This text is a summary of two sermons delivered by Pastor Massoud Sadeghi after the worship on Sunday, Aug 2nd and 9th. The theme of today’s sermon was Eternal Life. Pastor Sadeghi began with the following message (and I paraphrase):
” Welcome to Nejat Church. I hope you have come, ready for change because Jesus changes us. He has given us eternal life, hope and power over the evil, because our Lord is alive. Today the word that I’ve to deliver comes from the Holy Spirit. It’s a life changing word. The world needs the presence and existence of God. God created the church on this earth as a token of His presence and existence. Some have understood this principle… Let’s learn the power of this fact and use it in our lives. There is power in being born again. You can touch and feel and itnernalize this new life. One verse captures it all; John 10:10 – Jesus said: The thief comes to steal and destory. But I’ve come so that you may have eternal life and have it abundantly.
Eternal life is more than just being alive and to breath. The life that Jesus talked about was about a God-like life, an everlasting life. In John 1:4, Bible says that life came from God and Jesus brough it with him. This is the eternal life. It gave light. Where there is light, darkness flees. When you believe in Jesus, any darkness in your life is wiped away with the Light of God. Jesus is the source of eternal life. Anyone who has come to know Jesus is a new creation in light (see 2Cor 5:17).
The old human nature is now replaced by a new creation. We’re now God’s friends, God’s children. He shares His glory and riches with you.
Some try to label Christianity as a religion, but Christianity is not a religion. It’s a miracle. It’s not a new set of laws or rituals. It’s a new creation. Only Jesus and only through Jesus we find this eternal life. No law, no prophet, and no one can change the nature and creation of humans, but Jesus who transforms us from within, can do that. He can take people from darkness to light. Only Jesus can do this. In this new creation, we’re now among God’s family and have the previlege to sit next to God. (Psalm 8:4-5).
Why did God pay so much attention to the human race? We’re created in His image. He put the crown of glory on humans. If believers only truly knew the benefits and meaning of eternal life they could change the world at once. Take a look at this world, the person who does not believe in Jesus brings destruction to himself and to those around him.
I want to open a secret for you. Read John 3:16. God loved the world so much that he sacrificed His only Son, so our sins are forgiven and we -instead of going to hell- will go to heaven. But that’s not all. This is the good news: When God gave His Son, he gave Jesus to us, namely the eternal life itself; He gave his own character and nature, true life to us who believe in Jesus.
You should know that now you are like God, you speak like God, you behave and act righteously like God, … In John 20:30-31, we learn that as believers not only our sins are forgiven, but also that we have eternal life. In 1John 5:11-12, we learn that : Whoever has the Son, has eternal life. The creativity and power of God is available to us believers.
But those who do not know Jesus, live in darkness and misery. I’ve a message for the youth: The eternal life in you can enable you to change the world. (Read 1John 5:13-15). Since you know, live, speak and act like the Creator, He will hear you and will grant you whatever you ask of Him in Jesus’ precious name.
To parents, I say: teach your children to worship God. I want to be remembered as the pastor who taught and encouraged believers to worship God. Today, I welcome the Jewish guests who have heard about our church and have joined us. We are so much indebted to the Jewish people for giving us Jesus. Paul said I’m not ashamed of Jesus’ word. Likewise, I’m also not ashamed of His word.
I respect all religions, but want to tell you about Christianity. All religions attempt to ameliorate our appearance, to make our outer shell look good. But Chrisianity wants to change us from the inside. The old nature is replaced with a new nature, a new life. There are many forms of life. There is life in plants, animals, and humans. But one life form does not change into another. For example, animal life does not tranform itself into plant life. But there is one form of life that changes the nature of the living humans and allows the Life of God to enter into humans. This is the God-like life, the eternal life. To know something, it’s necessary to study the origin of such a thing. It’s good to know the origin of this eternal life that believers enjoy.
In John 1:1, the Bible tells us that in the begining the Word was with God, the Word was God and that was Jesus. Jesus was the Life of God. Jesus came to this world to bring God-like form of life, namely the eternal life to the human race. Anyone who is united with Jesus, is filled of the Holy Spirit, and has a new creation, and with this new creation, has the personality, the nature and characteristics of God.
We have God’s life in ourselves. We are new creations with a new form of life, the God-like, eternal life form. Jesus said that he is the true vine and we are the branches. You know that branches grow new leaves and fruit. God’s life and all of God’s characteristics are in you and live in you. If believers focus on the vine and live from the sap of this vine, namely if they focus on Jesus and let the sap of this vine to flow through them, they can have everything they want from God. (See John 10:10). Jesus came so we may have eternal life in full and have it abundantly. Underscore the words full and abundantly. Something that is full, is complete and does not lack anything; there are no deficiencies.
As God blessed you when you were a sinner, imagine how abundantly God will give you of his blessings when you become one of His children as a believer. In 2Cor 5:4, Paul says that we will be swallowed up by life. Underscore the words: swallowed up by life. Imagine that… we would be swallowed up in eternal life and as we read in Mark 9:23 and Matthew 19:26, everything that we want is possible. For the believer who is swallowed up by God’s eternal life, everything is possible, because Jesus makes it possible.
I want to open a metophorical sea shell and give you a pearl today. I’ve received freely so I give freely. Are you ready to receive this pearl of God’s Word? Look at Philipians 2:13. It is God who through His loving kindness gave us eternal life and power. But this power is in us through Jesus Christ who overcame the sins of this world and made the supernatural miracles possible. When Jesus walked on this earth, the same powers that were in Him and were demonstrated over nature, are also in you through His name. (Read John 14: 12-14). Jesus transforms anything that is impossible, into possible. We can do the impossible things because Jesus is making is possible in us.
God uses the believers to carry out His plans. The power of Jesus in the believer is bigger and mightier than all the evil in this world. The power of Jesus in a believer is bigger and more powerful than all chemical weapons and any nuclear bomb that a nation might want to build.
I’ve been called by the Holy Spirit to make you aware of the power of God in you. So, believers stand up and grasp what a wonderful life you have and the power that you have in Jesus’ precious name. (Read John 5:24). Do not live life by focus on your past sins. Instead focus on God’s life, the enternal life in you today. Today, God’s love and life flows in us and through us. Today, we are sisters, brothers and one family in God’s love. We love one another, and even love our enemies. Jesus is the origin of God’s eternal life and love the essence and nature of this eternal life. May God bless you. Amen.
Nejat Church