What does it mean to be a Christian?  Do you simply say a prayer or walk an aisle and now you go to heaven?  Or is there something deeper, more profound.  We live in an instantaneous and impatient culture.  If your Google search takes more than 3.4 seconds, you are refreshing the page.  If we are not careful we can take the same instantaneous and impatient mentality to faith in Jesus Christ.  What we read in Mark 1:15 is that Jesus calls us to respond to the kingdom he is now bringing, through repentance and belief in the gospel.  Repentance, where we turn from trusting what we do to trusting what God does in Christ Jesus.  But this seems impossible, if we are truly honest with ourselves.  Jesus would even agree.  We read in John 3 that when Nicodemus comes to Jesus, Jesus share with him that one must be born again.  For one to enter the kingdom of God, one must receive this new birth, which theologians call regeneration.  Nicodemus, clearly confused, asks how this new birth takes place.  Jesus simply states that it happens by the Spirit of God and just as one has no clue where the wind blows, so to we have no idea where the Spirit will work to bring one to faith in Jesus.  But notice what Jesus is wanting us to see: First, to be a Christian is to be born again.  Second, this new birth does not happen to all, and even all as they might say they desire.  Third, this new birth is a work of the Spirit.  Fourth, as we read later in John 14, the Spirit is given to remind us of all that Jesus said.  Thus fifthly and lastly, being a Christian is less about a prayer or walking an aisle, and more about a new birth, where we are transformed by the power of the Holy Spirit to love what we once hated, namely Jesus Christ and his ways while hating what we once loved, namely our sin.  Before we think we are a follower of Jesus because of some decision we made, we must search our heart to see if the new birth has happened to us.  Then we might know Christ is in us by the Spirit he has given to us.  As we seek to share the good news of Jesus through our one challenge, let’s remember it’s less about having people pray a prayer to “come to faith” and more about pleading with people to know and love Jesus and pleading with God to do the work of regeneration in one’s heart.  Ultimately God does the work.  He uses us, but we are dependent upon him to work.  

                                          Pastor Derek
 

What's Happening At SCC

Easter Invite: April 17th, 10:30 am

Do you have friends who need to hear the good news of Jesus Christ?  Pray about inviting them to our Easter service on April 17th, as we look at the reason for the hope we hold.


Equip: April 27th, 6:30 pm
Ever had trouble understanding your Bible?  Most of us have.  Sometimes what we need is a good overview in order to anchor our reading.  Join us as we walk through an overview of the Old Testament from 1 Chronicles through Malachi.  (If you missed the prior overview of the Old Testament from Genesis through 2 Kings you can find the audio on our podcast). Childcare and refreshments will be provided.  Location: Sanctuary