Don’t miss the point, the purpose of the Gospel, why Jesus came.

Contrary to popular opinion, Christianity is not all about you getting into heaven someday.  It is about transforming your life so heaven can form in you right here and right now. 

Modern western Christianity has become highly focused on speaking a “prayer of salvation” so if you die tonight you will go to heaven. Unfortunately, if this prayer is only superficial, and not accompanied with true repentance for your sins and a full committment to change and follow Jesus as Lord of your life, those folks will be severaly dissapointed when they knock at the pearly gates and Jesus does not know them and let them in.  The gospel message of repentance and transformaitonal change has become lost as churches seak to attract customers and avoid difficult conversations that might scare them away. This shortcut produces Christians in title only, folks who try to adapt selective Christian principles to thier life when it is convenient;  Christians who are complying with religious rituals but remain self-centered and unchanged; Christians who are pleasant for an hour on Sunday but are misserable the remainder of the week; Shristians that are happy when things are going well for them, but are devasteated and need prayer as soon as they encounter any of life’s inevitable challenges.. If you follow along with this write up, you will avoid this mistake;  You will get to know God and He will help you live the life He intended when he put you here, and He will know you very well when it comes time to knock on those pearly gates. 

Jesus came here to restore what was lost

The gospal message is much deeper and is much more powerful and compelling when you properly understand it. 

Look at the specific words used in Luke 19:10, they are very telling.  It doesn’t say Jesus came to save those who are lost, it says he came to save “That” which was lost. He came so save a thing not a person.  He came to restore the image of God in us, the image that was lost by Adam and Eve’s sin. This is a very big deal. 

“for the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost.”Luke 19:10

Look at how the story line flows regarding the Image of God

Man was originally made in God’s image; Adam and Eve corrupted that image when they sinned in the garden. Each of us is born into Adam’s image, We each need to be born again to change it.  Jesus came here as the expressed image of God. Now that He has released the Holy Spirit, He will form in you if you invite Him and give Him room to work. You must cut off the old you and put the old you to death so that you can be restored into new life through Him. Jesus was the first born of many; you are to be one of the many. Jesus will restore the original image of God in you as He forms in you and lives through you.

In practical terms, God put us here for a purpose, Adam got us side tracked with sin, God sent His son to restore what was lost and to enable us to fulfill that original purpose. If we fully commit to follow Jesus, we will be transformed and be able to live the life He intended whern He put us here.

This is not a superficial prayer, this is not a casual engagement, this is not a limited applicaiton of selected principles if convenient, this is full emersion, this is a comittment to change.

You must shed your old self to make room for Jesus to form in you

The target of transformation is your inner nature, the thing deep down inside that drives you. We are born with a self-conscious and self-centered sinful nature that casues problems for us and those around us.  You can see this nature in little children, no one has to teach them to be needy, to be selfish with thier toys. That is thier inherited nature, thier instinct. That nature drives us to be self-consious; to focus on ME and my situation. It elevates our Ego and pushes self-centered agendas; what can i do to improve my situation, reputation, status, position, power in life. These self-focused emotions, thoughts, and actions are directly opposite of God’s intention for us to love Him with all our heart and to love others as ourselves. Left unchecked, they end up causing all sorts of problems for ourselves and others and are in fact the forcing functions behind all sin. 

Jesus came here to save us from sin, to allow us to move forward from our past, to come into us and change our nature, and empower us to live a better life through Him moving forward.  He lived a human life and forged a path for us to follow. A path where we transform and actually live the life God intended when He put us here.  After His ascension, He released the Holy Spirit so He could come and live inside each of us to teach us and guide us in person. 

We must repent of our sins. We must acknowledge our flaws and the consequences they produce. We must be committed to change; Be comitted to follow Jesus as lord of our lives and to follow His teacings; Be comitted to live a life worthy of the price Jesus paid. 

To make room for Him to live inside us and do His work we must get our old self out of the way.  We are called to:

1) Deny ourselves, (including our self-consicous emotions and our self-centered agendas),

2) Pick up our cross daily (including suffering what ever wrongs we encounter), and

3) Follow Jesus (including his teachings and lived example).   

If we are willing to set aside our old ways and actually follow Him, He will come inside us, teach us and guide us. He will form in us and flow through us. This is how we glorify God with our lives and become a beacon to others for His kingdom.

The idea is to crucify your old self and it’s sinful nature on the cross with Jesus.  If you put off your old self and start over, there is no past to be mired in.  

God actually wants to you become like Jesus

Invite Him to come and live in you; to tske up residence.

Offer yourself as a vessel for His use. Commit to transforming into His image and doing the work He calls you to.

As you listen and follow His lead,  He will form in you.

You will find more and more ways for His love to flow through you. His love is perfected when it flows through you to others. 

You will become more and more like Him.  You will be able to be bold on judgement day becasue you ended up like Him.

You know you have achieved success when you “know Him”.  When bad things happen to you and you respond in love. You are connected with Him in relationship, you see things from His perspective, you isten for His input, you understand His will, you speak His will into place, and He lfows through you to do the works He did. 

Scripture sets very clear expectations on you transforming and becoming like Jesus:

God originally made mankind in His own image, the perfect image of God.

“So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.” Genesis 1:27

Adam and Eve were changed when they chose to sin in the garden. Thier eyes were opened. They became self-conscious, they realized they were naked, became afraid, hid from God, and began denying responsiblity for thier actions.They had corrupted the perfect image of God. 

“Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves coverings.” Genesis 3:7

“Then the Lord God called to Adam and said to him, “Where are you?” So he said, “I heard Your voice in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked; and I hid myself.” Genesis 3:9-10

Adam passed on his flawed image to His children.

“…In the day that God created man, He made him in the likeness of God….And Adam lived one hundred and thirty years, and begot a son in his own likeness, after his image, and named him Seth.” Genesis 5:1-3

We inherited Adams sinful nature.  We are born into Adams sinful nature:

“Therefore, just as through one man sin entered the world, and death through sin, and thus death spread to all men, because all sinned.” Romans 5:12

Jesus makes the kingdom of God available inside us:

“Now when He was asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come, He answered them and said, ‘The kingdom of God does not come with observation; nor will they say, “See here!” or “See there!” For indeed, the kingdom of God is within you.” Luke 17:20-21

We must be born again to reset our flawed nature and experience the kingdom of God in us:

“Jesus answered and said to him, ‘Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.’” John 3:3

Jesus is the expressed image of God:

“He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation.” Colossians 1:15

You are to be conformed to His image:

“For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren.” Romans 8:29

Deny yourself, crucify your self-centered agendas, and allow Jesus to live in you and through you:

“I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.” Galatians 2:20

We are to get to know Him; See things from His perspective, Understand His intentions, Align ourselves, and become more like Him, this releases eternal life in us and through us:

“This is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent.” John 17:3

Jesus is to form in you:

Paul said… “My little children, for whom I labor in birth again until Christ is formed in you,” Galatians 4:19

“To them God willed to make known what are the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles: which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.” Colossians 1:27

We are to become like Him:

“Love has been perfected among us in this: that we may have boldness in the day of judgment; because as He is, so are we in this world.” 1 John 4:17

You are to become the light of the world. Jeuss was the light of the world while He was here, and now He has handed the ball to you.

Then Jesus spoke to them again, saying, “I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life.” John 8:12

“As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.” John 9:5

“…that you may become blameless and harmless, children of God without fault in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world,”  Philippians 2:15

“You (those who believe) are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden.” Matthew 5:14

Speak This Positive Confession

Heavenly Father, thank you for creating me and putting me here.

You created mankind in your image, the perfect image of God.

That image was tarnished by Adam and Eve when they sinned in the Garden.

I inherited that tarnished image, I was a sinner, another child lost in this fallen world.

I was living for ME. My thoughts and emotions were centered on ME.

I was self-conscious and self-centered.

I saw events around me mostly through my own eyes, from my own earthly perspective.

What is MY earthly status? What do I look like? What nice things do I have? How much money do I have? What level of education have I achieved? What Job/Position do I hold? What have I accomplished? What kind of relationships/family have I built? What status do I hold in society? What do others think of me?  Do people love me? How are things going for me?

My ego had a strong voice in my emotions and my actions: What is happening around me? What is happening to me? What does that mean for me? How do I build up my situation? How to I protect my reputation?

Guilt, Shame and Condemnation have had a strong foothold: What have I done? What impact has it had? What do people think? What would other people think if they knew? What does God think?

This focus on self is the opposite of what you intended when you put us here. We are called to love you more than we love ourselves. We are called to love our neighbors more than ourselves.  We are called to forgive our enemies and love them; We are to see all others as your precious children in need of love and support. We are to use our skills and resources to serve you and your kingdom as you lead us. We are to become your agents to spread love.    

Instead of being love in action, I have lived my life in need of love.

God, thank you for loving me so much you sent your son.

Jesus, You came here to rescue me, and to restore what was lost through Adam.

Jesus, You paid the price for my sins with your suffering and death.

You gave Your life for me, I give my life to You. 

I used to live my life for me, I now live my life for You.

Jesus, You are now Lord of my life.

I hereby crucify the old me, I nail my sinful nature to Your cross.

I put my ego and self-conscious emotions to death.

I cancel all self-centered agendas and submit them all to you, Jesus.

I put off my old man and put on the new man, I put on Jesus

Your innocent blood covers my past so I can focus forward.

I am completely forgiven, My past is washed away.

I am born again. An adopted son of God.

I am a new person.

All old things pass away, behold all things are made new through Jesus.

There is no room for guilt, shame, or condemnation in my life. My past is behind me.

I am an official member of your flock, a member of the Body of Christ..

The Father sees me as innocent and Holy through Your precious blood.

I am committed to live a life worthy of the price You paid.

I invite you to come live inside Me, to take up residence.

I present my mind and body as a temple for your Holy Spirit.

I wake every day renewed in your spirit.

I am beginning to see things from your perspective.

As I get to know you, You are coming alive in me, transforming my thoughts and emotions.

You empower me to live the life you intended when you put me here.

With Your help, I will be more and more like You

The kingdom of God is forming in me.

I have a new purpose, I am no longer just trying to survive, I am living to bring you glory

There is no room for negativity in me, I now live in the hope of glory.

You are forming in me; It is no longer me that lives, but You through me.

You are restoring the original image of God in me; I am becoming love.

Your love will be perfected as it flows through me to others.

I offer my arms and legs to do your work on this earth.

I will walk in the light as you walked in the light.

I will be a bright light in this dark world.

I will shine as a beacon for your kingdom.

I will bring the Father glory through the Son.

 

Other Helpful Reference Materials:

Videos of Dan Mohler preaching this message:

Full Sermons – Very Powerful – Worth watching several times until the message sinks in:

“God sent His son to redeam Humanity not get You into heaven someday” Destiny Church Naples–Dec 2022

“Love not your life unto death” July 2018

“Deny Yourself” – May 2015

 “Live Life Transformed” – July 2018

Transforming is simple, It does not have to be a long process – May 2020

Your Goal vs Satans Goal – Dec 2023

Brief versions focused on this key message:

“Jesus said deny yourself and pick up your cross and follow me“ – Dec 2022  – 3 min

“What does it mean To Pick Up Your Cross”Aug 2019 – 6 Min

 “Deny Yourself Then Take Up Your Cross”  Aug 2016– 10 Min