When Ravi arrived overseas as an international student, he wanted a fresh start. He worked hard in his studies, made new friends, and enjoyed university life. Yet deep inside, he felt empty.
One day, a Christian friend invited him to a Bible discussion.
“There is one verse that changed my life,” his friend said. “2 Corinthians 5:17: ‘If anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!’“
Ravi wondered, “What does it mean to become a new creation?”
Over the next few weeks, he learned about Jesus. He discovered that becoming a Christian was not just about following rules. It was about Jesus changing a person’s heart from the inside out.
One night, Ravi prayed, “Jesus, I need You. Please forgive me and make me new.”
At first, nothing looked different on the outside. He was still the same student, living in the same hostel and attending the same classes.
But something had changed inside.
His anger became gentler. His selfishness gave way to concern for others. His anxiety was gradually replaced by peace.
A few months later, a classmate asked, “Ravi, why are you so different these days?”
Ravi smiled and replied, “The old Ravi is gone. Jesus is making me a new person.”
Then he shared the verse that had changed his life:
“If anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!” (2 Corinthians 5:17)
Jesus did not simply improve Ravi’s life. He changed him from the inside out.
Question:
- In Ravi’s story, what changes happened on the inside before people noticed changes on the outside?
- “Ravi’s story is fictional, but 2 Corinthians 5:17 is real. Now let’s hear from your group facilitators about how Jesus has changed their lives from the inside out.”
- After listening to the testimony, what is one question you would like to ask the facilitator about the life story he or she has just shared?
- What is one area of your life where you would like to see positive change? How can the facilitator pray for you so that you can experience that change?
(Fri@DU Connect 19 June 2026)