---------------- Short Stories for Shepherding Materials English Version
Sinner's friend
Story shepherding material
Lesson 13 Jesus is the sinner's friend
Matt 9:13 God desire mercy and not sacrifice, for God did not come to call the righteous, but sinners.
One day, a young woman challenged a brother that she didn't want to be saved because she is unwilling to give up the current sinning way of life, otherwise, there will be no fun in life. But in fact, although she has heard a lot of gospel in a Christian school , so this was her resistance to the gospel.
The brother said, "Let's pray, okay? ' she replied , "'what shall I pray for?" The brother said, "I cannot pray for you, but I pray first. You can tell the Lord Jesus what you just told me with an honest heart. " she said in surprise, '"Oh, I can't do this! ' said the brother, '" You can , don't you know that He is the sinner's friend ?" The above words touched her heart. She sincerely prayed to the Lord; From that day on, the Lord Jesus worked in her heart. Soon, she was truly saved because of her direct contact with the Lord.
【The Lord Jesus is our friend】
The Lord Jesus became our Friend first and then our Savior. He is our friend so that we may meet Him in person without hindrance, so that the door of salvation may remain open ,thus we may receive Him as our Savior.
【Salvation is to meet the Lord】
People who are saved only by "Bible knowledge" often become big-headed and have no living contact with the Lord. But some others who may not have much Bible knowledge, but have touched the living God, and even gained growth through faith in the midst of hardship. We need to see the difference between redemption and salvation clearly. Redemption was accomplished once for all by the Lord Jesus on the cross 2000 years ago.
[Salvation is a subjective personal experience]
Salvation is a subjective personal experience of God, based on the Lord’s resurrection rather than on the Lord’s death. Salvation is meeting God directly, a direct living contact with God.
Thus, what are the most basic conditions for man to contact God? Answer with the parable of the sowing of seed. "He who falls on good soil is the one who hears the word with an honest and good heart, and holds on to it, and bears fruit with patience. There is only one thing that God requires of man is an "honest heart". God doesn't care whether he understands the Bible or not; as long as he has a honest with God, God is ready to meet him.
For example _Two rubbers were crucified with the Lord, one of them had a sincere heart to the Lord, and the deceitful tax collector who prayed in the temple, as long as they had a little sincere heart to pray to God and call on God with honest by telling the Lord about his real condition, and he will have a living contact with God.
The Bible tells us that Christians must pray in the name of the Lord Jesus. This is not a formality, but an act of believing into the Lord. As long as people believe and call on the Lord with an honest heart, God listens. An honest heart can touch God.
【The Lord is near】
"He who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved." When we hear the gospel, the Holy Spirit is "waiting" outside the door of man's hearts to bring Christ into their hearts. The Holy Spirit is "waiting" to enter the hearts of those who hear the gospel. He is like light. By just opening the window a little , then the light enlightens the house. As soon as you call on the Lord with a honest heart, the Spirit comes in and begins His transforming work to convict, repent, and believe. This is the miracle of regeneration.
Oh, what marvelous works our living God can do! God is looking for is an "honest heart". Never forget that the Holy Spirit is "waiting" at the door of your heart right now, and He has the resurrection power to move your heart to God.
----------------牧養材料中文文字稿小故事牧養材料
罪人的朋友
小故事牧養材
第十三課 耶穌是罪人的朋友
太 9:13_神要的是憐憫，不是祭祀；...神來本不是召義人，乃是召罪人。
某天,某女子向某弟兄挑戰說_她不想得救。因她不願放棄現在罪行的生活方式,否則,人生就沒有樂趣了。但事實上，她聽過福音不少,因她是讀教會學校，所以這是她對福音的反抗。
這弟兄說『我們禱告，好麼？』她輕蔑的說，『我要禱告甚麼？』弟兄說，『我不能代替你禱告，但我願意先禱告,你可以用誠實的心,把剛才所告訴我的,也都告訴主耶穌。』她吃驚的說，『哦，我不能這樣作！』弟兄說，『你能，難道你不知道祂是罪人的朋友麼？』這句話摸著了她的心,她真心向主禱告了；但從那天起，主耶穌就在她心裏作工。不久，因她與主有直接的接觸就真心得救了。
【主耶穌是我們的朋友】
主耶穌先作我們的朋友，然後才作我們的救主。祂作我們朋友,好使我們能不受攔阻的親身遇見祂，好使救恩的門一直敞開，叫我們能接受祂作救主。
【救恩是遇見主】
若僅靠”聖經知識”得救的人常變成大頭腦,並沒有與主有活的接觸。但另有些人，可能知識不多，卻摸到了活的神，甚至在極重的試煉中因信而得著長進。我們需要更清楚看見救贖與救恩的不同。救贖是主耶穌二千年前在十架上所一次永遠完成的。
【救恩是個人主觀的經歷】
救恩是個人主觀經歷神,是根據主的復活，過於根據主的死。救恩乃是遇到神 ,就是與神直接之活的接觸。
那甚麼是人與神接觸最基本的條件？用撒種的比喻來回答。『那落在好土裏的，就是人用誠實善良的心聽了道，便持守住，並且忍耐著結實。』 神對人的要求只有一件事就是『誠實善良的心』。神不管他明白不明白；只要他豫備好在這事上向神是誠實的，神就豫備好來遇見他。
例如_兩個強盜與主同釘十架,其中一個有誠實的心向主,及在殿裏禱告的詭詐稅吏，只要他們裏面有一點誠實的心,來向神禱告並呼求神,且坦然的告訴主他的情形,他就會與神有活的接觸。
聖經吩咐我們基督徒必須在主耶穌的名裏禱告,這不是形式，乃是一種相信主的行動。只要人用誠實的心來相信且呼求神，神就垂聽。誠實的心能摸著神。
【主是近的】
『凡呼求主名的，就必得救。』當我們聽到福音的時候，聖靈就在人的心門外面”等候著"，要把基督帶到他們心裏。聖靈“正等待著“進入聽見福音者的心裏。祂就像光。只要把窗戶稍微打開，光就流瀉進來，照亮室內。只要你從心中向神呼求，就在那時刻，那靈就進來，開始祂變化的工作，使人知罪自責、悔改並相信,這就是重生的神蹟。
哦，我們的神能作的是何等奇妙！神所要尋找的是『誠實善良的心』。永遠不要忘記聖靈現在就在你的心門外面”正等候著"，祂有大能力推動你的心歸向神。
