2015.11.15 礼拝

2015.11.15 礼拝

2015.11.15 Luke 5:27-32 “Receiving God’s Love in abundance”

Many Christians feel lonely, uneasy and/or have guilty conscience as they are unable to accept God’s love sufficiently.

When people feel guilty of sin, they have a habit of “hiding from God” by instinct and forget that they are loved by God.

However, the truth is quite the opposite since God wants us to come closer especially when we feel guilty of sin; and know that God will surely accept us.

1. Know that the characteristic of sin is “to hide”
・we hide from our parents when we do something bad
・we refuse to see a doctor when we don’t feel good
・we refuse to go to a dentist even if we have a toothache

Genesis 3:10 (after eating the forbidden apple) He answered, “I heard you in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked; so I hid.”

Luke 5:8 (being surprised at the big catch of fish) When Simon Peter saw this, he fell at Jesus’ knees and said, “Go away from me, Lord; I am a sinful man!”

2. Acknowledge the seriousness of sin and seek salvation

Luke 5:30 (during a feast at Levi’s) But the Pharisees and the teachers of the law who belonged to their sect complained to this disciples, “Why do you eat and drink with tax collectors and sinners?”

Matthew 8:25 (on the boat during a storm) The disciples went and woke him, saying, “Lord, save us!” We’re going to drown!”

Matthew 14:30 (Peter walking on the water to Jesus) But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, “Lord, save me!”

Luke 15:17 (The lost son) “When he came to his senses, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired servants have food to spare, and here I am starving to death!”

Yet, many of us are wandering about without fully being aware of our sins. Therefore, we should choose to:
・read the Bible
・pray
・worship
・have fellowship

Let us be aware that staying away from Sunday worship/fellowship and Life Groups (small groups) because [I’m tired this week…], [mentally unfit…], will possibly lead us away from God.

Satan is there ready to pick on our weakness of [wanting to hide]. He’s looking for a chance to separate us from God by making us busy or tired so that we would want to hide from God.

To avoid falling for his trick, let us continue to remain in God by encouraging each other, or even admonishing each other at times.