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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16 Then the man in whom the evil spirit<br />
was leaped on them, overpowered them,<br />
and prevailed against them, so that they<br />
fled out of that house naked and wounded.<br />
17 This became known both to all Jews<br />
and Greeks dwelling in Ephesus; and fear<br />
fell on them all, and the name of the Lord<br />
Jesus was magnified.<br />
18 And many who had believed came<br />
confessing and telling their deeds.<br />
19 Also, many of those who had practiced<br />
magic brought their books together and<br />
burned them in the sight of all. And they<br />
counted up the value of them, and it<br />
totaled fifty thousand pieces of silver.<br />
20 So the word of the Lord grew mightily<br />
and prevailed. (Acts 19:11-20)<br />
I remember an event from my own life.<br />
After I had come to the Lord and<br />
experienced a real conversion (I also<br />
received the Holy Spirit), I also made<br />
restitution.<br />
Not because I was forced to do it.<br />
I did it because I wanted to do it.<br />
Actually, nobody suggested to me that I<br />
should do it.<br />
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