Salvation - regeneration

12th January, 2018

Salvation is a regeneration.
Why are people so excited to share their faith
when they first follow God?
They are overflowing with joy from their salvation.
They long to tell others of their new hope and
that living for God is so exciting - far better than the fun of sin.

We must understand our point of salvation.

Luke 7:36-39
Jesus went to the house of a Pharisee called Simon.
A sinful woman came to the house looking for Jesus.
She cried and wet Jesus' feet with her tears and wiped his feet with her hair.
Then she kissed his feet and poured perfume on them.
The Pharisee was talking to himself wondering how Jesus didn't know what kind of woman was touching him. He was judgemental
- is Jesus really from God?
- This woman is a sinner. (Worse than himself)

Luke 7:40-43
Jesus explains the situation to Simon.
He tells him about 2 men owing debts and neither could pay. One owed a lot and the other a little.
The moneylender cancelled the debts of both men.
Jesus asked Simon which man would love the moneylender more? Simon knew it must be the one who owed the most.

Luke 7:44-47
Jesus compares the woman to the Pharisee.
It was not the woman's home but she was doing so much for Jesus because she was in a desperate need of Salvation. The man felt he was more righteous and he didn't feel the same desperate need for salvation. So he didn't respond to Jesus with the same love, joy and appreciation as the sinful woman.
Jesus concluded with Simon:
Therefore, I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven- for she loved much.
But he who has been forgiven little loves little.

Check also Luke 18:9-14
Some were sure of their righteousness and were looking down on others. In Jesus' parable ,
It was the tax collector, in his brokenness and humility, who went home justified.
It wasn't the self righteous Pharisees.

Isaiah 64:6
.. all our righteous acts are like filthy rags. (Without Jesus)

Salvation is about Jesus making us righteous - it is nothing that we have done.
Ephesians 2:8-9 no one can boast about what they have done - only what God has done for us.

How we approach God on a daily basis is really important.
Do we come humbly with an attitude of gratitude and thankfulness.
Or are we like the self righteous Pharisees - thinking we are better than others?

Psalm 51:12
Restore to me the joy of your salvation....

When we remember how God has saved us, we can have a renewed joy.