Station 2 / 10
Come to Jesus
Turn from your own way and trust Jesus to save you.
You're probably here if
- you're starting to believe Jesus is who He said He is
- you know you've done wrong and can't fix it yourself
- you feel drawn to Jesus but don't know how to start
- you've heard the gospel many times but never actually said yes
What this is
God made you and loves you. He made us to live with Him and for Him.
But all of us have gone our own way, in what we do, say and think. The Bible calls this sin, and it cuts us off from God. Being good can't earn our way back (Romans 3:23-24).
So God came to us. Jesus lived the life we haven't lived and on the cross took the punishment our sin deserved. On the third day He rose (1 Corinthians 15:3-4). Because of Him, anyone can be forgiven and made new.
God asks you to respond. Repent: turn from your own way back to God. Believe: trust Jesus instead of yourself (Mark 1:15). A prayer can help you say this, but it isn't a magic formula. And it is a start, not a finish line. Jesus asks, “Why do you call Me ‘Lord, Lord,’ but not do what I say?” (Luke 6:46). Trusting Him means following Him.
Hold on to this
That if you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.
Read slowly: The father runsLuke 15:11-24
11Then Jesus said, “There was a man who had two sons. 12The younger son said to him, ‘Father, give me my share of the estate.’ So he divided his property between them. 13After a few days, the younger son got everything together and journeyed to a distant country, where he squandered his wealth in wild living. 14After he had spent all he had, a severe famine swept through that country, and he began to be in need. 15So he went and hired himself out to a citizen of that country, who sent him into his fields to feed the pigs. 16He longed to fill his belly with the pods the pigs were eating, but no one would give him a thing. 17Finally he came to his senses and said, ‘How many of my father’s hired servants have plenty of food? But here I am, starving to death! 18I will get up and go back to my father and say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. 19I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Make me like one of your hired servants.”’ 20So he got up and went to his father. But while he was still in the distance, his father saw him and was filled with compassion. He ran to his son, embraced him, and kissed him. 21The son declared, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’ 22But the father said to his servants, ‘Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. 23Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let us feast and celebrate. 24For this son of mine was dead and is alive again! He was lost and is found!’ So they began to celebrate.
For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.
For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that everyone who believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through Him.
For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that He was buried, that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures.
For it is by grace you have been saved through faith, and this not from yourselves; it is the gift of God, not by works, so that no one can boast.
“The time is fulfilled,” He said, “and the kingdom of God is near. Repent and believe in the gospel!”
Where to next
- Tell God you're comingPray the prayer below, or use your own words. Then talk to Him every day, even for five minutes.
- Read a Gospel every dayStart with John, a chapter a day. You need it the way a baby needs milk: “crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation” (1 Peter 2:2).Read John 1
- Find one person to walk withTell a Christian friend or pastor this week what you've decided. Ask them to meet with you regularly for the next few months.
- Go to church, ask about baptismFind a church that teaches the Bible and go this Sunday. Tell a leader you want to be baptised.Go to Baptism
- Make one thing rightIf you need to stop something, give something back or apologise, take one step this week.
- Keep growingMilk is for the start, not for ever. Over the coming months, read whole books of the Bible, learn what Christians believe and do what you read (Hebrews 5:14).See what we believe
Watch out: Adding Jesus on top
Some people add Jesus to their life like an extra, without turning from anything. He wants to be Lord of all of you.
Pray
Jesus, I know I have gone my own way and I can't put myself right. I believe You died for my sin and rose again. I turn from my old life and trust You to forgive me and make me new. From today I want to follow You as my Lord.
4 weeks at this station
A short step most days, about five minutes, with two open days a week. Read any day ahead; you tick it off on its day.