If the resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ never happened, Christianity never happens. Christianity hinges on the truth of the resurrection. Paul writes to the Corinthians, “and if Christ has not been raised, your faith is worthless; you are still in your sins” (1 Cor. 15:17). Therefore, Christ’s resurrection is what transforms the sinner into a Christian and continues to impact their walk with the Lord.

Evidence of Jesus’ resurrection

There is ample evidence of Christ’s resurrection that occurred over 2,000 years ago. At the time of Jesus’ death, the conspirators were expecting the rising of Jesus from the dead; thus, they conspired to spread lies (Matt. 27:62-66). God also sent the Holy Spirit to help the disciples to remember what Jesus had said before his death in regard to his future resurrection. Another evidence is found in the manuscripts which were translated in fourteen different languages all consistently tell of the same story about Jesus’ life, death and resurrection. Moreover, Jesus’ disciples, with the exception of John, all suffered and died preaching about Jesus’ death and resurrection for over forty years, not once denying the resurrection of Jesus. More evidence can be shown, but the greatest evidence is how the resurrection impacts a Christian’s life who has been made new by grace through faith in it.

Impact of Jesus’ resurrection

The power of the resurrection impacts all Christians. One of the ways it impacts Christians is not fearing death and its consequences. Therefore, fear of death or anything in this life cannot deter the believer from always abound in the work of the Lord (1 Cor. 15:58). The resurrection also drives the Christian to live for Christ in all things. Living for Christ will bear much fruit as long as we abide in Him (Jn. 15). Abiding in the word of God is the means to remain in Christ so that much fruit can be bore for God’s glory. Without the power of God’s word, Christians face the temptation to commit idolatry in creating our own version of Christianity that leads to pride, hypocrisy and legalism.

Believing the Lord’s resurrection leads to salvation, sanctification, and an ongoing habit of repentance. The only way to prevent Satan, the world and our flesh to take control over us is to believe in the resurrection of Christ and live in the presence of that reality daily. We need to remember there was nothing we possessed that deserved salvation, but rather it was only by God’s grace we were saved. Therefore, we must strive to “work out our salvation in fear and trembling, for it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure” (Phil. 2:12-13). Working out our salvation is the means to experience the risen Lord to follow God’s will alone. With the risen the Lord, life is joyous and He has given us the opportunity to fulfill His work through us.

In the Gospel of Luke, Jesus seems to be intentionally starting some controversies in order to explain or reveal some wondrous truth about the Bible and Himself. Jesus uses the Sabbath to declare Himself as the Lord who gives true rest, a rest which is not available in this world. He also condemns the false, works based religion of the Pharisees. In Matthew’s version of this event, Jesus leads them into a grain field. Nothing Jesus does is by accident or coincidental because He is sovereign. He wanted to expose the wrong understanding of the Pharisees of that time. Now, Jesus never violated any law in the Scriptures, according to Deuteronomy 23:25. The Pharisees knew that, but they accused Jesus of violating their own oral law, the law of their man-made religion, not God’s word.

So what does the Sabbath mean? It simply means cessation from work. It falls on Saturday, the seventh day of the week, and it means to rest. The origin of the Sabbath is in Genesis 2. God showed his example. He doesn’t need rest but He rested on the seventh day. This rest was not because God was tired or lazy but it was a day for God to enjoy what He made. It was a day for fellowship and devotion to God, a holy day of worship. To the Jews, the Sabbath held great importance and represented their covenant with God. Observing the Sabbath set Israel apart from all the other nations. The Jews emphasized the Sabbath so much, that they were outraged by Jesus claiming to be God, yet violating the Sabbath. It was ridiculous in their eyes.

God does command the Sabbath in the Mosaic Law (Exodus 20:8-11). It’s the fourth commandment. However, in addition to the Mosaic law, the Pharisees believed that there was an oral law passed down from Moses to them. These extra rules are called the Mishna. The Mishna had thousands of sub points covering every detail of life. The Pharisees taught and studied them so diligently that many of them spent their lives just studying a few points. It was due to their devotion to the Mishna that Jesus was constantly clashing with the Pharisees.

So the Pharisees accused Jesus, the leader of these disciples, of breaking the law. By their standards, picking is reaping, rubbing is threshing and winnowing, and eating is storing, which was all work. The Pharisees were so controlling over every action in relation to the Sabbath that even what God permitted, they denied. Jesus is the liberator from this sort of works based religion. It is when people don’t understand the spirit of God’s law, it turns into futile legalism. Salvation is never earned by our deeds and how well we perform. By trying to keep the law as a means of salvation, we break the spirit of the law. Since Jesus is the author and perfect keeper of the law, he knew its true meaning and purpose to reflect God’s holiness and love. The Pharisees were drowning in legalism, hypocrisy and self righteousness and they all have to do with how they treat the law of God. In Matthew 15:2-3, Jesus challenges them, asking them why they are against God’s word for the sake of tradition. If the good deeds or righteous behavior is the means of your salvation, then you are not obeying God’s law, you will never be saved, and you will never find rest.

We must realize without Christ there is no Sabbath, meaning there is no rest in this world. Only in Christ is there true resting. Therefore, if you know Jesus, you have true peace because of who Jesus is and what He has done, not what we’ve done. You can be like the Apostle Paul who is fully satisfied in Jesus. That’s why Jesus came to destroy the false Sabbath and restore the true Sabbath. Hebrews 4:9-11. You don’t have to work to earn your salvation because Jesus accomplished our redemption on the cross and rose again so that we are free from sin and death. He declared ‘It is finished!’. A believer’s obedience is different from legalism. In fact, they are opposite. We obey because we love and because we already have what we do not deserve. Jesus died for us, so we obey His commands. It is through obedience that we know Christ more and how we obtain our Sabbath.

So unlike the Pharisees, how should we define our Sabbath? Jesus reveals the true Sabbath that is already demonstrated long ago from the Bible. The Bible is sufficient and powerful. We don’t need anything else, outside of the Bible we already have. Jesus refers to 1 Samuel 21:1-6 when David was being chased by King Saul. While running away, they asked for bread but the only bread available was the consecrated bread, the bread of presence, which was reserved for the priests (Exodus 25:29-30), which the priests gave to David. Jesus’ situation was very similar to David’s. Jesus is David’s descendant and his disciples were hungry. As God did not condemn David, Jesus does not condemn His disciples. This is because the law is the law of Christ and His law is to love God and love your neighbor (Galatians 5:14). The spirit of the law is love. By reading and knowing God’s word, you understand the true spirit of God’s law and gain freedom from a works based salvation.

If you have Jesus in your heart as Lord, then you have the Sabbath. In this world there is no satisfaction, no rest. No matter how hard people try, it’s like chasing the end of a rainbow, never getting any closer. (Matthew 6:31-32) However, Jesus says He is Lord of the Sabbath and only he can give true rest. As a Christian, this is our initial and natural response, Jesus is our Lord and in Him our hearts find such blessed rest.

What sets apart Christianity from all other false religions of the world? From the previous week Pastor Paul preached that Christianity is different because it deals with the heart and the inner man. Because man’s heart is deceitful and sick, Jesus came down from heaven to transform hearts made of stone to hearts of flesh. Moreover, Christianity is a religion full of joy and love that surpasses all circumstances and comprehension. And it begins and ends with Jesus Christ alone. It is only through Christ’s death and resurrection a sinner is given a new heart filled with joy and love inexpressible, and the desire and ability to love Christ above all else.

Exclusivity of Christianity – v. 36

As Jesus begins to tell a parable, He illustrates by beginning with something that was common sense to all people during Jesus’ days: “No one tears…”. Jesus, then, quickly transitions into contrasting a new garment and old garment, the old garment representing Judaism by which the Pharisees exercised their authority and emphasized the importance of oral laws over the written laws (i.e., tradition). What is dangerous about tradition is the lessening the seriousness of sin, so that there is no need for a Savior. False religions are no different when it comes to downplaying the gravity of sin. Another problem with tradition is it breeds a heart of hypocrisy and self-righteousness. Jesus likens these hypocrites as washed tombs with dead bones inside because they only care about the externals.

Bu, Jesus presents the exclusive gospel that brings sin to light, which represents the new garment. The new means something never heard or seen. This newness Christ illustrates is when “anyone is in Christ, this person is a new creation; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come” (2 Cor. 5:17). Therefore, Christianity is defined as a pure religion that is unmatched (Jn. 14:6); there is none like it because it is supernatural. Only through God’s supernatural work in the sinner’s heart can sin be realized, repented of, forgiven and live in exclusive love for the Lord Jesus Christ.

Why Christianity is a living religion – v. 37

The first implication Jesus makes is that the gospel is new. In the analogy that describes no one putting new wine into old wineskins, Jesus implies there is no room for the gospel of Christ (i.e., the New Covenant) with Judaism and its rituals. Christianity is alive because Jesus rose from the grave and is alive today and forever and it is through His Word that continues to pierce the hearts of sinners to trust and follow Him. This truth is what makes Christianity growing and continuing until the Lord fulfills everything until the end.

Why Christianity is supernatural – v. 38

As mentioned previously, it is when we hear the living word of God that we know we are made alive to God (Heb. 4:12). The word of God has power to save and helps the redeemed to continue on in their faith through diligence (Heb. 4:11). The truth is that without God drawing us out from our sinful state we will have no desire to do so. The old cannot ever be made new without the supernatural of God. Unless God changes the way we think about our sin can we, then, turn from it to God to be saved. Therefore, only the Christian can utter the words “It is by the grace of God I am what I am” (1 Cor. 15:10).

In Jesus’ parable, He illustrates that is not possible to patch New Covenant truth onto Old Mosaic ceremonial forms.  It is through Him alone a sinner is made alive to live according to the will of God. In the context of the passage, the Lord Jesus Christ was showing what the Pharisees did in fasting or any other ritual had no part in the new gospel Jesus preached. Therefore, may the sinner realize their sin by the grace of God and believe in Christ through faith so that change can take place from the inside out. This is Christianity.

In this message we will see why Christianity is different and unique from other religions. Jesus uses fasting as the wedge to make a broader point about Christianity and to show that is not like the religions of men.
First, in Luke 5:30, the Pharisees and scribes complained behind Jesus’ back to his disciples about how Jesus himself eats with the sinners. Now, in Luke 5:33-35 they attack Jesus directly, accusing him and his disciples of eating and drinking and not fast. This bothered them because according to the centuries of Jewish religious tradition, the way to be righteous was to fast and pray and it was to them a means of salvation.

We must note that Jesus never condemns fasting. The Bible supports fasting and has numerous examples, such as Nehemiah 1:4, Esther 4:16, and Acts 13:2-3. Jesus also fasted for 40 days in the wilderness (Mt4:2). In general, fasting is a good means to fight against the temptations of the flesh. Jesus does not condemn fasting in this passage but said there’s a moment for it.

To focus on fasting in this passage is missing the point. Jesus is not concerned with fasting. The point Jesus is making is that Christianity is internal, not external. True Christianity is about character, who’s on the inside, not what happens on the outside. Christianity is all about Christ.

We can see this because Christianity starts internally not externally. First, God looks at the heart, not  your outward appearance or actions. This is where true religion begins, in the heart. Saul versus David is an example of the external versus the internal. Saul was a tall and handsome man on the outside, very much like the kings of the world, while David was a man of a righteous heart (1Sa9:2;1Sa16:6-7) 

The accusation that is made against Jesus is based on an external observation. It actually reveals the heart of the accuser, that they measure righteousness externally. But the disciples of Christ were merely responding based on the joy in their heart, for it is after a sinner repents, like what happened to the lame man and to Matthew the tax collector, that there is joy. There is a stark contrast between before and after repentance. God, the Holy Spirit works in our heart and we are changed completely (Ti3:5).

After repentance, Christ starts living in us and there is a joy and satisfaction in Christ because there is no more condemnation! (2Cor13:5, Ro8:1) This joy is different from the world’s shallow and temporary joy. We have a joy because Christ is in us, an inward joy that displays in our lives. This is why they were eating and drinking with Jesus, the one who saved them (Eph 2:1, Ro8:10). On the other hand, the Pharisees thought their righteousness and life came from their deeds of fasting and praying. True Christianity is a righteous life from within made righteous by the life Christ (2Cor4:16). Every other religion is based on externalism while Christianity is based on the divine accomplishment of Christ and the inward salvation. This is why Christianity is unique.

Christianity is a joyous religion (Ac2:13, Ac8:39). ‘You cannot make the make the attendants of the groom fast… can you? It’s a rhetorical question with the obvious answer of no. Jesus is saying it’s obviously impossible to force someone to fast on such a joyous occasion of a wedding. Israel’s relationship with God is a marriage. God rejoices over his people, his bride (Is62:4-5). Even Jesus’ first miracle is at a wedding where he turned water into wine, which in a way is a metaphor of turning a dead joyous religion (water) into a good and wonderful life (wine).
Also the source of your joy defines the type and quality of that joy. Sinners rejoice in sin so their joy is wicked and fleeting. The source of Christian joy is Jesus, who saves us out of the wilderness (Mt18:12). Jesus emphasized above even miracles that we rejoice that our names are recorded in heaven (Lk10:20). Being saved is the chief joy in this world. It is the joy that satisfies completely. If you are not satisfied with salvation then nothing can or will satisfy you since it is God’s greatest blessing and grace. This is our homework as a Christian: to find our joy in Christ. We worry sometimes, about money or health or other worldly things, but we should not worry if Christ is truly our joy (Ro8:31-32).

This joy is realized because Jesus is with us. It’s funny, as Christ was leaving the disciples, He said I’m with you always (Mt28:20). The answer is Jesus sends the Holy Spirit (Jn14:18;Jn 16:7,14). The question for us is, do you have the Holy Spirit in your heart? (1Cor3:16;Rom 8:9) Without the Holy Spirit, you are not a Christian. If the Holy Spirit is in you, then walk by the Spirit and as you walk by the Spirit, you will bear His fruit which is love and joy. True spiritual joy is this close intimate relationship with God.

Ultimately, Christianity is nothing but Jesus Christ. Other religions rely on their works (Lk18:13) but Christianity is based on Jesus Christ, the cornerstone (Eph2:20). Jesus is the truth we acknowledge and believe. Christianity is not the building or programs, but Christianity is a person and that person is Jesus, who He is and what He has done. We are witnesses of Christ, not a religion (Ac1:8).

As a true Christian, Jesus will never be taken from you, but there might be a season in your life where Christ is distant, when the intimacy is gone. This is the recommended time to fast. Sometimes, we forget Christ’s words and act like Mary who was in despair (Lk24:5). This is something Christians practice by acting like Jesus is dead when He is alive. We worry, we have anxiety, we have worldly desires and stumble under the circumstances, forgetting that Jesus is alive and reigning sovereign over all things. We must be like Apostle Paul who asserted Jesus to be alive (Acts 25:19). Christian, you must continually be living in the resurrection of Jesus Christ and trusting in the will of God. This is the beacon of joy and hope for you. However if the resurrection does not encourage you or help you overcome your situation, then you must fast. Fast to remember Christ who is with you.

Christianity is internal, full of joy and all about Jesus Christ. This is the heart of true Christianity and why Christianity is unique.

Anyone that thinks he deserves to be saved errs by thinking that he is intrinsically good. If you think you are already good before your salvation, the joy that you experience from salvation is not true, because you think you deserve salvation. Contrary to this, the Bible states that no one is good. None are righteous, not even one (Rom 3:10).

The Bible states that when God created man in the beginning of history, man was good (Gen 1:27, 31). God is pleased with man as He created him. However, man is not birthed with the same goodness. Because of the sin of the first man, Adam, all subsequent generations, from Cain and Abel, become evil. Man’s goodness is not preserved. Sin enters through one man, and all sin (Rom 5:12). Again, it must be emphasized that no one is good except God alone (Mk 10:17-18), and if no one is good, none deserves to be saved.

Because of their strict adherence to the law, the Pharisees and scribes thought themselves to be good and thereby set apart from others. This is why they were indignant that the disciples would eat and drink with sinners and tax collectors, whom they considered to be unclean because of their sinfulness.

However, Jesus rejects “good people” who do not realize they are sinners. The Pharisees deny their sinfulness and are the subject of Jesus’ mourning. How, then, can anyone be good like Jesus? One must understand that goodness is not determined by outward acts alone but is ultimately determined by the heart. The Pharisees believe they are good because they believe they are disciples of Moses (Jn 9:24, 28). They have a holier-than-thou attitude, but Jesus sees through their act into their hearts. They are moralists who believe that their works will save them. Even though the law clearly delineates the need for a Savior through the exposure of sin, “through the law comes the knowledge of sin (Rom 3:19-20), the Pharisees believe themselves to be saved by their legalistic following of the law. They do not understand sin, which is an inward state that precedes evil deeds and a state of heart that refuses to be in subjection to God (A. W. Pink). Sin comes from within (Mk 7:18-23). All men are intrinsically sinners. The Biblical principle is that if you see yourself as intrinsically good, you cannot be saved. Only when you see yourself as Jesus sees you, a sinner by nature, you can be saved.

Jesus rejects “good people” who deny that they are spiritually sick. Every man is born with a congenital sickness – sin. The Pharisees reject Jesus’ diagnosis that they are sick and are in need of a Physician. Their preference is to turn to philosophy, science, or entertainment. They believe they can become perfect and fulfill their desire for anti-nomadism. Jesus states that He came to fulfill the law. How do we avoid becoming pharisaic in our self-examination? We can determine if we are spiritually sick by examining the fruit we bear (Jn 15:5) and by examining whether we are guided by the Word of Jesus (Jn 9:40-41).

Jesus rejects “good people” who claim to be self-righteous, who follow their own standards instead of God’s holy standards. Jesus states that he came to save the sinners to repentance (v. 32). The Pharisees’ self-righteousness arises from their studying of the law. The self-righteous serve themselves rather than God. As John Flavel states, “It is easier to cry against one thousand sins of others than to kill one of your own.”

Without repentance, no one can be pardoned. As A.W. Pink states, “Repentance is a supernatural and inward revelation from God, giving a deep consciousness of what I am in His sight, which causes me to loathe and condemn myself, resulting in a bitter sorrow for sin, a holy horror and hatred for sin, a turning away from or forsaking of sin.”. We are indeed sinners in need of the grace of God, but we can become the righteousness of God in Jesus (2 Cor 5:21). How wonderful it is that Jesus the Righteous is our Advocate with the Father (1 Jn 2:1)!

As we learned from last week’s message that man does not want to be converted if left to their own volition, but only by God’s grace and intervention can a sinner repent and turn to Christ through faith and be saved. Consequently, the converted transitions from embracing sin to embracing Christ. The stark contrast between pre-conversion and the converted life is obvious through the inner working of the Spirit of God.

Prior to our conversion, God regenerates the soul of the sinner. The quickening of the soul begins to awaken the dead spirit to seek God and eventually believe. Scripture likens regeneration as follows: “The wind blows where it wishes and you hear the sound of it, but do not know where it comes from and where it is going so is everyone who is born of the Spirit” (Jn. 3:8).  Therefore, only God enables a dead man to become alive.  And when a sinner is made alive to God, He calls the converted to forsake all and follow Christ.

And he left everything behind, and got up and began to follow Him (v. 28).

Leaving everything behind implies both the spiritual and physical. Leaving means forsaking what is non-essential (Matt. 4:4). Matthew forsook his love for the world and the things in it (i.e., occupation and pursuit of wealth; 1 Jn. 2:15-17). In addition, by God’s effectual calling, Matthew was able to forsake all, follow Christ, and living in continual obedience.

Therefore, bearing fruit in repentance and sanctification in our love for the Lord Jesus Christ is inevitable. And in all things, the converted loves Jesus and only want to share Christ to others for the glory of God. This is the aim of the truly converted, the product of the triune God.

The modern church must understand that there’s no difference between a Christian and a disciple of Jesus. To be a Christian means you are a follower of Jesus Christ. In this text, Jesus called Matthew out to Matthew and told the tax collector to follow him. Matthew’s response is what genuine conversion looks like, he became a true Christian, a disciple of Christ. Today we will go over the first part of genuine conversion which is God’s role. While many Christians claim a genuine conversion but it is the substance or the origin of your conversion that is the determining factor of authenticity. Many conversions might look similar but time will tell who is the source of their salvation, whether it is in themselves or from God above.

In this passage we have two main characters, Jesus and Matthew the tax collector. In Jesus’ time, the tax collector occupation was a good way to get rich but socially the tax collectors were looked at poorly and despised because of their crooked and treasonous methods. They were viewed as monsters, traitors and sub-human, the worst of criminals (Luke 18:11). According to the Jews, if anyone should burn in hell, it would be the tax collectors. This is how Matthew was perceived. Jesus, knowing this, directly approached this vile tax collector called him. By the calling of Jesus, Matthew was converted. He had a willing response to the gospel call, repented of his sins and followed Christ.

There is no perfect conversion, as in at conversion, no one stops sinning forever. Christians still sin and are lying if they don’t admit it. (1 John 1:8-10). Christians sin, in fact, they cannot not sin because no one is perfect on this side of glory. But should they sin? No! 2 Timothy 3:5 True Christians pursue sanctification. There is a power of godliness in a Christians life that is visible and evident. Sanctification is not only an increasing of holiness but also an increasing homesickness for Christ in heaven (Colossians 3:1-2) In contrast, a false conversion is like a dog returning to it’s vomit. There are countless examples of people who confess at different revival meetings. They are saved but eventually end up lost again. Saved and lost, repeating this cycle over and over again. This is a conversion based on man’s determination and emotions. True conversion doesn’t start with you. It’s not started with your feelings or your thoughts.

True conversion starts with the Lord. As we see in Luke 5:27, after declaring his authority to forgive sin and curing the paralytic, Jesus intentionally initiates his next encounter. He turns to the scum of society, to Matthew the tax collector. After claiming to be God who can forgive, can Jesus save this sinner of sinners? Is Jesus the prophesied Messiah and Son of Man? Daniel 7:13-14 Jesus cared and searched for Matthew when no one else did. (Matthew 18:12). There was nothing about Matthew that drew Christ’s attention other than that he was a worst case scenario, seemingly unredeemable and unforgivable. We are no different from Matthew. No one cared for us but Jesus Christ alone. It is an important reminder that salvation begins with God, with His seeking us out. 

The verse says Jesus ‘noticed’ Mathew. The Greek word means contemplating and interested in. Jesus was purposefully visiting Matthew. We must realize, Jesus didn’t just notice Matthew in this moment, but from the beginning, before the world began He was seeking to save Matthew (Ephesians 1:4). From eternity past, Jesus noticed this single tax collector (Luke 4:26-27). When God chooses, His choosing is perfect, His election never ends in failure. There are no draft busts in Christianity where the result is different then what God expects. A true conversion never results in a bust but true sanctification. There might be struggles in the Christian life and there might be failures but sin will not have the final say. The final say is in Matthew 25:23 ‘Well done good and faithful slave’. These are the words that await every truly converted follower of our Lord.

This means there is hope for even the lowest, the worst of the worst. Tax collector’s were not meant for the kingdom of heaven (Luke 18:11, 1 Corinthians 6:9). Yet, God creates something out of nothing. Such blessed hope for all of us. This proves that salvation is completely God’s grace. Matthew had nothing good in himself, but he was saved by a miracle which is God’s grace. God’s grace is not boring or cheap but joyful and wonderful because by it we are saved (Eph 2:8-10). Grace sounds gentle but it’s actually the full force of God. Grace starts with God’s full justice followed by His unending love. It’s His omniscience, omnipotence, omnipresence and every other attribute of His divine nature. According to people’s judgement, Matthew was for sure going to hell. It was God’s wonderful wisdom to save the tax collector (1 Cor 1:18-11). He saves the small, the unknown and the unlikely. These are the ones God uses in His wisdom for His kingdom.

Jesus very clearly and directly commands Matthew to follow Him. The grammar of the word ‘follow’ implies both now and continually. Following the right person is a matter of life and death. Jesus says ‘Follow Me’. There are many people who believe somewhat correctly but act wrongly. ‘Follow me’ requires the correct belief and the correct action otherwise while claiming to follow Jesus you are following someone else on the wrong road (Luke 13:23-24). Following involves becoming a fisher of men (Matthew 4:19). Jesus’ passion is for saving the lost as seen in this encounter with Matthew. Following Jesus means we must have the same passion. Following Jesus is also denying self and going through suffering (Matthew 16:24 ). Even though there is suffering, following Jesus means full satisfaction. King David knew what it meant to follow the Lord (Psalm 23). In the case of Matthew, he was wealthy yet he was not satisfied. That changed after following Christ. As demonstrated by the tax collector, true conversion leaves visible marks in the life of the believer.

Forgiveness is the keystone to being reconciled to God. Forgiveness begins with the admission that we are sinners. This realization doesn’t come by our own understanding, but by God’s grace. Forgiveness is the greatest miracle. Anyone that is in Christ is forgiven, and he is a new creature (2 Cor 5:17). Upon seeing the paralyzed man being lowered into His presence, Jesus saw his faith and forgave him (v. 20).

Christians come to Christ because He calls them (Jn 10:3). Not only does God call them, but He also convicts Christians of their sin (Jn 16:8-9). “The influence of the Holy Spirit in an unsaved person’s life will lead that person to the realization that he is guilty, that God is just, and that all sinners are deserving of judgment. Once a sinner has been awakened to his soul’s great need, the Spirit will point him to Christ, the one and only Savior and Refuge from judgment” (Charles Ryrie). One cannot blame God for lack of conviction, for “the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of people who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, because that which is known about God is evident within them” (Rom 1:18-20).

Repentance precedes forgiveness. Without repentance, there is no forgiveness. Jesus has the authority to both heal and to forgive. He can heal and forgive effortlessly because He is omnipotent. Jesus often called Himself the Son of Man to highlight that, although in appearance He is Man, all the fullness of God still dwelt in Him. 

God knows the heart of man. Christians hate sin because it goes against the very nature of God, who is holy. “Sin forsaken is one of the best evidences of sin forgiven” (J. C. Ryle).

The word ambition is often misconstrued or misunderstood that it is always accompanied with evil. However, ambition is itself neutral and can be good or bad. The Webster Dictionary (1828) defines it this way:

Ambition: A desire of preferment, or of honor; a desire of excellence or superiority. It is used in a good sense; as, emulation may spring from a laudable ambition It denotes also an inordinate desire of power, or eminence, often accompanied with illegal means to obtain the object. It is sometimes followed by of; as, a man has an ambition of wit. Milton has used the word in the Latin sense of going about, or attempting; but this sense is hardly legitimate.

The church must have a holy ambition for the glory of God. The church is always looking forward to “press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus” (Phil. 3:13-14). God is always searching for and ready to use ordinary believers to use for His will to be accomplished on this side of glory. But in order to possess this holy ambition it is the heart that matters.

What do we need for this Biblical and holy ambition? The Christian that has a holy ambition must possess a relocated heart (2 Chron. 16:9), broken and contrite spirit, and faith.

The believer that possesses a relocated heart from having a dislocated heart (i.e., new heart in Christ).

Before a person is able to have the desires of God, God must first grant a new heart. After being given a new heart as we repent and follow Christ, the Christian still has to intentionally get out of their comfort zone and risk their lives in order to have holy ambition. Jesus Christ Himself exemplified this attitude as He risked everything to do the will of the Father. Therefore, desiring God’s will, which is our holy ambition, requires complete sacrifice that is rooted in selflessness. Thoughtful consideration, through ceaseless prayer, of whether or not we are desiring the will of God is how believers can ensure they possess a holy ambition.

The believer that possesses a broken spirit.

A broken spirit (contrite spirit) means pride and self sufficiency becomes humbled by the guilty conscience. It is contrary to a hopeless spirit. Rather, a broken spirit that is before God is the one that is justified by God. He is the one that restores the contrite spirit to be exalted and used for the will of God, whereas a divided heart has one foot in God and the other in the world, whom God does not use. Those that have a passion for God’s will hold a high view of God. A practical way to know our view of God is high or low is by the content of our prayers. Are our prayers self-centered or God-centered? Therefore, the broken spirited that has truly repented holds a high view of God in their commitment to serve the God that forgives. Christians are to be encouraged even though there are sins remaining as God patiently allows them to repent and have a renewed commitment that is only possible if they possess biblical faith.

The believer that holds to biblical faith.

Biblical faith allows for a holy ambition to the point of risking one’s life as we see in the example of Prisca and Aquila (Rom. 16:3). They were no different from today’s Christian as they faced all kinds of temptations to do anything but obey God’s will. But what allowed them to even risk their lives for God and other believers is because they knew and loved God. Knowing God is prioritizing spending time with Him through reading, studying and meditating in His word daily. Thus, reading the word and praying to God as a way of life is the only means to grow and improve the faith of every believer.

Biblical ambition is only possible by a radically transformed heart. After receiving this new heart from God, holy ambition and faith grows and improves through daily Scripture reading and prayer. Consequently, when a church is filled with these type of Christians, the Lord uses them mightily to accomplish His will.

Spiritual gifts are important for every believer to understand. Like the Corinthians, we may need clarification on what the Bible says about spiritual gifts so that we may view them biblically and use them effectively for the edification of the church.
Spiritual gifts are given freely and generously by the Holy Spirit to every believer. They are important because they are signs of an individual’s salvation. The Holy Spirit who saves you gives you spiritual gifts the moment you are in Christ. Therefore, when reflecting on spiritual gifts, the first question to ask yourself is, “Am I saved?” To be saved is to have a personal, loving relationship with Jesus Christ. If you are saved and love Jesus above all else, you must seek to know what your spiritual gift is.
Spiritual gifts are also important because they function for the health of the church. There is no gift that is not vital for the church body. When spiritual gifts are actively used, the church is healthy.

Having acknowledged the importance of spiritual gifts, why then do we fail to use them?When we consider spiritual gifts, we tend to think more about personal ability and skill. But the Greek word for “gift” refers to something that is given without price, rather than the common English definition that describes an impressive capability. As we erroneously focus more on our abilities, we are hindered to believe we may have a particular spiritual gift because we don’t see that ability within us.

How then can we know what our spiritual gifts are?
All those who have been saved have been called by God. Moreover, every believer is called into ministry. We are all evangelists; we are all ministers. Though we are weak, God enables us by His power to serve the church in the roles He assigns to every willing believer. As we desire to know and use our spiritual gifts to serve Jesus and His church, it is vital that we understand spiritual gifts are not about spiritual ability, but they are for spiritual roles and assignments. We must therefore pray and ask the Lord,Where do You want me to serve?

Every believer has been gifted generously by the Holy Spirit to serve the church. Everything we do can be a spiritual gift that edifies the church. Spiritual gifts are not about ability; they depend on your love for Jesus Christ and His church.