Becoming a Christian
This PowerPoint slide and the words in blue are taken from our World Cup Final day message at Riverside Porto. Click on the link or go to 'Teaching' to hear the whole message.
Who did Jesus come for? Who has this amazing opportunity? Everyone! Let's say that again. EVERYONE. Not just a few people who have spent their lives in a monastery or something; not just the Pope and a few Saints; or the Archbishop of Canterbury and the hierarchies of our denominational churches and not even just the apostles of the bible (who were mostly likeable rogues anyway)! Everybody - and when God says 'Everybody', who do you think He means?
There must be a snag, I hear you saying. Not really – but here is the nearest thing to one. Anyone who does not believe in Him has already been judged – and we don’t want to be judged by God, that’s for sure. But this is not about threats – God is not trying to smash us into submission – but if we don’t believe, then there is no other hope left – so by our own actions we have been judged already. To put it another way, sin is only a problem if it has not been forgiven – so to those who believe and act upon those beliefs, sin and judgement is just not a problem.
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What is on offer tonight – before the match starts? Everyone who will believe in Jesus does not need to perish but may have everlasting life. Is there more? ..... You see, the promise is unconditional, but there are more things that God can and will do for you as you start your training programme. Most of the members of this church will be only too pleased to tell you about the difference that believing in Jesus Christ has made to our lives. 
Becoming a Christian is amazingly simple. If you want to stop struggling against God and accept that Jesus, God's Son, came to open the way for us to be at peace with Him, there are a very few simple steps to follow:
- You need to accept that Jesus Christ is God - truly man and yet truly God - and that He came from God expressly so that You and I could be forgiven for all the times that we have gone off on our own and ignored our Heavenly Father's wishes.
- You need to recognise this by saying out loud to God (in your room or anywhere else private) that you have gone your own way and ignored Him and that you now realise that this is what the bible calls 'sin'.
- Ask God to forgive you for all that's gone before - He WILL!
- Agree to follow Jesus and ask Him (out loud) to be both your saviour and your leader. Let Him, His Word and the Holy Spirit lead and guide you from now on. To put it simply, listen for God to guide you and do what He says!
That's IT. If you have genuinely done those things, you will have accepted Jesus Christ as your leader and guide and He will lead you. Of course there's more - and Riverside Porto will be producing more pages to help you over the next few weeks.
Please let us know so that we can pray for you. If you are in Portugal, we will be pleased to meet you and help you to become attached to other Christians - it helps a lot! If you are outside Portugal, we would still like to know - we can pray for you wherever you might be - and we are probably able to help you to find a church near you. Call +351 227 627 643 or email bill@riverside porto.com.
- Av. Sacadura Cabral 1642
- 4410 - 463 Arcozelo
- Vila Nova de Gaia
- PORTUGAL
+351 227 627 643
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