />
Is that New Covenant?<br />
Or are we better off if we preach the law?<br />
What we see with Jesus is this.<br />
To those who already knew their need, he<br />
didn’t touch on the law.<br />
33
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