The Almost Christian | How to Be a Real Christian

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Signs of repression will come from the presence of repentance is a vital necessary part of entering into a genuine relationship or what is in me pastor Greg Laurie explains today is all live in darkness close like living those in the this is what it means. Certainly no things that have gone before other English 201 English 101 Greg Laurie were any prerequisites in making a genuine commitment to Jesus Christ of heaven hangs in the balance want to make sure our hearts and minds are so severe today's message services for studies in this story. What we could describe is almost Christian's name was Herod Agrippa and he was listening to the apostle Paul. And really, as we read that what Paul says we learn how to share our faith with non-believers asked 26 verse one Agrippa said to Paul, you may not speak in your defense in public adjuster of this in started is that that's a very fortunate King Agrippa that you were the one here in my defense against all these accusations made by the Jewish leaders right know you're an expert on Jewish customs and controversies now listen to me personally getting out dropped on the bursa.

This is false testimony. I used to believe I had to do everything I could to oppose the followers of Jesus of Nazareth authorized by the leading pre-site because many of the believers in Jerusalem to be sent to prison.

I cast my vote against them and they were condemned to death. Many times I had them with in the synagogue to get them to curse Christ. I was so violently opposing impulses. I hounded them distant cities of foreign lands.

One day I met such a mission to the masculine form of the authority and commission of the leading priests about noon, your Majesty. A light from heaven, brighter than the sun shone down to me on my companions. We all fell down and I heard a voice saying to me in Aramaic, Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me. It's hard for you to fight against my will. I said who are you, sir. And the Lord replied, I am Jesus, the one you are persecuted. He'd love to tell the story because it build a bridge and that brings me to my first point.

When you want to share your faith with someone find common ground and build a bridge to your listener.

Notice what he says in verse six. I am fortunate, King Agrippa, you are the one here in my defense, that didn't sound like flattery. He also says your Majesty think he's just having respect for the guy. I know you're a king I know you're a ruler and I want to reach you right now with the gospel. There were reports historically that Agrippa was having an incestuous relationship with Bernice's sister. So Paul got a call about a dude I know about going on with you and your sister.

What's wrong with you is he. This is what we get sidetracked as Christians were talking to someone that's living a different lifestyle than we are, may be there again, maybe they're living with her boyfriend or their girlfriend. Maybe they're strung out on drugs.

Maybe they have an alcohol issue and so we start) going after that, no listen, that's not the place to start. The place to start is with Jesus. Start with Jesus when Jesus met with the woman at the well who would been married and divorced five times and was living with a guy you can go straight to that insight. I know you're a wicked, immoral woman. Rather, he said hey just drink your water pot if you drink of this water you'll thirst again. But if you drink of the water. I offer will never thirst is appealing to their inner thirst and sometimes we unnecessarily alienate people at the outset instead of building a bridge to a person. Tell your story of how you came to Christ, don't get the cart before the horse. The main message to these people to all people is Jesus. And of course Paul uses his personal testimony to build that bridge.

Here's a great thing about your story. It's a great way to preach to a person without preaching at a person does it make sense though it's as I tell my story I heard a guy say Jesus said your forming or against me.

So instead of me starting with this sermon, I start with my story, but in effect I am kinda preaching to them.

So it's showing them I wasn't always the way I am now Christ is change me, that's the place to begin. Asked 26 verse 18 we did this, he says to Agrippa. God has called me to preach the gospel, which means to open their eyes so they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God, and then they will receive forgiveness for their sins and be given a place among God's people and be given an inheritance to big things must happen for you to not be an almost Christian, but for you to become a real Christian number one, you need to have your eyes open. Need to have your eyes open. The Bible speaks of the spiritual blindness that every person has were told in second Corinthians for the good news we preach is veiled from anyone. It's a sign there perishing Satan, the God of this evil world is blind in the eyes of those that do not believe in their unable to see the glorious light of the good news. Shining upon them.

They don't understand the message we preach about Jesus who is the exact likeness of God. So listen when you're talking to a nonbeliever pray this order open their eyes. There's nothing I can say to open your eyes. There's nothing I can say to make a nonbeliever believe that people come up to me. It's a great witness like the care on getting the person to come to Christ. What is that you know that one thing you can say that will cause everyone to believe like evangelists like about the card in your back pocket or something.

I'm just like you, I just proclaimed the truth but I pray that God would open their spiritual eyes. In fact, Paul even says in Ephesians 118. He prays that the eyes of the hard would be open because Satan is blinded people so first we pray Lord open their eyes. So when you came to Christ, your eyes were open to semi ears came a moment may have happened in a flash. All of a sudden you realize this is all true that happen for me of told you before, it 817 them looking at the Christians. I'm thinking there crazy. I don't even know why I'm there if something was said and all of a sudden I just thought this is all true, it's all true. And this is what I've been looking for.

That's having your eyes open. But that doesn't mean you're converted yet.

It's possible to have your eyes open and still not believe you can say I know it's true. I know Jesus is the way I know there's a heaven. I know there's a hell I know we need to repent great. Have you done it no listen your close and you're closer than you were before, but you need to have your eyes open number one in the number two you need to turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God, that's a process turn from darkness to light and the power of Satan. God only God can open your spiritualized only you can turn from darkness to light from the power of Satan to God. Romans 13 says the night is almost gone the day of salvation will soon be here. Don't live in darkness.

Get rid of your evil deeds shed them like dirty clothes, clothe yourselves on the armor of right living, as those who live in the light.

This is what it means to repent.

See, this is the missing element in the so-called conversion of a lot of people they've never repented of their sin.

Why believe in Jesus all I love Jesus. They say within they continue living in sin. But the Bible says repentance and be converted in times of refreshment will come from the presence of the Lord that Jesus said to the woman caught in the act of adultery. We for gay. He said repent and sin no more monthly of a church that needed a new paint job. So they called a local painter, which come in painter church. So the guy century showed up wallets little bigger. I thought it would be without To spend this much in materials as many hours to do it. Anything you know if I thinned the paint I could do this for less money and make more personal profit. So he put a bunch of paint thinner in his paintings cleaning. It is the very top is finishing Office Depot with this thinned out paint and suddenly there was a bolt of lightning from heaven that struck him anything. You know by one hand, and he hears a voice from heaven say, red paint and for no more. What is repent, sometimes we confuse repentance and remorse, remorse is being sorry you got caught. Repentance is being sorry enough to stop your great glory will have the second half of this message just a moment better know if you know about this, but we have a weekend service called Harvest at Home exclusively for people that are tuning in literally from around the world listen to this. We even have harvest groups where you can get into a small group with folks from all around this planet of ours study the word of God to join us this weekend Saturday and Sunday for Harvest at Home@harvest.org you join us for an important study. Pastor Greg titled the almost Christian Pastor Greg continues now. So let's go back over this to be a real Christian and not an almost Christian number one turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God, after you've had your eyes open know what happens if you do that this God gives you the forgiveness of your sins and an inheritance. Verse 18. Let me go back to what I said earlier, there's something only God can do. Only God can open your eyes only God can give you the forgiveness of your sin and an inheritance, but only you only I only we can turn from darkness to light from the power of Satan to God, the forgiveness of sins. How amazing is that they have your sins forgiven and forgotten. God promises he rose 12 their sins and iniquities. I will remember no more.

God doesn't just forgive us our sins, he forgets our sins. He doesn't hold our sins against us.

How do I get my sins forgiven first from 19 if I will confess my sin, he is faithful and just to forgive me of my sin and cleanse me from all unrighteousness.

So he forgives me then he gives me an inheritance. What is that mean that means I'm adopted into God's family. I'm in of all, God did for me was forgive my sins I would been more than enough within the Lord says now you're my child. I've adopted you.

I received the spirit of bondage again to fear, but one of adoption, whereby I cry all the father. The Bible says so it's relationship that he gives me access to his throne access to his presence. Years ago we were doing one of our crusades send I forgot my Bible in my hotel room size and the my son Christopher go get my Bible.

I forgot it please and so he rushes to the hotel room. He gets the Bible he shows up at the Crusade says I need to give this to my deficit. We don't have the credentials to get back there because he's my dad know we'd I don't know who you are. How do I know he should. He pulls out his driver's license Christopher David Lori. Look, I'm his son. He asked me to look. His name is on the Bible, Greg Laurie, I need to bring the Bible to my dad sorry and then someone told me is a no limit so this is a crazy thing. The archer said know what the father said, yes, I'm going with this, by the way have that archer killed but that's no God forgave me. It's all right not on junk in what the answer was doing his job a little too zealously. Let's say, but we come to the father. Father I come here comes that you can't come in here.

You don't have the credentials. No easy he's my father get out of the way, you have access to Jesus Christ that the inheritance that see inheritance and it will take all eternity for us to grasp all that God is done for us. Ephesians 26 says God will point us to the future ages and give us examples of the incredible wealth of his grace in kindness toward us. As shown in all he has done for us. So when you get to heaven you don't know everything you learn new things and have happens in the be amazing to be in it venture will be things to do that we places to go W new things to learn and so for all eternity will learn more and more about the amazing things that God is done for each of us would only need to do have my eyes open turn from darkness to light from the power of Satan to God, then I receive the forgiveness of sins and an inheritance from God, what an amazing promise. When a single point out about Paul's message and no will wrap it up. Paul preached the crucifixion of Jesus in verse 20 2X 26 I teach nothing, except with the prophets and Moses said would happen at the Messiah would suffer and be the first to rise from the dead he saying this to grip my hand. I'm here to tell you. Jesus Christ died on the cross and he rose from the dead.

That's our message to a lost world. That's to seem irritated by Paul. However, a grip, almost seems to be convinced. Verse 24 pestis shelf all you crazy too much study is made you insane all replies. I'm not saying most excellent pestis is still respectful on a crazy server on facts. I'm speaking this over to and then he zeroes in on a grip and he says King Agrippa knows all about these things I speak frankly I'm sure these events are familiar to him. They were not done in a corner and then he says the King Agrippa verse 27 King Agrippa Jubilee, the prophets, I know you do. People probably guess no one speaks to the king like that called us and I know you know this stuff. I know you know it's true in a way he was setting a trap for Agrippa of Agrippa said no it's not true that would cause the very people he had to interface with to turn against him but if he said it was true.

He was falling in the Paul's trap. So he says this again. Verse 28 you think you could cause me to become a Christian so quickly. Listen for some people to come to Christ. It takes years years. I know people who prayed years for their children years for their spouses years for their parents. I pray for well over 30 years for my mother to come to Christ and she finally did one month before she died. It took years it took hours to reach my father who adopted me. Oscar Loring. I literally spent a few hours telling him what Christ done for me and he accepted Christ.

It takes years for some it takes hours with others. That's up to God. Our job is just faithfully give them the message and then call response in verse 29 listen that quickly or not, I pray to God that you and everyone here in the audience might become as I am except for these chains in the grip of the governor, and Bernice's sister and all the others got up and left so close but so far, almost Christian.

One of the take away truths from this message number one God wants us to share the gospel because he's called us to do so is put you where you are, just as he put Paul where he was for a reason and the most important part of that message is Christ and him crucified number two it's not enough to just be exposed to the truth. We must act on it so we can have our eyes open, but we need to turn from darkness to light, three as we share the gospel with people we need to build bridges not burn them and give them the gospel and for you must realize that only God can open the spiritualize of the listener. We just have to do our part owner from speaking to somebody right now who just had their eyes open now maybe you were sleeping and literally your eyes open. I don't know what I'm talking about your spiritualize you for these things I've said before, but all of a sudden boom is this is true, why have I not done this yet.

Maybe I'm talking to someone who believes Jesus is the son of God you believe he died on the cross.

You believe he rose from the dead you believe there's an afterlife. They haven't even the hell you believe all these things which you haven't taken the next and turn from your sin, you're still living in your sin, this could be the day when everything changes for you in the day when you are forgiven of your sentence in the day when you receive this inheritance that God has for you if you've never asked Jesus to come into your life. If you're not sure if your sin is forgiven.

Maybe you've been going through life thinking you're a believer and maybe for the first time you've realized that maybe you actually aren't. Maybe you've been pretending this is your moment to get right with God. This is the moment to be forgiven of your sentence and if you need to do that you can do it right here right now. Let's pray father speak to every heart that they don't know you yet. Let this be the moment they believe. If you would like Jesus Christ to come in your life if you would like him to forgive you of your sins.

If you would like to know was certainly that you will go to heaven when you die if you're ready to turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God and pray this prayer after me just pray Lord Jesus, I know I'm a sinner but I know that you're the Savior who died on the cross for me rose again from the dead. I turn from my sin. Now they choose to follow you this moment for thank you for hearing this prayer answering this prayer in Jesus name I pray, amen to Greg for important prayer today and we hope to get in touch with us and let us know about the decision you made today here on a new beginning and would like to send you some follow-up resources to help you build a strong foundation of faith as you go forward would like to send you our new believers growth packet is free of charge and it will help you as you take your first steps.

Just ask for it is your call 1-800-821-3300. You can reach us any time around the clock again at 1-800-821-3300 or go to harvest.org and click on know God will pressure Greg were making available your fascinating book on Revelation yeah but I gotta think the first time a pastor decides to teach from the book of Revelation is a little sobering. You know little intimidating yes. Do you remember the first time you'd open yes it it is all the above i.e. it it's an overwhelming book gets a book that's filled with imagery. It's a book that's filled with statements that are not always easily understood what I think as you begin to piece it together and understand that studying the book of Daniel is a great help in understanding the book of Revelation. Understanding the format of it. Understanding the purpose of it, it suddenly comes into focus for you, you know, just take the word Revelation by the way, it's Revelation singular, not revelations plural. I bring this up because people often say why been reading revelations while it's Revelation, but Revelation means to unveil to God's not trying to hide things from us. He's trying to unveil reveal things to I should know it's interesting Jesus in Matthew 24 I and what we call the all of the discourse says when you see the abomination of desolation happen then we read let the reader understand. So Jesus is talking about end times events and there's that little detail. Let the reader under stand. So why would Jesus say that if he didn't want us to understand Bible prophecy and how it applies to us today.

I believe were living in the last days. I believe Jesus could come back at any moment and I believe we need to be ready in the book of Revelation will help us to live a life that is prepared for the return of Christ, so we have a beautiful hardcover book commentary on the book of Revelation, and it simply called Revelation, a book of promises and I'm so excited about this because this is good. I hope you understand this great book of Revelation and out Bible prophecy applies to you so I hope you'll order this book that we will send you for your gift of any size and whatever you send. We will use to enable us to continue to teach the word of God here on our radio broadcast a new beginning and also to proclaim the gospel and call people to Jesus Christ. So order your copy of this book. Revelation a book of promises and will send it to you for your gift of any size yet it's right at such a rich book if I could even promises a special blessing. No other book of the Bible does that every like to send you this resource to thank you for your donation right now a Dave. Let me jump in really quick and not only are we offering this book. Revelation about the promises, but we have this really cool graphic bookmark that we have put together that gives you a timeline of end times events so you probably wondered okay I know I've heard about the rapture and the tribulation period of the antichrist and the second coming. What happens when will this very beautiful little visual bookmark shortly set out for you that's included in the book you're talking about right now.

Yeah that's right it comes automatically to get in touch with your donation today and will thank you with a copy of Revelation, a book of promises. Just call us at 1-800-821-3300. That's a 24 seven phone number 1-800-821-3300 or go online to harvest.org.

Next time we move ahead into a fascinating study of the life of Elijah series called the power to stand and join us here on a new beginning.

Pastor and Bible teacher Greg Moore everybody thinks or listening to an beginning this is a podcast made possible by harvest partners. So for more content can help you know God and equip you to make him known to others or to learn more about how you can become a harvest partner. Just go to harvest.org