Such Were Some of You

Introduction

What you just witnessed tonight is a powerful demonstration of the power of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

These two men stand as powerful witnesses to the change that God can work in the heart of any man or woman that is willing to humble themselves, repent of the their sin, and trust in Christ for forgiveness of that sin.

Not only these two, but many of you here have been transformed by that very same Gospel.

Our heart here, at the Lighthouse, is to see as many people transformed by Christ as we can.

If you will, please take your Bibles and turn with me to 1 Corinthians 6:9-11.

If you don’t have a Bible, there is one under every chair. If you would like to keep it, you may!

1 Corinthians 6:9-11 is in the back section of the Bible, called the New Testament. It is the 7th Book of the New Testament. If you need help, you can also look at the Table of Contents at the front of the Bible.

Lets Read 1 Corinthians 6:9-11.

In this passage, we see 3 different powerful ways that the Gospel of Jesus Christ transforms us.

Washed (Regeneration).

This is spiritual cleansing, being made new by the Holy Spirit. If you are in Christ, you have been washed anew.

Titus 3:5 “he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit,”

2 Corinthians 5:17 “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!”

A Believer in Jesus Christ, is no longer characterized by their sin, they are characterized by Christ.

Sanctified. To be sanctified, means to be set apart for a specific purpose. You wouldn’t use a claw hammer for a toothpick.

Initial—this is being set apart from the power of sin

Progressive—Because we live in the already and not yet (Already have eternal life, but not yet with Christ in eternity), we still struggle with sin. There is the ongoing work of putting our sin to death.

Philippians 2:12–13 “Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed—not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence—continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose.”

Colossians 3:5 “Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry.”

Justified. To be justified, means to be declared righteous judicially.

God, in Christ, declares righteous, all those who trust and believe in Jesus.

This is our new standing: Romans 8:1 “Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus,”

Once guilty, now righteous.

Once God’s enemies, now we are his friends. Romans 5:8 “But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”

The only way to experience this transformative power, in through the Gospel of Jesus Christ. That is the good news that Jesus died to save sinners.

Colossians 1:13–14 “For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.”

Colossians 2:13–15 “When you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made you alive with Christ. He forgave us all our sins, having canceled the charge of our legal indebtedness, which stood against us and condemned us; he has taken it away, nailing it to the cross. And having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross.”

There is victory, only in Jesus. There is freedom, only in Jesus. There is salvation in no other name other than that of Jesus Christ.

Please, we would love nothing else other than to lead you to a relationship with Jesus Christ.

If you haven’t done that, please ask me, Brandon, Jon, Scott.

Before we leave here, tonight...

stones of remembrance

make a decision

stay around for food.

let’s pray.