“Jesus Loves Us”
This past Sunday, we spent time in our sermon series on the book of Acts looking at Saul’s journey on the road to Damascus. Saul was traveling to Damascus to arrest followers of Jesus and bring them back to Jerusalem to be tried by the Sanhedrin and executed because they were proclaiming that Jesus is God. Saul and the members of the Sanhedrin did not believe that Jesus is God. Therefore, they found the followers of Jesus guilty of the sins of blasphemy and idolatry since they worshipped Jesus as God. According to the laws in the Old Testament, these sins were punishable by stoning.
As Saul was traveling on the road, Jesus appeared to him, and Saul’s life was forever changed. Saul came to believe that Jesus really is God and the Messiah that God had promised to send to Israel. Saul repented of the sin of murdering the followers of Jesus and the sin of persecuting Jesus. Saul also discovered that Jesus had always loved him, even when Saul was sinning against Him.
Later in life, Saul became known as Paul and he was put on trial before the Roman governor, Festus, and the Jewish King, Agrippa. During his trial he testified about meeting Jesus on the road to Damascus:
“So then, King Agrippa, I was not disobedient to the vision from heaven. First to those in Damascus, then to those in Jerusalem and in all Judea, and then to the Gentiles, I preached that they should repent and turn to God and demonstrate their repentance by their deeds.” Acts 9:19-20
Paul’s new mission in life was to help others to know that Jesus loves us, and Jesus never gives up on us, no matter what we’ve done in life. Paul wanted Jew and Gentile alike to have a relationship with Jesus as Lord and Savior. To do this, we need to repent of our sins, as Paul did.
The Greek word for repentance is metanoia. It means a change of mind or a reorientation. Repentance is making a U-turn while traveling away from God and then traveling back to God.
All of us have done things in life that we worry are unforgivable. All of us have failed at times to carry out the calling that God has given us. All of us have struggled with the fear that God has given up on us.
But the truth is Jesus never gives up on us. Jesus will always pursue us even when we’re going down our own road to Damascus doing evil. Jesus shows up on roads like that to save us from destruction and to give new meaning for our lives, and a new direction for our lives. This is what repentance is all about
Jesus will change our lives no matter what road we’re traveling on today. If the direction you are traveling in life is taking you farther from God, there is always time to make a U-turn and come back to Him. Any sin you have committed will be forgiven when you ask for forgiveness because Jesus has paid the eternal death penalty for our sins, even those sins you think are unforgiveable.
Jesus will never give up on us no matter what we’ve done. Are you ready for Jesus to reorient your life and give your life a new meaning and a new purpose? Let Jesus know and invite Him to change your life.
In Christ,
Pastor David
Click here for Sunday, Sept. 17, 2023 | 9:00AM sermon.
Click here for Sunday, Sept. 17, 2023 | 10:30AM sermon.
