Who is Jesus

Jesus is a big deal at SVA Church, in fact, if you hang out with us for a while you will discover that He is the center of everything we do and are all about! Most people think He was at least a great man or a great teacher, but we believe He was so much more than that. Jesus Himself said, “I and the Father are one…when you see me you have seen the Father." (John 10:30) By looking at Jesus, we are seeing God in person.

So, in Jesus, the two worlds of divinity and humanity collide in order to help us find our way back to God.
Jesus is the healer of the sick, restorer of the soul, calmer of the storm, mender of the broken, friend of the lonely, finder of the lost, lover of the unlovable, forgiver of the sinner and Savior of the world.

He created us, knows us, loves us as we are, not as we should be, and longs to fill our lives with purpose and a faith that overwhelms all fear. He is worthy of our allegiance and invites us into a life that is beautiful, powerful, graceful, and meaningful. As Human and Divine, He is the only One who can save us from the effects of sin and model for us what it means to live as a human being fully awake and fully alive!

Jesus Cares

What still amazes us is that Jesus, God in the flesh, the Creator of everything we see, also loves and cares for us individually! Too often in life because of our mistakes, failures, and sins, we are convinced that God couldn’t possibly love us. So, we live our lives far away from God, removing ourselves from the love that He longs to pour into our lives. We end up trying to “be good” as best we can and hope that our “good stuff” will outweigh our “bad stuff,” and that maybe God will let us sneak into heaven. But the truth is that no amount of self-improvement programs or trying harder will ever be able to bridge the chasm between us and God that sin has created.

Jesus is the bridge that helps us find our way back into God’s love! The Bible also teaches us that when we decide to follow and give our lives to Jesus, that there is nothing in all of creation that can separate us from the Love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord!

A verse in the Bible you’ve probably heard that describes the love God has for you, and shares how Jesus has done everything possible to make sure you can experience that love is:

“For this is how God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. God sent his Son into the world not to judge the world, but to save the world through him." (John 3:16-17)

A Fresh Start

When we realize that we have not been living the way God designed us to live, there is some good news. Jesus offers us something we desperately need… what do we need? A fresh start. If you could have a “do-over” what would you do differently?

The most spiritual thing you will ever do is make a choice. The choices you make today will determine the person that you will become! When you choose Jesus, you will make the most important decision in life, one that will give you a clean slate, a fresh start.

The bible tells us that:

“If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.” (Romans 10:9)
This decision unleashes God’s salvation on and in you, and adopts you into His family where He continues to forgive you and offer new beginnings each day.
Salvation is experiencing God’s heavenly reality today and into eternity. Once you decide to follow Jesus, nothing can take that away. We don’t always make the right choices, but every time we confess what we did wrong, we receive God’s forgiveness and a fresh start!
If you’re not sure whether you are right with God or that you need Jesus in your life, you can make the decision to follow Jesus today.
Choose to follow Him right now by praying a prayer of surrender to Jesus.

Are You Ready to Follow Jesus?

Are you ready to follow Jesus?

We like to say that beginning a relationship with Jesus is as easy as ABC:

A – Admit – Jesus invites us to come to Him and surrender ourselves, while also acknowledging that we have attempted to live life without Him. Recognizing our own need for a Savior is the first step in embracing His free gift and love.

B – Believe – It is not required that you understand and believe all the things in Scripture and about Jesus to begin a relationship with Him. He simply asks for you to place your trust in Him that He is who He says He is – the Son of God who was sent to take your place in death and offer you new life.

C – Come Home – You were created for relationship with God and Jesus is the avenue to extend that relationship back out to you. By admitting and believing in Him, you are coming home to the love of a Father who’s arms have always been outstretched towards you.

Although there isn’t some magic formula or prayer that God is looking for, it can be helpful to have a prayer to get you started. Here is a simple prayer to pray wherever you are:

"Jesus, I know that I need you! I believe that you gave your life for me so that I could have life with You today and in eternity. I know I have not lived my life in a way that you desire I live it, I am sorry and I ask you to forgive me. In this moment I ask that you would be the Lord, leader, CEO of my life. I give all that I am to you. While I don’t understand everything, I am thankful for your grace and forgiveness. Please fill me with Your Holy Spirit to lead me, guide me, and direct me to live out my life in a way that honors you".

Amen.