How to Become a Christian

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Introduction: Dwight L. Moody said that he was twenty years old before he ever heard a sermon on regeneration. He said, “I was always told to be good, but you might as well tell a midget to be a giant as to tell him to be good without telling him how.”

I. What Is a Christian (; ; )

1. It may startle you for me to say that Jesus was not a Christian! But there is no being a Christ without Jesus!!

2. The word “Christian” is found only three times in the New Testament. There were very important terms that the early followers of Jesus were called. Before they were called Christians, they were called: disciples (learners); followers of the Way; Brothers/Sisters; believers, saints. But each of these terms were directly connected to Jesus. Disciples were learners or students of Jesus; they followed the One who said He was the “way, truth, and life”; they were brothers and sisters because they had become members of the same family...the family of God; the were believers that Jesus Christ was the Son of the Living God.

3. Alexander Campbell defined the term Christian as, “one who habitually believes all that Christ says and who habitually does all that he commands.” Paul Little: “A real Christian is one who is personally related to Jesus Christ as a real Person.”

4. There may be confusion in our mixed up world about just what a Christian is...but there is NO confusion in the Bible about what a Christian is. Being a Christian centers on Christ!

Living as a Christian revolves around Christ

Serving as a Christian means serving Christ (“inasmuch”)

Growing as a Christian means becoming more like Christ

Witnessing as a Christian means telling others about Christ

Worshiping as a Christians means honoring Christ... wherever you are

Dying as a Christian means going home to be with Christ.

(God doesn’t grade on the curve...he has an absolute standard–Jesus Christ.)

II. Why Become a Christian ( & )

1. What would someone want to become a Christian? Why would someone want such a life a the life of a Christian?

2. The Christian life is...

A. Harder than any other. Jesus said in the Sermon on the Mount that the way to life is a narrow way...the way to destruction is a wide way.

Illus. A survey taken of the American populace not long ago revealed that 89% of Americans believe that there is a place called heaven. 73 % believe there’s a place called hell. To put that in context, the number of Americans who believe in hell is actually rising. Twenty years ago it was 55 or 60 percent, but for reasons no one fully understands, the number of Americans who believe in hell is going up, not down.

When people who believe in life after death are asked, “Where do you think you’re going to go?” 76 %; say they’re going to heaven, 2% to hell, 4% to purgatory, 12% somewhere else, and 6 % don’t know or refuse to answer. So, if only 2 % are going to hell we don’t even have to preach this sermon, because almost everybody is going to heaven. But against that we have the words of Jesus, who said, “Wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it, but small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life and only a few find it.” So, you see there’s a discrepancy between what Jesus said and what others say.

To go to hell a person is not required to DO anything! Going to heaven requires responding to God’s will and God’s grace! The Christian life is also...

B. Holier than any other. Being a Christian means that we live a life that reflect the presence of the Holy Spirit in our lives. It means that we march to the beat of a different drummer. It means that the choices we make reflect our love for God and a desire to live to his honor and glory.

C. Happier than any other. There is no greater joy that the joy that throbs within one’s heart because of the forgiveness of sin and the new life that Jesus gives.

D. More Hopeful than any other. There is hope in this life and the next only in Jesus Christ...there is hope in no other! I have had many funerals...but there is nothing harder than trying to find some words of comfort to say at the funeral of someone outside of Christ!

3. Why would anyone want to become a Christian? Well, consider the alternative. You can line them up...testimony after testimony of people that have come to the end of their lives and look back with regret...because now they face eternity and it’s a gloomy road ahead for them! The apostle Paul makes this point in . The same Paul drives home some of the positive reason for becoming a Christian in .

4. Just be a Christian...wear that name only...then Christ gets the glory!!

III. How to Become a Christian ( & 8:26-40)

Here is where we must tell the truth...and we must tell it in love.

Illus. I read a story about a woman of wealth and social prominence. She wanted to have a book written about her genealogy, her history. She got a well-known author to look into her background and write a book about it. When he came back for his first report, he was a bit chagrined, because in his research he found out that one of her great grandfather was a murderer who had been electrocuted in Sing Sing. When he said this would have to be included in his report, she pleaded with him not to put that in there. She was so socially conscious. And she said, “You have to find a way of saying that so that it hides the truth.” So this is what was in the book. “One of her great grandfathers occupied the chair of applied electricity in one of America’s best-known institutions. He was very much attached to his position and literally died in the harness.”

Sometimes people would rather hear anything than what God wants them to do. But we have a responsibility to tell them what the Bible says!

In the PBS special The Truth about Lying, Bill Moyers reported that the seven astronauts who died in the Challenger space shuttle disaster were never told of the dangers of launching in cold temperatures. A behind-the-scenes debate was going on between the engineers of Morton Thiokol on one side and the company’s managers and NASA on the other. To bolster NASA’s public image, information about the dangers of the launch was suppressed. When Morton Thiokol’s engineers refused to give the go-ahead, they were removed from the decision-making process in spite of their serious objections. The Challenger was launched, and millions witnessed the disastrous consequences. Once the private debate became public, the world learned of NASA’s deception and cover-up. Lives were lost because the truth was not told!

Here is where we must be absolutely clear and biblical. (Chicken theed story) and, (story of the Bible college student and a non-Christian on a trip and saw a sign that said, “Jesus Saves.” The non-Christian read the sign and said, “That’s something I never thought of before...if Jesus is thrifty, I ought to be too.”

We need to make sure that we are understood here...which also means that we need to listen very well to see where the person is that we are talking with. (Hearing state...believing state...repenting state, etc.)

1. The Book of Acts is our source for information about and examples of people becoming Christian. When one looks at the examples it becomes clear that the items involved in becoming a Christian include: Faith in Christ...Repentance from sin...Confession of Jesus as Lord...Baptism into Christ...Growth and Faithfulness till death.

A. Hear the Best News (Gospel) in all the world ()

B. Believe in the Best Person (Jesus) in all the world ()

“A faith that has not changed your life has not saved your soul.” Bob Jones, Jr.

C. Make a U-turn in your journey: from sin...to God ()

Billy Graham said repentance is “being sorry enough to quit!”

D. Confess that Jesus is the Christ, Savior, Lord (,)

E. Be Immersed for the Remission of sin and the Reception of God’s Spirit () (The baptistery is God’s Dressing room where one is “clothed with Christ.”

F. Be Faithful unto death ()

These items are our way of accepting what God offers. Jesus makes it possible. Our part is to accept!

But for us is the wonderful privilege of sharing the Gospel message with those who are lost because they have never responded to Jesus offer of life!!

I love the scene in the Lion King when Simba, nearly mature, is visited by the ghost of his father, and old Mufassa says to him, “Simba, you’ve forgotten who you are. You are so much more than you’ve become.” I think Jesus would say that to his church, to his preachers...to his workers. You’ve forgotten who you are. You are so much more than you’ve become!

Conclusion: The only reason we are having this conversation this morning is because of Jesus Christ—God became man—lived here—without sin—presented God’s message of love and grace—gave His life for YOU and ME—died on the cross—rose from the dead—is coming again! He calls you to follow Him...

“Jesus on the Cross” drawing.