Peace in His Presence - Gospel Revolution
Gospel Revolution is Bethel Grace’s annual revival where the congregation gathers to worship and gain a deeper understanding of the gospel. This year, the revival theme was “No Greater Love” from John 15:13, and we had the pleasure of having Pastor Owen preach to us. Through his messages, I was able to reflect and be reminded about what Jesus has done for us because of His love.
In Pastor Owen’s first sermon on Luke 19, we looked at the story of Zacchaeus, who was a greedy tax collector that was disliked by the people around him due to his misdeeds. Jesus touches Zacchaeus’ heart by reaching out to him with love and this leads to Zacchaeus repenting for the sins he committed. Pastor Owen noted that this repentance was the fruit of salvation, not the root of salvation, and I thought that this is so important to understand. Repentance should happen upon already being saved by the grace of God, and my natural response should be to repent out of thankfulness and desire to be like Christ. The beauty of the gospel is that salvation is not something earned by doing things, but is gifted to us through Jesus Christ who died on the cross on our behalf for the sake of our sins because of His love for us. We also see that Zacchaeus calls Jesus “Lord” which shows that money is no longer lord in Zacchaeus’ life. I had to think about the idols in my life that I prioritize over Jesus sometimes, and my heart became repentant.
On the second night of the revival, Pastor Owen spoke about the Last Supper, and about coming to the Lord’s table where we can experience grace, satisfaction, and hope. He then mentioned that grace is for those who are broken, not for the people who have it all together. Some people may feel afraid to come before Jesus because they feel like they are unworthy and dirty. However, it is reassuring to know that God’s grace covers those imperfections. I realize that it’s important to recognize your brokenness so that you can fully experience God’s grace. We see in Mark 13, before the last supper, Judas betrays Jesus for money which is contrasted by the woman who broke the alabaster jar and poured perfume on Jesus’ head. In my head I was thinking about how terrible Judas was, and then Pastor Owen stated that the spirit of Judas also lives within us. Although it may sound extreme, it is terribly true that the same sinful nature is within me. Would I have been able to break the alabaster jar like how the woman did? It is a constant battle between the flesh and spirit, and it’s difficult for me to confidently say that I am completely satisfied to only have Jesus. However, despite my sinfulness, I am grateful that there is hope and redemption at the table of God. As Pastor Owen said, our hope is not to live a great life on earth but to live a great eternal life in Jesus. I want to strive to keep an eternal perspective as I live on this earth.
The last message about God’s discipline to His people was very refreshing and encouraging to me because it helped me to process what is going on in my life at the moment. Pastor Owen said that God will use our suffering for our good to make us more like Jesus. I found this to be very true in my life in the past when my relationship with God was strengthened as I was experiencing struggles and hardship. However, as I was facing challenges recently, my faith in God began to shake. I realized that in my comfort and complacency, my trust in Him began to fall. Honestly, I couldn’t wholeheartedly agree that God will use suffering for my good because He loves me. But I recalled 1 Corinthians 10:13 that says “No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it.” God is a god who is faithful even though I may fail Him, and I want to lay down my burdens and fears to God who will be with me in every part of my life.
Overall, this revival was a blessing, and it helped me to reassess my walk with God. I was reminded of how much of a broken person that I am, and how much grace God still pours out regardless of my failures. This new year, I am encouraged to deepen my trust in God, and desire to find peace in His presence day by day. My desire is to be stirred by the truth of the gospel, and share the love of Christ to those around me. I pray that He may be the center of my life, and that I would seek strength from Him in times of trouble. May my focus be not on life on this earth but life in heaven.
