Joyce Meyer - Why Would God Want Me? (08/24/2019)
This sermon shares the heart of the gospel message, focusing on John 3:3 and 16. The key point is that Jesus is the answer for anyone feeling lost, stressed, or afraid, offering forgiveness and new life through simple faith. The conclusion is an invitation to receive Christ through a prayer of belief, emphasizing God's unconditional love and the gift of salvation.
The Answer for a Lost World
You know, a couple of days ago, I was praying and just thinking about all the people that are so lost in the world today and need answers for their life. They're frustrated, stressed out, worried, concerned, and afraid about what's going to happen in the world and in society. I want you to know that if you happen to be one of those people, there are answers. Jesus actually is that answer. We regularly talk about salvation on our program and about being born again. But I really just wanted to sit today and share my heart with you about the beauty of what God offers us in Jesus Christ.
What Does It Mean to Be Born Again?
You know, John chapter 3, verse 3, Jesus said, "Verily, verily, I say unto you, except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God." Well, what does it mean to be born again? It means that you're made alive on the inside. God's Word teaches us that when we're born again, we receive a new nature, God's nature, and we receive a new heart, which is God's heart. I can tell you that no matter what is going on around you, if things are good in you, then you can deal with the stuff that's going on around you.
John 3:16 says, "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him might not perish but have everlasting life." God loves you. I don't know what you're going through right now or what has happened to you in the past or who has rejected you. But I just feel like there are people watching today who need to hear God loves you. He loves you unconditionally and has a wonderful, amazing plan for your life.
The Gift You Cannot Earn
The good thing is, no matter how much you've done wrong, you don't have to pay for it. Jesus paid for it. What He wants us to do is believe. We can never make up for our sin. We can never do enough right, good works to make up for our sin. But there's a great message in Ephesians 2:8 and 9. It says, "For it is by free grace, God's unmerited favor that you're saved, delivered from judgment, and made a partaker of Christ's salvation."
This salvation comes to you through your faith. It is not of yourselves. It's not of your own doing. It came not through your own striving, but it is the gift of God. Now, listen. Not because of works, not the fulfillment of the law's demands, lest any man should boast. It is not the result of what anyone can possibly do, so no one can take the glory unto himself. God has done everything that needs to be done in and through Christ.
Simple Faith in a Powerful Message
What He asks of us is to simply believe the Word of God. To be honest, the message of salvation is so simple that people often miss it. It's such good news that sometimes people just can't believe it. How could I live a life of sin and just in a moment of time be forgiven for all my sins? We actually deserve punishment, but Jesus took our punishment.
The justice of God was satisfied when Jesus died on the cross for us. He was beaten for us. He shed His blood for us. He took all of everybody's sin upon Him. The good news is that even though He died paying for our sin, He rose from the dead and He is alive today. Ephesians 2:5 is such good news, and I read this often. "Even when we were dead, slain by our own shortcomings and trespasses, He made us alive together in fellowship and in union with Christ."
Even when we didn't care anything about Him, didn't know God, didn't want to know God, we were dead in our sin and probably enjoying it. In the midst of that, He died for our sins. So obviously, if He did that, then we don't have to work for salvation. It's just something that He wants us to believe.
Grace for the Falling Short
God is reaching out to you today with a hand of grace and mercy and saying, "Come to me." You know, the Bible says in Romans 3 that all have sinned and are falling short of the glory of God. I like that. I like the way the Amplified Bible says that. It's not "all have sinned and fell short"; we are falling short of the glory of God on a daily basis. But God continually, that stream of forgiveness, keeps flowing to us. Perhaps you've received Christ at some time and you've gotten back into sin.
You've backslidden, as we call it, and so you're convinced now that God won't have anything to do with you. You think it's too late for you, that you've messed up too many times. But you know what? We're all constantly falling short of the glory of God. But we all have been justified and made upright and put in right standing with God, freely by His grace, which is His unmerited favor and mercy.
If you've sinned, ask God to forgive you. "Father, forgive me. I come to you in Jesus' name and I ask you to forgive me for my sins. I need you." You know, how can it be this easy? Well, Romans 10:8 says that the Word, God's message, in Christ is near you, on your lips and in your heart. That is, the Word, the message, the basis and the object of the faith which we preach.
How to Receive This New Life
What we need to do is believe in our heart and confess with our mouth, and you shall be saved. Now, isn't that wonderful? Believe in your heart, confess with your mouth. At the end of what I want to share here today, I'm going to offer to pray with you. If you will believe in your heart that Jesus died for you, that He paid for your sins and took the punishment you deserve, and that He wants to give you a brand new life.
If you will believe that—and honestly, I don't know any reason not to believe that; why would you not want to believe that? That's the best news in the whole world. I believe that even right now God is giving you faith in your heart. There's a seed of faith that's in your heart that says, "Boy, I want to believe that." Maybe right now you can feel the presence of God right where you're at.
That's God reaching out to you saying, "Come to me. I want to do a work in your life." Then, when I pray with you, the words of your mouth are going to confirm your salvation as you pray that prayer out loud. Second Corinthians 5:17 says, "If anybody is in Christ, they are a new creation." So when you receive Christ, you become a new creature altogether.
The Journey of a New Beginning
Now, you're not going to look different when you look in the mirror, and to be honest, you may not totally act different all at once. But the good news is you become new spiritual clay. You get a new heart and a new attitude of wanting to serve God. It says that the old condition has passed away. Behold, the fresh and the new has come. I always like to say that in Christ, there's always new beginnings. It's never too late to begin again.
God loves you so much. He sent His only Son to die for you. Who would do that? God sent His only Son to die for you. You're special. You're the apple of His eye. He loves you. He wants to do good things in your life. He wants to come and make you right with Him, give you peace, and give you joy. I'm not going to tell you that if you pray this prayer with me at the end, everything in your life will magically change overnight.
But I will tell you this: your heart will change. Something wonderful will happen on the inside of you. Then, as you study God's Word and get with right people who will encourage you in your walk of faith, you begin to go to a good local church somewhere where you can be in a church family. Then you'll begin to grow. You don't have to do any of those things to receive Christ.
Growing in Your Relationship with God
But if you want to really change and let the good work that He does in you be worked out through you, then you need to be in fellowship with other people. Study your Bible. A lot of people think they can't understand the Bible, but there are so many updated translations of the Word of God that make it simple to understand. Now, that doesn't mean you're never going to make any mistakes.
You probably will make some mistakes. I make mistakes every day. But you can always just say, "God, I'm sorry for my mistakes. Forgive me," and then go right on. Go right on. There's no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. Now, just listen to me one more second. No matter what you've done, God loves you, and He wants to have a relationship with you.
Yes, I said no matter what you've done, God will forgive you, and He wants to have a close, intimate relationship with you. But being a Christian is about having a personal relationship with God through Jesus Christ. God wants to walk with you. He wants to talk with you. He wants to lead you. He wants to guide you. He wants to be involved in literally everything that you do.
God's Personal Care for You
Now, listen, God cares about everything that concerns you. I was badly abused by my dad sexually, mentally, emotionally, and every other way that you could be for most of the years I was living at home growing up. I had lots of problems in my life. I can tell you that God has helped me in every area where I had a need. You don't have to be miserable. You don't have to be full of stress.
You don't have to live in fear. You don't have to be fearful about what's going to happen in the world in the future. The thing is, God's got His eye on you, and He will take care of you if you trust Him to do that. So I just want to simply ask: do you need your sins forgiven? Would you love to have a relationship with the best friend you could ever possibly have?
Do you want to know that you're going to live forever? You don't have to be afraid of death. You know, when you leave this earth, you're going to go somewhere. It's not just over because we die. It's important that you know where you're going to spend eternity because eternity is a long, long, long time. It's time without end. God wants you to spend it with Him in Heaven.
An Invitation to Pray
That's one of the benefits of knowing Christ as your Savior. But there's also the benefit of enjoying your life while you're on your way to Heaven. I often tell people to say, "I'm on my way to Heaven, and I'm going to enjoy the journey." If you need to receive Christ today, would you pray with me right now? If you're in a place where you can, I'd like to encourage you to pray out loud.
I'm going to pray a little bit and give you time to pray it after me. I'm going to lead you in a couple of confessions. Then I have a book that I'd like to send to you as a gift. It's called "A New Way of Living". It will repeat some of the things I've said about salvation, but then it will tell you some ways to get started in your new life with Christ. Also, we're happy to answer any questions you have.
You can call my office. Someone will pray with you and talk to you. Let me tell you something. We care about you. We want you to have the life that Jesus died for you to have. Perhaps you've had a great loss in your life and you're hurting so bad you feel like you just don't know what you're going to do. Well, you know what? God is the God of all comfort. He will comfort you and help you and strengthen you and enable you to go on. Now, let's pray together.
"Father God, I love you. Jesus, I believe that you are God, the very Son of God. I am a sinner. I'm sorry for my sins. I believe that Jesus died for me. And I believe He rose from the dead and that He is alive now, seated at the right hand of God. Jesus, I receive you now by faith. I believe. And I pray that you would come and dwell in me. Thank you for forgiving me. Thank you for loving me. Now, I believe that I've been saved. And I am on my way to heaven. And I am going to enjoy the journey. In Jesus' name, amen."