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Sunday, February 24, 2013

Monthly Message from Pastor Shim - Sharing Jesus


SHARING JESUS AS THE GIFT OF EASTER!

Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me will live, even though they die. Everyone who lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?” John 11:25-26 (CEB)

If Easter says anything to us today, it says this: You can put truth in a grave, but it won't stay there. You can nail it to a cross, wrap it in winding sheets and shut it up in a tomb, but it will rise!” - Clarence W. Hall

The Christian church is mandated by God to share the good news of Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ is a manifestation of God's love for all people. According to John 3:16, “For God so loved the world that he gave his only son so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.”

As wonderful as this news is, it remains unknown to people who are not disciples of Christ, meaning those who are not following Christ as Savior and Lord. God has assigned the declaration of the good news to those of us who were transformed from sinners to saints by the grace and the love of God. Jesus, before he ascended to heaven, gave this order to his followers, which includes you and me. Jesus said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore, go and make disciples of all nations.” Matthew 28:18-19.

With this command to share the gospel, Jesus also told us how to get the job done. Jesus said “… you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has comes upon you, and you will be my witnesses….” (Acts 1:8) You see, when God commands us to do something he empowers us. No one is left out; we all have equal access to the power of God's spirit for just asking. Jesus promised, “Ask and you will receive.”

This is my approach of sharing the good news about Jesus Christ.

First, I try to start the conversation with some questions about the person’s interest to find a window of opportunity to share God’s love, and I listen without interrupting. Respect is a cardinal virtue in establishing mutual understanding.

Second, I say, “Would you mind if I share with you about the most important news and about the most important person and how knowing him has changed my life and given eternal hope?” And I whisper a prayer for another opportunity share Christ, the reason for Easter!

What is the message of Easter? “Brothers and sisters, I want to call your attention to the good news that I preached to you, which you also received, and in which you stand. You are being saved through it if you hold on to the message I preached to you, unless somehow you believed it for nothing. I passed on to you as most important what I also received: Christ died for our sins in line with the scriptures, he was buried, and he rose on the third day in line with the scriptures.” – 1 Corinthians15:1-4 (NEB)

Christ lives; therefore we can share his life together.
– with joy, Pastor Shim

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